Any comments out there on this topic. Particularly, does anyone have any complaints about the leatherette or any raves about the leather that would warrant spending the extra $$$$?

Thanks!

 

This is another one of those topics that comes up every month or so. Try doing a search. Seems I saw this same title about 3 weeks ago.

Good luck.

Needler

 

If you are thinkinga bout putting in new seats, or getting your Mini retrimmed, get the leatherette.

 

IMO Leather is not SPORTY
IMO Leatherette is practical
Why?
Leatherette is less expensive, will endure more punishment and like cooperspeed said.... easier to "let go" of if you plan to replace them.

I have seen some REALLY nice leather seatcovers if you REALLY need leather... and they are well designed and come in sporty designs and colors.

Off hand, I do not have the link to the seat cover manufacturers....
Oh yes, then there are the neoprene seat covers.... I have no comment, I have yet to really get to check them out.

-Doug

Join us for the Italian Job "Drive-In" MINI Screening Hosted By Paramount Pictures in LOS ANGELES, CA on the Paramount Lot! Opening Weekend!

 

>>Leatherette is less expensive, will endure more punishment

Really? It has been my experience that, if properly cared for, leather is much more durable than vinyl...just my 2 pennies. :smile:

 

>>>>Leatherette is less expensive, will endure more punishment
>>
>>Really? It has been my experience that, if properly cared for, leather is much more durable than vinyl...just my 2 pennies. :smile:

I've owned BMW products with both leather and leatherette before and from my experience Leatherette holds up overall better than leather (even when properly cared for). That being said there is a big dfference between leather thats been cared for and leather that has not. Which in a way is another point for leatherette - it'll last almost forever with very little care.

 

Remember... Leather is organic and will eventually decompose no matter how much you care for it.

 

You don't wear plastic shoes do you? Even if they call them leatherette shoes? How about a plastic jacket when it's cool out? Just a thought.



_________________
[img]/albums/album25/aem.gif[/img]
“The Speed of Time is One Second per Second"

 

>>You don't wear plastic shoes do you? Even if they call them leatherette shoes? How about a plastic jacket when it's cool out? Just a thought.
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>>_________________
>>[img]/albums/album25/aem.gif[/img]
>>“The Speed of Time is One Second per Second"

Good point. I guess BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Audi, Rolls Royce and the like are missing the boat by NOT offering leatherette in most of their vehicles.

 

I read an article that said, get the Cloth or Leather, the Leatherette does not breath. I didn't have a choice in the matter, I received leather and I like it!!!!!

 

I read an article that said, get the Cloth or Leather, the Leatherette does not breathe. I didn't have a choice in the matter, I received leather and I like it!!!!!

 

I asked this same question a couple months ago and after getting about 30 answers I learned something I didn't know. You can get leather seats at any time and they will cost the same $1200. So I am going to get the leatherette on my MINI. I can always replace the leatherette at a later date if I choose to for about the same amount of money.

BTW - I've almost decided to get the Aero Kit so in the end I'll spend the same amount of money but it won't be on what I'm sitting on, it will be on options that others see of me on the road.!!!

 

Leather cost more and you have to kill more cows than leatherettes to cover your seats. I would rather have leather but my car was on the lot and I bought it with leatherette and covered the seats with neoprene covers which are great and can be really colorful. So there!

 

I'm sorry but nothing beats the feel and smell of leather... the way I see it if you got the money and you like one of the styles of leather.. like I really really really wanted beige... than go for it.. if your just going to get black or some other non leather color than get the leathertte or cloth.. after all if you get leather and it does wear out you can also always get the leatherette and it will cost less.. I personally dislike the feel of neopreyne if I wanted to wear a wet suit I'd go to the beach... Cloth is the coolest fabric so if you live somewhere HOT and your thiniking is between cloth and leather I really suggest the cloth for practical reasons.. but that just my 2c

 

I have never seen the cloth seats. Does anyone have them? I think I would of ordered them, I find that in my Leather seats, in all my cars, i am constantly pushing my self back in the seat, after slipping down.

 

i have the lapis blue which i love! if you r going to get leather make sure you get the colored ones, such as beige or cordoba (w/ the green) or the lapis (w/ the blue)... if you plan on gettin black leather, then just get leatherrette, cuz it isnt worth 1200 dollars to get the black leather, in my opinion

 

>>I have never seen the cloth seats. Does anyone have them? I think I would of ordered them, I find that in my Leather seats, in all my cars, i am constantly pushing my self back in the seat, after slipping down.

I have cloth. Live in a very hot place (at least in summer). The fabrisc looks like......cloth. Nothing special, but looks very good in my Cooper's color scheme (all dark colors): panther black kaleido cloth, black bolsters, panther black interior door casing, anthracite dash & door bezel--exterior british racing green, black roof.

Of course, with all that black stuff, my car will absolutely bake in the summer. I'll have to park under trees (at least those trees without birds--we have a serious crow problem in my town).

 

As far as i know, if you want to get sport seats for the reg. cooper, you cannot get cordoba or green leather, so....yeah.

 

CLOTH!

I have the SpaceCloth in the MCS and it is excellent, fantastic and I would never trade it for leather even if you paid me to do it. It is of high quality, breathes, is grippy and feels rich. No offense to you all with leather or leatherette, but both of these materials for the MINI don't leave me very excited. Both products look really flat, smooth and not rich IMO.

Go with the Cloth, you won't regret it! :smile:

 

leather smells good

 

Heard more about problems w/ leather wearing (wrinkling prematurely- especially the lapis blue) than I have complaints about leatherette. I've got panther black leatherette- I like it fine. Would I enjoy real leather? If it was a large difference in comfort, I'm sure I would, but I didn't think it was worth the extra $. Haven't regretted the decision one bit.

 

i went with the leather just because of the way the back seat looks int leatherette. the leaterette was and all smooth backseat with no seams. i thought the leather blended better wiht the fron seats. my 2cents

 

mine was standard since it is a sport s... so i may be bias, btu i always have had great luck with leather, whereas leathertee aka vinyl had gotten hard cracked and broken up on my cars

 

Leather has a sense of "luxury", and that is why people get it. Kinda of like a "status" thing. I personally do not like leather. I've had it in my previous car and it was hot in summer and cold in winter, easily scratched. Sure it was nice to say I had leather, but it really didn't add much to me.

That being said, I chose cloth for my Cooper, and love it. Well made and designed.

Leatherette looks like leather, but it seems cheap to me. That's just my opinion.

If the decision was based on design, considering the color scheme of the car, the leather options in a Cooper, would allow you to play with those options, since they change the color of the panels.

Hope that helps.

 

Hey,
I got the leatherette because I also have an 18 month-old. I really like the fact that the leatherette is non-porous. The leatherette, IMO is pretty sticky when you are driving so you don't slip at all. I really like the looks of the space cloth as well, but with my daughter driving with me, the leatherette seemed the better choice.
Good luck with your choice.