Cloth Seats

Fidge · #1 12-08-2003, 10:56 AM

I have checked under the search option but did not see much regarding the durability of the kaliedo cloth seats in the MC.

I saw a post by minihune, which indicated that his seats were showing signs of pilling.

I would like to hear comments from anyone who has owned an MC with cloth seats for a while. How are they holding up?

Thanks,

Moorlockx · #2 12-08-2003, 11:00 AM

I've got 10k miles on my cloth now with no problems at all. :smile:

mbabischkin · #3 12-08-2003, 11:05 AM

10 months and 15k miles and mine look fine

Agro · #4 12-08-2003, 11:39 AM

I have the space cloth on my MCS. 14 months, 9600 miles, no problem other than a tendency to stain from water.

Jimbo · #5 12-08-2003, 01:19 PM

I've had mine for 16 months and 10,500 miles and have no problems...they still look like new, and IMHO give more character to the interior than the leather or leatherette !

OmToast · #6 12-08-2003, 02:21 PM

I've got 11 months, almost 27k miles and my seats are great!!! I drove cross country for 6 weeks, so they took alot of abuse. Since I loathe AC, I did most of the driving through absurd heat indeces with the windows/sunroof open, AC off. Needless to say, I got quite... icky. There were (more information than you want in 3...2...) back-of-thigh sweat stains on the cloth when I returned home (truly gross, I know). I just hit 'em with some spot remover and they're good as new.

After 6 weeks, at least least 8 hours/day in the car, sweating, spilling and dropping crumbs, I feel I've given them a true torture test and they've weathered it beautifully.

countrym · #7 12-08-2003, 02:32 PM

>>There were (more information than you want in 3...2...) back-of-thigh sweat stains on the cloth when I returned home (truly gross, I know). I just hit 'em with some spot remover and they're good as new.

OmToast: Please post a pic of your sweaty butt print on your driver's seat.

Mexibeetle · #8 12-08-2003, 02:40 PM

Why don't you do that as a private message? I'm sure most of us would rather not see that. Back to the topic, we've got the cloth and they're wearing just fine.

BearX220 · #9 12-08-2003, 06:55 PM

About 6500 miles/7 months with the black Kaleido sport seats, and they look new. I was worried about fabric pilling, but there's been absolutely none.

d2mini · #10 12-08-2003, 08:03 PM

>>Get Leatherette...mucho better!

Too slippery. Cloth will hold you better than anything else. That's why I chose it. I've had leatherette in my last two cars and even though it's almost impossible to tell it's not leather, and it's easy to clean, it's slippery.

minihune · #11 12-09-2003, 05:05 AM

For the MCS the space cloth looks good and wears well.

Fidge · #12 12-09-2003, 07:07 AM

Minihune, how do your seats look now? If you could do it again would you get the cloth or something else?

I'm thinking of getting the Tartan red interior with a ps/b mc. Glad to see that everyone so far is claiming that their cloth seats are still looking good. I was afraid that they would look worn out after a while. :smile:

Fidge · #13 12-09-2003, 07:38 AM

>>>>>>Get Leatherette...mucho better!

>>>>
>>>>Too slippery. Cloth will hold you better than anything else. That's why I chose it. I've had leatherette in my last two cars and even though it's almost impossible to tell it's not leather, and it's easy to clean, it's slippery.
>>
>>
>>Negative. I don't have any "Slippery" issues with my Leatherette seats in neither one of my MINIs.
>>
>>Now if you use Armor All or other greasy vinyl cleaner, then you will have a slippery problem..otherwise...no problemo!

Does the leatherette need any care? I would think that it could dry out just like leather?

RaiderZA · #14 12-09-2003, 07:54 AM

My leatherette seats came with a small but significant stain on it. It looks like dried glue or some clear liquid, and I have not been able to remove it with Griots Interior Cleaner (which removes a hell of a lot of crap, BTW). Any suggestions for a good 'rette/vinyl cleaner?

zgokart · #15 12-09-2003, 03:04 PM

Got my MC for 17 months and the kaleido cloth looks almost new. It breathes well, is not cold to the touch in winter or hot feeling in summer, like leather. Haven't had to remove any stains ... yet. There's a cleaning product with a name beginning with a "K" (not Klasse) which I can't remember. Anyone remember?

