Stanley leather seats - review please

[bottle]

had a look at your garage, great price then, had stanley offered anything around 15-16k would have snapped it up

[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

Perhaps you should also re read your posts. I am not here to encourage you to buy anything. I stand by what I have stated. And it is entirely upto you to make a choice.

Ok, if you say so. I, atleast, gave you the benefit of doubt in assuming that you are trying to provide more valuable input to folks here on better grades of leather, higher comfort feel and better value proposition.

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

You said you are happy with synthetic seat covers. Personally I hate the plasticky feel, the synthetic smell and prefer fabric if not real leather. I know many people who feel the same way I do.

That is just your perception, and if you had stated that this is what you have found or you and people you know have found, its quite fine with me.
However, what you said about losing finish, tearing up in a bit, and smell etc is not valid as I can demonstrate to you in my car. Please be more circumspect in making generalizations. For your information, art leather is "recommended" as a value for money upholstery/cover in T-BHP forum itself. So, maybe you prefer fabric to art leather, but this is not an universal phenomenon - to the contrary, a large section prefer art leather to fabric. It looks much better, feels better, and does not become so dirty and difficult to clean. But because I find art leather better than fabric, doesn't mean I am claiming that art leather is better than leather.

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

PU and PVC upholstery are just meant to fake the leather look for people aspiring for the real material or for people who do not know the difference. Between the two PU outlasts PVC as the latter which is cheaper, has a lower tensile strength.

You talked of the price sensitive Indian market and the myth that weather conditions are bad in India for any other material. Then you advised me on what to say. Too many assumptions.

I think you haven't read my posts properly. First of all, I never claimed art leather is more comfortable than leather. For me (and a very large section of car owners), they look much better than fabric seats, remain clean, don't smell (that's a fact), and retain their look and feel for years. Do they do better than leather seats ? No, and I also never claimed that they did.
I only said that maybe you have certain knowledge on finer grade leather (as compared to the lower grade options that Stanley and others are using), and would be good for you to highlight the same - here's my actual post, the only one where weather is remotely mentioned...
"I have no problems if you educate us about better grades of leather etc. If you say that leather X will last 2-3 years better than the standard/regular variants in the market or will be more comfortable in hot conditions."
I haven't said anywhere leather is not suited to our conditions or any of those assumptions which you have made.

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

BTW irrespective of weather conditions leather is among the most durable upholstery materials that one can find. And then most car owners who can afford leather have air-conditioning.

Thanks for that revelation about the AC part. Again, I have not challenged suitability of leather or its durability (though both art leather and to an extent leather feel hot to the back when the car has stood in Delhi sun for 2 hours in peak summers). There is nothing above which replies to anything I said or claimed.

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

Like you said, in your earlier post you do not know much about leather or its intrinsic qualities so lets leave it at that.

I am as well happy to leave it at that. However, I thought it fitting to respond to certain statements in this post that don't potray what I said precisely!

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

All leather is not of equal quality. The nappa leather seat covers you mentioned available in this market is a corrected grain leather and is heavily pigmented because it is made from a lower grade/selection hide. That is the 'universal truth' to put it in your own words.

Thanks for this information. I'll keep it in mind when I go for leather seat covers (which I'll do sooner than later). Once you explained about this, you'll notice I haven't challenged it :-)

Originally Posted by Kärlsson

I have a passion for high quality leather and many years of experience using and observing various types upholstery leather and so it is a qualified opinion in my view.

When you do learn a little more about what really is high quality leather upholstery and appreciate it perhaps you will change your views. And unless you use high quality upholstery you will never know the difference. But its all up to you.

Again, I thought you are qualified to comment on leather upholstery (atleast from my perspective). In my limited way, I know that different grades of leather exist - I though Stanley Nappa was pretty good as available in India, you have explained it is overpriced and there are better options, fine. Its good if people have choice and better quality products to chose from - I am happy about it.
Peace out!

[FARDAN]

the interior of this car was done at Stanley Mumbai in 2004. even after 5 years of rough usage the seats are still in excellent state without any marks of wear & tear.

[ACM]

Yep the leathers on tha octavia seem to have lasted very well for 4+ years.

