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I can't find an ex-demo car to suit my specification. I have found one that ticks all the boxes except it doesn't have leather. I was wondering what would be involved in obtaining a leather interior from a written-off car and installing it. Has anyone done this sort of thing before?
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Are there any seat mounted side airbags? seatbelt pretensioners or on the leather seat heaters to worry about?
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Seat mounted side airbags - yes
Seatbelt pretensioners - yes
Seat heaters - no.
(Megane 2006)
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Not sure about obtaining an interior from a written off car, but I've heard of Mercs (which are heavily airbagged) being retrimmed from scratch for (I think) around £1000.
It was also a 'dealer fit' option on our Jazz, although I imagine they contract the job out.
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IMO Retrimmed must be the first option.
Google - re-trimming leather seats
found quite a few
e.g. www.street-racers.co.uk/services/retrimming.htm
www.hrsautotrim.co.uk/
Does the leather version have in addition,different door linings?
Finding a one year old matching version might prove difficult.
There are quite a few sets of recovered seats on EBAY.
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Does it have to be ex-demo? Sounds like the leather conversion will cancel out your hoped-for discount. I like leather too, but, I'd rather have it factory-fitted, even if it meant buying a slightly older vehicle (see Bangernomics thread for my idea of older, though...)
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There is a company on E bay who come to your premises and do the full job on E class size vehicle for around £800.
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Forget buying the demo and changing seats,buy new to your spec,but deal long and hard to get the price you want.'Demo' cars are very rarely good value compared to new,not a big enough price difference IMO.
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A number of stolen cars in this area have been recovered with all their seats and trim removed-they had leather of course so how much of the stuff comes from "write-offs"???
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A number of stolen cars in this area have been recovered with all their seats and trim removed-they had leather of course
Quite a few years ago I had my Ford Cortina Crusader stolen. I was taken to see it 12 hours later and the WHOLE of the inside had been removed, including parcel shelf, steering wheel etc but still on a good set of wheels and tyres..
I was told that the Ghia type velour seats etc were to upgrade a low rent version.
It was a strange experience kneeling on the floor with a mole wrench on the steering column while the recovery truck towed it across a stuble field to the road.
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Is it worth spending all that dosh to upgrade a Renault?
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If you ever watch Wrecks to Riches on satelite, they do change cloth to leather from time to time. They don't reupholster, just unscrew the whole seat. There was one with side airbag damage recently, they replaced the airbag and stitched it with a special thread (it has to burst open when the airbag does).
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"Is it worth spending all that dosh to upgrade a Renault?"
Mais oui, I like my Renaults. I suspect I shall have to buy a new one to get the spec I want.
Thanks for all the replies.
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In Rome at the end of January saw a very bespoke Mini. Gorgeous leather interior (very different - hard to describe) and the rear parcel shelf was wicker! Outside had twin exhausts (one exiting either side not the middle) and blistered wheel arches. Wish I took a picture or two now.
It cannot have been original so someone spent lots of money doing the interior out, including door panels etc.
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a mate recently bought a new Isuzu crew cab type pick up......he specified that with leather. The vehicle turns up in the UK without leather and then the local Isuzu dealer sends it off to be re-trimmed in leather.
it looks a nice job, i'd not have guessed it wasn't done at the build point
no doubt other manufacturers do the same
if you found one of the trimmers that worked to that standard you'd be laughing
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