Any feedback from those with cloth seats?

[nachob]

I like cloth/leather or alcantara better in sports car. The seats are grippier when cornering and hard braking and they stay cooler in the summer here in SoCal and they don't get as cold in winters. As many of you have read, I like function as much as form. Leather is nice on girls and couches but not really a fan in sports cars. So my top choice is the cloth/leather option. My 330i ZHP has Alcantara Cloth and I love it. However when I was shopping the E90 with speed-cloth in 2011 I found it abrasive and actually considered getting the leather over the speed cloth even though I really preferred cloth. I really am wondering how the new cloth looks and feels. I love the Alcantara interior offered in the M235i in Europe and I have only seen configuration pics of the M3 cloth seats.

If you are performance minded like me and also prefer cloth over leather and have seen and felt the cloth seats can you give me your feedback?

Thank you.

[Tonymiabmw]

Intested to

[gogoevo]

Sub

[darmstadt]

I have the cloth/leather combination and find it it very comfortable and quite firm. I had leather in the Alpina and decided against all leather due to the same criteria as you, after 20 minutes driving in summer I would have a soaking wet back and winter they were too cold (although the seat heating kicked in quite quick.) Even the people I spoke to in BMW recommended them over the leather. I was a bit sceptical at first having had cloth seats before and after a while the wear would show but these seem different and I actually think that they will show less wear than the leather after time.

[67abarth]

I just drove my new M3 with speed cloth 1200 miles from the Performance driving center. I know made the right choice in not getting leather. The cloth looks great and feels just as good. The leather on the bolsters seems thicker than the leather used on the M3. The bolsters should show less wear than the standard leather seats. The cloth was cool and supportive.

[JoeFromPA]

I said it in another thread, but to me these are the choices:

If you want a luxurious interior, go with full leather. (no, the value isn't there)

If you want an interior that pops, go with SO or SS leather.

If you want a low maintenance interior that will hold up the best and offers the best seating comfort across all seasons, go with carbonstructure.

Also, I called it cloth before I got it. Right now, I can't rightly call it cloth. My best description now is it's a resin weave. "Carbonstructure" to me actually makes it sound like it's carbon reinforced plastic, and that's actually what it feels like to me - like carbon fiber strands woven into a seating fabric.

Please note it's not soft to touch. It's quite rigid and it's a weave, so when you run your hand across it it's grabby. But it is not rough to touch either. (i.e. not like old wool)

[EdR]

I have the Speed Cloth in my F80 and it feels and looks great. It doesn't look or feel like cloth. The material and weave are something very different that I can't describe. Really compliments and understates the interior and carbon fiber trim. I think BMW really stepped up in the development of this material. I'm currently driving back to CA from PC Delivery and after 1600 miles I've found them very comfortable and grippy. There are enough controls to configure the seat to your liking.

[ftedd]

are the speed cloth seats heated? can't find anything that says they are not, but would like to confirm. thank you

[67abarth]

The Front seats are heated.

[gtr]

My car came in and I had purchased cloth. Test driven their leather seats. I love cloth seat since they grip better and no wrinkles. I do prefer alcantara but I was thankful that BMW offered cloth at least. Just would be nice if you can get cloth with full leather dash.

[Bemo]

Anyone know when we don't get alcantara seats in the states, cost of federalization?
I wonder if it could be special ordered, nonetheless...

[Pharmacist_]

Good info on the CS seats, thanks guys. My question is concerning ease of cleaning. From pics/threads of the speed cloth in the e9Xs, it looks like it could stain easier than leather and was difficult to clean. How do you guys see the CS seats holding up?

[Tonymiabmw]

Originally Posted by darmstadt

I have the cloth/leather combination and find it it very comfortable and quite firm. I had leather in the Alpina and decided against all leather due to the same criteria as you, after 20 minutes driving in summer I would have a soaking wet back and winter they were too cold (although the seat heating kicked in quite quick.) Even the people I spoke to in BMW recommended them over the leather. I was a bit sceptical at first having had cloth seats before and after a while the wear would show but these seem different and I actually think that they will show less wear than the leather after time.

