>>Leatherette is the BEST choice hands down. Does not feel STICKY or WEIRD :smile:

 

I was leaning toward cloth because I want cool, cheap, low maintance but after hearing about the option for cordoba beige in MY04 and seeing pictures of it in a black cooper I am ording my 04 mcs ds/b with the c/b leather (if possible, my dealer is checking). However after hearing a little bit about sag I am second guessing cuz I'm about 230lbs. No I'm not waivering the beige looks too cool.

 

Beige leather looks sharp on your black car! :smile:

 

The only thing I don't like about the Cordoba Beige Leather interior is the beige door casings. Otherwise, it's real sharp.

 

My only justification for getting the leather would be the Cordoba Beige interior. But the light tan interior, if not cleaned regurarly, can get dirty fairly quickly. I guess this is the advantage of the black or grey interiors. Another plus of the Cordoba interior is that the car looks and feels bigger more airy inside.

 

I agree with Dave. I would like to see mini offer the Beige with Black door casings. Then I would definitely order it.

 

I know the drark grey door casings are plastic too, but for some reason the beige door casings with the Cordoba really look more like plastic to me. The beige carpet is nice though. If I were getting an 04 I would be tempted to get Cordoba and then maybe swap out the door casings later. Just a personal preference.

 

I have cloth seats and I LOVE them. They perfectly compliment my interior. It's held up perfectly and my MINI is a year old (on Sunday).

 

What about the LEATHER smell???

 

>>Most classic Minis I have seen have cloth seats and unless you are talking about a Wolesley (The classic Mini version for the rich) which came with factory cowhide seats standard... So cloth is more in line with tradition.

I'm glad to hear you point that out -- it's exactly why I went with Black Kaleido Cloth! The vast majority of European saloons have cloth, not leather seats. And the cloth patterns available in Euro markets tend to be much more interesting and "designed" than you see in North America. Check out any Hertz or Avis lot in London or Paris and you'll see -- mostly cloth interiors, lots of arresting patterns. Kaleido Cloth isn't the most interesting I've ever seen but it'll do fine.

I was going for a classic MINI look with Velvet Red paint (echoes the old British Leyland flat-wine paint, and it also reminds me of the London Underground's Bakerloo Line), chrome touches and the black cloth interior, and I'm really happy with it!

 

Is there any part of the country that ISN'T hot and sticky for a big chunk of the year? It's funny to hear that "regional" distinction applied to so many different regions...

Just to stay a little on topic, I have the Panther Black Leatherette and I really like the look and comfort. I've only had the car for a couple of months, so can't comment on durability. With the sport seats, I don't experience any sliding around at all. (I drove a loaner MC without the sport seats and felt like I was sitting in a pickup truck bench seat...yikes!).

L. Mini, happy birthday!

 

I have the leatherette w/ sports seats in my MC and have no problem w/ comfort or sliding. Most people think it's leather. I like the look of leather, but I was scared off by hearing about sagging leather seat bottoms. I'm sure they're rare, but there have been quite a few owners w/ that issue. At any rate, cloth would no doubt be comfortable and great looking as well, the cleaning and care perhaps a bit more than leatherette. I live in Oregon, so the heat isn't such an issue much of the year. If I lived in the south, I might opt for cloth.

 

Southwest is hot, but not too sticky. We had rain this week in Vegas, the humidity is up to 20%! Relatively high for here.

 

I went to my local Mercedes dealer to look at the new Mercedes CLK 55 AMG the other day. I thought the CLK was a nice car and I like what Mercedes has done with its entire line-up lately. But what a gyp! I couldn’t get cloth or leatherette interior. So I looked at the E500, same thing there. Well that’s just not going to cut it. So I drove over to the BMW dealer and they had their last ’03 M5 on the showroom. Same thing there, it only came in leather. So I inquired about the new 545i due out in the fall. Once again I had to get leather. Don’t these car companies know that cloth and leatherette are so popular?

 

I have tested all 3 surfaces and i am going leatherette. I like the look and feel of the leatherette. Every car i have had up to this point has had cloth seats and every one of them have seemed (over time) to pick up smells and stains that detailing and cleaning can't reach. I personally am through with cloth. I would get the leather but for the obscene cost for such a small amount of actual leather and the fact that i can't get the cordoba beige with black door casings and carpet.

 

>>Leatherette is the BEST choice hands down. Does not feel STICKY or WEIRD
>>

I agree! Also, we've had some of the hottest, sunniest weather ever here in the Pacific NW (yesterday was 102 degrees) and my MC sits in the sun all day. When I slip in it around 2PM to go run an errand, my bare legs can get on the leatherette with NO problem. It's not hot or sticky, and sweat doesn't collect like I remember it doing on vinyl in the "old days".

