Driver's seat leather and cushion problem

[upsbroke]

My last 3 cars were VW's. They gave the option of Leather or Leatherette. Leatherette was fantastic-vinyl made to look like leather. After 7 years on my Passat-driver's seat still looked like the day I picked the new car up from the dealer.

 

[EXBMWGUY]

My last 3 cars were VW's. They gave the option of Leather or Leatherette. Leatherette was fantastic-vinyl made to look like leather. After 7 years on my Passat-driver's seat still looked like the day I picked the new car up from the dealer.

This is a tough crowd. You might want to keep your head down when you talk about VW leatherette being wonderful!

 

[scottdk]

This is a tough crowd. You might want to keep your head down when you talk about VW leatherette being wonderful!

Hey the fake leather in my Sonata is holding up great for going on 7 years. Can't seem to beat the fake stuff, as it holds up amazingliscous. Yes...I just made that word up for this example.

 

[Vince2]

If fake leather wears less and retains its look better than genuine leather who would care that the material isn't really leather? Aren't Genesis owners anti-snobs by default?

 

[GonDeep11]

Senior member seems to = the I D 10 T Rule

 

[ShadowScoobySTi]

I'm having the same problem on the bottom of the seat, all stretched out and wrinkled. To be honest this looks like ass... I'm headed to the dealer tomorrow to see if they can replace the seat. This is not normal for a car with 10k... I understand the ventilated seat is a little more flexible but they need to use a thicker leather in the seat pan to prevent this..

Why? Only to have the new seat do the same?

Are you seriously contemplating wasting the dealers and your time over wrinkled leather?

#cmonman

 

[GonDeep11]

You have it all wrong, wasted time is my time having to bring the car back to the dealer. You have no Idea what my seat looks like and your quick to pass judgement on what is trivial and what isn't. I guess your entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to thinking your passing judgement when you don't have any of the facts.

 

[ShadowScoobySTi]

You have it all wrong, wasted time is my time having to bring the car back to the dealer. You have no Idea what my seat looks like and your quick to pass judgement on what is trivial and what isn't. I guess your entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to thinking your passing judgement when you don't have any of the facts.

Smh. Care to share a picture of your seat?

I was going to respond in kind with some smartass remark, but whats the point right?

 

[Mark_888]

If fake leather wears less and retains its look better than genuine leather who would care that the material isn't really leather? Aren't Genesis owners anti-snobs by default?

Real leather breaths and does not get quite as hot or cold. But if the seats are perforated (and also heated/ventilated) then breathing isn't as important and fake leather definitely has some advantages. This is why many MB and BMW owners prefer the fake kind that often come as standard on their vehicles.

 

[Mark_888]

You have it all wrong, wasted time is my time having to bring the car back to the dealer. You have no Idea what my seat looks like and your quick to pass judgement on what is trivial and what isn't. I guess your entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to thinking your passing judgement when you don't have any of the facts.

Some people have posted pics in other threads that show stretching of the seat bottom (this does not appear to be a problem with DominicJE's seat based on his pic). Some dealers have tightened the stretched leather up when this occurs according to what people have posted.

I think using some cleaning liquids may also tighten it up by shrinking the leather, because my seat stretching has reduced over time. It is a common problem on many Genesis cars, but I guess it bothers some people more than others, and may depend on seat color as to how much it bothers people.

As already mentioned, it is hard to say in your case unless you post pics.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[bmbutler]

Why? Only to have the new seat do the same?

Are you seriously contemplating wasting the dealers and your time over wrinkled leather?

#cmonman

Waste a dealer's time (and not to mention mine) to fix a stupid problem on a "luxury" car? You betcha. Ridicious that this stuff is happening on the Genesis and Equus. People spending good money to have a car without these silly problems. Don't get me started on my front passenger seat shaking. My Toyota Camry which was $20k less was solid as a rock. Should expect much more from Genesis!

 

[RonP]

My 09 3.8 started to show the streching of the seat part after a few hundred miles, I was not accustom to this, my last several cars had leather, Nissian, Infiniti, and when I sold them with 85,000 miles on them the seats looked like the day I bought them, perfect. The dealer bent over backwards for me , ordering a new cover, which was worst than the first one, more padding under the cover, which blocked the air flow for the cooling, etc. To make a long story short, I guess I have learned to live with it, since there is no fix. I guess some brands are better at making seat cover than others.

 

[ShadowScoobySTi]

Waste a dealer's time (and not to mention mine) to fix a stupid problem on a "luxury" car? You betcha. Ridicious that this stuff is happening on the Genesis and Equus. People spending good money to have a car without these silly problems. Don't get me started on my front passenger seat shaking. My Toyota Camry which was $20k less was solid as a rock. Should expect much more from Genesis!

Your seat shaking is one thing. Wrinkled leather is another.

