I think the determining factor is where do you live and how long do you plan on owning the car. Leatherette seats do not breath well so in warm climates your legs will sweat/itch on long drives. For cool weather climates though you won't notice a problem. Yes cloth seats can absorb odor....but a little fabreez will take care of that. IMHO leatherette breaks down much faster than cloth, but thats just what I think. I will not own a car with leatherette seats here, because 10 months out of the year it is fairly warm. Leather would be nice, but the MINI prices on leather are steep and I am trying to keep the cost down.

 

I wanted the leather or cloth. The missus chose a car with leatherette sport seats. It's hers but I have to admit that I'm impressed with the quality of the vinyl. It's not my grandma's vinyl upholstery!

 

I have leatherette. Every non-MINI person that sees it thinks it is leather. My legs do sweat like a pig in the hot Alabama summers (It's like having an indoor pool in my carseat ). Also the seats get so hot in the sun with the top down that when my dog is with me I have to put a towel on the seat for him. That said I still would not get cloth because it reminds me of the 80's. Wet Okoles over leatherette are an excellent option & one day I plan to get some too

 

being a mechanic, it's really important to be able to clean up the occasional accidental handprint, but a comfortable seat's probably the most important part of the car. I was really impressed with the new leatherette seats in the R56 MCS, they're much darker then the pictures & configurator make them look & it appears the bolsters are vented. I'd gone into the dealer torn between the cloth vs. leatherette, but the decision was easy once I drove in one.

 

Does anyone find the leatherette sport seats uncomfortable? I'm a giant, and when I test drove I noticed that my outer thighs were getting a little sore. I ended up getting leatherette sport seats, cause that's what was available. Do the bolsters loosen up a bit?

 

Love the cloth! I can go driving in the summer and get out of the car without being soaking wet on my back side. We have about 100% humidity here in the summer. They're warmer in the winter too, without having to pay for a cold weather package.

 

i'm fairly trim and find the seats themselves comfortable, but the leatherette sucks in the summer big time...it's a compromise i have to strike with a young child, but i would definitely get at least leather to allow for stretch...if you are a giant, this car may be too small for you to get in and out every day...like shoes, if they don't feel good at first, they never will.

 

The seat position is fine, the car is generally comfortable; I have more leg room than I do in my RAV4, and it's too late cause it's coming tomorrow! But anyways, my butt is a little wide for the sport seats. Does the bolstering mash out a little over time?

 

My vote is for cloth.

 

I say a definite yes to cloth seats and the sports seats. I ordered the sports seats with the checkered cloth and the look, quality, and comfort is sooo amazing. It looks sooo classy and matches the surrounding interior (especially if you get the anthricite headliner). The seats are so comfortable and it feels like it will last for many years. If they charged to have cloth seats i would have paid it over the leather.

 

I just ordered my MCS with the tuscan beige leather, but not because it was leather. I just liked the color. If the leatherette came in lighter colors I would have jumped on it for practical reasons.

I am hoping that I can keep the leather clean enough over the years. I just love the combination of sparkling silver and tuscan beige. Does anyone else have that combo with photos to share?

In answer to your question, though, I think that a lot depends on your lifestyle. Do you have kids or a dog that will be in the car a lot? Are you careful about not jumping into the car when your muddy or with food in your hands? Do you live in a very hot climate. Since I'm on the California coast, heat and humidity aren't really an issue so I'm fine with the leather.

hope this helps and good luck with your Mini

 

I've had leather, leatherette (vinyl) and cloth. Leather looks and smells good, at least when fairly new, vinyl is durable, but cloth is comfortable. Which is important to you? Personally, I always go for cloth.

 

In this one instance, I am a man of the cloth.

 

Love the leatherette!!

 

Like religion, it is a matter of preference.
A man of the cloth, A woman dressed in leather, then there is pleather.

I would have got leather but the cost.
My back sweats with the top down in warm weather.
Has anyone used those wet okoles seat covers?
Do they stop the sweating, and feel comfortable?
They do look great.
Opinions?

 

I had wet okoles in an old BMW we had - they are really nice. You don't stick to them when it's hot, they look great, they breathe, and they fit really well. They don't stain easy, either. (ours were black & tan). If I ever put seatcovers in my MINI they will be wet okoles.

 

Thank you
Do they take away from the heated seats in the winter?

 

The Wet Okoles seem particularly well suited to the Cabrio. With some thought to the color choices, they can make a striking addition to the look of the MINI with the top down. When I was researching them, I searched NAM and the majority of the examples were nifty Cabrio applications. Many of these folks also have the heated seats, so opinions on your previous question ought to be plentiful.

I'm a hard-top guy, but I love my Wet Okoles. Check out the NAM product review link; I think there are at least a few (including mine).

 

Thanks for your help.