E46 leather versus E30 leather

[az3579]

I noticed something interesting.

The leather on my driver's side is wrinkling on the bolsters, upper and lower. Yes, I knew this, but what caught my interest the other day is that E30 leather doesn't wrinkle at all it seems on the bolsters. E36 leather leather seems to wrinkle very very little overall. How come most E46's I see with leather sport seats have wrinkled bolsters??? What gives, BMW?

[cakM3]

You're imagining things BP......

[elsanto]

Probably has something to do with the seat design.. my e30 has cracked but not wrinkled seats, and the seats hug me very tight, but my ZHP has wrinkles on the bottom bolsters, and I fit more loosely in them.. go figure.

[az3579]

You're imagining things BP......

Nope. Of the pictures of E30's I've seen that have the leather sport seats, not a single one had a wrinkle on the bolsters. They may crack or show wear, but they do not wrinkle.
On the E46's I've seen with leather sport seats, most of them had at least one wrinkle.

The butt sections I expect to have wrinkles, and both generations do have them there (which I call the "butt wrinkle"), but I expect that since that's where all the weight is. I don't think that's preventable in any car. But the bolsters... they should have absolutely no reason to wrinkle in one generation but not another...

[cakM3]

BP.... I guess you have too much time on your hands at work if you're researching this.....

[az3579]

BP.... I guess you have too much time on your hands at work if you're researching this.....

I support users. This place is almost like a ghost town (meaning barely any users are in the office). I think I deserve the break considering I'm running at redline most of the time on a normal day... ;)


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[cakM3]

I support users. This place is almost like a ghost town (meaning barely any users are in the office). I think I deserve the break considering I'm running at redline most of the time on a normal day... ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not all of us get to have a break like this while at work.......;) That means you must be having a great day at work! :biggrin

[illirep]

I was checking out a buddies e30 the other day with 120k miles. He has the original black vinyl sport seats. I kid you not, they looked brand new, and looked very much like real leather. All BMW's should come with that material!

[az3579]

I was checking out a buddies e30 the other day with 120k miles. He has the original black vinyl sport seats. I kid you not, they looked brand new, and looked very much like real leather. All BMW's should come with that material!

The black vinyl sport seats I had in my E30 a while back were practically mint. The only thing is a small butt wrinkle that was evident for a while after getting out of them; after a while they would disappear, just like any vinyl or leather seat would.

The thing about E30 seats is that they tend to crack. I wonder if this comes down to the type of leather they used on their leather seats (not vinyl).

[brettbimmer]

I'm going with quality of the leather first and seat design second. BTW, if you are referring to E36 leather interiors, be sure that you have not been fooled by the vinyl or "leatherette" - looks great and wears like iron, but is not leather as we know it. (My ti has vinyl if you recall seeing it in the dark).

[az3579]

I'm going with quality of the leather first and seat design second. BTW, if you are referring to E36 leather interiors, be sure that you have not been fooled by the vinyl or "leatherette" - looks great and wears like iron, but is not leather as we know it. (My ti has vinyl if you recall seeing it in the dark).

Yeah I know the difference. There is a visual difference between the two, even if it is minute. I look for the small details when trying to look for leather ones.
I picked the E30 and the E46 as the examples because the differences are so big.

[az3579]

Just came across this video. Ish from West Coast Customs shows how to get wrinkles out of your leather at home using ordinary household items:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX2BAr5CHwo

[Tnhl1989]

I see in my future that BP will have some burns on his hands.

[cakM3]

A steam cleaner does wonders! :thumbsup

[az3579]

I see in my future that BP will have some burns on his hands.

One word:
Gloves. ;)


A steam cleaner does wonders! :thumbsup

Ain't ballin, Charlie!