Recovering seats - leather or houndstooth e30 m3

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  • hooptie157
    Noobie
    • Feb 2022
    • 20

    #1

    Recovering seats - leather or houndstooth e30 m3

    I have a s54 zinno m3 that I’m recovering the seats. Should I go factory leather or houndstooth? The latter is about 1k more expensive but I think it’s more sought after. Thoughts?
  • AWDBOB
    R3V Elite
    • Aug 2013
    • 4386

    #2
    If you're going to drive the car a lot, houndstooth all day. I much prefer the houndstooth centers, and half cloth bolsters of a factory houndstooth seat on a car I'm driving a lot.
    1989 Hooptie 325iS Build Thread
    1989 Zinnoberrot M3 Build Thread

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    • hooptie157
      Noobie
      • Feb 2022
      • 20

      #3
      More for looks and resale. I like cloth too but I’m not owning this thing forever. My goal is eventually a gt3. For resale which is better?

      Comment

      • AWDBOB
        R3V Elite
        • Aug 2013
        • 4386

        #4
        Originally posted by hooptie157
        More for looks and resale. I like cloth too but I’m not owning this thing forever. My goal is eventually a gt3. For resale which is better?
        The only way to know that would be to have the buyer picked out beforehand to know their preference. Otherwise it's just a guess

        Safe bet, go stock, esp since it’s $1k less. If doing seats in houndstooth, it merits doing the door cards in houndstooth as well.
        Last edited by AWDBOB; 11-01-2023, 04:35 PM.
        1989 Hooptie 325iS Build Thread
        1989 Zinnoberrot M3 Build Thread

        Comment

        • Panici
          Moderator
          • Dec 2009
          • 2320

          #5
          I vote for houndstooth.
          Think the first owner had seats and door cards swapped as a dealer option on my car. My VIN lists black leather as original to the car.

          On a broader scale, I'll take a patterned cloth seat 100% of the time over leather. But that is personal preference.



          '87 BMW E30 325is Turbo

          '99 BMW E36 M3 - - - '98 BMW E36 328i

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          • McGyver
            R3V Elite
            • Jun 2009
            • 4471

            #6
            why houndstooth vs the optional tan or grey plaid? I love the plaid pattern and it breaths very well compared to leather.
            sigpic
            1987 - 325i Convertible Delphin Auto [SOLD], 325i Convertible Delphin Manual [SOLD]
            1989 - 325i Convertible Bronzit m30b35 swapped [SCRAPPED], 325i Sedan Alpine Auto[DD]
            1991 - 325i Coupe Laguna Manual [Project], 535i Sedan Alpine [SCRAPPED]

            Comment

            • ZeKahr
              E30 Addict
              • Jul 2016
              • 508

              #7
              Houndstooth is a much more breathable fabric when its hot. Also leather needs lots of pampering if you want it to stay looking mint. Pretty much every used BMW I’ve seen with leather, E30 or otherwise, the leather looks like shit (it’s always dry, faded, cracked to some degree) even if the car looks well cared for. Vinyl and houndstooth interiors on the other hand can still look mint (or really close) even after 100s of thousands of miles without much care
              Last edited by ZeKahr; 11-02-2023, 12:59 PM.
              1986 325e Schwarz (sold)
              1989 325iX Alpineweiß​ (daily)


              Greed is Good

              Comment

              • cory58
                E30 Enthusiast
                • Dec 2007
                • 1021

                #8
                Originally posted by McGyver
                why houndstooth vs the optional tan or grey plaid? I love the plaid pattern and it breaths very well compared to leather.
                DSC04512 resized by cory58f5, on Flickr


                1992 325i Cabrio
                1988 320i Touring
                2000 M5
                1977 530i
                2015 328i - Euro Delivery/Performance Center Delivery
                BMWCCA
                E30CCA

                Comment

                • hooptie157
                  Noobie
                  • Feb 2022
                  • 20

                  #9
                  Damn that plaid is nice! I went with hounds tooth.

                  Comment

                  • McGyver
                    R3V Elite
                    • Jun 2009
                    • 4471

                    #10
                    Alternately, I think the grey would look better with a red car (assuming black carpet and door cards):

                    sigpic
                    1987 - 325i Convertible Delphin Auto [SOLD], 325i Convertible Delphin Manual [SOLD]
                    1989 - 325i Convertible Bronzit m30b35 swapped [SCRAPPED], 325i Sedan Alpine Auto[DD]
                    1991 - 325i Coupe Laguna Manual [Project], 535i Sedan Alpine [SCRAPPED]

                    Comment

                    • burkey001
                      Mod Crazy
                      • Feb 2011
                      • 608

                      #11
                      fabric centres, leather edges FTW. so comfortable
                      88 325is. S54, CSL airbox, Motec M800, Motec C127, Motec PDM15, Stoptech STR, MCS 2 way coilovers, Forgeline wheels, Recaro SPA, Eisenmann, Personal, lots of custom.

                      90 318is. As new OEM+, BBS LM, AST 4210 2 way coilovers, Wilwood SL6R/SL4R, Dynaudio, Recaro Experts

                      Comment

                      • LindrelT
                        Member
                        • Oct 2022
                        • 57

                        #12
                        Click image for larger version  Name:	9DAF3AE3-A51A-45BC-B80E-6DA3677B9ADA.jpg Views:	0 Size:	202.1 KB ID:	10108015

                        German plaid cloth and Brazilian leather….
                        Last edited by LindrelT; 11-08-2023, 10:01 AM.

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                        • ehrawn
                          Advanced Member
                          • Aug 2023
                          • 153

                          #13
                          Originally posted by cory58

                          DSC04512 resized by cory58f5, on Flickr

                          Are these seats recovered? My Natur leatherette is starting to wear thin and I’m looking for options beside la a full custom interior.

                          Comment

                          • YBimmer
                            Noobie
                            • Sep 2021
                            • 3

                            #14
                            Personally, I have recovered a bunch of seats in leather and fabric. My favorites always seem to be the fabric. But then again, that's just personal preference.

                            I just finished making this set of anthracite Uberkaro.

                            Click image for larger version

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