gkrisjn, you are talking about genuine leather, and I'm talking about art. leather.
18K for a full genuine leather job is a really good deal. This quote is for the "Classic" trim? The "Satin" material looks and feels much better, and if you can get that in your budget, go for it. "Nappa" looks and feels really great and really luxurious (I was enjoying myself in a Nappa finished OHC yesterday) but it is very expensive.
The "PU" (Poly-Urethane, I think) is artificial leather and not genuine leather. The finish/look of Stanley's PU material (the quality I got) is comparable with the finish/look of the "Satin" genuine leather material.