Leather Vs. Leather like seat covers?
12-20-2004, 03:27 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Leather Vs. Leather like seat covers?
The side bolster on my sport seats is beginning to look worn. I took it to an upholstry shop and they quote $200 and recommmend a seat cover replacement instead so it "matches correctly." Then more people tell me to replace both seat covers to "match correctly." So...I check out the normal sources and they sell both Leather and a less expensive "leather like" material. Has anyone every seen or purchased this "leather like" material and is it a good low cost alternative to leather? Thanks! 
12-20-2004, 03:58 PM
#3
The vinyl (leather-like) will be a problem for most buyers if you ever want to sell the car.
If you will never sell then the vinyl is probably more durable than the cheap OEM leather.
If you don't want to spend the $ to do it right, I'd get some covers like wet okole.
If you will never sell then the vinyl is probably more durable than the cheap OEM leather.
If you don't want to spend the $ to do it right, I'd get some covers like wet okole.
12-20-2004, 04:04 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I am going to keep this car until they take the keys from my cold dead hand! (A little NRA lingo 
) However, I don't want to buy them if they don't look right and have a cheap appearance. Do they look like the real thing or is it obvious they are vinyl?
) However, I don't want to buy them if they don't look right and have a cheap appearance. Do they look like the real thing or is it obvious they are vinyl?
12-20-2004, 04:10 PM
#6
Team Owner
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Originally Posted by Brenda1
I am going to keep this car until they take the keys from my cold dead hand! (A little NRA lingo )
)Remember they used to call this Naugahide, ever see a Nauga in the wild.
12-20-2004, 04:30 PM
#7
Race Director
[QUOTE
If you don't want to spend the $ to do it right, I'd get some covers like wet okole.[/QUOTE]
Mine had/has "leather like" which is pure trash. Covered by Okoles. Serves me well,as they will you, but she deserves leather.
If you don't want to spend the $ to do it right, I'd get some covers like wet okole.[/QUOTE]
Mine had/has "leather like" which is pure trash. Covered by Okoles. Serves me well,as they will you, but she deserves leather.
12-20-2004, 04:32 PM
#8
Originally Posted by Brenda1
However, I don't want to buy them if they don't look right and have a cheap appearance. Do they look like the real thing or is it obvious they are vinyl?
12-20-2004, 05:15 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
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Actually...
The old myths of vinyl died a long time ago...there are some really good looking, quality vinyl out there.
Now...did they make the covers you want out of the good stuff? Who knows...but I was shown leather-like stuff when I was deciding on what I wanted to do...and it was really nice stuff. Soft, not shiny, nice leather grain in it...and the guy building the seats said it would last longer than leather.
But...I went with leather instead
So it might be worth a shot...if they used the nice stuff you'd probably not be able to tell it's not leather.
BTW...3/4 of Vette seats were covered with vinyl anyway...only the part you sat on was made of leather...everything else was vinyl!!
The old myths of vinyl died a long time ago...there are some really good looking, quality vinyl out there.
Now...did they make the covers you want out of the good stuff? Who knows...but I was shown leather-like stuff when I was deciding on what I wanted to do...and it was really nice stuff. Soft, not shiny, nice leather grain in it...and the guy building the seats said it would last longer than leather.
But...I went with leather instead
So it might be worth a shot...if they used the nice stuff you'd probably not be able to tell it's not leather.
BTW...3/4 of Vette seats were covered with vinyl anyway...only the part you sat on was made of leather...everything else was vinyl!!
12-20-2004, 05:49 PM
#10
Drifting
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Originally Posted by jsup
Remember they used to call this Naugahide, ever see a Nauga in the wild.
12-20-2004, 06:43 PM
#11
Race Director
Originally Posted by MinnesotaWhite
BTW...3/4 of Vette seats were covered with vinyl anyway...only the part you sat on was made of leather...everything else was vinyl!!
12-20-2004, 07:08 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by Wayne88
Is that right about C4s???
