Leather Seats
 

I have found aplace to get the OEM leather covers to replace my cloth but it seems I have to have the silver/gun metal plastic seat back to do the install. Anybody know where I can get them (for a reasonable cost)? I tried a dealer but they wanted $400.00 per piece :Eyecrazy: .

You're much better off getting a custom leather interior. The end result will be better than the factory leather and you won't have the hard plastic seatbacks.

Thanks for the reply. I guess I am just cheap but my friend went the way of a custom leather interior so I can get his for free. But, he used his seat backs so I need to find some. Do you think it would be possible to "finish off" the back of the seat with vinyl/leather and it look right?

I suppose it's possible - have no idea how the factory half-covers look though. You may want to ask an upholstery place about the feasibility of adding just the back. Vinyl would be fine for the back of the seat - in fact, that's what I have with my Classic Soft Trim interior.

Ask the dealer about full leather replacement. My local dealer was going to charge $900 to upgrade on a used 8 they had.

I would second the opinion to get a custom leather away from dealer. I got the Katzkin leather seats put on at a custom shop form just under $1000. They have a warranty and a lot of color combinations. Check out my profile to see pictures.

Man, those custom leather interiors look good. I think since I am able to get the OEM covers free I am going to try and go that route. If I can't find the OEM seat backs and I have to get a shop to finish the backs in vinyl then I shouldn't be out that much $$$ if I decide change. Speaking of which, any idea how much it would cost to finish the back in vinyl? I think it should be a pretty easy job - should just be able to remove any excess (I assume it has a litttle material past the stitch closest to the rear where it goes behind the plastic back), make a new "panel" out of vinyl and just stitch it together like the cloth interiors. Am i missing something? Thanks again.

It can be done, but question how it will look. I don't think it will look right.

I've got custom leather in mine---much better than the facotry stuff. Thats why they ditched the scratch prone plastic seatbacks and the rubber bolsters.

Yeah, not sure about how it will look either. Worst case scenario, I don't like it and ditch the stock covers for a custom job. Best case, I get leather for however much it costs to finish the backs. Any clue as to how much this would be?

Again, the best place to ask this question is in your local upholstery shop(s).

Yeah, I am gonna do that and just to see if there was anybody that had the seat backs I posted a WTB...I think that's a long shot though. Thanks again for all of the help everybody.

endolinz,
That is a great looking interior. You are definitely right about going to a custom shop if you got that for about $1000.00. I would have thought it would be a lot more expensive than that. The more I think about it, I was assuming that the dealer would just upgrade to the stock leather interior, but who knows what they were going to use. Guess its a good thing I just bought a different one that already had leather. Peace!!