Hey everybody,

This place has been a great resource and now, after three months of internal debate , I ordered my MCS yesterday from Motor City Mini near Detroit. I ordered:
DS/W with white stripes
Leatherette
Cold Package
DSC
Xenon
auto sensing wiper and dimming mirror
Auto A/C
OBC
S Style MFSW
Harmon Kardon
Invisishield
Aux input

Didn't want the premium package because I just never use the sunroof I have now and didn't want the sport package because of the 17" wheels.

Anyway, now all I have to do is sit and wait :smile: .

So, now I get to second guess my choice of leatherette AGAIN!!
Though I really wanted the leather, it wasn't an option because the damn lumbar hit me in exactly the wrong spot, even when fully "retracted". So, I went back and forth a few times at the dealership on leatherette vs. cloth. Usual pros and cons. Chose the leatherette because I thought felt just like leather and looked better. Now second guessing again. I know that this has been debated before, but I have a very specific question:

How many of you with the Sport Seats regret having chosen either the leatherette or cloth, and why? Also, please include the state you live in so I can compare on the climate issue.

Can't wait to get my MCS so I can stop obsessing and start driving!

 

Cloth, California, No regrets.

 

Leatherette and love it - no problems. Live in Missouri where we experience all seasons. I've heard other concerns with leather in the MINI and I'm glad I stayed away from it. I've had my car a year now. I've heard good things about the space cloth too, though.

Tim

 

Leatherette and it's great. Also, people keep saying, "nice leather interior". I saved $1300 and folks still think I've got leather. I have been telling them it's leatherette but I'm gonna just start saying, "yeah, it is isn't it". :smile:


R.E.

 

Cloth, in north Florida, love it. I was worried the leatherett might get a little sticky in the heat and humidity. I also wanted the two-tone gray/black look. If I remember correctly, the leatherette is all one color.

 

Leatherette..........on all three of the MINIs I've purchased

California, where it's raining like crazy this week

And congratulations on your purchase, BUT......it's too bad you didn't order with CMINIGO and her Ultimate Classic MINI Group purchase from Classic MINI in Mentor, Ohio. You could have saved $500 off MSRP....and 20% on all the accessories !

Happy Motoring!

 

Sorry to be different but LEATHER and I love it. Though I probably could have loved leatherette too. I got the profile leather with the dimples and it looks cool along with the dimples in my rubber matts. The lumbar adjustment was the crucial decision for me as well since I needed the lower back support.

 

Nice car! Leatherette all the way!

1) Looks top quality, expensive even. (Like leather.)
2) Wears and cleans very well.
3) More "traditional English sports car" than cloth.
4) Allows the the eye to take in other interior design features.
5) Good gripping in the twisties.

Is there ANYONE with leatherette that has had a problem?
Not one buyer's regrett, I'll bet.

God speed.

 

Leatherette sport seats in New Hampshire. PLENTY of cold weather up here, and the heated leatherette is GREAT. Cloth seats eventually stain and hold smells, and the leatherette is often mistaken for the leather that you would have ordered if not for the lumbar. You went with the right choice.

 

Leatherette, Leatherette!!!

2 MINIs with Leatherette here in Miami, FL...zero problems in our sub-tropical hot and humid weather. Highly recommended!

 

Space cloth and I love it. I'm in Las Vegas, but I lived in Dearborn for a year and a half, and I think I would have gotten the cloth if I was still there.

 

Leatherette, Fl. Love’em.

 

My cloth sport seats have been excellent. I live in Texas and am quite certain leatherette would have caused me problems because of heat/intense sun. My MA had problems with leatherette in the MINI he drove. If it weren't for that I would have had no problem getting leatherette. If you got the cold package, leatherette would probably serve you well.

_________________
'03 IB/W Cooper

 

I have the leatherette. The BMW leatherette is a quality product.
I just got some 303 aerospace protectant to keep the leatherette soft and protected.

