Leatherette - What do you think of it?
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Black leatherette, 15k miles, 4 kids, convertible top down most of time, exposed to the elements, and looks as good as the day it rolled off the showroom floor. This stuff really is indestructable. Its so much better than leather, that MINI should include the leather at no-charge and charge the extra $1500 for leathertte!
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Not true at all. With sport seats in non-leather they DO have lumbar, it's just non-adjustable - yet far more supportive than the non-sport seats. Leather sport seats mearly add a bit of adjustability to it. The sport fixed lumbar is luckily PERFECT for my taste - an adjuster in my care would be 100% useless.
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I ordered the grey leatherette. That's a pretty neat way to market vinyle. Who'd want vinyle? Not me, I said give me the leatherette! While I like leather I just couldn't justify the cost for a set of dead cow covers. Cloth seemed like it would be nice too, but that space cloth looked like a sharkskin suit. Great thing with the MINI is the fact that you can pick & chose to suit yourself. The leatherette seems like a nice compromise for me. Looks like cow wears like vinyle. Plus there's no addition cost.
Chuck
Chuck
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Wow! This has all been very helpful. I'm coming around the corner, so to speak, on the leatherette. It doesn't seem quite so odd anymore.
I tend to not think of them as vinyl seats, mainly because they are NOTHING at all like my parents 1976 Dodge Magnum. Now that was a fun car. Half a bottle of armor all on those seats and it was like having a slip and slide inside the car.
Leatherette seems to be much smoother, more supple than a traditional vinyl. While leather can be nice, and I do tend to prefer fabric, I also live in my car for a 20 mile commute, so food can be a problem for me.
I cleaned up my old car last night, and I spent about an hour removing food spill stains from the seats. I even had a spill in the back seat, which I can't figure out since I never sit back there. hmmmm....
I tend to not think of them as vinyl seats, mainly because they are NOTHING at all like my parents 1976 Dodge Magnum. Now that was a fun car. Half a bottle of armor all on those seats and it was like having a slip and slide inside the car.
Leatherette seems to be much smoother, more supple than a traditional vinyl. While leather can be nice, and I do tend to prefer fabric, I also live in my car for a 20 mile commute, so food can be a problem for me.
I cleaned up my old car last night, and I spent about an hour removing food spill stains from the seats. I even had a spill in the back seat, which I can't figure out since I never sit back there. hmmmm....
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All of the different materials (leatherette, leather and cloth) have their advantages and disadvantages. Leatherette looks good, wears great, and cleans easily. Leather breathes better, feels ... well, like leather, but is harder to clean and maintain. Cloth won't burn you in the summer.
I'm happy with my leatherette, but I probably would have been happy with leather or cloth, too. But in 5 years, my leatherette should still look like it looks today. Can't say the same about leather or cloth.
I'm happy with my leatherette, but I probably would have been happy with leather or cloth, too. But in 5 years, my leatherette should still look like it looks today. Can't say the same about leather or cloth.
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Originally Posted by Crashton
That's a pretty neat way to market vinyle. Who'd want vinyle? Not me, I said give me the leatherette! Looks like cow wears like vinyle.
I agree that it has a slightly less soft/supple feel than real leather, but neither does it stretch and get "baggy" like I've seen the MINI leather do.
I have ordered leatherette in both MINIs and am a very happy with it overall. The first car had over 40k miles and the driver's seat still looked brand new. My only real complaint is not being able to get the ADJUSTABLE lumbar. After being on the road for over 6 hours yesterday, I was reminded just how much I really wished I had it. Regardless, the negligible amount of maintenance required and the excellent durability combined with no extra cost have kept me very happy with it.
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Originally Posted by kaelaria
Not true at all. With sport seats in non-leather they DO have lumbar, it's just non-adjustable - yet far more supportive than the non-sport seats.
Leather sport seats mearly add a bit of adjustability to it. The sport fixed lumbar is luckily PERFECT for my taste - an adjuster in my care would be 100% useless.
Leather sport seats mearly add a bit of adjustability to it. The sport fixed lumbar is luckily PERFECT for my taste - an adjuster in my care would be 100% useless.
Hopefully your luck will hold until YOU reach 63 But just in case, start saving now for that extra $1300...unless MINI takes pity on us geriatrics and includes adjustable lumbar on future models.
Anyone in doubt...try before you buy.
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Originally Posted by Nuff
I'm happy with my leatherette, but I probably would have been happy with leather or cloth, too. But in 5 years, my leatherette should still look like it looks today. Can't say the same about leather or cloth.