Not a fan of leather seats - Blasphemy?!

[nordique14]

Originally Posted by Lowest_Frequency

What does this have to do with anything?

you can get seats with cloth inserts on the M3

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by nordique14

you can get seats with cloth inserts on the M3

Yeah but the side bolsters will still burn the hell out of your legs and back.


I'd have taken a quality cloth seat over leather in my car as well. Leather is expensive vinyl IMO. In most cars it at least holds up better than the cloth over the long haul, but we don't even have that advantage in these cars. My driver's seat looks awful with less than 50k miles on it.

[CrazyIvan]

I have leatherette, live in TX. While the seats get hot, it never gets to the point where I cant stand it. I use windshield screen and it helps. Lower the windows when you approach the car to let out the heat and you'll be fine. If it is still too hot - just drive faster

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by GaryS

I've had leather seats in all my previous cars, but I don't like the BMW leather. I think the leatherette is more comfortable, looks better and ages better. But that's just my subjective opinion.

My opinion is different. I had leatherette in my E46. It is very durable, looked new even after 3yrs. BUT, the leather in my 135i breathes better.
I prefer real leather as I like how leather ages. You have to maintain it with leather conditioner, but that helps it age.
Also, the leather conforms to your body over time where the leatherette doesn't so much.

I'm not a fan of cloth because it stains easier, and retains odor.
It's cooler for sure, but you can still sweat in them too.

If resale is a concern, then leather is the way to go, because in this brand of automobile most buyers expect to have leather.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by CrazyIvan

I have leatherette, live in TX. While the seats get hot, it never gets to the point where I cant stand it. I use windshield screen and it helps. Lower the windows when you approach the car to let out the heat and you'll be fine. If it is still too hot - just drive faster

True. I don't get that people are experiencing hot seats in the 135i.
The glass BMW uses does a great job of blocking quite a bit of the sun energy that heats seats. In other cars I've had the seats have been hotter.
The worst I get, after the car sits in the summer sun for 8+ hours, is that the interior is pretty darn warm, but after only about 30 seconds of rolling the windows down and opening the roof I can sit on the seats with shorts and have never felt that they were hot, at all.

With the sport seats I've never slid around my seat in aggressive driving.
I'm sure on the track it would be different, but our car wasn't designed to be a track car. I find cloth seats to be way too grippy on clothes.
If you try to slide in in any odd way cloth grabs at your pants and tugs at them. Yeah, it's grippy alright, but not in a good way, for me at least.

[Northx]

From my time in Atlanta I found that a basic sun shade behind the windshield when you park for long periods of time does the job. And I wouldn't buy cooled seats even if offered - my experience was the cold diaper effect - not exactly something you crave on a scorching day.

[Battleship Potemkin]

I haven't seen cloth seats in a 1/3 series Bimmer in a long time. I think your only choices are leather or vinyl (what they euphemistically call "leatherette").

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by Battleship Potemkin

I haven't seen cloth seats in a 1/3 series Bimmer in a long time. I think your only choices are leather or vinyl (what they euphemistically call "leatherette").

They're still available in Europe, but BMW USA doesn't bring them to us for some reason.

[goffsroad]

This is what I did. www.wetokole.com
Fits like a glove or in this case a wet suit.

[Lowest_Frequency]

Originally Posted by goffsroad

This is what I did. www.wetokole.com
Fits like a glove or in this case a wet suit.

Just out of curiosity, but I noticed they didn't have 1 series listed. How did you get around this?

[goffsroad]

Type in BMW 135 under search.

[goffsroad]

Originally Posted by maxnix

As long as the car does not have a sport seat.

My car has the sport seats... I went there, they took measurements and pics, and about two weeks later it was done.

[michifan]

I'm in Orlando, have tinted windows and a SGM with Black Leather.

I wouldn't want a cloth interior because it not only stains easy, but it attracts smells (like sweat). We haven't had lower than 90 degrees in months and I don't see how the interior would be that big of a deal. Now when we come from the beach we throw a towel down, but it hasn't been sitting in the car.

[rdcannon]

Sheepskin seat covers! Cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I bought a pair for my 1975 2002 and have used them ever since. They also save the seat from wear and tear and are very comfortable. I guess they're not for everybody, but today in Atlanta they were the ticket.

[Ash83]

WindowTint + a good sunshade reflector will improve (reduce) the inside heat when you get to the car..

I live is SFL and after i tinted my window and i stared to us sunshade i noticed alot of improvement.

[imported_mega]

the hot/cold seat is only a small part of the problem (although my ass was sweating for over an hour on the way home friday), I hate the feel and I hate how slippery they are compared to cloth

[Ash83]

Originally Posted by goffsroad

This is what I did. www.wetokole.com
Fits like a glove or in this case a wet suit.

sorry I do not feel it..

[TMR013]

Originally Posted by RPM90

True. I don't get that people are experiencing hot seats in the 135i.
The glass BMW uses does a great job of blocking quite a bit of the sun energy that heats seats. In other cars I've had the seats have been hotter.
The worst I get, after the car sits in the summer sun for 8+ hours, is that the interior is pretty darn warm, but after only about 30 seconds of rolling the windows down and opening the roof I can sit on the seats with shorts and have never felt that they were hot, at all.

With the sport seats I've never slid around my seat in aggressive driving.
I'm sure on the track it would be different, but our car wasn't designed to be a track car. I find cloth seats to be way too grippy on clothes.
If you try to slide in in any odd way cloth grabs at your pants and tugs at them. Yeah, it's grippy alright, but not in a good way, for me at least.

OP is from AZ. And I can tell you if you don't have something blocking the sunlight on those 110+ days, you are going to hurt any bare skin that touches those seats. Especially if they are black.

[Itanius]

Originally Posted by TMR013

OP is from AZ. And I can tell you if you don't have something blocking the sunlight on those 110+ days, you are going to hurt any bare skin that touches those seats. Especially if they are black.

Hell, my black leather interior is super hot even with the sun shining through my window tint. I've been using a towel to cover the steering wheel and driver's seat, which helps even though it looks ghetto. I need darker tint...

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by goffsroad

This is what I did. www.wetokole.com
Fits like a glove or in this case a wet suit.

Looks nice, but how does it breathe?