 

Heated sport seats, Kaleido cloth, and love 'em. They're grippy and supportive and the cloth patternn makes me happier than the blank leatherette. Patterned cloth is also a traditional English-car feature. Cloth rocks, better than vinyl.

 

Lucky,
Congrats on your order! You will love it no matter what.
Looking at the replies, you asked for who had regrets and not one person yet has expressed any regerets with either choice. Go figure. I chose heated cloth for hot/cold comfort on my S, but for some reason I missed the whole option of sport seats. I guess I assumed I couldn't get them in cloth. I wish I had the lumbar support. Oh well.
Cheers,
John L

 

Kaleido cloth, and very happy. I enjoy the pattern, it gives the interior a more active appearance, and the two toned paneling is well done. Initially I ordered this, then had doubts and changed my order to leatherette. Fortunately, the change was not recorded. Although I was upset when I heard “you car is here” with the Kaleido, one I saw it I was immediately pleased, and glad the change didn’t work out! I don’t care as well for that “blank” look of the leatherette. Also, we’ve had sub-zero temps all winter here in the east, and leatherette I’m certain would have been uncomfortable. Heated seats a must--- and I’m not certain the leatherette could stand up to that?

 

You could always go with the leatherette and get aftermarket leather... that way there's no lumbar there and you still end up with nice leather seats!

When I ordered my car I wanted red leather, so I got the red kaleido cloth, and went aftermarket for the leather. My charge at that time was the same as if I'd ordered leather from the factory, so cost did not really become an issue.

Just a thought.

 

>>You could always go with the leatherette and get aftermarket leather... that way there's no lumbar there and you still end up with nice leather seats!
>>
>>When I ordered my car I wanted red leather, so I got the red kaleido cloth, and went aftermarket for the leather. My charge at that time was the same as if I'd ordered leather from the factory, so cost did not really become an issue.
>>
>>Just a thought.
>>

That's a good thought. I will look into the aftermarket leather option.

Look's like there are no regrets either way, so I guess I'll stick with leatherette. Someone pointed out that the cloth might look kind of "busy" and take away from the other interesting lines and surfaces in the interior. I hadn't thought about it at the time, but that might be why I liked the leatherette in the first place. It's a cleaner look. Different strokes . . .

I am getting really excited about getting the car. I don't see very many Mini's around here, but saw one this morning with my color combo. Must be a sign :smile:

 

Get leatherette, I have leather but would much rather have leatherette. While my car was in for service the loaner had leatherette seats and I was loving them. I can't say the same thing about the normaly aspirated mini, I couldn't wait to get my mcs back. I've driven a cvt and a 5 speed mc, not for me. Good luck!

 

I've got leatherette and like it just fine. I thought about seat covers, but the look and feel is good enough that I decided against them after the first week had gone by. It doesn't wrinkle, it's soft enough for me, and cleaning it is a snap. I like it enough that I'm getting it in my next MINI. Leather seat covers are also available, though I'm not sure they look particularly good. They're bloody expensive, I know that.

 

Leatherette is working out fine in all seasons. Get the heated seats!

Good luck!

Regards,
Red

 

cloth seats which i really like. i didn't like the feel of leatherette in the summer. i was not aware at the time that you had to pay $1300 for a lumbar adjustment **** and assumed that it came with seats covered in cloth or leatherette. another BMW ripoff as far as i am concerned. happy with the cloth anyway.

 

This is an interesting subject. I have leatherette sport seats in my new 04 Mini and it appears (I have a lower back problem so I should know) that the driver's seat has built-in lumbar support - perhaps too much and it's non-adjustable. Personally, I would like more mid-back support in the sport seats. Anyway, for under $100 there are plenty of after-market seats/cushions available that can make a world of difference for back sufferers. I just couldn't justify the the price for leather seats with an oh by the way, lumbar adjustment built-in. Instead, I went ahead and purchased an Obus low back cushion ($80) and it makes a big difference if you have a back problem. The color matches my interior too. Cradles your back, worth every dime.

 

If you live where it is really hot or really cold, get cloth. I live in Texas - really hot - have cloth - really like it.