I think vinyl is actually nice if you really want a leather seat but don't want to pay $2000+ for the option. Of course just like there can be cheap [censored] leather in some cars and nice leather in others, I'm sure there's vinyl that feels like [censored] and vinyl that feels amazing (MB-Tex). So where does GM's vinyl seat option in their trucks fit on the scale?
How is GM vinyl?
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Anecdotally, from checking out 20 year old beater chevy trucks, not durable. Rips on the outer bolster, typically.
The problem with this anecdote is only fleet buyers typically get vinyl, and fleet drivers are merciless. Guys wearing tool belts sliding out can rip stuff up too.
If you just want to see how sticky hot it is in the sun, the dealer can oblige.
The problem with this anecdote is only fleet buyers typically get vinyl, and fleet drivers are merciless. Guys wearing tool belts sliding out can rip stuff up too.
If you just want to see how sticky hot it is in the sun, the dealer can oblige.
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Which GM models have vinyl/leatherette and which models are being considered by the OP?
I like the faux-leather in our 2010 Jetta. It has a reputation for holding up very well and it is resistant to spills.
I like the faux-leather in our 2010 Jetta. It has a reputation for holding up very well and it is resistant to spills.
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Which GM models have vinyl/leatherette and which models are being considered by the OP?
I like the faux-leather in our 2010 Jetta. It has a reputation for holding up very well and it is resistant to spills.
yeah... the Faux leather (pleather!) in vehicles like an early 90s S10, especially if God forbid you had it in BLACK like my family's first one, will straight up BURN THE [censored] OUT OF YOU if you come back to it on a summer day. Windows up, down.. Maybe if you parked in shade with windows down, MAYBE.. Otherwise? You were getting the HADES burned out of you.
Same on a 73 LeSabre. Burned even worse than the vehicle I just mentioned. Also, old 3-series.
Even these, supposedly the highest-end trim of the line, in Oldsmobile guise. And permanent AWD.. disaster.
Have at it. Your name would be Burnie..
YEEEOWWCH!
And that's still not the front seats, but. It was the back. They were actually plush and comfy, but not if you have a large rear, as the seats are narrow. So if you have a big bum or even a larger than average you are SOL.
Which GM models have vinyl/leatherette and which models are being considered by the OP?
I like the faux-leather in our 2010 Jetta. It has a reputation for holding up very well and it is resistant to spills.
yeah... the Faux leather (pleather!) in vehicles like an early 90s S10, especially if God forbid you had it in BLACK like my family's first one, will straight up BURN THE [censored] OUT OF YOU if you come back to it on a summer day. Windows up, down.. Maybe if you parked in shade with windows down, MAYBE.. Otherwise? You were getting the HADES burned out of you.
Same on a 73 LeSabre. Burned even worse than the vehicle I just mentioned. Also, old 3-series.
Even these, supposedly the highest-end trim of the line, in Oldsmobile guise. And permanent AWD.. disaster.
Have at it. Your name would be Burnie..
YEEEOWWCH!
And that's still not the front seats, but. It was the back. They were actually plush and comfy, but not if you have a large rear, as the seats are narrow. So if you have a big bum or even a larger than average you are SOL.
I remember a covering called Naugahide.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Even though you believe it, this is completely wrong. "Leatherette" is another name for vinyl. Most vehicles with leather seats have some vinyl or plastic on them in "non-seating" areas.
You don't see so much vinyl on American cars these days. At one time, at least on GM products, the base car in many cases had cloth and vinyl was an option. Beyond that, in some cases there were two levels of vinyl. While black vinyl in hot weather without AC was something best left in the seventies, a lot of GM vinyl was both attractive and beautiful as well as hard-wearing.
MB, BMW and VW have forever sold vinyl interiors with names that obscure the fact that the product is not vinyl. All three companies do a great job with this material, and many, many, many buyers either don't know or quickly forget that they are sitting on vinyl. If you see an unrestored Merc with 150k on it with a perfect interior, you're looking at vinyl (MB Tex).
Not much vinyl comes on the Japanese-branded cars, but the luxury and near luxury cars sell leather with a thick bonding of vinyl or plastic on top. It looks great and holds up, but when it wears out, it looks terrible.
... Unlike the good stuff, the real vat-dyed leather on Jags and Porsches that can be renewed, and looks fantastic with some patina.
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Even though you believe it, this is completely wrong. "Leatherette" is another name for vinyl. Most vehicles with leather seats have some vinyl or plastic on them in "non-seating" areas.
You don't see so much vinyl on American cars these days. At one time, at least on GM products, the base car in many cases had cloth and vinyl was an option. Beyond that, in some cases there were two levels of vinyl. While black vinyl in hot weather without AC was something best left in the seventies, a lot of GM vinyl was both attractive and beautiful as well as hard-wearing.
