Leather Durablility

6SpeedMan · 11-12-2006, 06:43 PM

My black leather seems to show every scrape, crease, spot or fingerprint for that matter. Do we have Quality leather or is that because we have quality leather?

Gripster · 11-12-2006, 07:00 PM

This comes up quite a lot. The general consensus is that the leather is not all that great - in fact, leatherette has much better long term durability.

Best you can do is treat regularly is with a good quality leather care product and be very careful getting in and out of the car.

FirstClass · 11-12-2006, 08:00 PM

Not something I notice aside from the creases, and I think they add character. Leather tends to be very durable unless you abuse it.

GregL · 11-12-2006, 08:04 PM

On a similar topic, is there a reason why BMW chose to outfit the 3 with such naturally dry feeling leather?

arcrox · 11-12-2006, 08:14 PM

leather is an natural material, just like your own skin, you need to clean and condition it to keep it in good shape...do a search in the detailing forums. i highly recommend zaino 9 and 10

cal99_99 · 11-12-2006, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcrox

leather is an natural material, just like your own skin, you need to clean and condition it to keep it in good shape...do a search in the detailing forums. i highly recommend zaino 9 and 10

do we use zaino to clean leatherette too?

dmontic71 · 11-12-2006, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregL

On a similar topic, is there a reason why BMW chose to outfit the 3 with such naturally dry feeling leather?

I dont know- but I agree w/ you... You get into a Lexus or similar & the leather is much softer...

arcrox · 11-12-2006, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cal99_99

do we use zaino to clean leatherette too?

nah, it'd a waste for a synthetic material like leatherette. i would probably use something like 303 cleaner and spot remover and fabric guard to keep my seats/mats in tip top shape. i use the aforementioned products on my mats, and it really makes a huge difference...i barely ever need to clean them now...mainly just brushing them off. once i spilt some water on a mat, and it just sat there, and wouldn't go into the fabric. you could probably use aerospace protectant in place of fabric guard with leatherette, but if you have carpeted mats like i do, fabric guard kills two birds with one stone.

user1 · 11-12-2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmontic71

I dont know- but I agree w/ you... You get into a Lexus or similar & the leather is much softer...

There are different/better leathers for other BMW models. Not all models use Dakota leather. I have felt some tough 3er leather at the dealership while other 3ers have soft leather. Must be a luck of the draw on Dakota leather.

JSpira · 11-12-2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmontic71

I dont know- but I agree w/ you... You get into a Lexus or similar & the leather is much softer...

softer leather wears much more

Chesmu · 11-12-2006, 10:03 PM

leather, if cleasned regularly adn conditioned will last a long time. The creases and scuffs just add some character. Shouldn't rip/crack unless really abused.

SPACEMANRICK · 11-12-2006, 10:18 PM

I had leather on my 2002 330xi and treated it at least twice a year with Lexol cleaner and conditioner. It started showing wear and tear after 1 year and 20,000 km and I am only 190 pounds. After 3 years the wear on the side bolsters and seat bottoms on my sport seats was really noticeable with deep creases.

My 2006 330i has leatherette and has absolutely no sign of any wear and tear after 20,000 km it looks the way it did the day I drove it off the dealer lot

GregL · 11-12-2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSpira

softer leather wears much more

My only problem with this dryer feeling leather is that it seems like I'm not taking care of it. It really doesn't feel much different after using leather conditioner, just looks cleaner.

RUBER · 11-13-2006, 06:20 AM

What does it cost to replace the leather?

TahoeOG · 11-13-2006, 07:38 AM

That's the main reason why i only get leatherette. I've had leatherette for over 2 years and it still looks like i took it out of the dealership... When i had leather, you could see my butt cheeks area would be smoother on the seat etc... I personally think leather is whack... you spend over a grand for them, and in the long run to sell the car, your car can look clean all waxed out but when you open the door on a leather and you see all the cracks and streatched parts... i just think it looks REALLY bad... To each his own, theirfor who ever likes leather cool. The color for the leathers now are hot for the 3 series coupes, but i would much rather have my leatherette and still look hot, then years down the line i get the leather color that i wanted and my interior looks older because of the leather. my 2 cents

SPACEMANRICK · 11-13-2006, 08:42 AM

"your car can look clean all waxed out but when you open the door on a leather and you see all the cracks and streatched parts."

That is exactly how I felt with my 2002 33xi with leather seats. I would spend 3 or 4 hours cleaning, waxing, vacuming, cleaning the interior but those leather seats no matter how much I conditioned and cleaned still looked like cr*p.......

BuckJon · 11-13-2006, 08:54 AM

Hmmm really interested in hearing from from owners who have had their cars over a year. My last car was an Audi and had beige leather. It held up well after a year and a half but with the light color showed where I had scuffed it in certain places and one of the seems was beginning to come open. Any reviews of the gray leather? And why the hell do I always feel like I'm spelling gray wrong??? Is it grey or gray? I see it both ways everywhere...

TahoeOG · 11-13-2006, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckJon

... Is it grey or gray? I see it both ways everywhere...

LOL i have the same problem with that word... On the bmw site is says grAy... so now that's how i spell it... Although i could almost swear it was grey... I don't know. to lazy to look it up in the dictionary

BK · 11-13-2006, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckJon

And why the hell do I always feel like I'm spelling gray wrong??? Is it grey or gray? I see it both ways everywhere...

As it has been said before -- grey is a colour, and gray is a color.

