Opinions on new interior!

[elwesso]

Ok..... As some of you know, I desperately need new leather in my Q..... So, I went shopping around, and this is what I came up with.....

A friend of mine I knew from the country club is a katzkin dealer, and he said that he can hook me up (maybe NICO members??? Ill ask) for essentially cost.....

http://www.katzkin.com/SITE/HTML/index.html

THats the site.....

Anyway, he quoted me $450 plus tax to do the front 2 seats whole with brand new leather, and I can have anything I want embroidered into the seat back (like INFINITI Q45 or something)...... He also quoted me 950 to do the entire thing with SUEDEZKIN inserts (the color of the dash, the brownish color) and all the other perks...... He told me that to anyone one else this whole thing would be well over 1400...... This seems like a phenominal value!!

So I ask, I want to know what you would do.....

1. Get the front seats done (and they will match the rear) without suedezkin inserts for $450, and have somehting embroidered in jsut the front two....

or

2. Get the whole thing done for 950 all embroidered with suedezkin inserts..... Ive never sat on suede, and Im curious to see what you think!

EDIT: Also, for the record, at a trim shop the lowest quote I got to do ONLY the seat bottoms was $463!

[maxnix]

I'd say one, no embroidery. It will not wear well. I do like the color scheme of two, though.

[Mr1der]

I'd have to agree with no embroidery, though 2 tone seats are so cool....

the price sounds pretty good too, but I'm no upholstry shop either, so I'm probably not a good source.

[cweberj30t]

If you do embroidery, it has to be subtle. Maybe just a small Q45. I'd go without the suede skins as well.

[elwesso]

Yeah nothing big..... I was thinking about having a small Q45 or the infiniti logo.... Im not so sure about the suedeskin either, but it sounds nice.... If I didnt have seat warmers i would probably get this......

[docsmile71]

I'd go with option 2. If you change the color scheme of the interior, it will feel like a brand new car.

The whole synthetic thing is very popular. I know that the Leatherette that comes standard on BMW's is so similar to real leather and it requires much less maintenance. I think the suedezkin would add a nice touch to the Q.

[cweberj30t]

My buddy has a 2003 325i and the interior seems very cheap. It is very plasticy and not very comfortable. The seats seem to grab clothing as well making it hard to get in and out of them. I was not impressed at all, with the entire interior.

I was recently in a 2003 X5 and that was unimpressive as well. BMW isn't making fine autos like they used to. They have definately sacrificed quality for quantity.

[Rex]

I'd go with #1.

Find that Q pace car and copy what was stitched on those seats or on the G35 coupe.

[elwesso]

So you guys dont like the idea of the suedeskin inserts??

Rex, thats exactly what I was thinking for embroidery.... Although I was thinking putting Q45 on it, since none of the other ones have that.....

[HeavyDuty]

You asked, so I gotta give my opinion, which is;

The texture & tufting of the fronts vs rears is going to be different if you opt for fronts only. The Katzkin covers are nice, but they gather differently than the rears.

FWIW, anyone with a pulse & a business license is a Katzkin "dealer".

I agree with the others, in that too much embroidery will get old quick.

IMHO, do both & K.I.S.S.

Then again, whutthehelldoiknow? Remember, I was the guy who thought King Ranch grade, color matched leather would look good, yet others thought I should be removed from the gene pool for such a travesty.

There's no accepted accounting procedure for taste, do what you like, Wes, it *is* *your* car.

[Jesda]

Vinyl. $150.

God, I sure know how to rain on a parade.

[elwesso]

I never really thought about the grain chage..... The new leather will probably much different (even if it color matches), which may force me to do the whole thing.....

At this point, if I do the entire thing, I am gonna go with the inserts...

But whatever I do, the embroidery would probably look like this...... Exactly what the G35 and the 03 Q45 has...... I may opt to put "Q45" on it instead of INFINITI

[Rex]

Wes, here's a pic of the pace car I was talking about.

[elwesso]

Thats nice.... But it definitely wouldnt be that big... It would be something much smaller on the panel right below the headrest.... To me, that panel LOOKS like it needs to have something on it.....

[QuickSilver]

Go with the highest quality leather you can to do the orginal justice. Pay little more if you have to, he's already giving you a killer deal. If you don't, you'll reget it after you ride in another members orginal but well maintained seats.

I did it on the cheap by replacing my worn panels with cherry-picked peices from a parted out Q. Was told by the shop that the orginal leather is very expensive and had to find.

How about a getting that NICO discount? I'll bet mail order revenue stream from us will be worth his time.

[elwesso]

Yeah, im gonna go back and talk to him about that..... Probably this week.... The leather they use seems to be of the highest quality.... However, when I get it done, I will ask for the old covers back, as the rear seats and front seat backs are nearly perfect......!

[DJ MF]

Yikes...I wish I had the float to do something like this, even though my seats are still perfect!

I'm fond of the silver inserts on the black seats. Would make my silver J look even better. But that could be the boy racer in me speaking.

I would personally stay away from the suede stuff, because as others have said, it's very 'grabby'. That being said, it does look great.

Thanks for the site though. I'ma keep that bookmarked for the future.

MF

[elwesso]

Well... I went and got some samples today..... This is some high quality stuff....

Theoretically, id be stupid not to get the suedeskin inserts, because he wont charge any extra for them..... The suedeskin is different from regular suede, its much finer, and wont go down and is really smooth.....

Now, I just need to decide if doing the suede is a good idea.....

Keep it stock or custom???

[AZhitman]

Just go for the gusto - Can't wait to see it!

[elwesso]

Oh yeah, here is the color scheme.....

Its a toss up between

(cream)

or

(bisque)

The suede inserts would be the DARK TAUPE on this color chart.. regardless of what it looks like its REALLY close to the color of the dash:

[R4v3n]

I'd be interested in possibly doing my Js seats...

[AZhitman]

Sweet combo!

I'd like to replicate the "Shamu" interior in a 95Q (not my current one though - my leather is perfect).

The Shamu Q's rocked.

[elwesso]

What combo was the shamu???

The thing is, it has to match the door panels, since im not gonna redo those....

[eQlipse]

Check this one out Wes!

NICE INTERIOR

[1qckser]

Years ago a black 91 Q with that same interior was snipped from me on Ebay, boy was I pissed, that is one of the best interiors (IMHO) that you can find, just awesome looking.

[elwesso]

Ive seen that before.... And there are 2 colors of white (bone and snow) that are just golden (not literally)..... I dont have the money to transform everything though....

[Q45Viper]

Watch me mess his mind up.....do it the most inexpensive way you can and save the budget for WHEELS. Whadd'ya rather have logos on your seats and custom inserts while ya still got piepans? Go for the vinyl and get good wheels!

[elwesso]

Nono!! This is all part of the big picture.... Im working my way from the inside out, not the inside out.....! First it must run good, then it must look good inside, then outside..... Rims next summer when I have more money!!!

BTW, I might as well go big because Im not picking up the whole tab on this one!!! w00t!!!!

[I30T]

All of the above pales in comparison to the infamous "Pimpin' Accord" off of eBay.

[louiegz]

Here's my 2 cents, Wes. Anytime I've seen suede in a car it get worn and matted. If you go for inserts, make them contrasting leather. Let me give you an idea, go with the cream, all over, and get contrasting piping the color of your car. Very classy. I saw a Hunter green 740 il at the auto show and the seats were tan with green piping. Very nice!