vinyl vs. leather. your experience

[jcgafford]

One of the "must do's" on my little restoration project is new seat foam and new skins. My 92 came with factory white leather in it with a two tone red and white interior. Replacement supplies were easy to find but there is a pretty good price margin between replacing it with leather or vinyl. I spoke to Waylon at TMI through the chat option and am having samples sent of both the white leather and the white vinyl. For 100% original restoration leather is the only choice, but i may let this part slide if the vinyl is as close of a match as he tells me. I also threw around the idea of going to red cloth as it would match very well, but have moved away from that idea for now. Anyone been down this road? What did you go with and why? Here is a pic of the car as it sits now to give you and idea what we are dealing with.

 

[StreetsideStig]

Honestly I can't stand either of them. Summer days make me feel like I'm climbing into a sun-baked garbage bag instead of a car. Too much heat reflection. It's cloth or bust.

 

[jcgafford]

Honestly I can't stand either of them. Summer days make me feel like I'm climbing into a sun-baked garbage bag instead of a car. Too much heat reflection. It's cloth or bust.

i hear that, but both my truck and my wifes have leather and we are ok. my 91 vert had cloth and i loved it but that's what came in it. just don't want to do it wrong and hate it.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Honestly I can't stand either of them. Summer days make me feel like I'm climbing into a sun-baked garbage bag instead of a car. Too much heat reflection. It's cloth or bust.

+1

Nothing beats the LOOK of new and properly cared for leather. The thing I don't like about it though, is it is scalding hot in the summer and ice cold in the winter. Vinyl is pretty bad about that, too. I also don't like how leather holds up over time, especially if it is not cared for. The cracking and the creasing just looks like ass, IMO. Vinyl might be better in that department.

 

[jcgafford]

+1

Nothing beats the LOOK of new and properly cared for leather. The thing I don't like about it though, is it is scalding hot in the summer and ice cold in the winter. Vinyl is pretty bad about that, too. I also don't like how leather holds up over time, especially if it is not cared for. The cracking and the creasing just looks like ass, IMO. Vinyl might be better in that department.

so a vote for vinyl, and cloth looks like! This car will never see winter though.

 

[srtthis]

leather or nothing... all the leather seats ive had never had an issue getting stupid hot during summer. cold during winter i'll agree with.

the seats in my lightning were in tits though... never got hot never got cold...

 

[jcgafford]

just found a guy with seats out of a 93 in good shape. going to look sunday. decision seems to be made as long as these check out.

 

[TMIproducts]

Let me know if you need any samples of the vinyl and leather to compare - shoot me a PM with your address and I can toss them in the mail on Monday

 

[aar0s]

I was in the same boat, was about to quit messing with my car and buy a new one till I looked at the sticker and did some math, decided that id build my car up how i wanted it and went with leather. Really like it, used TMI's kit and had a guy I know's wife install them, no way i was fighting with it plus i wanted them to look right and i never would have been happy with my own work.
No problems with the heat or the cold, I dont drive it when its real hot or much in the winter.

Biggest problem I had with cloth was that I could not find the stock plaid pattern that the ones in the car had, they were all the solid color covers.

 

[jcgafford]

I was in the same boat, was about to quit messing with my car and buy a new one till I looked at the sticker and did some math, decided that id build my car up how i wanted it and went with leather. Really like it, used TMI's kit and had a guy I know's wife install them, no way i was fighting with it plus i wanted them to look right and i never would have been happy with my own work.
No problems with the heat or the cold, I dont drive it when its real hot or much in the winter.

Biggest problem I had with cloth was that I could not find the stock plaid pattern that the ones in the car had, they were all the solid color covers.

well it is going to be either the vinyl or leather. like i said i am going to look at some original 93 vert seats in white leather this weekend. if they dont pan out then TMI will be the way i go.