geffy

Hey guys I need to decide what I want. I need some opinions which do you like more leather or cloth.

msrecant

Leather, but only because it is attached to a power seat with lumbar support, Home-link mirror and heated outside mirrors.

fan

I like leather more in general, but the cloth seats of the 8 are very nice, so I'm perfectly happy with them. (did not get leather because I didn't want sunroof)

takahashi

I chose leather for one sophisticated self

zerobanger

the leather seats look SOOO SWEET. And besides you cant get EBW's with cloth.

racerdave

I'm with Fan.

eccles

Cloth for me. Even if the leather was available as a separate option, I'd stick with the cloth. It's grippy, and more importantly, it breathes, meaning you don't wind up sitting in a pool of your own juices on a long trip. The leather seats were the only thing I would have changed on my 10AE Miata - they looked cool as hell, but they were aweful for long trips.

Nubo

I've never had leather before but decided it was time. I like the feel and the smell of it, but I'm sure it's gonna be more work. Decided to splurge this time around.

zerobanger

I had a 10AE, the only leather part of the seat was the trim. The inserts on the seatback and the chair were actually a microfiber cloth.

I had no problems with mine...

that was a fun car, huh?

NAVILESRX8

iTrader: (1)

Leather sucks. It looks very nice, and impresses people, but I hate the way it feels.

AutoBahnRX8

I tested both and took the cloth, the Leather didn't feel as good to me, too stiff, and too much sliding around. Also, my experience in the past, was with long trips they REALLY sucked. I did a 10 hour road trip in my 8 and had no problems whatsoever. The only thing I would change, would be the lumbar support.

8_wannabe

btw, some people are buying the base model and having their own leather put in for like $1200. That way, you get leather without Bose or sunroof. But I like the factory leather. It breathes, it grips, its not hot. I don't experience any of the problems those clothies predict. ;-)

racerdave

Well, one of the other reasons I like the leather seats is that they have the plastic seat backs.

Seems trivial, but I actually find it easier to get in and out of the back seat with the plastic seatbacks for some reason. The cloth backs seem to "catch" your shoes as you get in and out. Plus, when my little guy is in his car seat, he sometimes kicks the seatbacks. If he has muddy shoes or something, at least he wouldn't mess up the plastic... if all seats had them.

The aftermarket leather seats won't have the plastic seatbacks either.

That said, I'm going to get cloth. If he trashes the cloth seats -- either through said kicking or spilling stuff -- I'll just get the leather aftermarket later on down the line when they're showing wear.

I'd also like seat heaters, but most companies that can put in leather aftermarket seats covers also have seat heater kits they can install too at the same time.

Mat

That's interesting. I didn't check out the cloth yet and I was wondering if I should get leather or not.

I didn't know leather had lumbar support and cloth didn't. The cloth seats in my old protege are killing me. I will check them out on the 8 but I'm leaning towards the leather as of now...

flatso

anyone use seat covers?

i3man

I want seat covers from here www.wetokole.com but nobody that owns an 8 has gone in to request seat covers yet so they don't have a pattern for it. Will someone that lives near Coste Mesa CA please go down and do us 8 owners a favor and let them measure your 8 and take pics for a pattern.

93rdcurrent

I have leather and love it. I drove my car down to Santa Cruz, CA. for the holidays and experienced no such "personal fluids" problem. I have to say that the A/C probably takes care of most of the sweating problem you would have in your leather seats.

HIX8

Here's one group that hasn't voted in the poll...

( original from https://www.cfacompanystore.com/reta...ignature_Gifts )

mazdaman

I chose cloth, I had leather in my previous mustang, it was just too much work and after only 2 years it was started to get cracks. I love the seats in my 8 and I just think that racing seats should be cloth. I have considered however in the future getting them reapolstered with black vinal(spelling?).

nt5k

cloth.. I found my self slipping around in the leather.. And the hot in the summer cold in the winter aspect of it didn't appeal to me.

Jeff_pap31s

If you use it for long trips, then I would suggest cloth. If you like to just show off and it makes you feel good, then choose leather. The color schemes are cool. Test before you buy though.

Sin

Cloth just cause I usually prefer it and I think the cloth looks good with the interior

eclps0

i drove my car 19 hours from NJ to ft lauderdale Fl i had no problems with the leather seats. I loved teh heeted seats in teh cold nj weather to Fl it was very nice.

New Yorker

Leather:
Pros:
• Looks/feels more upscale
• Smell
• Women like it
• Power seat includes height & lumbar
• Seat heaters
• Coffee/soda/milk spills easy to clean; won't stain.

Cons:
• Cost
• Require occasional cleaning/conditioning (easy to do, IMHO)
• Slippery for autocross/track
• Initially too hot on hottest days; too cold on coldest
• Power seat weighs more than cloth.

Cloth:
Pros:
• Costs less
• Grippy for aggressive driving
• Never too hot/cold
• No special maintenance
• Weighs less than leather/power seat

Cons:
• No power seat (no lumbar, no height adjust)
• No seat heater
• No color-matched insert
• Less "luxurious"
• Spills can permanently stain

Lufa

I am in one of those god awful hot climates in the summer, cloth for me. I am glad I could get the sun roof without leather, which is exactly what I wanted.