Yeah l do, damp cloth spray some on the cloth and give the velvet parts a good wipe down vacuum the seats first
Super Sport Seats Wear?
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I always used to use gliptone cleaner/conditioner but with the S3 got the seats coated with Cquartz leather as "modern automotive leather doesn't need conditioning". Made a mistake I think, my drivers seat looks worse at 6k miles than my old GTI at 50k miles.
Right i need help! I need to know if my seats are wearing to quick or am i just been picky?
I'm going to Audi in the new year and see what they say, Because im not too happy with the quality.
My car is a 15 plate picked it up in march and covered 12000 miles
P.S im not fat at all so its not down to wight
Had 35k sitting in my S3's SSS - still look as good as the day I picked it up from the showroom... yours must have something wrong.
WarwickL
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Now at 3,000km and the bolsters (leg and shoulder) have started to develop creases in them, creases on the mid height bolsters and a few in other places. My wife is under 60kg and I'm 80kg so not heavyweights.
Spoke to an auto upholsterer and he said it is common with Audi Nappa - low quality foam and thin leather not stretched enough when manufactured.
He also said not to use conditioner as they are coated from new. Would not reduce creasing and could actually lead to premature breakdown of the leather.
Spoke to an auto upholsterer and he said it is common with Audi Nappa - low quality foam and thin leather not stretched enough when manufactured.
He also said not to use conditioner as they are coated from new. Would not reduce creasing and could actually lead to premature breakdown of the leather.
Bull..... they are coated with what from the factory,??????eather seats in a car are no different from the leather on a sofa.......l have no creases as to report l am 13 stone or more and l clean my seat's weekly and condition them monthly,yeah cheap foam soft leather badly fitted he's right about that the products l use are all water based manufactured by a company that's been around for decades
WarwickL
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Maybe the old DFS salesman method of giving the leather a good slap to re-firm it up.
I'm joking of course. It doesn't work.
I'm joking of course. It doesn't work.
Do leather seats have a protective coating?
It all depends.
The vast majority of car leather is Protected/Pigmented leather, so will have a PU protective coating applied as part of the process.
In the specific case of the A3/S3, if you have the Alcantara option - the leather parts (bolsters etc) are most definitely Protected/Pigmented leather - so the Milano leather parts already have a PU coating.
What about Audi Napa/Nappa leather?
It depends if you think that is Aniline or Semi-Aniline leather (I haven't got Nappa seats, so can't do the tests), or Protected/Pigmented Leather. Even Bentley only use Semi-Aniline leather for their standard range
My money is on that in a mere humble Audi A3, their "Nappa" leather is Protected/Pigmented and therefore PU coated.
http://www.detailingspot.com/?page_id=308
It all depends.
The vast majority of car leather is Protected/Pigmented leather, so will have a PU protective coating applied as part of the process.
In the specific case of the A3/S3, if you have the Alcantara option - the leather parts (bolsters etc) are most definitely Protected/Pigmented leather - so the Milano leather parts already have a PU coating.
What about Audi Napa/Nappa leather?
It depends if you think that is Aniline or Semi-Aniline leather (I haven't got Nappa seats, so can't do the tests), or Protected/Pigmented Leather. Even Bentley only use Semi-Aniline leather for their standard range
My money is on that in a mere humble Audi A3, their "Nappa" leather is Protected/Pigmented and therefore PU coated.
http://www.detailingspot.com/?page_id=308
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Ok girls let's have a nice clean fight.........ding ding .......round 2lol
To be honest l knew about the seat problems in Audi's long before l got my car,l have lunatic silver so yeah it shows up dirt easier,but it doesn't seem to emphasise any creases as such like the darker leather does,from what l was told by a top car care detailer a few year's ago,is shiny/oily leather is dirty contaminated leather,movement on such a leather in this state, produces a lot more friction between **** and seat,this friction will increase wear/creases causing the leather to prematurely age/ look gash.a quality leather cleaning product will reduce the wear/creases keeping you're seat's looking better for longer, although in the case of Audi seat's a little more care on entering and exiting the car is needed
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...............that all sounds reasonable to me mate but I must confess I nodded off half way through.........!! lol
WarwickL
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Mmmmm, first punch. Makes no sense. Crease on rear of shoulder bolster that has never been touched by a sweaty body - compression. So, conditioning does squat and certainly not on pu coated leather. Poor quality foam and thin leather. Sheesh pro detailers talk ***** sometimes
Off me leather soap box now mate, to be honest l beginning not to bother as much, as Audi can sell on any problems my car has/gets from on.....but then again??? lol once my SADS has diminished.....l may think differently but doubt it
I was thinking to post the same question this week as mine has done 2700 miles and seats starting to look similar which seems very poor cant imagine what they will look after 40k miles, ordered meguiars conditioner so far but as mentioned above leather looks like a poor quality which isnt great even fiesta ST has better leather from what I have seen on their seats.
I am in agreement with most of what your saying WarwickL..... Bar how you look after the leather, the shoulder bolsters face part is not leather or do you refer to the side of the seatMmmmm, first punch. Makes no sense. Crease on rear of shoulder bolster that has never been touched by a sweaty body - compression. So, conditioning does squat and certainly not on pu coated leather. Poor quality foam and thin leather. Sheesh pro detailers talk ***** sometimes
WarwickL
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Rear of side - pu coated leather. Same compression issues on side bolsters and seat upright - all showing compression damage after 3,000 km on ours. I'm a detail addict and look after my cars.
