Vinyl vs leather

[Flat sixx]

Looking into redoing my comfort seats in my sc. I’m considering vinyl over leather for the money. Has anyone went that route and regretted it? Looking for feedback good and bad

[RWebb]

vinyl is hot in summer & cold in winter

leather can be used on the 'edges' with fabric in the center - lowers cost of leather material; gives breathability in the hottest part; leather gives friction where it's needed

my Recaros are all fabric

[darrin]

another question is how / where are your seats worn? Could you get by with having an upholstery repair shop (a GOOD one) replace the worn/frayed panels and leave the rest original?

[RSTarga]

Labor is the most expensive part of a reupholstering job. Leather smells good and gets patina with age.

[rubenmad]

You can also dye leather and make it look like new!

[piscator]

On the other hand, vinyl is durable, washable, and much more comfortable than people give it credit for. 'Hot in the summer cold in the winter?' Meh, so is leather.

Over the years I've had vinyl and leather interior and really haven't perceived any significant difference in comfort. I very intentionally ordered my last Mercedes 300 series with vinyl and it wore like iron -- just like the taxicab it was intended to be.

My Targa's seats sorely need new covers. I'm seriously thinking about vinyl even though the dash, doors, and trim are leather. The left side of the leather driver's seat takes a beating and I'm tired of seeing it wear away. Vinyl wouldn't do that. And, with vinyl, I wouldn't have to worry about impromptu rain showers if I leave the top off.

So, there you have it. Another opinion.

[mepstein]

People talk about their favorite leather jacket and men buy leather shoes that last for years. I don't think the same can be said for vinyl.

[Missed Approach]

Hi @Flat sixx- Petra (1986 Coupe, Sport Seats) was built with a partial leather interior (Factory Interior Code Designation LT). This meant black vinyl for all interior components except for the seat fronts. Had a difficult time trying to source covers that matched the factory originals, but Lakewell of Belgium was able to produce a great set. (At the time, I found most vendors only offered full vinyl or full leather) Again, the sides and back are vinyl and the actual seating surfaces are leather (really wanted to keep everything stock) Very pleased with the results, and it's sort of the best of both worlds.

[DonNewton]

Absolutely no one has mentioned that PETA has initiated a campaign to stop the senseless slaughter of poor little vinyls. Once they're gone, they ain't ever coming back.

[jac1976]

Originally Posted by mepstein

People talk about their favorite leather jacket and men buy leather shoes that last for years. I don't think the same can be said for vinyl.

Not sure this is a fair comparison. High-end jackets (or vintage) and benchmade shoes that last for years are typically different hides than auto upholstery. That’s not to say you can’t source the same leather, but the cost differential makes it an unreasonable comparison to vinyl.

[Flat sixx]

@missed approach your seats look amazing! @darrin seats are to cracked and worn all over to try and repair.

[Bill Douglas]

Yeah, amazing from me too. Well done.

[76FJ55]

Depends greatly on the vinyl used. THere are a lot of nice vinyl seats out there, but some bad ones too. I've got a friend with an 85 928 that had the drivers seat reupholstered in vinyl. at first glance it looks great, but as soon as you touch it it feels like rubber. It is a horrible tactile experience, that I would have to rectify if it were my car. on the other hand I recently had some interior work done for my 84 911 by Classic 9 Leather Shop . I had the seats done in leather and fabric (Pasha) and the dash was redone in vinyl. Until i looked at the edge of the dash cover on the bottom before installing I seriously couldn't tell that it wasn't leather.
Also, what year and interior color is your car? I've seen some of the ebay leather covers that look pretty good and may be an affordable option if you are trying to get by on a budget. of course it may be a challenge to find a color match from their color samples so that may be the breaking point.

[83_Silberpfeil]

If you want something that will last, look new, and stay tight and not all streched out and wrinkled, go with vinyl.

My 83 SC, I'm fairly certain it is vinyl original. Held up fairly well. Leather would have wrinkled, dried, cracked, stretched.

As an aside --- when I bought my 3-series wagon new in 2007, I spec'd vinyl seats because I didn't want to pay extra for leather. Eleven years later when I sold my car, the buyer was amazed how well the BMW vinyl seats (leatherette) held up. With a bit of detailing it looked brand new.

[Jack Stands]

For comfort and temperature control, I still prefer the old school sheepskin seat covers. A dark interior can get pretty warm to the touch, whether vinyl or leather.

[Discseven]

Leather contact surfaces. Vinyl sides and back.

[billydeakins]

My sport seats were redone by the PO with high quality German vinyl and they have held up great. They're about 5 years old now and still look new. I don't find them to be any hotter than the leather seats in my DD during the summer.

[Jack Stands]

How does Alcantera hold up in comparison to vinyl and leather?

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by Jack Stands

How does Alcantera hold up in comparison to vinyl and leather?

Not very well. It makes sense for a race seat to hold you in and not slip and slide.

[Flat sixx]

Thank you all for the feedback. 76FJ55 its an 82 targa with linen interior