Interior Upgrade

[jphc]

So i have the 'Sporty' S-Line seats in my B8, but they are only half leather. I had full grey leather in my 8P and it was beautiful, the leather in the a4 feels and looks like cheap plastic i think.

Anyway i had been thinking about having the centre fabric pieces trimmed in leather. Never had this type of work carried out on any of my cars, so whats involved price wise? Would it be easier to just get full leather second hand interior, or is there any other options? Just hate the fabric!!!!

 

[SI-W85]

I actually wanted the half leather when I got my car as I aren't a fan of full leather but I would say buy second hand leather seats would be a better option, there are some on eBay for £450 in Bolton.

 

[kev.s]

Same, i prefer the HL too, not a fan of swamp *** on way to business meets..

 

[jphc]

I actually wanted the half leather when I got my car as I aren't a fan of full leather but I would say buy second hand leather seats would be a better option, there are some on eBay for £450 in Bolton.

Yes just found those. Seems a good price to be fair. Have been quoted north of £700 for a half re-trim.

Same, i prefer the HL too, not a fan of swamp *** on way to business meets..

Interesting. Everyone i knows prefers the half and half look. I think it looks cheap.

 

[mike60e]

Same, i prefer the HL too, not a fan of swamp *** on way to business meets..

I prefer H/L especially in summer, full leather just gets too hot. Have you thought about Half Leather and Alcantara?

 

[SI-W85]

I prefer H/L especially in summer, full leather just gets too hot. Have you thought about Half Leather and Alcantara?

I thought the S-Line were Alcantra seats :/

Edit : just been looking through and it seems they aren't Alcantara i always thought mine were but they aren't they are this type, not sure what it's called but I prefer it to full leather as I think the leather seats look cheap and uncomfy

 

[mike60e]

I thought the S-Line were Alcantra seats :/

Edit : just been looking through and it seems they aren't Alcantara i always thought mine were but they aren't they are this type, not sure what it's called but I prefer it to full leather as I think the leather seats look cheap and uncomfy View attachment 51849

I think it's called sprint/leather, but don't quote me

 

[Blackwhite]

Full Leather all the way!

 

[razza1]

Alcantara isn't leather, it's fake leather, and actually quite cheap as far as fabrics go...
My wife's a fashion buyer for a major UK brand and knows her materials. She laughed when I told her the special edition wheel and gear knob on my first b7 were upgrades...
However saying that, I do prefer it, not as cold in the winter when you sit on it, and not as sticky in the hot summer...

 

[SI-W85]

I knew it want leather lol it just seems that a lot on eBay call the same interior as mine alcantara :/ it's more of a suade isn't it? However it must be classed as pretty good stuff when putting it in a vehicle as a lot of high end cars have it.

 

[Brennan]

So is the half leather on the b8 s line fake leather or real?

 

[razza1]

I knew it want leather lol it just seems that a lot on eBay call the same interior as mine alcantara :/ it's more of a suade isn't it? However it must be classed as pretty good stuff when putting it in a vehicle as a lot of high end cars have it.

Alcantara is fake suede

 

[razza1]

So is the half leather on the b8 s line fake leather or real?

The leathers real, the other half is man made

 

[GeoffDunk]

Alcantara isn't leather, it's fake leather, and actually quite cheap as far as fabrics go...
My wife's a fashion buyer for a major UK brand and knows her materials. She laughed when I told her the special edition wheel and gear knob on my first b7 were upgrades...
However saying that, I do prefer it, not as cold in the winter when you sit on it, and not as sticky in the hot summer...

Alcantara is fake suede, man made and used for its high friction propreties. When initially use in the automotive industry it was for motorsport applications like sterring wheel covering allowing etra grip aand leverage. I a road car it helps with non-buckets seats and provides better lateral grip.

the added bonus of being man made is that it can be produced in vurtually any colour hence the special edition RS4 inserts in the seats (red, blue and yellow).

"Alcantara is a tradename given to a composite material used to cover surfaces and forms in a variety of applications. It can be described as an artificial substitute for suede leather. The material was developed in the early 1970s by Miyoshi Okamoto, a scientist working for the Japanese chemical company Toray Industries, and was based on the same technology of their other product Ultrasuede, produced around the same time.[1] Around 1972, a joint venture between Italian chemical company ENI and Toray formed Alcantara SpA in order to manufacture and distribute the material.[2][3] The company is now owned by Toray and Mitsui."