WarwickL
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No such compression damage on our GTI or R after 4 years with each, 80,000km on the GTI and 60,000km on the R. Simple fact is the Audi pu coated leather and foam is rubbish. Leather is not taut and even stitching is average
Great thing is the car in general is great, a keeper, even with the quality issues
Great thing is the car in general is great, a keeper, even with the quality issues
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One thing we're all agreed on Audi's leather finishing sucks big time and it's a pretty poor show just to fob customers off that it's acceptable!!
The ss seat's maybe somewhat more delicate, l don't have these issues on my standard seats,matter a fact l get a kick out looking at me seat's everytime l open the car door they still look great mate
WarwickL
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Standard seats have the same issue. Actually worse as they use lower density foam
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As fantastic as your seats are I can still see traces of a couple of creases in pretty much the exact same place as mine but as you said before mate it looks like Lunar does a terrific job of hiding them compared to black
Yeah the factory fitted crease on the side bolster lol,but it's not got worse since Audi put it there lol ye canny wrap them in cotton wool mate l will choose lunar again or express red????
This is mine (standard seats) on collection day :-
and 11k later :-
Not too bad but I use Gliptone Liquid Leather Conditioner every month the leather remains a nice black matt apearance. Getting out I tend to jam my elbow into the side bolster of the back rest and straighten my leg to get my butt off the seat and then pull on the steering wheel to gain full elevation so not very elegant but very deliberate to avoid squashing the bolster. Shouldn't need to really !! Audi sell a repair kit so must be aware of the issue.
and 11k later :-
Not too bad but I use Gliptone Liquid Leather Conditioner every month the leather remains a nice black matt apearance. Getting out I tend to jam my elbow into the side bolster of the back rest and straighten my leg to get my butt off the seat and then pull on the steering wheel to gain full elevation so not very elegant but very deliberate to avoid squashing the bolster. Shouldn't need to really !! Audi sell a repair kit so must be aware of the issue.
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This is mine (standard seats) on collection day :-
and 11k later :-
Not too bad but I use Gliptone Liquid Leather Conditioner every month the leather remains a nice black matt apearance. Getting out I tend to jam my elbow into the side bolster of the back rest and straighten my leg to get my butt off the seat and then pull on the steering wheel to gain full elevation so not very elegant but very deliberate to avoid squashing the bolster. Shouldn't need to really !! Audi sell a repair kit so must be aware of the issue.
How the hell did ye manage to take that second photo through the pano-roof???
Lol
Haha it does look that way don't give me ideas - think I may have cheated took it side on and then rotated it ;o)
RichardT
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I don't have any of these problems. Oh - wait a minute, they're cloth seats - look like new 
WarwickL
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I don't have any of these problems. Oh - wait a minute, they're cloth seats - look like new
Trouble is cloth seats look 2nd grade before you even get the keys from the dealer and just go downhill from there
RichardT
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Well actually they don't go downhill because they just look the same for years as long as you give them a hoover occasionally. I had mine Scotchguarded as well.Trouble is cloth seats look 2nd grade before you even get the keys from the dealer and just go downhill from there
But I'm only joshing - I agree that leather looks classy (unless it gets badly creased of course)
WarwickL
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Leather, especially the SSS look classy no matter what, creases or not.
Cloth looks so out of place in the S3 and the pile wears quickly, especially the Audi cloth (VW do it much better, not sure why).
Spent some time this morning checking the few creases we have and with the moist weather, most have gone. Looks like some hydration might be wise, given the summer we have had so far. Time to get the pu compatable hydration gel I was given to good use.
Cloth looks so out of place in the S3 and the pile wears quickly, especially the Audi cloth (VW do it much better, not sure why).
Spent some time this morning checking the few creases we have and with the moist weather, most have gone. Looks like some hydration might be wise, given the summer we have had so far. Time to get the pu compatable hydration gel I was given to good use.
I test drove an A3 Sport trim that had standard cloth seats and found the front bit very, very creased and worn. Checked the mileage and it had only done 3,000 miles. I think it was a one-off though.
I was debating going full leather or sticking with standard part-cloth part-leather S-Line seats. In the end I went part-cloth because it was more comfortable...also I don't get a frozen bum on these winter mornings.
I've done 6,000 miles now and no creasing on cloth...but the part-leather bits have creased badly.
I was debating going full leather or sticking with standard part-cloth part-leather S-Line seats. In the end I went part-cloth because it was more comfortable...also I don't get a frozen bum on these winter mornings.
I've done 6,000 miles now and no creasing on cloth...but the part-leather bits have creased badly.
WarwickL
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WarwickL
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Heat is instant in ours. Had it down skiing. Plus you can crank it up whereas the cloth seats, well, requires body warmth.
Are they instant now? To be honest I haven't sat in a car with heated seats for about 8 years and back then it took about a minute or longer.
WarwickL
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I'm an old fart with a desiccated L3 disc so active heat and electric lumbar is a must. The fact the SSS look way better and are easier to clean, made perfect sense.
