Is the 3LT interior much better than the 2LT? I notice that you can get homogeneous color scheme in the natural dipped with 3LT. Is it more leather and less plastic?

 

I would strongly recommend you take a look at both of them in person before making a decision. Consider that if you opt for 2LT with GT2 seats that’s $1500 and two tone is another $350, but if one of those color schemes is what your looking for then I would say you probably won’t miss the other 3LT bits. And you can buy a 3LT airbag for $450 plus shipping.

 

I would love to but haven’t seen any at my dealership. I understand about the 2LT seats which I don’t find absolutely necessary. I was asking more about whether the appearance of the doors and dash are upgraded to leather as opposed to plastic or even better leather. If not I’ll go for black with Red Torch paint

 

It is a mix of reasons other than nicer leather, which is honestly not all that much better. A major reason reason is to have dash, door panels, headliner, seat belts, A-pillars, etc. all matching seat color, but you have to select one of the "dipped" interiors for that. The "dipped" look has proven to be very popular and is only available with 3LT.

My wife is ordering 3LT only because she wants "Natural Dipped."

 

The 3LT leather is significantly smoother or softer than the 2LT.

 

I've had 2 3 level C7s and a non 4 level C6. I think you have to factor in "value" to the owner.

3LT/LZ is nicer. But is it worth that extra cash? Only you can make that decision.

 

Thanks!

 

We went Natural dip and happy we did

 

So I think my decision will be whether I pay the extra money for dipped natural or go with straight black on the 2 LT. my aversion to the black is it gets so hot in the summer but I don’t like the Natural seats surrounded by black. I’ll have to weigh whether it’s worth the extra money

 

Its not plastic vs leather… it’s Mulan (synthetic) vs Napa leather and the microfiber (suede) on the A-pillars, roof, etc.. Also some of the dash panels are colored differently on the 3LT, as an example the panels under the steering wheel and glove box are red on 3LT adrenaline red interior where as they are black on a 2LT adrenaline red interior. Again, not a bad thing and it actually compliments the the two tone red/black seats well.

personally I would find the color combo you like the best, whichever trim it may be, and go with it. The materials are very nice in both trim levels.

 

Another thing included in the 3LT package is sueded microfiber on the headliner, pillars, visors, etc. The 1LT/2LT are fabric.

 

There is no more Napa leather in a 3LT than there is in a 2LT with GT2 seats. The dash, door panels, console, etc. is Mulan leather in the 3LT vs vinyl in the 1LT/2LT.
The vinyl is good quality but I find the Mulan leather nicer.

Edit: I probably should have said TPO instead of vinyl. TPO is higher quality than vinyl and is replacing vinyl in newer cars.

 

Man, just when I thought I had it all figured out… Well I guess that just shows how bad my eyes really are or how nice both materials are.
Cheers!

 

Is the 3LT nicer? Yes. But to me, not because it has more leather. Except on the seat inserts, all the leather in the 3LT is "Mulan," or what most believe to be bonded leather, not real tanned Napa leather. And even the Napa leather is coated with plastic (polyurethane) for longevity. Some think the Mulan on the dash and doors looks nicer than the fake leather on the 2LT, but to me the difference is minor, and unless you're comparing the two side by side no one's going to notice.

Why is the 3LT nicer then? If you get any color interior other than black the glove box and area around it is that color instead of black, as is the shin pad under the steering wheel. And the stitched airbag cover on the 3LT looks nicer than the molded plastic one on the 2LT. The 3LT also has mouse fur (microsuede) on the A pillars and a nice stitched headliner (on the coupe only), neither of which I care about.

The real question becomes "Is the extra bit of 'nicer' worth the substantial difference in cost. Only you can answer that question.

 

No. A thousand times no. The only Napa leather in a Corvette is in the seat inserts of the GT2 (and maybe the Compeition) seats. ALL the other "leather" in a 3LT is Mulan. In a 1LT or 2LT, the only leather is on the seat (Mulan on the GT1 seats, Napa inserts and Mulan bolsters on the GT2). Everything else is "Synthetic Leather," or TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane). But even the Napa and Mulan leather surfaces are coated in polyurethane, so.....

