Leather seats wearing

[JohnA]

I noticed this the other day.
4 months old and the leather on the side bolster on my gti is already showing signs of wear.
I clean them and apply conditioner to the seats, but obviously this comes from rubbing when getting in and out.

Will point it out to VW at the first service, or i may even take it back sooner, because if this has happened in 4 months, would hate to think what they will be like in a year.

Has anyone else had any issues like this?

[_Just]

I noticed this the other day.
4 months old and the leather on the side bolster on my gti is already showing signs of wear.
I clean them and apply conditioner to the seats, but obviously this comes from rubbing when getting in and out.

Will point it out to VW at the first service, or i may even take it back sooner, because if this has happened in 4 months, would hate to think what they will be like in a year.

Has anyone else had any issues like this?
I notice them on the Leather parts of the Mini too.

Am glad I didn't tick the $3300 option for the Leather in the Golf R! Including a Luxury Tax, it would've been about $3700.

Hope they can sort it out for you mate.

[silverbullet]

notice a difference in quality of leather in the VI series is hmmm not as nice as V. might explain it, that or you wear sandpaper jeans :)

[AP]

My Recaro's did the same thing in my R32 after three months!! Showed volkswagen and they wouldn't fix it!

[Bizi]

I hope that you get a sympathetic hearing and some kind of rectification of a 'fault' with the leather seat, given the young age of the car.

Maybe you need bigger seats. hehe. ;) Are the bolsters higher than MkVs or do you think it's purely a design or quality issue?
I'm only asking because I've not noticed this problem before.

[G-rig]

Pays to be aware of the bolsters and lift your leg over them so it doesn't wear IMO. Still a bit averge and cheap leather.

[JohnA]

its the side bolsters. The right side one, so where you are getting out of the car.
I am not a huge bloke, size 30-32 jeans.

Will take some pics tomorrow if i get a chance

I know VW won't do anything about it and will just say normal wear and tear, however i will voice my disgust over it.
I mean wearing out after 4 months.....damn.

From some research i have been doing on the net, seems a few people have the same issues, so yea, cheap leather

[saad]

size 30-32 - thats pretty slim, somethign is wrong there, unless ur sliding on the bolsters when getting in and out, then again they ae not exactly bucket seats. Kick up a fuss

[JohnA]

here is a pic

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4924791865_86005d01b4_b.jpg

i know it doesn't look like much, but if thats after 4 months, i am concerned it will be completely torn through within a year.
I now just place my hand there prior to getting out of the car to try not rubbing on it.

[silverbullet]

yeah that sucks. wear Lycra haha

[JohnA]

yeah that sucks. wear Lycra haha

hehe, only when i ride the bike :)

[Pharkus]

I better go check mine then! Good luck with the claim with VW. Or is this a chance to upgrade to alcantara!

[windyzz]

That looks Very normal, My leather started to developed those issue in the first few month of ownerships and Have not changed after 1 year and 2 months.

[JohnA]

I better go check mine then! Good luck with the claim with VW. Or is this a chance to upgrade to alcantara!

i doubt vw will do anything about it to be honest.
If they do go, i'' consider either replacing with complete aftermarket seats (need to see legalities) or get custom trimming with good quality leather

[JohnA]

That looks Very normal, My leather started to developed those issue in the first few month of ownerships and Have not changed after 1 year and 2 months.

i'm surprised fraying of the leather near the stitching is considered normal.
Will be interesting to see what they have to say though and how they hold up over the year.

[random]

standard, it comes with the territory of wearing jeans. All the cars i've owned in the past has had that problem. Designer jeans with zippers at the back, just plain rubbing, basically wear and tear.

Maybe you wear jeans everyday, hence the wear is visible after 4 months?

Anyways, anything leather causes that problem, my couch at home is like that, seat in the office as well, and they weren't cheap.

[Pharkus]

I wouldn't consider it "normal" wear and tear after only a few months. The grade of leather for car seats should be good enough to withstand getting in and out (4 times a day) you would think for longer than a few months to start wearing. My 3 year old leather couch from an el cheapo place still hasn't even got a bum imprint though I spend most nights on it!

[random]

I wouldn't consider it "normal" wear and tear after only a few months. The grade of leather for car seats should be good enough to withstand getting in and out (4 times a day) you would think for longer than a few months to start wearing. My 3 year old leather couch from an el cheapo place still hasn't even got a bum imprint though I spend most nights on it!

I think the motion of getting into the car tend to damage that part of the seat. When you are get home, majority of the time, you wouldn't be wearing jeans sitting on that couch.

Just like my missus' car, nothing to the leather because she wears skirts and dresses therefore don't have that problem.

[JohnA]

i wouldn't think Jeans would be rubbing that high up

[random]

i could be a jacket, and the button rubbing against it. There are alot of reasons how that could of happened. I'm guessing it was a one off incident.