OmToast · #16 12-09-2003, 04:59 PM

Country... So sorry-- first order of business when I got back was some upholstry TLC, in the form of spot remover. (Seats stood up to it great, by the by, no fading or color bleeding with the remover.)

Mexi... You don't know what you're missing. I have a cute butt.

Carry on, then. My vote is still for cloth. I'm sure the pleather will also hold up really well, but if you live in a hot climate and/or sweat profusely while wearing shorts you may find yourself missing several layers of skin upon peeling your way out of the seat.

kurvhugr · #17 12-09-2003, 06:42 PM

I have cloth seats - 23K miles - 18 months - they look like new - I love 'em.

This is an interesting conversation about leatherette, but I still don't get it. Even if it's the best pleather ever - the look of leather but with all the benefits of cloth and then some - it still looks and feels like like leather....how is that a good thing?

It's all about individual taste of course. Sounds like (maybe) they finally got pleather right, so the choice is yours. Speaking of taste, you obviously don't want my opinion unless you want it one-sided....I'm the odd-ball who tells the salesman the only way I'll take a car with leather seats is if I get a LARGE discount in the four-digits range below the cloth price.

My vote - cloth.

_________________
'02 IB/IB MC (name=ZIPPY) w/ assorted factory extras + SSR Comps (17") w/ B-stone Potenza S-03s + RDR rear swaybar + B&M short shifter + HSport ARCAs + Racing Dynamics strut brace + RSpeed exhaust + PiperCross Viper CAI......etc

kurvhugr · #18 12-09-2003, 08:13 PM

>>Leatherette is standard (No cost) option on the MC and MCS, same as Cloth.
>>
I know....that's still too expensive for me. I'll pay base price for cloth but still want a steep discount for leatherette. People have given up trying to explain the interest in leather and leatherette to me....I just don't have it in me to understand the appeal....and I'm not working on it.

Opinions are good, if we all thought the same way we'd all be driving the same car. Wait, we do all drive the same car....make that, we'd all drive identical MINIs....way too boring for me.

OCBen · #19 04-13-2006, 12:03 PM

I have cloth seats on my order (black octagon) but I haven't looked at a base Cooper with them to find out if they are completely covered in cloth, or is it just the seating surfaces only with leatherette for the side bolsters and the headrests? In the configurator it looks like just the seating surfaces are cloth, but maybe it's just trying to show the area of octagon cloth versus the area of plain cloth (the side bolsters).

Can someone with cloth seats please answer this for me? TIA

OCBen · #20 04-13-2006, 01:29 PM

Nobody with cloth seats show up yet?

sequence · #21 04-13-2006, 02:41 PM

cloth seats are all cloth, no mixes. U do know there are no lumbar supports, right? To get LS U have to get leather/cloth or full leather, weird, I know. Jimbo

OCBen · #22 04-13-2006, 03:06 PM

Thanks Jimbo. And I'll assume that goes for the headrest as well.

Don't really care enough about lumbar support to spring for a leather upgrade. Standard seats are comfortable enough for me.

umberto · #23 04-13-2006, 08:30 PM

I have cloth...over 2 years...look brand new...warmer in winter than vinyl; cooler in summer....works well with the heated seats in the winter

sequence · #24 04-13-2006, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OCBen

Thanks Jimbo. And I'll assume that goes for the headrest as well.

Yessir. Oh I just mentioned the LS because there are folks that don't realize this until it's too late. I mean, my MA never mentioned it. Jimbo

OCBen · #25 04-13-2006, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by umberto

I have cloth...over 2 years...look brand new...warmer in winter than vinyl; cooler in summer.

That's what I figured, that they're more comfortable year round than the vinyls. When it came time to placing my order it was a no brainer for me to order the cloths. In fact, if there had been a charge for cloth I would have paid the premium just for the comfort factor. ... I really don't see why anyone would prefer the vinyls. Maybe just for the leather-pretend-look. But when it comes to seating comfort, it's the cloths hands down. I optioned my car as a commuter car: high gas mileage (base Cooper), Xenons (for night driving), and cloth seats (for comfort during the long work commute).