Some good advice a week or so on this site about the value of metalic paint on a new car. I was wondering what leather seats on an Audi A4 or A6 did for the resale. I do like the comfort of leather ( easy to fidget in on a long run - the synthetic cloth seats grip like velcro). However it costs £1500 extra. Any thoughts?
Peter
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For some reason that i dont really understand buyers in the UK insist that their luxery cars must have leather,almost to the point that the car can be pretty much unsaleable without it on the used market.Some brands fit some pretty sad leather furniture in their cars but we Brits lap it up.One time i asked my Japanese supplier about leather seats,his response,'why you want sit on dead cow?'Very strange.
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TL - So tell your Japanese supplier about the guy and the live goat near Hull, and let us know what he has to say about that!
If you haven't read about this in the Sun, see Craig Brown's article on page 25 of Saturday's Telegraph ....
MBRM - Legitimate motoring interest: "a stream of (police) officers raced to the scene"!
Ronnie
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Peter - Sorry! I should also apologise for sidetracking your perfectly sensible question.
IMHO leather is vastly preferable to cloth, especially since with the presumed inclusion of air conditioning in such a car, the old complaint about it being sticky in hot weather no longer holds water - once it cools down! However, it is only worth the *initial* outlay if you are feeling very flush, or if someone else is paying for the car. Incidentally, just about every car I've been in in the US over the last few years has had leather.
I will leave the "proper authorities" to comment more widely, particularly in the context of cost/residuals/saleability.
Good wishes.
Ronnie
PS Read Craig Brown too!
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For:
Comfortable
Smells lovely when new
resists baby puke, spilt drinks, cigarette burns better
Against:
Burned bum when you have left the car in the sun
Higher maintenance
some finishes prone to scratches - especially from silly things, like jeans studs.
Hope this helps.
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I like 'leather', too, but in the form of sheepskin! Seat covers of this material are wam in winter, cool in summer, and make firm seats a bit softer.
They can also be replaced/repaired when worn, usually at a lower cost than the OEM ones, and leave the seats looking better for resale purposes.
A good place to buy is www.easirider.com (who just happen to be 'local' for me - nr Northampton, & give excellent service).
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I certainly am pro-leather for all the good reasons cited. However, my current ride has seats covered in what is called "parchment" leather. They show every little mark, and the marks sort of reside in the wrinkles caused by usage. Worst of all is anything denim, which old worn or whatever always leaves blue marks.
I don't know if this is normal for leather but it is (pun coming up) a real pain the posterior.
Every few days they need cleaning as a result. So the wonders of ownership are offset by the pain of maintenance. I honestly don't think I would bother again. As for a Japanese quite logically wondering why anyone would want to sit on dead cow, what must a Hindu think? I bet Mahindra Jeeps don't come with leather options.....
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Growler
Surely the words 'Mahindra Jeeps' and 'options' never appear in the same context?
Regards
john
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Of course your trousers will have a beautiful shine on the rear in no time! Personally, I would no more have leather in a car than I would for my 3 piece at home. It's true though, some cars are virtually unsaleable without it. Just because it's more expensive, does not make it better, in my view.
MIke
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Leather is great if you have young kids - much easier to clean than cloth!
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"Leather is great if you have young kids - much easier to clean than cloth!"
Mick - Not sure if this is another "goat" reference or not? Either way I'm glad, since it gives me a somewhat tenuous opportunity to say that it really gets my goat that *no one* seems to have anything to say about the article I referred to at the top of this thread, about the guy and the goat - frankly, I'm surprised (although probably not as much as the goat!). Gives a whole new meaning to East Riding and, anyway, why did every one who dialled 999 on their mobile ask for the police? Surely they should have asked for the coastguard, since the guy was obviously up S*** Creek without a paddle ....
Not wanting to push my luck with MBRM, anyone interested, but without direct access to Saturday's Telegraph , should "Copy" and "Paste" the following: www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fopin...l or, if preferred, e-mail me and I'll send the text.
DVD - WRT your not being able to access the "Speed Camera Defence" web-site, highlighting the relevant text then "Copy" and "Paste" using your right hand mouse button might solve the problem, instead of you having to type out all the web-site details every time.
Regards to all, especially any animal lovers in the East Riding!
Ronnie
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Bit of a pig in a poke, it seems, Ronnie. Bit of a boar, really.
Sorry to be so gruff , but some folk tend to make asses of themselves sometimes ...
There's enough monkey-business about, without you contributing to it as well!
It drives me bananas.
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Actually I would like to see the return of bench front seats covered in shiny vinyl like on my 1957 Vauxhall Cresta. Wind it around those left hand turns and send one's favorite squeeze of the moment sliding right over........
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