Interior Decisions...

[kellie]

I can't decide what to do with my interior. I have tan leather sport seats in my iX at the moment, with the customary E30 drivers seat tears. I picked up a set of nice black vinyl sport seats and rear seat with arm rest today, and they're nearly perfect except for some cracking and a small tear on the drivers seat.

I can't decide if I should keep my interior tan and get it recovered, or repair the black seats and source the rest of the black interior pieces. I think either option would end up costing roughly the same amount, so it really comes down to which looks better.

I think new tan leather would make a dramatic difference in the overall look of the car, but black interiors do look really good. I'm leaning toward keeping the tan, but then I see pictures of nice black interiors and I can't make up my mind again.

I'd like R3V's opinion on the matter, and I welcome pictures and creative ideas on how to make my interior look spectacular.

Here is the car and interior in question:

[JasonC]

I'd keep the tan,but put black door pulls and map pockets in it.

[kellie]

Got any pictures? I can kind of imagine it, but I think I'd have to see firsthand what it looks like.

[Court M3]

keep it tan. Wish I had a tan interior in my car.

[atomic]

Keep it TAN after all so cal is HOT and trust me being from the southeast the black interior is murder in the summer !! Although my car is black exterior as well which only makes it worse.

I also just picked up a calypso e30 with tan interior and was thinking on keeping it tan but putting a anthrazit carpet I have laying around in it though. I think it would set off the tan seats and door panels.

[JasonC]

I did do it on my 85 before i put the houndstooth door panels in it, buy i never took a picture of it. I did put black ones in my 87 with red int. but that's red int. and not tan.

[Bill-B]

keep all tan but use the black seats

[kellie]

keep all tan but use the black seats

That wouldn't match...It has to match.

I'm leaning toward reupholstering the tan. Need to do something about my mismatched door pulls/map pockets though. If anyone has pictures of the black ones on tan door panels, I'd like to see them.

[Dave]

leather>vinyl without a doubt.

[thereisnoyun]

uh..............

vinyl has its ups and downs and so does leather. I think synthetic is the best. Leather wears out alot faster reacts terrible to anything, blood, salt, water, uv rays, you names it tears its up. Vinyl is more indestructable compare. But its not as soft as leather and doesnt have the texture, but however, synthetic can almost mimic leather, and still has the durability and its alot cheaper.

Pleather all the way.

[Ben Carufel]

Yeah, I really don't have a problem with vinyl/fake leather. It's MUCH more durable and feels almost the same.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Oops...Kellie on Ben's name.

[LINUS]

If you ar going to spend the cash to get recovering done, the extra c-note (or 2, whatever) to upgrade the vinyl to real cow won't bug you, plus upkept leather should last far longer than pleather, plus on a hot day you don't stick to leather nearly as much as vinyl.

Go leather - you & Ben make enough to do stuff right. Tan would be my preference too for CA heat.

Leather has the value factor, plus vinyl just looks cheap.

[kellie]

Haha, well, I don't make THAT much, but I don't mind spending the extra money to do things right. I'm still leaning toward the tan leather though.

I think a darker color similar to the E46 M3 cinnamon interior would look awesome, but I think I'd have to do some sort of two-tone on the door panels to make it look right and I don't know if I'm that rich. We'll see.

[LINUS]

but I don't mind spending the extra money to do things right. I'm still leaning toward the tan leather though.

Atta girl! New leather looks so money, especially in a rarer, well sorted car like your IX. Not only that, but whenever you walk around cars at shows, you know you see a nice condition leather interior & get a little jealous (I do), but when you see vinyl, well - it's vinyl. It works. It sure ain't cow though.

Plus, like I said - in heat vinyl will glue you down, and real leather isn't nearly as bad. Also, the value factor - cared for leather should last easily twice as long as vinyl, and look twice as good the whole time too.

I like your idea for a 2 tone, but you are right - without spending a lot more to tie it all in, then it just looks like the upholsterer was colorblind.

Maybe get a full black set of doorcards & grey carpet if you do the cinnamon leather - it's at least passable visually until your wallet recoupes to do some matching leather cards, doorpulls, & map pockets in leather.

I've spent money to get mine done (there's a thread), and doing it REALLY right means you have zero regrets.

[kellie]

Maybe get a full black set of doorcards & grey carpet if you do the cinnamon leather - it's at least passable visually until your wallet recoupes to do some matching leather cards, doorpulls, & map pockets in leather.

You got me seriously considering it for a minute there. I REALLY need to start saving money for other much, much more important projects, so I think I'm going to go with tan leather. As nice as the cinnamon interior would look if I did it right, it will have to wait until my next E30 in a few years. It's okay though, I already know exactly what it's going to look like. :D

I've spent money to get mine done (there's a thread), and doing it REALLY right means you have zero regrets.

Pics? I'd love to see what it looks like and I don't feel like searching.

I just found this in a Google search. Interesting. Not my taste, but definitely interesting.