Mr.Marvelous · 11-13-2006, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcrox

leather is an natural material, just like your own skin, you need to clean and condition it to keep it in good shape...do a search in the detailing forums. i highly recommend zaino 9 and 10

the leather used in bmw s are not natural, they re artificial leather...

you can have real leather as an extra option in bmw individual, but most of the leather you see in bmw s are artificial

Jaws · 11-13-2006, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Marvelous

the leather used in bmw s are not natural, they re artificial leather...

you can have real leather as an extra option in bmw individual, but most of the leather you see in bmw s are artificial

Umm, they are talking about leather (once living), not leatherette (synthetic).

11-12-2006, 06:43 PM	#1
6SpeedMan Poor rich kid working 67 Rep 829 Posts Drives: 335i soon to be M3 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellevue, Washington iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E90 330i [0.00]	Leather Durablility My black leather seems to show every scrape, crease, spot or fingerprint for that matter. Do we have Quality leather or is that because we have quality leather? __________________
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11-12-2006, 07:00 PM	#2
Gripster Captain 147 Rep 981 Posts Drives: E93 M3 Join Date: May 2005 Location: San Diego iTrader: (5) Garage List 2013 BMW M3 [0.00]	This comes up quite a lot. The general consensus is that the leather is not all that great - in fact, leatherette has much better long term durability. Best you can do is treat regularly is with a good quality leather care product and be very careful getting in and out of the car. __________________ *2013 M3 (E93)* - ZPP/ZCW/DCT
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11-12-2006, 08:00 PM	#3
FirstClass Brigadier General 41 Rep 3,200 Posts Drives: 328xi Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (0)	Not something I notice aside from the creases, and I think they add character. Leather tends to be very durable unless you abuse it.
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11-12-2006, 08:04 PM	#4
GregL Brigadier General 100 Rep 3,618 Posts Drives: 2016 CLA45 AMG Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: GTA iTrader: (4)	On a similar topic, is there a reason why BMW chose to outfit the 3 with such naturally dry feeling leather? __________________ 2016 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 2013 Mercedes-Benz B250 - Gone 2010 Mercedes-Benz C350 4Matic - Gone 2006 BMW 330xi - Gone 2001 Infiniti QX4 - Gone
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11-12-2006, 08:14 PM	#5
arcrox E90post addict 17 Rep 490 Posts Drives: 2024 G20 M340i Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Scottsdale, AZ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	leather is an natural material, just like your own skin, you need to clean and condition it to keep it in good shape...do a search in the detailing forums. i highly recommend zaino 9 and 10
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11-12-2006, 10:03 PM	#11
Chesmu Brigadier General 89 Rep 3,011 Posts Drives: 2013 X6 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Phoenix,AZ iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00] 2006 330i [0.00]	leather, if cleasned regularly adn conditioned will last a long time. The creases and scuffs just add some character. Shouldn't rip/crack unless really abused. __________________ "Teach the ignorant. Ignore the stupid."
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11-12-2006, 10:18 PM	#12
SPACEMANRICK Lieutenant 52 Rep 551 Posts Drives: 2016 M3 6 speed manual Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	I had leather on my 2002 330xi and treated it at least twice a year with Lexol cleaner and conditioner. It started showing wear and tear after 1 year and 20,000 km and I am only 190 pounds. After 3 years the wear on the side bolsters and seat bottoms on my sport seats was really noticeable with deep creases. My 2006 330i has leatherette and has absolutely no sign of any wear and tear after 20,000 km it looks the way it did the day I drove it off the dealer lot
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11-13-2006, 06:20 AM	#14
RUBER Private 8 Rep 63 Posts Drives: Alfa 156 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Belgium iTrader: (0)	What does it cost to replace the leather?
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11-13-2006, 07:38 AM	#15
TahoeOG Major 83 Rep 1,208 Posts Drives: e92 335i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NJ iTrader: (1)	That's the main reason why i only get leatherette. I've had leatherette for over 2 years and it still looks like i took it out of the dealership... When i had leather, you could see my butt cheeks area would be smoother on the seat etc... I personally think leather is whack... you spend over a grand for them, and in the long run to sell the car, your car can look clean all waxed out but when you open the door on a leather and you see all the cracks and streatched parts... i just think it looks REALLY bad... To each his own, theirfor who ever likes leather cool. The color for the leathers now are hot for the 3 series coupes, but i would much rather have my leatherette and still look hot, then years down the line i get the leather color that i wanted and my interior looks older because of the leather. my 2 cents __________________ Selling my winter setup, Hit me UP!
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11-13-2006, 08:42 AM	#16
SPACEMANRICK Lieutenant 52 Rep 551 Posts Drives: 2016 M3 6 speed manual Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Vancouver iTrader: (0)	"your car can look clean all waxed out but when you open the door on a leather and you see all the cracks and streatched parts." That is exactly how I felt with my 2002 33xi with leather seats. I would spend 3 or 4 hours cleaning, waxing, vacuming, cleaning the interior but those leather seats no matter how much I conditioned and cleaned still looked like cr*p.......
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11-13-2006, 08:54 AM	#17
BuckJon First Lieutenant 19 Rep 364 Posts Drives: '07 335i Coupe Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0)	Hmmm really interested in hearing from from owners who have had their cars over a year. My last car was an Audi and had beige leather. It held up well after a year and a half but with the light color showed where I had scuffed it in certain places and one of the seems was beginning to come open. Any reviews of the gray leather? And why the hell do I always feel like I'm spelling gray wrong??? Is it grey or gray? I see it both ways everywhere...
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