BMW upholstery: leather vs. leatherette

["Marvin Martin" <marvin325@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Original message:
Date: Mon, 13 Dec 1999 22:06:55 EST
From: JBHashem@domain.elided
Subject: Leather or Leatherette?
I am ordering a new 323i Coupe and have the choice of leather or
leatherette.
I haven't seen the leatherette but am told it is pretty decent and looks and
wears like regular leather.  Hell, for $1,500 less, it seems like a good
move
to go this way...any experiences for or against?
John
=====================================
The best uphlostery is cloth.  Cloth is warmer in cold weather, cooler in
hot weather, and it is not slipppery (ideal for autocross).  It is also the
most popular in Germany for BMW's.  Unfortunately, BMWNA doesn't like to
sell it.  They are pushing the leather as part of their luxury and status
marketing (offering vinyl keeps
the base price down).  I was able to get cloth on my 1993 325i (ordered for
European delivery) by being insistent and going to a second dealer.  The
salesman had to make several calls to BMWNA, who in turn had to fax BMW
Munich for approval.  The cloth is holding up well, with negligible wear at
64k miles.  I had cloth on my 1985 325e, and it was starting to look a
little shiney at 97k miles.  An interesting sidenote: in 1993 the Munich
police had cloth front and vinyl rear on their 5er's.  (I bet they don't
have any trouble getting what they want).
Marvin

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