Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but...

818 Views 14 Replies 13 Participants Last post by DiscoZ, Dec 2, 2001

Pelican18TQA4

Discussion Starter · Dec 1, 2001

I'm in a dilemma right now. Whenever VW decides to realease the 24V VR6 in the GTI, I have dibs on one at my local dealer. I told them that I want every option except the leather package. I do appreciate the way it looks, feels and smells, but I was very hesitant to get it. The reason is that in my Audi A4 that I have now, I have leatherette and I hate it!! It doesn't breath at all and in the summer months I really hate to drive my car. If I'm hot and get into the car I don't cool down in a timely manner because my hot back and buttocks/upper legs are sitting against the leatherette and it's retaining the heat. What I'm asking is this, does the real leather in the GTI/Jetta breath better than the leatherette in my A4? I visited a BMW dealer once, and one of the selling points for real leather that the salesman mentioned was that it breaths sooo much better than the fake leatherette, relieving much of what I'm complaining about here. Is this true? People that have the VW leather in warmer climates, do you find that it breaths enough to at least let your back and other areas cool off on a hot day??? HELP...I want leather badly but not if it's going to be the same situation that I have with my A4!!

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roadsleeper

· #2 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

I don't know, I mean it is hot in the summer, but any car feels hot under the sun and in 100 degree weather... My qualms with the cloth is the amount of fluff it collects (e.g: hair, lint, fur, etc), and the fact that I collect static from it when it gets dry and cold

But it is a terrible thing to sit in a rock hard, ice cold leather seat after a winter night, God bless seat heaters

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bender73

· #3 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

I've always had cloth and I don't think I could ever go back to it ever since I got my 2002 Jetta with leather. Its so beautiful, clean, and looks classy. I hated the seating material in my 2000 Jetta...it constantly got loaded with lint and was so hard to clean. Go for the leather. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
-bender

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Pelican18TQA4

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

ttt

Sortafast

· #5 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

Dude, get leather. The velour seats are HORRIBLE about trapping lint. It takes me about 20 minutes with a sticky roller to get the seats clean.

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nuke941

· #6 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Anakin)

quote:[HR][/HR]Dude, get leather. The velour seats are HORRIBLE about trapping lint. It takes me about 20 minutes with a sticky roller to get the seats clean.

[HR][/HR]

ditto, if you get cloth seats they will never ever be clean... I did the grave mistake of geting cloth and had to cought up the extra cash to put custom leather in it.
However on warm days by back does get sweaty.... so be prepared for that... it is pretty comfortable.

[Modified by nuke941, 1:39 AM 12-1-2001]

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Pelican18TQA4

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (nuke941)

bump

steez

· #8 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

dude, you have airconditioner (good one too!) whats the prob?

youll be fine

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Vickers

· #9 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (steez)

I always said I would never get a car with leather, but the GTI I have now was such a great deal it was not a deal-stopper for me.
The leather seats are great, I thought they would be bad in Florida but as long as you don't park right in the sun (or at least use a well-positioned sunshade) it's OK even on the hottest days.
If we could get regular thick weave cloth like Europe gets as opposed to the velour, I would get that, but with the choices VW presents us in the states I'd say go for the leather.
Vickers

Apocrates

· #10 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Vickers)

Dude, get the leather, and I'll trade you my cloth seats!!! I so want to buy leather (with seat heaters - of course) that I was gonna not buy Christmas presents for anyone and just indulge myself (haha decided against that after revealing my plan to the g/f)... Anyone know the exact price for Veedub Black leather seats with seat heaters for a 99 Golf (TDI-if it makes a diff)...?

Cheers!

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LSinLV

· #11 · Dec 1, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Apocrates)

I live in Las Vegas, NV, where several shildren die every year in cars due to heat..
(sick isn't it!)
Anyway, I've ALWAYS had leather in my cars, and so does by GTI. I can answer all of your "hot" concerns with 2 words....
SHEEPSKIN SEATCOVERS
Get the leather, enjoy the smell, enjoy the heat (in winter heated seats), easier to clean/keep clean, looks soooo much nicer than cloth, and won't absorb smell/BO when you sweat!!!
You can always clean the seatcovers, and keep the leather nice with Lexol.
Don't sweat it! LOL

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DCC

· #12 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

The GTI sports cloth is a better alternative to leather...but the velour stuff in the golfs are just plain bad

tjl

· #13 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (Pelican18TQA4)

If you get cloth, get a dark color. Light colored cloth will show dirt more easily.
If you get leather, get a light color. Dark colored leather will be unpleasant after the car is parked in the sun on a hot day.

wolfsburger

· #14 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (tjl)

Am I the only one on here that loves my cloth/velour seats?

First of all, they are factory heated seats (gotta love the heat

). Overall I prefer cloth, and I think it has a better/more comfortable feel. My mom has leather in her car with the heated seats. I think that overall they do feel hotter in summer and colder in the winter (until the seat heaters kick in). From the opposite point of view I do get some lint on my seats (not terrible amounts) that I am able to vacuum off with a shop-vac.

But whatever makes you happy. If you like leather, then go for it. I love my cloth seats, and are going to be keeping them for a long time. Just a preference. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

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DiscoZ

· #15 · Dec 2, 2001

Re: Leather vs. Cloth-I know it's been discussed b4, but... (wolfsburger)

I've owned 2 cars with leather and so has my GF... we hate it. I am so happy I have cloth in my '02 GTI I can't say. It is not the same as the velour in the Golf or Jetta. Also, they do not gatehr that much lint. Lether is primarily "snob appeal". It is unsuited for cars. Leather seats need to be in an constant temperature enviroment with very soft seats to be comfortabl (like my lounge). By their inherent nature, cars (expecially sporty cars) are not meant for leather.

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