I had one of the last Volvo V40 diesels as a company car. Was the cheapest, with a black leather interior. No heated seats meant F*(%$!£ freezing in winter and skin strippingly hot in summer despite the aircon (which blew white clouds in the cabin).
I slid around in the seats when cornering, but as there was minimal lateral support this would have happened anyway, I suppose...
Personally, I prefer cars without leather, but that's just me. I know people who couldn't buy anything without it.
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Having had both in many cars over the years, I would say there are good and bad aspects in equal measure and certainly not worth choosing or refusing a car on that basis alone.
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once had a vegan girlfriend that really hated people with leather seats in their cars, very tasty she was too, so if you want a chance with the x % of vegan chicks out there stick to cloth
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Perhaps I have the best of both worlds by having half-leather seats - black leather sides with black/dark grey patterned fabric down the middle.
Andy
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My Mondeo has leather seats and, even though it has done 85k miles and is nearly three years old, my wife and one son both complain of the leather smell every time they get in the car. Me, I like the smell though I have not reallly been able to smell it (except on a v-hot day) since the car was 6 -9 months old. They look classy, and I like the way that they wipe clean however I would place other features much more highly when choosing a car so would not have a problem going back to cloth.
Regards.
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New BMW #1 had cloth - flat weave, very comfy, very hardwearing. Liked it.
New(ish) BMW #2 had leather - ex demo, Hobson's choice. Liked it. A lot. Except that it was light grey and showed the dirt a bit. And after 3 years grey got a bit boring.
New BMW #3 - had a free choice, got leather but in a nice colour. Nuff said?
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The last 2 cars I've had were fitted with the part leather sports seats. I do not really like all leather seats myself, but having leather trim with a nice quality alcantara trim in the seat middle and seatback middle, seems like the ideal compromise to me.
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Done this one before!!
Apparently the 'leather' was actually NOT designed for sitting on - it's really, a very clever way of keeping an animals insides in & the elements out!!
Other than this, it's the silliest product to use, on vehicle interiors, uncomfortable, too hot/too cold, hard to clean & maintain PROPERLY.
The material is far from being 'real' leather, a verrrrrrrrrry low grade, is what you'll have in a mass produced car, plus a strong premium for the 'benefit'.
Look at the seats of a PT Cruiser & can you TRULY tell me the leather looks/feels/is more comfortable/better wearing, than the cloth option???
But people will still think of it as a luxury, 'must have' on their motor, these days!!
Clever guys, these marketing bods!!
VB
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Never owned a car with leather, but liked the feel of it when I rode in one with. Always told myself that my next car would have leather, but 3 cars later I still don't, mostly because I buy used and can't justify buying a more expensive car/spec simply to get leather.
I actually find the "slidability" a plus point as in my current car I have to re-adjust my seating position after I get my legs in the car and that usually requires me lifting my rear-end to reposition. Would be much easier to twist/slide on leather seats.
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I've owned two cars with leather seats - a 1947 Morris series E back (a long way back..!)in my teens, and my present car, a Civic Aerodeck, which has full black leather. I like the smell,the resistance to marking, and the appearance.
I admit that for the first few seconds on a freezing morning they can be a bit chilly, but they soon warm up. No problems with skating about when cornering, but I suppose I'm just lucky that my posterior fits the seat snugly!
P.
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Not with dogs. I've got leather seats in my Subaru Outback: big mistake, wife hates them and I've had to buy some really bling sheepskin covers for her comfort, and in the back, a dog hammock. The inside of the car now reminds me of the naughty bits of a Brazilian house of ill repute.
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Would anyone pay any extra for leather on a secondhand car? Is it worth buying for a new car or is it 'dead money'?
I would like it on my new car, but can't face an extra £1.5k in depreciation!!
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I have leather in my 1970 Rover P5B - proper Connolly hide - Beautiful.
I also have leather in my recently acquired Nissan Primera - looks goods, feels OK but not a patch on the Rover.
Like everything else these days that is a mass production copy of a previously limited option, it's not a patch on what it used to be (no pun intended).
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& I'll also mention, didn't Jaguar get into trouble (with XJ40 advertising) & have to say 'leather seat FACINGS'.
Seems the side, rear, front edges were plastic, but looked leather!!
Wonder how many of you have only a tiny bit of leather & lots of pretend stuff!!
& you paid £$£$£$£$ extra!!
VB
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Among the unbounded areas of expertise of my former partner were leather seats. She didn't like the smooth ones in the Golf VR6 that I bought specifically for her use in the first instance; she complained about them being too slippy -- oy vey. She preferred the less smooth ones in my MB, but then she could never get comfortable in those seats -- oy vey, oy vey.
I like them both, but I must say that the Recaros in my Capri work particularly well with cloth innards and leather surrounds -- if only my back were the same shape (had to leave the Capri in the garage for a month over Xmas because my back gave out for the first time in ten years).
I still have the cars, but, as I said, the partner is former.
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wow i always wanted a 2.8 capri and a rs2000, like bodie and doyle
would be great to sit in a good one these days
as it is the only ones i have seen are knackered
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Apart from my present car, I have only had one with leather, and that was back in the dark ages. It was an Austin A60 Cambridge and had lovely blue leather upholstery. Every time you got in the car you had that nice smell of leather.
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John
If you're interested, you'll find the full story of the Capri's restoration in the archives somewhere (search for "Restoring a dormant Capri").
Today being dry, I used it for a 190-mile business round-trip to Keyworth (Notts), 90 mins each way. 66.5k, as smooth as silk and everything works. I'm so glad I got it up and running again.
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search returns no results, but good luck with the capri!
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Blimey!
When I started this thread I'd no idea it would start as much discussion as the use of front fog lights!
Anyway, many thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure I'm that much wiser but I think I'll give them a go. The car I'm thinking of is a Mondeo Ghia X because apart from having leather seats and everything else they have a sunroof! - and there is another thread...
Thanks
Terrier
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I'll get a jump on that one. 8-)
No, never had a car with a sunroof and wouldn't specifically want one either. They tend to use up valuable headroom (I am 6'5" on a good day) and in advancing years can be a source of leaks, or other problems.
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search returns no results, but good luck with the capri!
T'da!!
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=13556
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