MB, BMW and VW have forever sold vinyl interiors with names that obscure the fact that the product is not vinyl. All three companies do a great job with this material, and many, many, many buyers either don't know or quickly forget that they are sitting on vinyl. If you see an unrestored Merc with 150k on it with a perfect interior, you're looking at vinyl (MB Tex).
Not much vinyl comes on the Japanese-branded cars, but the luxury and near luxury cars sell leather with a thick bonding of vinyl or plastic on top. It looks great and holds up, but when it wears out, it looks terrible.
... Unlike the good stuff, the real vat-dyed leather on Jags and Porsches that can be renewed, and looks fantastic with some patina.
Its a long way from MB tex and you can only get it on their cheapest trucks.
I tried to get it in my Ram but could not order vinyl seats with power windows so I'm stuck with cloth.
I tried to get it in my Ram but could not order vinyl seats with power windows so I'm stuck with cloth.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Most Mercedes come with MB tex IE vinyl unless otherwise ordered, 90% of drivers assume its leather. Even if you order leather its only on parts of the seats. Unless you go full on Designo your not getting anything to special. MB tex is truly awesome and if you don't let it bake to death in the sun will last all of 30+ years.
Real leather is pricey, very few cars have it. Most "leather" interiors are just cheap leather inserts on the front of the seats.
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Most Mercedes come with MB tex IE vinyl unless otherwise ordered, 90% of drivers assume its leather. Even if you order leather its only on parts of the seats. Unless you go full on Designo your not getting anything to special. MB tex is truly awesome and if you don't let it bake to death in the sun will last all of 30+ years.
Real leather is pricey, very few cars have it. Most "leather" interiors are just cheap leather inserts on the front of the seats.
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Originally Posted By: Eddie
I remember a covering called Naugahide.
Do you realize how many little baby Naugas had to die to provide the coverings on your couch??!!!????
I remember a covering called Naugahide.
Do you realize how many little baby Naugas had to die to provide the coverings on your couch??!!!????
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: dishdude
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Most Mercedes come with MB tex IE vinyl unless otherwise ordered, 90% of drivers assume its leather. Even if you order leather its only on parts of the seats. Unless you go full on Designo your not getting anything to special. MB tex is truly awesome and if you don't let it bake to death in the sun will last all of 30+ years.
Real leather is pricey, very few cars have it. Most "leather" interiors are just cheap leather inserts on the front of the seats.
Leather inserts are real leather. Few, few, few cars have leather on all parts of the seat. MB Tex is excellent.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Most Mercedes come with MB tex IE vinyl unless otherwise ordered, 90% of drivers assume its leather. Even if you order leather its only on parts of the seats. Unless you go full on Designo your not getting anything to special. MB tex is truly awesome and if you don't let it bake to death in the sun will last all of 30+ years.
Real leather is pricey, very few cars have it. Most "leather" interiors are just cheap leather inserts on the front of the seats.
Leather inserts are real leather. Few, few, few cars have leather on all parts of the seat. MB Tex is excellent.
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Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: dishdude
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Most Mercedes come with MB tex IE vinyl unless otherwise ordered, 90% of drivers assume its leather. Even if you order leather its only on parts of the seats. Unless you go full on Designo your not getting anything to special. MB tex is truly awesome and if you don't let it bake to death in the sun will last all of 30+ years.
Real leather is pricey, very few cars have it. Most "leather" interiors are just cheap leather inserts on the front of the seats.
Exactly right. There's really nothing better than MB Rex or equivalent vinyl in cars. Thing is, they can't charge a premium for some low grade hydra like when automakers sell leather options (particularly in run of the mill vehicles).
Good quality vinyl is a great seating material with all the best characteristics you'd want -toughness, easy cleanup, smooth sliding surface, etc. since most "leather" seats feel like a coating of plastic anyway, vinyl is the best.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
There is vinyl, and then there is leatherette. Vinyl is what you find on the contractor grade bench seats in pickups, leatherette is what you find on base Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes cars.
I believe most of the economy grade cars have an all leatherette back seat, and leather seating surfaces on the front seats. The leatherette in those is generally durable and leather like.
Most Mercedes come with MB tex IE vinyl unless otherwise ordered, 90% of drivers assume its leather. Even if you order leather its only on parts of the seats. Unless you go full on Designo your not getting anything to special. MB tex is truly awesome and if you don't let it bake to death in the sun will last all of 30+ years.
Real leather is pricey, very few cars have it. Most "leather" interiors are just cheap leather inserts on the front of the seats.
Exactly right. There's really nothing better than MB Rex or equivalent vinyl in cars. Thing is, they can't charge a premium for some low grade hydra like when automakers sell leather options (particularly in run of the mill vehicles).
Good quality vinyl is a great seating material with all the best characteristics you'd want -toughness, easy cleanup, smooth sliding surface, etc. since most "leather" seats feel like a coating of plastic anyway, vinyl is the best.
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