What is Leatherette?

[Reimann]

I just won an eBay auction for what was suppose to be leather seat covers but the seller just wrote me and said that the material is actually leatherette and asked if I still wanted them. How is leatherette compared to leather? Better? Worse? More/Less expensive? More/Less durable?

Thanks!

 

[JoeySperz]

I'm sure its something similar to vinyl. Our actual seats are not leather, they are a fake leather, so I'm sure that they are similar quality to that. Do you have any pictures of it? that may help.

 

[mustang90]

Leatherette is fake leather. Advantages: more durable, less maintence, longer lasting and takes after vinyl.

Leather is more maintence, cracks, and wears alot faster. Of course if you look at it, they both have advantages and disadvantages. I think leather is better in a show car or high end vehicle because it looks more plush. Hope this helps?

 

[Reimann]

Leatherette is fake leather. Advantages: more durable, less maintence, longer lasting and takes after vinyl.

Leather is more maintence, cracks, and wears alot faster. Of course if you look at it, they both have advantages and disadvantages. I think leather is better in a show car or high end vehicle because it looks more plush. Hope this helps?

That makes it sound like the Leatherette is better. This is my daily driver, it only gets entered into the small local car shows (actually won 2nd place last year) so durable would be better for me. What about price? Is Leatherette cheaper then real leather?

Here's a picture of the seats:
<img src="http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/12/web/360000-360999/360719_33_full.jpg">

Thanks to you both!

 

[StangIt #1]

I'm sure its something similar to vinyl. Our actual seats are not leather, they are a fake leather, so I'm sure that they are similar quality to that.

To be a little more specific, the top pads on the front bucket seats are real leather; the rear bench, the sides & backs of the front buckets are not. As cheap as the leather is that Ford uses, I almost wish that they would use fake leather for the entire "leather" package.

 

[mransr]

and I thought leatherette was a chearleader for West Coast Choppers...

 

[mustang90]

That set looks great! How much is that gonna run you? I noticed with the seat covers they tend to look baggy compared to an actual leather seat. Leatherette is less expensive than leather. It looks, feels just about the same.

 

[Reimann]

That set looks great! How much is that gonna run you? I noticed with the seat covers they tend to look baggy compared to an actual leather seat. Leatherette is less expensive than leather. It looks, feels just about the same.

I am going to have them professionally installed so hopefully there won't be any baggy look to them. I've noticed that on some other cars too. As for price, does $625 sound good for them or should I try to get him to come down on it (since now I know it is not real leather)?

 

[decoy562]

Leatherette is the cheap crap Ford puts in our cars

 

[u_s_marine]

BMW offers it on its lower models --- It does have a cheap plastic look to it I saw one in a 325i when i went to pick up my m3 about 2 years ago. Doesnt feel like leather either. Only thing is its more durable.

 

[Reimann]

He agreed to reduce the price by $100 so I am going to go ahead and get them. My only worry now is that sometimes you see leather seats on a car and they look baggy, like what mustang90 was talking about. Is there anything that one can do to make sure that they don't end up looking like that? Is this something a good upholstery shop can make sure doesn't happen? Or is that baggyness a look that some people actually like? I am such a worrier when it comes to my car! ^_^;

 

[Blev]

He agreed to reduce the price by $100 so I am going to go ahead and get them. My only worry now is that sometimes you see leather seats on a car and they look baggy, like what mustang90 was talking about. Is there anything that one can do to make sure that they don't end up looking like that? Is this something a good upholstery shop can make sure doesn't happen?

Ask for a picture of the back of them. Their might be some kind of strap/string that snugs them up.

 

[Reimann]

Ask for a picture of the back of them. Their might be some kind of strap/string that snugs them up.

I thought they were the type that replaces the current fabric on the car, not pull overs. After you said that I started looking at the pictures and noticed there were straps visible in it. I wrote the seller and asked which type they are.

 

[Blev]

They are not that type of seat cover. These replace the fabric that is currently on the car. They are not pull overs.

Oops...

 

[Reimann]

Oops...

Actually, right now I am wondering if the "Oops" is yours or mine. I edited and rewrote my message but you must have replied to it before I submitted the changes.

 

[SVTSTEEDA]

leatherette is a marketing term for vinyl. almost all foreign cars come with some form of leatherette on their basier models. could you imagine buying a bmw for 35grand and seeing "vinyl seats" listed on the window sticker. the plus side it is very durable. it's amazing how a product is accepted if you call it by certain names. good luck.

 

[Reimann]

leatherette is a marketing term for vinyl. almost all foreign cars come with some form of leatherette on their basier models. could you imagine buying a bmw for 35grand and seeing "vinyl seats" listed on the window sticker. the plus side it is very durable. it's amazing how a product is accepted if you call it by certain names. good luck.

Thanks for the info but we've moved beyond that now and are trying to determine if these are replacement seat covers or pull over seat covers. Can anyone tell by looking at the picture?

 

[FallenPhoenix]

if I had to guess I'd say covers just because of the straps but I could easily be wrong.

 

[SVTSTEEDA]

sorry my friend. the look like pull overs to me.

 

[Reimann]

sorry my friend. the look like pull overs to me.

He responded, they are. Due to the leatherette/leather bit I don't think he is going to try to hold me to them. I think I'll stop trying to take the cheap way out and check out Classic Trim Soft or some other place and have some made specifically for my car. That or save my money and get an '06 Cobra/SVT when they come out in a couple/few years.