This what i was wondering leather in my e90 makes my back sweat so bad in SoFlo.

[pr0gi]

If your car is staying a whole day under the sun I believe no cloth or leather will help you not to sweat

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by nachob

However when I was shopping the E90 with speed-cloth in 2011 I found it abrasive and actually considered getting the leather over the speed cloth even though I really preferred cloth. I really am wondering how the new cloth looks and feels.

I sat in the cloth/leather seats at my dealership. It feels great. The material is similar in texture to what you might find on a quality upholstered arm chair.

But if you didn't like the cloth feel in the E9x M3, I have a feeling you won't like CSAT in the F8x either. I've never seen the former in person, but everything I've seen of it in pictures leads me to believe that the new material is at least as coarse and stiff and probably more so.

[M4LF]

Originally Posted by nachob

Please, if you are on of those "I would only get leather in a BMW guys because it's more luxurious or better resale value, etc,"
then please click away!

I like cloth/leather or alcantara better in sports car. The seats are grippier when cornering and hard braking and they stay cooler in the summer here in SoCal and they don't get as cold in winters.

Thank you.

For many years I thought having a sweaty back/ shirt was something that happens after a long drive in hot weather. I had forgotten that this does NOT happen when your seats are cloth (from my ghetto days lol). It wasn't until I had a car with cooled/ ventilated leather seats when I realized that leather seats without cooled or ventilation function is a no go. What was BMW engineers thinking!? Apparently they put the B team on the seat design

Now that's just for normal driving. We're not talking about tracking this car in sometimes hot weather and no air conditioning. So while I agree that leather looks great in cars. You need to remember that seats were designed for you to sit on, not to be stared at like the ones in your living room. So if you're going to do it in leather, add ventilation feature.

So even if I wasn't planning to track this car, I would go cloth for general comfort in a warmer climate. Not to mention it it won't burn my girl's legs when she's wearing short mini skirts . If I was tracking this car, it's a no brainer. Cloth all the way.

[Tonymiabmw]

Originally Posted by pr0gi

If your car is staying a whole day under the sun I believe no cloth or leather will help you not to sweat

Not so much that it won't be hot, but It will breath as where leather does not breath at all. Here in Miami leather gets so damn hot its unreal. I really wanna see someone get speed cloth and retrofit a Leather Dash, and upper door. Would look Sexy as hell imho.

[Pharmacist_]

Originally Posted by Tonymiabmw

Not so much that it won't be hot, but It will breath as where leather does not breath at all. Here in Miami leather gets so damn hot its unreal. I really wanna see someone get speed cloth and retrofit a Leather Dash, and upper door. Would look Sexy as hell imho.

Agreed that would be sick.

If the CS is indeed a woven, plastic type of material as has been described will it really breathe all that well?

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Bemo

Anyone know when we don't get alcantara seats in the states, cost of federalization?
I wonder if it could be special ordered, nonetheless...

The M3/M4 do not have an Alcantara option anywhere.

But cars like the 1/2/3/4 MSport do. It's probably not offered in the US partly because of costs and partly due to fears of the material not living up to the US consumer's expectations for wear and tear.

[JoeFromPA]

Fr what it's worth I sat in a sakhir orange f80 today with 2300 miles on it. It's drivers entry bolster was showing wear.

Beautiful material and great to touch. But for me I'm going to enjoy my less sexy interior more in 50000 miles if it holds up better.

[czarmar]

Aren't the bolsters on CSAT leather? Are they a tougher leather grade (i.e. Dakota or Sensatec) than the extended leather option, possibly resulting in less bolster wear?

[Reedomn]

Only get leather because it's luxurious and better for-resale! Duh...


Actually local dealer has this on show floor..."only" 75k MSRP..
Cloth looks very nice.....