12-20-2004, 08:04 PM
#13
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St. Jude Donor '06-'09-'10-'11
Give the people over at Al Knoch a call. They supplied me with new bottom seat cushions and side bolsters for my seat. Very nice stuff. Sounds like they can match your seat, they offered to send me pieces in the mail to make sure everything matched. They can do both vinyl or leather, which by the way came from the factory on the outer sides of the bolsters.
12-20-2004, 08:34 PM
#14
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
BTW...3/4 of Vette seats were covered with vinyl anyway...only the part you sat on was made of leather...everything else was vinyl!![/QUOTE]
Your 100% correct and that's what is rather confusing. The upholstry guy I took it too said that on most all leather seats the only part thats really leather is the part you sit on....I looked at the Vette, My reatta and the Jeep Grande Cherokee and all were as he said, vinyl with leather on the part you sit on. And looking at the vinyl side on all 3 I looked at, I would have never been able to tell the difference.
One more thing....I have owned two 1986 Vettes with Red interiors and the patches the companies sent always look to dark a red...mine are the original seats but look lighter in color. Did they have two different red colors in 1986 or have some sort of mid-year change?
Your 100% correct and that's what is rather confusing. The upholstry guy I took it too said that on most all leather seats the only part thats really leather is the part you sit on....I looked at the Vette, My reatta and the Jeep Grande Cherokee and all were as he said, vinyl with leather on the part you sit on. And looking at the vinyl side on all 3 I looked at, I would have never been able to tell the difference.
One more thing....I have owned two 1986 Vettes with Red interiors and the patches the companies sent always look to dark a red...mine are the original seats but look lighter in color. Did they have two different red colors in 1986 or have some sort of mid-year change?
12-21-2004, 12:06 PM
#15
Team Owner
At 100K miles, I replaced the seat covers on my 88, 4+3, L-98 Corvette coupe with look alike leather and would have defied anyone to tell the difference. In fact, the seats were more comfortable on the rear with the change. And after 35K miles of use they were in better shape than the original leather seat had been at that stage.
12-21-2004, 01:50 PM
#16
Drifting
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St. Jude Donor '05
I don't know if it's the same stuff, but I had a local body shop do both the seats in my '79 with the "leather-like" stuff and no-one could tell the difference unless I told them. It still looks new (after three years), cleans up nicely and feels good to the touch. If you want, I can find out what it's officially called, but will be after the first of the year. Email me if you want to know. Happy Holidays!
12-21-2004, 02:16 PM
#17
6th Gear
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it is not only the looks, you should be concern,also the Feel of leather will not be reaplaced by any Vinyl,
also you can get into vinyl that would cost more Then leather, how ever, if you get PROPER car leather of decent quality, it should outlast & be alot more confortable than vinyl, i've replaice my wifes Cabrio interior, & in procces of reupholstering my's frend C4.
and if you willing to pay extra, tell your reupholsterer to use ALL leather, on all parts.
Last edited by DobeTT; 12-21-2004 at 02:22 PM.
12-21-2004, 05:03 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
I got these a year ago this past August and did the install myself. Still look pretty decent. Bought them from Wilcox for somewhere around $250 if my old memory is correct (yeah sure).
The wrinkles on the side bolsters were gone the first day I parked it outside and the seat heated up enough to take them out. Don't look that way now.
The wrinkles on the side bolsters were gone the first day I parked it outside and the seat heated up enough to take them out. Don't look that way now.
Last edited by aj1988; 12-21-2004 at 05:07 PM.
12-21-2004, 07:33 PM
#19
Racer
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Just an idea, if you only need a bolster repaired, you may want to get a quote from DR vinyl, it is scary how inexpensively they can repair and re-dye real leather ( $80 per side). I had my wifes Eldo seats done 3 years ago and they still look great, also recently had the leather wheel in my daily driver repaired ($45) and you would never know it had a wear spot. On the vinyl some seem top look good others not so good. If you go for leather Al knoch has a high quality product and was willing to sell me one side with no price penalty.
12-21-2004, 08:04 PM
#20
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Wow, leather was the clear early choice but leather like has made a comeback! I am more confused than ever but thanks for all the input!! Ya know I did get a patch from Al Knock but it was a darker red than my seats. I seem to recall this with my last '86 as well...did they have two colors for the '86 or perhaps a mid year color change?
