Keep Leather or go Original.

[Royalratch]

The story so far:

I originally had the very nice Blue tartan interior in when I first got my iS way back. Had it re-trimmed in Blue leather a year or so later (dumb!).

It was done in Cabrio style front seats and Cabrio style rear seats which looks kind of odd in a Coupe. I should have at least done them in the original vertical stitching E30 Sports Seats style. Basically, it looks nice but is not original as at the time I was a kid and didn't know better - I've now had the car for 8 years.

I have the option to get a mint condition original cloth interior and offload the leather (it's heated by the way!) and end up in profit.

What's the verdict?

Car interior now:
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/6574/img0246qo6.jpg
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/8531/img0288df4.jpg
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/201/img0287ln2.jpg
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/9089/img0281hb1.jpg



Original Interior:
http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8781/bfff1sw1.jpg
http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/3540/c1331sh7.jpg



Random shots of the car:
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6434/img0217nl8.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/4333/img0228rl4.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/3071/img0273ez7.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9461/img0240hw3.jpg
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/641/img0223jn6.jpg
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2445/img0278nf0.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1420/img0298db2.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5523/img0296ii5.jpg

Basically, the interior is the only non-original item and that bugs me...

[hoevesruperd]

i love those original seats. do it do it!

[Royalratch]

I know man they are sick and different, even though they are the standard seats!

[PartsCar]

the original seats are cool, but i like what you have now.

but if you want to keep it original, go for it.

sexy car btw.

[boomer5]

IMO;cabrio's horizontal stitching looks better than the regular vertical stitching.As far as choice of fabric;Americans usually pick leather over cloth.My exception would be if the cloth were m-tech or one of the aftermarket tuner's fabric.
Either way you choose,you'll still have a great looking e30.

[n2motorsports]

keep the leather, there are no points for originality anymore, unless your goal is to do a full restoration using only geniune bmw parts.

btw - you're car is awesome, maybe i can check it out in october when i travel over the pond to watch my chargers play

[txleadfoot]

i think your leather seats look great!

[dude8383]

I would stick the leather man...heated seats rock!

[Royalratch]

Thanks all for the nice comments.

n2motorsports, The car is original from new with no rust or damage anywhere. I'm the second owner from 55K and it has full service history (around 80% BMW) with all original BMW parts. The only thing non-standard is the interior.

I'll pick up the cloth and see how 'mint' it is. Otherwise I'm leaning toward getting a pair seat frames and foam from BMW and re-trim them in the same leather but with the correct patterns.

The cloth set is also heated.

I'll post up my M44 Touring soon which is the same colour, higher spec and has just been re-trimmed in BMW Buffalo so should look nice against the Lazer Blue.

[Royalratch]

And you're welcome to check it out - a 7K RPM tour round London is how to do it proper!

[RED IS 91]

There's no question as far as I'm concerned ! Leave the leather! People pay more money to get leather in their car .
beautiful car too;) by the way

[tampa e30]

Leather

[318kid]

I love the Original Interior, I think it would look great! I'd love to have those seats in my car someday!

[Spec 2]

I'd keep the leather, I think it looks great! And I much prefer the horizontal stitching over the vertical. I think you'd be taking a step back if you went cloth... extra money would be nice though.

[batsbats]

Wow, really liking the paint color. What is it?

[Royalratch]

Cheers - it's Laser Metallic Blue.

[Jimmy Lewis]

Man as great as that leather looks, if it was my car, I would have to unload those to someone who wanted the bling and go back to original. I just love the feel of the E30 cloth seats, they seems to hold you more firm because of the coarseness of the material. The original also looks awesome to boot.

[KenCopperwheat]

KEEP THE LEATHER!!! Looks awesome!

[The Brown Bomber]

Leather

[Poor_Man's_M3]

remember, the horizontal stitching was also done on the M3 besides the cabrio ... so ... personally ... i'd stick with the leather ... looks like whoever did the leather did a most excellent job

[Royalratch]

True.

But the correct pattern for the 318iS was vertical stitching. Besides, the rear seats here were done in Cabrio style too but they are not Cabrio rears so they look odd.

I sold them for £510 ($1006).

The fabric interior deal fell through, usual eBay liars!

The guys who did this interior are doing my new one, same leather but with correct stitching. My new rear bench also has the center armrest which I didn't have before.

Got a new black roof lining ready with the correct black power sunroof panel and black visors as I'm doing the power sunroof conversion whilst I'm at it - will post pics soon as.

[swiss318is]

i would sell the leather ones and put in the oringinal.. i like them much more! my opinion..

[HaNasich]

leather seats are so much more RIGHT for that car.
the horizontal stitching looks great.
if i were u i would not thinkg twice - the leather looks 10X time better than the original ones.

PS - if u do want to get rid of the leather seats let me know, if shipping to Israel is not that expensive u might have a buyer for them...


Ron.

[xwill112x]

i'd sell the leathers for a ridiculous amount, and buy sparco racing seats.
:D

great looking car btw.

[Royalratch]

These will be done soon - will post pics!