I keep hearing bad things about leather. Like.... It's a lot of trouble to take care of. It cracks. It's hot in the summer. It's cold in the winter. It sags.... about the only thing I've heard good about it is, it smells good. 1250 dollars worth of smell good?

All that said though, what are my alternatives? I ordered the space cloth first, but I didn't like the look. I hear the leatherette looks and wears well, but you've still got the hot and cold problems.

What's a minimaniac to do?

 

Get the leather. Good investment. Very comfy and grippy. Sure it cracks if you never care for it, it's cow skin. It dries out, just like ours does, just gotta apply lotion, right? Buy a leather cleaner/conditioner such as Lexol or the like and just take care of your seats, keep 'em smellin' new and lookin' sharp for years!

 

Yes, get the leather, you will appretiate it!!
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Black MCS, All Options, Navigation, Lapis Blue Leather

 

I too was iffy on the leather. I've had mine a week now an love it. I've had leather in all my cars (acura integra, vw jetta, vw passat) and this leather is much better quality than the other. Condition it once a month and it will last.

good luck

 

I love the leather! Get it!! If you are worried about cold/hot, the leatherette will be much worse! I live in Minnesota so I got the cold weather package so the leather will be nice and warm! If you take care of it, it should last a long time. :smile:

 

$1250 and smells good...have to condition once a month..... sounds like too many MGs I've had. Go for the leatherette and buy aftermarket tires and you can eat a cow for dinner and not feel bad and as you pass a leather seat Mini in a corner you can ask him to moove over.

 

I actually prefer Leatherette over real cowhide. The MINI's leatherette is the same high quality BMW seat material found in the BMW 3 series. It is comfy, provides good grip, wears well and it is easy to maintain and clean. It gives the "Leather" look without the extra expense of leather. I would rather spend those extra $1250 on either Premium or Sport Packages or simply put them back in your savings account.

I live in hot and humid florida (I have the standard Panther black leatherette seats) and haven't had any real problems with the seats. They indeed could breath better but I didn't find them to be any hotter or stickier than my late '97 Acura 2.5TL's leather seats.

A lot of reviewers in the automotive press have always praised the quality of the leatherette seats over the leather ones. In fact I wish more cars would offer Leatherette for those of us that do not want cloth or leather seats in our cars.

I have heard good comments about the "Lapis Blue" leather in the MINI but generally the leather option in the MINI has also generated some complaints as well.

$1250 is a lot of dough for leather seats in my humble opinion.

 

I have the leatherette and i LOVE it... easy to take care of, and VERY leather looking... it seems to 'break-in' to give it a very natural look...

Rocketboy_X

 

I have the leatherette on my MC and it's just fine. I've had several bimmers with leather and when that nice leather smell goes away in a few months, you'd never know the difference. So I'd say go with the leatherette except I do understand that with leather you also get extra lumbar adjustment gizmos that don't come with leatherette. So if that's important, that's where the difference would really be. But, if it's just leather vs. leatherette, save the $1250.