My Laura Leathers (originals) are still as good as new after 3.5 years.

A point not mentioned on this thread while debating the cost of Stanley Leathers vs art Leather and the quality of each quite aggresively was that for many individuals leather is a stict no no for the fact that it comes from animal hide as compared to art leather and fabric which consume no lives.

[Kärlsson]

Originally Posted by ACM

Yep the leathers on tha octavia seem to have lasted very well for 4+ years.

My Laura Leathers (originals) are still as good as new after 3.5 years.

A point not mentioned on this thread while debating the cost of Stanley Leathers vs art Leather and the quality of each quite aggresively was that for many individuals leather is a stict no no for the fact that it comes from animal hide as compared to art leather and fabric which consume no lives.

Animal hide of any quality or grade will "last" longer than synthetic, because the tensile strength more. But quality of leather is a lifestyle choice and its personal.

It is a fallacy for some individuals to believe that domesticated livestock are killed for leather. Upholstery leather is a by product of the meat and diary industry. No tannery culls cows or buffalos for their hides. Hides are really a waste product.

[harry10]

Looks really nice Fardan. Stanley quality is top notch.

[nandishpal]

hi guys!
the upholestry was done 6 months back.it makes a 5 year old car feel new in the interiors.

[dockap]

nice how much did it cost you nandish?

[drashkum]

i am getting my linea next week. the seats are kind of pretty firm and uncomfortable. going to visit stanley for a quotation. so will update what i am going to do soon...

[jacobgeorge]

I have had Stanley leather seats for over a year now on my City. I opted for scandinavian leather cream colour, which incidentally is very soft to touch but very rugged. It cost me about 31K which I thought was good value for money because the dealership was selling me a lower quality leather seat for 40K. Being of cream colour I had my reservations of it getting dirty very fast, which does happen especially on the driver seat. The good thing is Stanley offers two years of free cleaning so I take it to them every 3 or 4 weeks for a seat cleaning and it comes back looking spanking new.

The fit and finish is extremely good. One point to be noted is that the metal buttons on your jeans could invariably make scratches/cut on the seat, so be careful of that.

Cheers

[netarchie]

My stanely experience was great. I opted for the nappa leather and the color I choose looks quite sporty.
I too will second what jacobgeorge and other have said, the fit and finish is excellent and was better than I expected. The fitting takes about 6 - 7 hours depending upon the package you have opted for.
I have uploaded few pics of the interior in my garage also.

[Kärlsson]

Originally Posted by jacobgeorge

I have had Stanley leather seats for over a year now on my City. I opted for scandinavian leather cream colour, which incidentally is very soft to touch but very rugged. It cost me about 31K which I thought was good value for money because the dealership was selling me a lower quality leather seat for 40K. Being of cream colour I had my reservations of it getting dirty very fast, which does happen especially on the driver seat. The good thing is Stanley offers two years of free cleaning so I take it to them every 3 or 4 weeks for a seat cleaning and it comes back looking spanking new.

The fit and finish is extremely good. One point to be noted is that the metal buttons on your jeans could invariably make scratches/cut on the seat, so be careful of that.

Cheers

In a high traffic environment like a car, it is always better to use automotive grade leather which has much higher technical specs and is rugged. It is also mandatory for automotive grade leather to meet higher flammability standards.It will not be easily scratched like the furniture grade leather that you have installed.

[udit78]

Hi All,

I wanted to check what is the approximate price range for Stanley pure leather seat covers for Honda City with door trims and gear knob as well.

Also, where in Delhi is this done?

Lastly, is there a alternative of equal quality one can go for?

Please let me know

Thanks
Udit

[karankapoor]

udit there are already many threads for Stanley seat cover you should have posted your query there.

[invincible7]

Udit Stanley Boutique is on Faridabad Road in a mall which has Reliance outlets. If you go from Delhi > New Friends Colony > Applo Hosiptal> Faridabad Road> on your left hand side this mall will apear.

Stanley is on the top floor of this mall.

Besides them there is a dealer for Stanley @ Connaught Place with the name Popular on left hand side which is just before the Traffic Light which moves towards Minto Road.

I hope this helps you.

I will ping you the nos of Stanley person at Faridabad Mall.