Leather in Indian climate (Mumbai) Y/N?

[sandeep108]

Many people are actually advising me against going for leather, especially since I park my car in the open and may drive in the afternoons. I normally do not use film on the windows either. The following problems are listed:
1. Non-breathability, especially if leather quality is not the best.
2. Staining
3. Cracking
4. Most important, it becomes unbearable to sit on if car left in sun for quite a few minutes.

The pros are:
1. Luxurious feeling (but personally I feel satin provides me a better feel)
2. Easy to clean
3. Looks better.

So what should it be?

[condor]

Sandeep - is it leather as in Leather ? Hope it's not art leather ..

[premdiv]

i have done a piyou leather seat covering for 4 k and it feels good in my baleno :d

[luvjascha]

Was just curious...would some folks in the forum that have art leather seats comment on the feel and look?
Do you think it's worth the money and would you recommend it?

Thanks

[sandeep108]

Originally Posted by condor

Sandeep - is it leather as in Leather ? Hope it's not art leather ..

No I do not think so - not art leather. I am simply trying for Stanley - but it seems very expensive. Dealer is trying to sell me another leather (with very small amount of PU-he says necessary for durability) which he says is good - but then he would say that. And this is 'fixed' on top of the original seats - no cover type stuff.

Two more well wishers advised me against. Only one friend says go ahead - but then he parks in basement and almost never drives in the afternoon.

[condor]

Sandeep - I dont understand how can PU be mixed with leather. Leather is leather, once it is taken off the animal and processed. How can anything be mixed into it [treatments apart] - just beats me.I feel this guy is trying to pass off art leather as leather. So check out, & pls be careful.
the 'art' in 'art leather' stands for artificial. Basically, a synthetic material that has the look and feel of leather.

Fixing on top of regular seats means that you are putting a seat cover on top of the seat. That part is fine.

[s.prashanth]

Pure leather actually is fire retardent, if you are using AC all the time, leather is good because it absorbs the cooling and keeps the interior cooler, it wont stain, it wont crack, when leaving in the sun , keep the windows slighly open thaat is if it wont rain , keep the car in fresh air mode, bcos even if it is not rumnning fresh air will come in

[GTO]

I use leather and art-leather in my C220 and Vtec respectively. Have not had any weather-related or usage problems at all. Though, I would recommend installing pro-grade sunfilm to avoid damage from excessive heat to genuine leather. Its also wise to use periodic "conditioning" treatments on the leather to keep it clean and soft.

The Vtec has art leather and it looks / feels fabulous after 3 years of hard use.

GTO

[manson]

have used art leather on a couple of my cars in the past, all i can say is it all depends on where you get the seats done from.
loosely fit seats, even if they are leather can feel worse than well done art leather.
currently have stanley leather seats, armrest, door pads on my ohc, and i must they are the best i've come across till date.

Originally Posted by GTO

The Vtec has art leather and it looks / feels fabulous after 3 years of hard use.

GTO

hard use eh?

manson.

[sandeep108]

Thanks guys for all the replies. I had not wanted to use leather in any event for various reasons (poor animal being one of them). He just says Italian leather and claims it is better than stanley, despite being half the cost. And it still looks and feels like rexin. Therefore I am quite sceptical.

I also tend to sweat a bit, even as a passenger, on leather seats. The workshop says that they charge about 1,500 for full interior shampoo/cleaning, which I can do once or twice a year. On a second look, the fabric is not that bad as it looks and feels decent.

So all in all, I have decided against leather for the time being. I will see how the fabric wears and maybe in a year or so can always get stanley fitted outside the dealer for half the cost, if I really feel like it.

[Samrat Banerjee]

Originally Posted by GTO

I use leather and art-leather in my C220 and Vtec respectively. Have not had any weather-related or usage problems at all. Though, I would recommend installing pro-grade sunfilm to avoid damage from excessive heat to genuine leather. Its also wise to use periodic "conditioning" treatments on the leather to keep it clean and soft.

The Vtec has art leather and it looks / feels fabulous after 3 years of hard use.

GTO

GTO,
Where did you get art leather for the Vtec... I wanted to put the same in my OHC...is Sion a good option?
Thanks,
Samrat

[manson]

Originally Posted by Samrat Banerjee

GTO,
Where did you get art leather for the Vtec... I wanted to put the same in my OHC...is Sion a good option?
Thanks,
Samrat

try this guys at the linking road petrolpump, supposed to be really good at his job, and has apparently been in the profession since 30 years now. this is the pump bang opp. amarsons,a nd diagonally opp. to shopperstop at linking road.
mind you, this is for art leather only.

manson.

[dins]

hello guys

you can check G sports artficial leather covers with Choksi motors in milan subway he is the only authrised dealer and I am satisfied as I have in my 4 cars the same covers last 6 years and its great and needs to clean once a year with a hard wet cloth to get the same clean shine..........its great but if AC is not used I feel I will not suggest this covers Bcos on longer drives heat is felt right under your.......So take your call and go for the same........but the news one in my honda of g sports has a mix og cloth and artifical leather that one does heat under your....so go for tha ITS GREAT COSTED ME ODD rs 5500

If nay query pls PM me

[rishi_kapoor]

I have Fiat OEM (Italian Leather) seats on my Petra and I have heavy towel covers on my Lancer...believe me I dont enjoy driving Petra in Delhi summers with leather covers, i prefer lancer which has towel covers.

I clean my leather covers every month or so with a leather conditioner and cleaner from EagleOne.

I fitted towel covers on my New lancer and wanted to go in for stanley later (before winters) but now I am not sure if I want to do that.

My choice fabric.

[sandeep108]

Originally Posted by rishi_kapoor

I have Fiat OEM (Italian Leather) seats on my Petra and I have heavy towel covers on my Lancer...believe me I dont enjoy driving Petra in Delhi summers with leather covers, i prefer lancer which has towel covers.

I clean my leather covers every month or so with a leather conditioner and cleaner from EagleOne.

I fitted towel covers on my New lancer and wanted to go in for stanley later (before winters) but now I am not sure if I want to do that.

My choice fabric.

Thanks for reinforcing my decision to stick with fabric.