Listen, apparently its a big deal for some that a wearable item, even if its too soon, can be an annoyance for some folks. Im a realist. I know this is bound to happen. It makes 0.0 sense for me to waste my time complaining about an issue that is not going to be resolved. Like replacing the leather seat and have it wrinkle again after a few months. My 09 Genesis had it, and my RSpec is showing it with 7100 miles. This car has alot more to offer than a wrinkled patch of leather on a seat. Is it annoying? Sure it is. Does it merrit for me to bitch about it to the dealer and HMA? Nope. Ill just keep cleaning it and conditioning.
Carry on.

 

[homeofstone]

The leather in my previous car, a 2004 Acura, did not wrinkle much. However, the finish color of the leather did wear off on the drivers seat. My Mercedes seat is wrinkled some but it does not have cooling.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

For those complaining that their past cars with leather did not wrinkle, are you sure it was actually leather? Yes the dealer made have told you it was and you may have beleived him, but from talking with a friend of mine who grew up in the automotive upholestry bussiness, his dad's being doing it since the 70's and he's worked in the shop off and on all of his life, even some high end cars do not actually use leather.

For the Genney, the center of the seats are leather, but the side bolsters are not. Quick and easy way he showed me to tell the difference. Use your finger to push in on the material, if it wrinkles and shows lines, it's leather, if it dosen't, it's not. Try it on the center of your seat and then the side, you'll see the difference.

But with that said, he was impressed that the Genney has leather in the back seats as he said most high end cars do not, including BMW and Benz.

And I've had my Genney for almost a year and my seats have wrinkles as well. I'm going to start using the Lexol as mentioned. Up to this point, I haven't used anything. And since it is leather, yes it needs to be conditioned. You do it to your leather jackets, shoes, etc, so why would leather seats in a car be any different?

 

[upsbroke]

For those complaining that their past cars with leather did not wrinkle, are you sure it was actually leather? Yes the dealer made have told you it was and you may have beleived him, but from talking with a friend of mine who grew up in the automotive upholestry bussiness, his dad's being doing it since the 70's and he's worked in the shop off and on all of his life, even some high end cars do not actually use leather.

For the Genney, the center of the seats are leather, but the side bolsters are not. Quick and easy way he showed me to tell the difference. Use your finger to push in on the material, if it wrinkles and shows lines, it's leather, if it dosen't, it's not. Try it on the center of your seat and then the side, you'll see the difference.

But with that said, he was impressed that the Genney has leather in the back seats as he said most high end cars do not, including BMW and Benz.

And I've had my Genney for almost a year and my seats have wrinkles as well. I'm going to start using the Lexol as mentioned. Up to this point, I haven't used anything. And since it is leather, yes it needs to be conditioned. You do it to your leather jackets, shoes, etc, so why would leather seats in a car be any different?

Right you are. As I said about the VW's "leatherette"- it LOOKS like leather and requires no maintenance other than a wet cloth every few months.Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings but I would take VW's leatherette over my Genesis' leather every time- it doesn't wrinkle and it doesn't stain.

 

[Mark_888]

Right you are. As I said about the VW's "leatherette"- it LOOKS like leather and requires no maintenance other than a wet cloth every few months.Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings but I would take VW's leatherette over my Genesis' leather every time- it doesn't wrinkle and it doesn't stain.

Anyone who thinks that leather looks better than synthetic materials is mistaken. But natural material feels better. If you can't handle the trade-off, don't get leather.

 

[homeofstone]

Anyone who thinks that leather looks better than synthetic materials is mistaken. But natural material feels better. If you can't handle the trade-off, don't get leather.

What he said.^

 

[Jbo]

Very well put, as my wife's ex new beetle had leather(along with wrinkles, wear marks and scuffs. Her EOS leatherette is very nice(the black is a little hot here in FL). Conversely, my R-Specs black leather @ 14K is getting a nice patina , no cracks or sags yet...perhaps the Lexol treatments are working!?

 

[GonDeep11]

Some people have posted pics in other threads that show stretching of the seat bottom (this does not appear to be a problem with DominicJE's seat based on his pic). Some dealers have tightened the stretched leather up when this occurs according to what people have posted.

I think using some cleaning liquids may also tighten it up by shrinking the leather, because my seat stretching has reduced over time. It is a common problem on many Genesis cars, but I guess it bothers some people more than others, and may depend on seat color as to how much it bothers people.

As already mentioned, it is hard to say in your case unless you post pics.

Ok so here are the photos, this is a car that has 10k miles, this in my opinion is completely unacceptable. If it looks this bad at 10k miles I can only imagine what it will look like at 20k...

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ylvEZZFAQxxH8IWKkW1_yAHt4DI54wiPZSWtznFH9Ak?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/l9UkflvNYO8viB1w5ACM7gHt4DI54wiPZSWtznFH9Ak?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WgfAt0qLg-oibPXXdllwSgHt4DI54wiPZSWtznFH9Ak?feat=directlink