[34dean]

I thought the seats in my 2006 330i were Leatherette. These, from a 2009 335i, look the same and are said to be real leather. Can anyone help me understand if they are different?

[project6]

Leather seats have that "extra" seam on the back rest. Notice the back rest in that picture is divided by 2 major seams and then you have that shallow stitched seam about 2 inches above the upper seam? That is the usual giveaway for the leather package. At least for the e90...dont' know if the same applies to other models.

[34dean]

Thank you, Project.

[Bavarian Tech]

Even easier way to determine it it has true leather, look at the door panel if u see a seam running horizontal where the speaker is its leather..picture above is leather

[Gator335i]

Or, another way, if you know the car has premium package then you know it's leather.

I really do not understand why BMW plays this game with leatherette. Is it really asking that much from the world's greatest auto maker to make leather standard in all of its cars?

The fact that leatherette is standard in the 335 is downright insulting. What imbecile pays $45k for a car and gets imitation leather?

[hugus311]

i thought all 330i came with leather

[shata]

Originally Posted by Gator335i

Or, another way, if you know the car has premium package then you know it's leather.

I really do not understand why BMW plays this game with leatherette. Is it really asking that much from the world's greatest auto maker to make leather standard in all of its cars?

The fact that leatherette is standard in the 335 is downright insulting. What imbecile pays $45k for a car and gets imitation leather?

I see your point, But when you see Leather even when taken care of better then your own skin after 12 years of ownership vs Leatherette after 12 years (also very well taken care of) then you will understand why some people will choose leatherette.

[shata]

Reason I say this is my E46 is leatherette, and it looks just as good as my E90 after 12yrs. I know damn well even if I baby the hell out of my real leather it wont look like that later on.

[Dozhdbog]

Originally Posted by Gator335i

Or, another way, if you know the car has premium package then you know it's leather.

I really do not understand why BMW plays this game with leatherette. Is it really asking that much from the world's greatest auto maker to make leather standard in all of its cars?

The fact that leatherette is standard in the 335 is downright insulting. What imbecile pays $45k for a car and gets imitation leather?

Try to remember that BMW makes a much, much, MUCH wider variety of vehicles for the rest of the world than they do for the US. Frankly, I am happy for more options, not less, and wish we had the variety that Europeans get.




Tangentially, only in the past few years have American auto makers gotten anywhere near close to the variety, capabilities, and handling prowess of European and Japanese car manufacturers. Watch some early Top Gear episodes to see what a laughingstock american cars were in the early 2000's.

[Gator335i]

Originally Posted by shata

Reason I say this is my E46 is leatherette, and it looks just as good as my E90 after 12yrs. I know damn well even if I baby the hell out of my real leather it wont look like that later on.

I've got a 1997 750il with real leather and it looks better and is more supple and softer than the leather in my 2012 X5.

Leatherette doesn't have the character that genuine leather has. Real leather seats in a car that have been taken care of only get better with age, not worse.

[shata]

Originally Posted by Gator335i

I've got a 1997 750il with real leather and it looks better and is more supple and softer than the leather in my 2012 X5.

Leatherette doesn't have the character that genuine leather has. Real leather seats in a car that have been taken care of only get better with age, not worse.

Depends on how you look at it I guess, I just dont like the crease lines real leather gets with age. But each their own. Not gona lie I love the leather in my e90 its super comfortable just I know it wont look new forever like the e46 does.

[username604]

time for some leather conditioning! they probably feel nicer because they're newer, and yours haven't been conditioned recently

[username604]

Originally Posted by Dozhdbog

Try to remember that BMW makes a much, much, MUCH wider variety of vehicles for the rest of the world than they do for the US. Frankly, I am happy for more options, not less, and wish we had the variety that Europeans get.

amen, i'd be in a 320si!

[shata]

I cleaned the E46 about 2 weeks ago with leatherette stuff and E90 got conditioned yesterday. =)

[Soliditude]

Originally Posted by Gator335i

Or, another way, if you know the car has premium package then you know it's leather.

I really do not understand why BMW plays this game with leatherette. Is it really asking that much from the world's greatest auto maker to make leather standard in all of its cars?

The fact that leatherette is standard in the 335 is downright insulting. What imbecile pays $45k for a car and gets imitation leather?

Cannot agree more with you, man! BMW is stupid in that respect.

[kevinbahnz]

when I was picking out my car , i asked the SA the same question, "why would anyone buying a luxury car get leatherette" and he replied with some BS about vegans ..Peta animal lovers etc.etc..

[RupertPupkin]

My 330i is Terra Dakota and no premium package. Think real leather was standard on all e90 330i

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Gator335i

I've got a 1997 750il with real leather and it looks better and is more supple and softer than the leather in my 2012 X5.

Leatherette doesn't have the character that genuine leather has. Real leather seats in a car that have been taken care of only get better with age, not worse.

But how much did a 750il cost new? It has MUCH higher quality leather than what is put in an X5 these days, never mind a lowly 3-series.

But to some extent I do agree with you, well cared for high quality leather takes on a patina that is quite nice, but it certainly will lose that "new" look that many people like. Unfortunately the relatively cheap leather used in a 3-series will probably not do that. the finish is effectively painted on the surface, and will wear off, unlike the 750 where the leather is probably dyed all the way through and will wear much, much better.

[VTECaddict]

Originally Posted by RupertPupkin

My 330i is Terra Dakota and no premium package. Think real leather was standard on all e90 330i

It was optional. Leather was part of Premium Package and a standalone option.

[Borisimo]

Originally Posted by kevinbahnz

when I was picking out my car , i asked the SA the same question, "why would anyone buying a luxury car get leatherette" and he replied with some BS about vegans ..Peta animal lovers etc.etc..

I know a number of vegan/animal lover types who chose BMW just because of their leatherette option.

[shata]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

But how much did a 750il cost new? It has MUCH higher quality leather than what is put in an X5 these days, never mind a lowly 3-series.

But to some extent I do agree with you, well cared for high quality leather takes on a patina that is quite nice, but it certainly will lose that "new" look that many people like. Unfortunately the relatively cheap leather used in a 3-series will probably not do that. the finish is effectively painted on the surface, and will wear off, unlike the 750 where the leather is probably dyed all the way through and will wear much, much better.

Speaking of Dye...Is there a real leather conditioner for black leather that makes it look really black again?

[Bob Shiftright]

The MB-Tex that's on most of the low-end Mercedes models is vinyl, too, so they should be acceptable to that large vegan market segment!

I'd prefer the option of either cloth or Alcantara over the cheap BMW leather to keep my butt firmly planted in the seat in the twisties, not because of dietary considerations. Unfortunately, the last non-M 3er that was readily available with standard cloth seating was the E36. I understand that BMW leases many/most of their US cars and wants to be able to remove all DNA evidence of the lessee on the lease returns, but I still find this an annoyance.

On Porsches, you're "stuck" with leather in the US unless you spring for one of the higher-end racier models like the GT2 or GT3 that are available with at least partial Alcantara. I think Porsche still has a higher proportion of cash sales than any manufacturer so this is probably more a function of customer expectations of a $100k car. The Porsche sports seats are pretty grabby by design, even if they're leather.

It's interesting that Honda and Toyota can manage to equip their cars with cloth interiors that hold up better over time than either the BMW leather or pleather.