Help! Need opinions on leather kit

TortoiseAWD · 01-06-04, 12:42

OK, Santa Boss made with the bonus this year, so I decided to go ahead and buy a leatherseats.com leather kit for my WRX. I had an opportunity to see this kit installed on a WRX here in Omaha, and it looked amazing. Another WRX-owning Autopian, dookiebob, has done this to his car as seen in this thread: Finally took some pics of the WRX after a detail (56K murder)

I'm trying to finalize my order, and I'm torn on a couple of options. The seats panels can be "flat" or "gathered" . . . flat looks sportier, while gathered (more "slack" in the leather) looks more luxo.

Here are a couple of pics of the "gathered" look:

Here's a pic of the "flat" style:

The second option I'm undecided on is where the contrasting lighter color should be in the pattern. Three styles are offered: "center", "inserts", and "combo". With the "center" style, the entire seat center from the leading edge to the seat bottom to the headrest is in the contrasting color. I've ruled this out as I don't care for the look, at least not in the two colors I've chosen (dark graphite, which matches my dash, and light grey, which matches my a-, b-, and c-pillar trim).

So, that leaves "inserts", and "combo". In the insert-style, the lumbar portion of the seat back, and the rear panels of the seat bottom are in the contrasting color. The panel on the seat bottom closest to the back of the knee remains dark graphite. In the "combo" pattern, the lumbar portion of the seat back and the entire seat bottom (minus bolstering of course) are in the contrasting color.

Here's a pic of the combo pattern:

And the insert pattern:

So, I'm seeking opinions. I honestly could be happy with any of the combinations I've narrowed it down to . . . color will be dark graphite and light gray, but I could use input on "gathered vs. flat" and on the pattern of the two-tone (insert vs. combo).

BTW, the cosmetic mods to my WRX are few, and understated. Summer wheels are 17" anthracite 10-spoke Rotas, car is lowered slightly, and the orange sidemarkers have been replaced with clears. I want to keep the sporty feel going, but without crossing over into Fast-n-Furious. If someone put a gun to my head right now and said "Choose. Now.", I'd probably go with "gathered" and "insert" in the two colors I've mentioned, which would look pretty much like the last pic I posted above.

What do think? Anyone? Bueller?

Tort

Iconoclast · 01-06-04, 12:54

I say go with the flat. You're driving a WRX not a Volvo. Those STI seats look real nice. I also like the colors you selected for the inset or combo's.
Wish I recieved a bonus this year, that leather looks nice. Oh well, I guess its cloth seats for me.

LouisanaJeeper · 01-06-04, 01:07

flat
insert

gnahc79 · 01-06-04, 01:49

what LouisanaJeeper said. Here comes the Lexol!

DavidB · 01-06-04, 04:33

In Porsche-speak, the "flat" look is the standard leather and you pay for the "supple" leather upgrade. I have had two cars with the supple leather package and I like it a lot. It adds comfort and a nice luxury look. However, if you're going for a pure-sport look, it needs to be stretched tight.

I love the two-tone leather look with contrasting stitching. Back when they used piping on the seams, I also liked seeing a contrasting piping. To set off the whole look, it's nice to have matching seat belt material; in your case the grey. You could also add a nice sport stripe in the door panels. Don't over do it!

db

TortoiseAWD · 01-06-04, 05:00

David,

Thx for the advice. I can get contrasting double stitching for no additional charge, but I'm pretty conservative when it comes to that kind of styling. I had to talk myself into the two-tone (must be getting old)

My biggest reason for wanting leather is the easier in-and-out of the car . . . the stock fabric is very "grabby", and while that's great for enthusiastic cornering, it makes swiveling to exit kind of difficult for someone of my Cartman-esque proportions (6'3", 3 bills). I'm still leaning toward the gathered look for that touch of luxury, and the two-tone for the sportier feel. Now, insert or combo style? Decisions, decisions . . .

BTW, I'll be getting material for the door panels in the lighter color. A sport stripe, huh? Hmmmm. I know where I can get embroidery done on leather . . . how 'bout the Subaru stars, or "WRX" or "Impreza" in the stock font? I can have the headrests done, too. I've thought of doing embroidery on the stock headrests in the past (it's really pretty cheap; about $60 to do both stock headrest covers with your choice of logo, color) in an almost-matching thread color so that the look comes more from the raised texture of the embroidery than the color (trying to be unique, but still be understated/tasteful).

Keep the opinions coming, everyone; I really appreciate it. I need to finalize my order tomorrow to get a discount, so please, chime in!

Tort

krsjuan · 01-06-04, 05:24

I would go for the gathered look with the combo pattern. A co-worker of mine went a local upolstery shop and got his done in simalar colors but with double-stiching done in red. I"m not a big fan of red but his car is black so so the red trim really added a nice touch.

6cyl's_of_fury · 01-06-04, 05:46

I would go the gathered, combo and contrasting light grey stiching. I would personally forgo the combo, but it seems like you have your heart set on breaking up the dark graphite.

Oh, and one last suggestion, maybe a "tortoise" logo?

Whichever way you go, it will look great

BradE · 01-06-04, 06:28

I like the flat look, it "fits" with the style of the car more IMO. Flat + insert = winning combo.

My 2 cents.

BW · 01-06-04, 06:36

Flat + combo! IMO, the rear gathered leather looks too loose and aftermarket...

VS.

tkr128 · 01-06-04, 06:58

I personally prefer the gathered leather with the combo.

I agree with BW though, the rear seats with gathered leather look a little too loose. The front seats in gathered look great though.

TortoiseAWD · 01-06-04, 07:33

Quote:

Originally posted by 6cyl's_of_fury
I would go the gathered, combo and contrasting light grey stiching. I would personally forgo the combo, but it seems like you have your heart set on breaking up the dark graphite.

Oh, and one last suggestion, maybe a "tortoise" logo?

Whichever way you go, it will look great

The only other WRX in town that has the leather kit went with dark graphite alone, gathered. It looks great, but I would like to do something at least a little different from his . . . that's one thing that keeps me leaning toward two-tone of some sort.

As for the tortoise logo, how 'bout this:

Tort