[ssangjune]

Why does leatherette cause back sweat and leather doesn't? Does leather somehow absorb sweat?

also i've seen older bmw's w/ leather and it's all cracked up. will leatherette do that?

thanks.

[stressdoc]

Leatherette does not crack up as fast as leather. Cracking depends on care and exposure to the elements. I play sand volleyball, and like the leatherette for its durability.

[Mauricio]

From what research I did before purchasing my car, no one ever complained about back sweat but rather praised the leatherette for durability and easy maintenance. I went with the leatherette and I somewhat regret it. I like the fact that it's easy to clean and looks very tight and neat in the car. I like that it kind of grips you. But it does make my back sweat. I think it's because leather is porous and breathes a little better and the leatherette is non-porous. It's like sitting on a plastic bag.

It is also a very hot summer and I live in Miami. I was just reading posts about tints because I can't deal with the back sweat anymore. I'm sure when the weather cools off and I get tints, it won't be that bad anymore. At least I hope that's the case.

[Mauricio]

Ssangjune, does your leatherette turn white if it gets wet for a few minutes? Or from your back sweat?

[ssangjune]

Originally Posted by Mauricio

Ssangjune, does your leatherette turn white if it gets wet for a few minutes? Or from your back sweat?

I have not gotten my car yet... expected this upcoming monday.
I was just curious b/c people were complaining and I got leatherette.

[stressdoc]

I have never seen it change color, but I have beige.

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by Mauricio

Ssangjune, does your leatherette turn white if it gets wet for a few minutes? Or from your back sweat?

I have the black lette in mine. The reason i got it was cause my salesman has lette in his bmw and he loves it. He said its always looking good, no cracks, easy to clean..etc. However, i get back sweat occasionally and i hardly ever sweat. My lette does turn white if i try to clean it. It freaked me out the first time, but i asked my salesman and he said just use a damp cloth.. all those cleaner products dont really do much. So we'll see....

[CC 330i]

Leather breathes better than leatherette because at the end of the day, leatherette is just vinyl. Leather, being a natural cowhide, absorbs moisture more easily. For example, a chamois is basically leather, and it is very absorbent. Leather seats have a different finish than a chamois, but they still breathe very well.

[Mauricio]

Bellasbmw, Thank you for responding about the seats turning white. I've mentioned this problem in the past and haven't heard of anyone having the same problem. I was thinking something was wrong with mine. Like I got a bad batch or something. At least the white disappears after a few minutes.

[ward]

my beige ones dont' turn white

and I personally get just as sweaty on leather seats

[Petercat]

I have leather in mine and do get a bit of back sweat.

I remember my drive home from the dealership was a 90-95 degree day, I was totally suprised by how soaked my back was.

I think part of the issue is the wrapping design of the seat. With deep bolsters, there isn't much space for air to get through to cool your back.

I'm not sure if leather or leatherette makes a difference. Maybe if the perfed the leather it would breat easier.

I now keep my AC very cool in the car to avoid any sweat. Especially if I'm on my way to work.

[Broken1]

My back doesn't sweat much at all in my leather. It's gotten quite hot here (especially when i've parked in the sun for the morning) and my back doesn't get sweaty. I don't have sports seats though....but i'm now going to specially notice if it does or doesn't!

[JonnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Petercat

I have leather in mine and do get a bit of back sweat.

...

I now keep my AC very cool in the car to avoid any sweat. Especially if I'm on my way to work.

I have black leather in my car as well, and it sometimes causes sweat. However, it is nowhere near as bad as when I had beige vinyl in a previous vehicle! Now THAT was a lot of sweat.

The leather will always breathe better, and newer leathers are treated so that they won't crack as easily. Letherette will always be easier to take care of though, and will look newer longer; I don't know how the E90 leather will wear, but I am absolutely appalled by how old the leather on relatively new E46 M3s look. I've been checking out a couple of used cars, and the wear on the seats really turned me off.

All I can say now is that after having leather, vinyl and cloth seats, I would choose a good quality cloth fabric every time. I only wish the current BMWs offered it as an option.

[Raikkonen]

Guys, I really don't think it makes a difference as to wether or not it's leather or leatherette. If it's an excrutiatingly hot day it doesn't matter if your seats are covered in leather or made from a window screen, it's the fact that your back is resting on a solid surface, therefore eliminating the possibility of moisture evaporation. And yes, leather is more porous than the artificial leatherette, but that makes absolutely no difference when it comes to evaporation. It's not as if your real leather seats will somehow magically absorb all of your back sweat and then let it dissipate through the rear of the driver's seat! The only way to avoid the problem, especially if you're pre-disposed to perspiring, is to keep the interior of your car cool (tints, parking in the shade, etc.) and/or buying a car with air-conditioned seats.

[chrisbin]

Leather is a natural material and "breathes".
Leatherette isn't, and doesn't!

[xyz123]

I specified leatherette for my new 325i. It had nothing to do with initial cost, comfort, or trade-in value. Maybe my thinking is a carryover from the old days and is now outdated if leather treatment has been improved but I doubt it. Leather used to be considered fragile and requiring a lot more care compared to cloth seats. I did not want to be thinking about the seats every time I get into the car. Besides, where I live, heavier clothes are required for more of the year compared to warmer places and since I started getting cars with air conditioning, sweating, even in the unusual 35°C temperatures we have had for the last two months, has not been problem. I don’t particularly like or dislike leatherette; in fact, if I could have specified the cloth seats in my E46 328i, I would have done that.

[Kugr11]

It's a shame cloth seats are not available in the US. And it really makes no sense to me. Why do some manufactureres seems to think that for a car to be 'luxury' it HAS to have leather? Or worse; pseudo-leather (no offense to those who love their lette).

No argument from me on the fact that leather looks awesome (especially terra!) and is generally quite comfortable, but on hot days it can be miserable. And the ill effects of long term wear, even with diligent care, can ultimately eliminate the 'good looks' feature.

And anyone who thinks cloth seats are second-rate and don't look good needs to stick their head inside a new non-leather Audi.

But since we can only get an e90 with leather or lette, then that's what it'll have to be. Terra for me thanks. Heck, if BMW only offered seats made of barbed-wire I think most of us here would agree the pain in the ass would be more than made up for by the joy of our hands on the wheel and foot on the gas! Small sacrifice to make.

[Hornet]

Your back will also get sweaty in cloth seats.
Seems like the only possible solution to avoid back sweat is to have ventilated seats.

[itznin]

Originally Posted by Hornet

Your back will also get sweaty in cloth seats.
Seems like the only possible solution to avoid back sweat is to have ventilated seats.

That should be included or at least an option.

Heated seats.......but not ventilated seats? Come on the G35 has it!

[noflash]

The leather breathes.

The 'ette is like sitting in a trashbag.

I test drove a leatherette -- got itchy swampback.

Made the dealer get me leather sportseat to drive -- felt fine.

Leather does not absorb back sweat -- ew!

[billgti]

i haven't tried leatherette yet but i test drove leather in hot CA sun and i got a sweaty back. i don't with my cloth seats. i think both leather and leatherette give u sweaty backs..i'm sorry but i really don't feel leather "breathing"

[Cory1000]

I have the leatherette and I sweat if its over 70 out.. have all windows tinted and use screen to block out windshield when parked... it sucks, I would love cloth!!