[Pharkus]

I think the motion of getting into the car tend to damage that part of the seat. When you are get home, majority of the time, you wouldn't be wearing jeans sitting on that couch.

Just like my missus' car, nothing to the leather because she wears skirts and dresses therefore don't have that problem.

Mmmm...generally my home is actually pants free!

But seriously, I wear jeans around the home sometimes and getting in and out of the car there is no elegant way of doing so without "rubbing" a little on the bolster. This also depends on how close you sit to the wheel. I get real anxious with my wife's G-star jeans with those stupid zippers on the back pockets..WTF! Surely this would have been tested or thought about.

[M4RK0]

yeah that sucks. wear Lycra haha

That sucks on a top model car!!!!?????

[elisiX]

I've had my GTI for just over 3 months now and mine are nowhere near that bad.

The bolster on my drivers seat by the door is a little more shiny than the other side (and the passenger outside bolster), but there's no rubbing/tearing/creases - yet.

In saying that, since day 1 i've been putting my hand on the door sill when I get out - essentially lifting myself out of the seat. When I hop in I grab the steering wheel lowering myself down.

I dont ever slide in or across my bolsters.

[G-rig]

Leather is a bit overrated in general which is why i didn't bother with it this time.. nice to have but not if it wears worse than cloth.

Anyway hopefully they can fix it, i'd keep an eye on it and just be aware of the bolsters. Thought you were referring to the lower ones (only saw the pic now).

[random]

Mmmm...generally my home is actually pants free!

But seriously, I wear jeans around the home sometimes and getting in and out of the car there is no elegant way of doing so without "rubbing" a little on the bolster. This also depends on how close you sit to the wheel. I get real anxious with my wife's G-star jeans with those stupid zippers on the back pockets..WTF! Surely this would have been tested or thought about.

Don't invite us to your house!! pants free!

Anyways, i doubt they have tested the leather or how much they wear or how people get in. They just get leather which are decent (which i think they are) and seats are just a general design.

I'm sure you can get a 300k car and still damage the leather, it is just one of those things. Maybe in a 300k car, you would be slightly more careful hence less damage.


Leather is a bit overrated in general which is why i didn't bother with it this time.. nice to have but not if it wears worse than cloth.

Anyway hopefully they can fix it, i'd keep an eye on it and just be aware of the bolsters. Thought you were referring to the lower ones (only saw the pic now).

Just personal preference really, leather is good and bad, same for cloth. Cloth does look slightly better, but it has a cheap feel and look to it. In terms of longevity and possibly selling in the future leather is probably better.

Whenever i think of 2nd hand cars with cloth, i think cloth really would soak up all the sweat from a guy's back on a very hot day...

[G-rig]

Just personal preference really, leather is good and bad, same for cloth. Cloth does look slightly better, but it has a cheap feel and look to it. In terms of longevity and possibly selling in the future leather is probably better.

Yes and No... Leather is good if you look after it, but looks daggy if it's all warn and creased. I don't have a problem with leather and like it, but think the VW leather is pretty cheap and not worth $3300 IMO. You also sweat more sitting in leather on a hot day.

[_Just]

Yes and No... Leather is good if you look after it, but looks daggy if it's all warn and creased. I don't have a problem with leather and like it, but think the VW leather is pretty cheap and not worth $3300 IMO. You also sweat more sitting in leather on a hot day.
$3300 + the luxury tax of about $400 on top of that!

Without the leather, you are not required to pay for the luxury tax.

[G-rig]

$3300 + the luxury tax of about $400 on top of that!

Without the leather, you are not required to pay for the luxury tax.

If you get a good deal on the R you can end up paying no LCT anyway and that's with a fair few options.

[_Just]

I think my dealer was a liar. http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/112.gif

He said that the leather alone will always add a LCT.

Ended up getting quite a good deal anyway through the fiancées work partnership.

[Prodigy]

I think my dealer was a liar. http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/112.gif

He said that the leather alone will always add a LCT.

Ended up getting quite a good deal anyway through the fiancées work partnership.

The LCT would only apply to the leather if the total amount for the purchase of the car exceeds the LCT threshold.

[G-rig]

And LCT is on the price before dealer deliveries and onroads etc.

[_Just]

Ahh. I see! Well we ended up being the cheapest R that John Hughes VW has sold so far, and I believe they've sold about 10 already - only because of the work fleet discount. Yay! http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/41.gif

[Pharkus]

The LCT would only apply to the leather if the total amount for the purchase of the car exceeds the LCT threshold.

This.

If the dealer can't do something to keep the car below the LCT by a matter of $100's then really they aren't trying hard enough. Sure they have their responsibilities to report the appropriate amount to the SRO but where there's a will...

Also, if you are novating the car through salary packaging it's generally in your best interests to keep it below the LCT limit anyway.