Leatherette is the way to go. It's quite classy; I get positive feedback on it often.

 

BMW offers Leatherette as standard equipment in the 325i sedan. Same exact material as in the MINI.

 

>>I know the drark grey door casings are plastic too, but for some reason the beige door casings with the Cordoba really look more like plastic to me. The beige carpet is nice though. If I were getting an 04 I would be tempted to get Cordoba and then maybe swap out the door casings later. Just a personal preference.

Are the door casings painted or is the color part of the plastic? Some car manufacturers actully paint the interior plactics to match the interior colors. The downside to this is they can scratch more easily.

 

>>Which material is best for the MCS? I live in the south, so Black Leather or Leatherette will really be hot in the summer. If I go with cloth, will it kill the resale value?I hear Cordoba leather will be available in 04, so that might be an option.
>>
>>For all of you out there, are you happy with your interior choice?


I have Cordoba leatherette and love it! The seats don't get that hot! The interior does, my glasses fog up after my Mini has been in the sun too long. Also, the seats don't sag, my butt does tho. The hottest part is the stick shift ball especially because of the sun roof. I need something to put on it to keep from burning my hand. Anything out there available? If not, I'll make something. Thanks. :smile:

 

I've had no problems with the leather at all. It's black profile. There's no sagging in mine--but I actually think pooky13's leather curves look great. I wish my leather had that bunched up look. Some cars try to make the leather look like that. I like it. My seats too smell and feel factory fresh. This may sound crazy, but i didn't get leatherette b/c of the back seat. It looks odd b/c it's flat w/ no stitch lines in the seat like the leather has. So that was out. The cloth was OK, but I wanted space cloth, and that didn't come in the cooper. I'm happy w/ the leather--it's not sticky, hot, or loose in the corners.

 

>>>>Which material is best for the MCS? I live in the south, so Black Leather or Leatherette will really be hot in the summer. If I go with cloth, will it kill the resale value?I hear Cordoba leather will be available in 04, so that might be an option.
>>>>
>>>>For all of you out there, are you happy with your interior choice?
>>
>>
>>I have Cordoba leatherette and love it! The seats don't get that hot! The interior does, my glasses fog up after my Mini has been in the sun too long. Also, the seats don't sag, my butt does tho. The hottest part is the stick shift ball especially because of the sun roof. I need something to put on it to keep from burning my hand. Anything out there available? If not, I'll make something. Thanks. :smile:


You mean you have real leather....Leatherette is not available in cordoba beige.

 

>>I have Cordoba leatherette and love it! The seats don't get that hot! The >>interior does, my glasses fog up after my Mini has been in the sun too long. >>Also, the seats don't sag, my butt does tho. The hottest part is the stick shift >>ball especially because of the sun roof. I need something to put on it to keep >>from burning my hand. Anything out there available? If not, I'll make >>something. Thanks. :smile:

I replaced my stock shift **** for the exact same reason. Got this one from Street Beat Online for $34 including shipping. The CF top doesn't get real hot at all. I like it.

 

>>>>I have Cordoba leatherette and love it! The seats don't get that hot! The >>interior does, my glasses fog up after my Mini has been in the sun too long. >>Also, the seats don't sag, my butt does tho. The hottest part is the stick shift >>ball especially because of the sun roof. I need something to put on it to keep >>from burning my hand. Anything out there available? If not, I'll make >>something. Thanks. :smile:
>>
>>I replaced my stock shift **** for the exact same reason. Got this one from Street Beat Online for $34 including shipping. The CF top doesn't get real hot at all. I like it.
>>:smile:

 

Okay, I'll pipe in here...
Leather is my life. I operate a very high-end leather furniture business. The average sofa I sell retails anywhere from $4,000 to $8000. (some as low as $2k, some as high as $10k).
I am obviously spoiled when it comes to fine leathers. Unless you order a handbuilt super exotic/luxury car, your leathers are painted surfaces. When paint is applied, breathability is diminished or gone entirely. Automobile leathers (technical leathers) are coated with generally 50-450 coats of product, including laquer (paint), UV inhibitors, fragrance, etc. Yes, fragrance. The "smell" is artificial 99% of the time. The modern tanning chemicals do not produce that "leather smell", so it is added in the finishing process. Natural vegitable tanning decades ago produced this odor. Very little leather today (none automobile) are vegi-tanned.

By the way, I chose cloth

 

I have the black leather. We have had some really hot/humid days, and i am pleased with how nice the leather has been. I have not ripped the skin off the backs of my legs once! Actually I don't know if it breathes because it is leather and not leatherette or vinyl, but it hasn't been too hot for me yet.