 

Have to define "leather!" As far as I'm concerned I spent ~$3000 extra over a 2LT with GT2 seats because I wanted Natural Dipped! Yep the "dipped" colors require ordering a 3LT. There are some other color combo's that also only come with a 3LT. Oh there is a nicer synthetic suede (microfiber) headliner with nice stitching! BUT I have to purposely bend my head back to see it! Same stuff on the "A" pillars. Don't get me wrong love the Natural Dipped Interior with my LBR. I knew what I was getting.

SIDEBAR
Now just what did I get? I did get Napa leather on the seating surface (just like my 3LT 2014 Z51 and unlike my 2017 2LT Grand Sport that had Mulan faux Mulan leather seats- which were fine and I could not tell much difference!) GM did not say the seat bolsters were NOT Napa leather with the C7 BUT they do now in print for the C8. It's their proprietary name Mulan! Knew 95%, that in the C7 Mulan was what is called "bonded leather." That is inexpensive Vinyl (Polyvinylchloride) with finely ground real leather scraps mixed in as a filler. Vinyl typically has cheap Calcium Carbonate (lime) used as a filler in the Polyvinylchloride base. It does have a "leather smell." A lot of "leather furniture" is made with bonded leather and each company has they proprietary name.

That was the C7 BUT looks like things have changed for the C8. The seating surface (if you don't opt for microfiber synthetic suede) is Napa Leather. There is one possible other Napa leather part in a 3LT, the wrist support cover over the Mode ****! There were the usual deceptive GM words used in an article about the C8 interior that indicated that small part my be Napa leather. (Won't discus the exact wording here - BUT can!)

A poster found that a GM interior part ordered said it was Polyurethane NOT Vinyl! I have experience with the more expensive Polyurethane seat material as it is what I picked for my Street Rod 20 years ago at the advice of the interior designer/installer. He quoted the exact same price to do the job with real leather (which I asked for) or what is called Ultraleater (Polyurethane on a rayon backing.) . You can look up Ultraleather as it's still sold today. However there are now other manufactures of similar materials. It is NOT cheap Polyvinylchloride (Vinyl) and the manufacturing process is more complex. It does NOT contain finely ground real leather scrapes as a filler. At least Ultraleather -their trade name - does not. In my case for the street rod it is as soft as the best glove leather. The person who did my interior said he would have to split some of the ~6 leather hides needed to produce my interior to make what he had planned (He was very artistic and did not tell me what that was when I contracted to have it done! See pic below.)

SO WHAT DOES A 3LT HAVE?
IMO it has real tanned animal hide Napa Leather only on the seating surface (and perhaps that small wrist support covering the Mode ****!) The remaining Faux leather is Polyurethane. There may be some cheaper Vinyl, which is probably the majority of what is in a 2LT! GM does not say BUT whenever you see the word 'leather" in their literature think Mulan "faux leather."

Love my Natural Dipped Interior. Worth the ~$3000 extra I paid (over a 2LT with GT2 seats) to me!

Interior Shop that fabricated the interior for my street rod quoted the exact same price for "real leather" or Ultraleather which is Polyurethane NOT Vinyl (Polyvinylchloride.) He never told me what he had planned when I contracted. Note the headliner and door arm rest that matched the exterior silver on silver flames! Understood after why he would have had to split some of the cow hides to get the headliner and other interior flames.


After 20 years the interior feels as soft as the finest, ladies glove leather.

 

I believe the leather used in the 3LT is Mulan (bonded) leather, not polyurethane. The chart below says the leather is provided by Bader:

Bader provides real and bonded leather (Kollamat) but not full synthetic leathers:
https://bader-leather.com/en/competencies/kollamat

Kolamat comes in various textures, some of which look like what I see in my 3LT:
https://materialdistrict.com/material/kollamat/

My guess is the leather in the 3LT is Mulan leather which is GM's name for Kollamat.
The 1LT/2LT is probably a TPO or TPU synthetic leather.

 

If you want gt2 seats the price to move up to 3lt seems like a no brainer. If not, it’s a pricey option that could be worth passing on. As others have said it really depends on color.

 

It’s too bad I can’t get the dipped Natural color in a 2LT. That’s all I want. I don’t care for Natural on black. Too contrast. I guess I’ll go with all black or red on black.

 

What kind of fabric??