Getting my upolstery redone next week and wondering whats better to do it in. Vinyal or leather. What stands up better, which is easier to clean. Im going all white with buttons although the car cam with white with black inserts.
New vinyl is better for durability/cleanability. But if you have to have a certain style, or color shade, it can be hard to find.
Leather feels better to me. Costs more, wastes more as you have to cut around any scares or excessive wrinkles. Leather is custom color matched easier then vinyl. So you can actually get it quicker and from more people.
If you are going all white and disregarding the original style cloth inserts guess originality is not a goal.
Vinyl will be easier to clean and maintain, less expensive. It will be hotter & less comfortable (you will sweat) in the summer & stick to the seats.
Leather will cost more, require more care including treating it periodically to prevent it from drying out. Often leather is more likely to scratch / be damaged but more comfortable and IMO looks better, like a Cadillac should.
The smell of nice leather is worth the price.
Vinyl has come a long way and sometimes it's hard to tell it from hide.
Use the smell test.
Leather wrinkles in nice ways too, like an aging beauty.
I don't think OEM is your target, based on previous posts, so Vinyl.
I don't know if you have ever mentioned if you have children or their ages. and if they will "PLAY" a major roll in the occupancy of your car - so Vinyl.
Take it from someone who thought an all white interior seating scheme would be "COOL" as in "groovy man", it isn't.
The all white interior drew dust like a magnet in all the seems and a "beatch" kitty to keep clean - way too often.
So in a word - VINYL.
And seriously, consider adding back the fabric seating and back areas - so much cooler comfort.
Have fun,
Steve B>
Good comment about problems of keeping an all white interior clean.
Our 442 originally had an off-white vinyl interior. During the 80s while living in the southwest it was our daily driver.
The car now has a black interior.
I have heard that one of the troubles with White Leather is that one should never wear Jeans as over time, the blue of the Jeans material leeches out, and stains the Leather.
Bruce. >:D
That is called denim dye transfer and it is a problem for vinyl to.
My company would change out the seats every day at the detroit auto show for our vehicles with light colored seats. Some of the contrasting thread on vinyl seats they would touch up the thread color with sharpies. Big problem on red thread.