Leather or vinyl seat covers how to tell? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 07-16-2012, 07:21 PM

I have posted previously that when we bought my wife's new Honda Fit we paid extra for "Leather" front seats to be installed by a contractor the dealer was to hire.

We took delivery and later I found a box in the back of the car with seat covers for the back seats. They clearly are not leather but a rather nice looking vinyl. They seem to be "Katskins leather" according to the box.

I have gone back to the dealer and said "these are clearly not leather". They reached into the box and pulled out a card that was loose in the box which discussed how to take care of leather but in one sentence it used the word "leather/vinyl".

I can find no tags on the actual seat cover saying what material it is made from. It seems there should be a tag on the seat cover itself. The card lying in the box seems not to prove anything except that someone laid it in there.

Anybody have expertise in the subject of tagging required on a manufactured seat cover?

These seat covers are clearly not leather.

t walgamuth · #2 07-16-2012, 07:31 PM

I went to their website and found that standard covers have leather just in the inserts in the back.

Upon closer examination of the back seats I find leather in the inserts.

So......never mind!

jplinville · #3 07-16-2012, 07:35 PM

The best way is to look at the back side. Leather will be very obvious and look like a suede. Vinyl will have a woven or fuzzy fabric background. If you cannot get to the back, you can try the pinch test. Pinch some of the material between your fingers and rub the backsides together. If you have discriminating feel, the vinyl will be more slippery than the leather (if you can imagine rubbing the above described two surfaces together).

Botnst · #4 07-16-2012, 08:05 PM

A number of years ago I was going to buy my wife some jewelry and I mentioned that maybe I'd buy her some diamonds.

She said she couldn't tell a diamond from CZ and so just buy her CZ, she didn't give a damn.

Which reminded me of something Spock (Star Trek) once said, "A difference that makes no difference is no difference."

I'm there.

t walgamuth · #5 07-16-2012, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

A number of years ago I was going to buy my wife some jewelry and I mentioned that maybe I'd buy her some diamonds.

She said she couldn't tell a diamond from CZ and so just buy her CZ, she didn't give a damn.

Which reminded me of something Spock (Star Trek) once said, "A difference that makes no difference is no difference."

I'm there.

Great in that case I have a 1.5 carat QZ I will sell you for reasonable!

MS Fowler · #6 07-16-2012, 09:03 PM

I always thought the the CZ guys were making a mistake in selling those monstrous "stones". Wouldn't they do better to make them in the 1/2 to 3/4 carat size and sell a million of them?

Dudesky · #7 07-16-2012, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

A number of years ago I was going to buy my wife some jewelry and I mentioned that maybe I'd buy her some diamonds.

She said she couldn't tell a diamond from CZ and so just buy her CZ, she didn't give a damn.

Which reminded me of something Spock (Star Trek) once said, "A difference that makes no difference is no difference."

I'm there.

Funny, Dude I worked with thought the same thing kinda in reverse.....bought her one, told her it was a diamond. He didn't fool her. They ended up divorced.