Adding Leather Upholstery to Your Car

Leather upholstery can make an excellent addition to any car interior. A leather finish looks and feels smart and luxurious, and can also help increase your car's residual value when it comes to trading in for a new model. Leather upholstery can, of course, be a very expensive addition to your car, and if you rush into the purchase, you could end up wasting a lot of time and money. Here are three things from Mercedes-Benz of Owings Mills to consider when you think you want to add leather upholstery to your car.

Is leather right for you?

According to the car you drive, and the sort of uses that you have for your car, leather upholstery may not be a sound investment. On an older car, leather upholstery could be wasted if the car is mechanically unsound and unlikely to last much longer, particularly as it is very unlikely that you can switch it between cars. Leather may not be a sound investment if you regularly swap your car for a newer model, either. Leather upholstery requires a fair amount of ongoing care and maintenance. If you are not prepared to put in the work, then you may be better off with basic cloth seat covers.

What type of leather do you want?

The type of leather that you choose for your seats will influence the finished look and the amount of money that you spend. Broadly speaking, there are four types of leather available:

• Top-coated/protected leather is used most commonly in the auto industry. This type of leather has a smooth, grained texture with a semi-gloss or matte finish. Place a drop of water on the surface and you will note that it does not soak into the leather.
• Suede has a rough finish that has a sort of pile, rather like a carpet, with a darker color appearing when brushed in one direction.
• Nubuck/full aniline is an expensive, luxurious type of leather, which initially looks and behaves a little like suede. A water droplet will immediately soak into the leather, unless a chemical repellant has been applied
• Semi-aniline is very difficult to maintain, as it will instantly absorb any spillage or stain unless a repellent has been applied. Semi-aniline is rarely used in production cars.

How much are you willing to spend?

The cost of leather seats can vary considerably. Talk to your dealership first about purchasing a leather upgrade. With this option, you can rest assured that you will end up with upholstery that looks excellent and is modeled perfectly for the make and model of the car that you drive. As a regular customer, you may also be able to negotiate a discount.