Do you use seat covers?
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I have an opinion on seat covers. You spent how much on a new car and want to cover up those nice seats so the next owner will have new seats? You really don't get any more trade in value if covered up your seats. Use the part of the car you paying for. The steering wheel cover could be a bit different, if you want it to feel different, but don't do it to keep it new for the next guy. I used to work with a guy who bought a new Suzuki suv (crapbox) and he would flip over the floor mats and covered the seats with towels to keep it nice. Is it "nice" to sit on new seats or "nice to sit on old towels? WTH! Does he plan on driving it for ever? Sorry if I offended anybody, and hopefully when I get a S197 that they covered the seats so I have new leather to sit on. :laughlitt If you want your new stang to look new in years to come, take care of it. Use good products to clean and protect it.
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This is an interesting problem! I've had the same thoughts through the years and have had seat covers/steering wheel covers on most of my vechicles. Everytime I've replaced that cover because it was worn I had a couple of thoughts - "Wow, if I hadn't had a seat cover on this my SEAT would look this way..." and on the other hand, "Wow, that seat looks nice without the cover, I wish I could sit on it.."
Kind of a Catch 22! I LOVE the interior on my baby and would not like to cover it up... If I'm really careful with it and clean it often will it last? Or am I doomed to the usual wear and tear of time slowly taking its toll?
I'd LOVE to hear from somone who had their Stang for 10 years and taken care of it (as an everyday driver) and the interior still looks good.
It's like my next door neighbor - he comments that I wash my car too much - that all that washing is going to ruin my paint job and my washing will be in vain... (I wash it probaby 3 times a week).
Joe
Kind of a Catch 22! I LOVE the interior on my baby and would not like to cover it up... If I'm really careful with it and clean it often will it last? Or am I doomed to the usual wear and tear of time slowly taking its toll?
I'd LOVE to hear from somone who had their Stang for 10 years and taken care of it (as an everyday driver) and the interior still looks good.
It's like my next door neighbor - he comments that I wash my car too much - that all that washing is going to ruin my paint job and my washing will be in vain... (I wash it probaby 3 times a week).
Joe
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I suggest searching in the detailing forums for good products to use on seats. Its like this, you wanted a certain interior, so enjoy it. In 10 years if its showing wear, then recover them and start the fun all over again. Would you drive around with a cover over the whole car protect it, or enjoy the nice new shiney paint? Who ever had my car before me used the wrong stuff on the seats and they don't look so good anymore. I want to get them redone with orange suede inserts and orange thread. I'm sure its not cheap but to me worn seats are better than a tacky cover any day.
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I use a Chicago White Sox World Champs throw blanket for my drivers seat. Its my daily driver, and sometimes at work I can get dirty. Outside from back and forth to work the seat it usually naked. Leather is Zaino cleaned and protected. The blanket matches the interior, plus the sox rock!
I guess if you're going to keep it a long time, you might want to protect things. Friends laugh at the red towels over my red mats, but the black yuk I had on my shoe looked better on the towel! (can't believe I stepped in oil or something, I'm very careful) I keep 2 large towels in the trunk, just in case, and a soft wash rag in the car to dry up rain water getting in and out of car.
( I try not to drive her in the rain, but it can't always be helped)
( I try not to drive her in the rain, but it can't always be helped)
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How about this?: Just sit on and enjoy the leather that came with the seats. If you're going to get dirty, bring a towel to sit on like stoenr. And take the best possible care of the leather (and the rest of the car) as you can. If the seats start to look bad in a few years, put the covers on them then, or get them professionally recovered... that's my plan.
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Good post and question. I got the leather interior with my new Mustang and am questioning myself, do I want to cover those nice leather seats I just paid extra money to have? I want them to last, but I also want to enjoy them just how they look and feel.
But then I suppose I can always keep a towel or blanket in the trunk and just use it to cover the seats if I believe my clothes are too dirty, wet, oily, etc to sit on the leather seats.
I'll definately keep the leather cleaned and conditioned.
But then I suppose I can always keep a towel or blanket in the trunk and just use it to cover the seats if I believe my clothes are too dirty, wet, oily, etc to sit on the leather seats.
I'll definately keep the leather cleaned and conditioned.
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Seat Covers = Cheapness
I would rather enjoy my interior without covers even if it means having wear and tear on my seats, than covering them up so they would look new after 10 years when the car is not, by the way when you sell your car* the buyer generally doesn’t really care much if the interior looks new or not because he’s buying a used car,
I say keep your interior clean, clean it every now and then and let it age with your car, Don’t deprive your self by covering it up, just enjoying it,
What next coving your sofas, your carpet, your toilet (house toilet not like the FordFreak’s comment) and everything else so it stays nice and clean, enjoy your car while you have it.
Nothing lasts for ever,
*(something i hope i don't have to do, if i do i hope it will be traded in for another mustang)
I would rather enjoy my interior without covers even if it means having wear and tear on my seats, than covering them up so they would look new after 10 years when the car is not, by the way when you sell your car* the buyer generally doesn’t really care much if the interior looks new or not because he’s buying a used car,
I say keep your interior clean, clean it every now and then and let it age with your car, Don’t deprive your self by covering it up, just enjoying it,
What next coving your sofas, your carpet, your toilet (house toilet not like the FordFreak’s comment) and everything else so it stays nice and clean, enjoy your car while you have it.
Nothing lasts for ever,
*(something i hope i don't have to do, if i do i hope it will be traded in for another mustang)
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great reply.
I like to add after 10 years the cushion itself is going to be worn internally anyway. Let it wear even, and if you keep longer, just get some new seats.
drivers seat on my t-bird after 10,11 years and 250,000 miles, no seat covers.
http://home.comcast.net/~psc777/Linterior.JPG
I like to add after 10 years the cushion itself is going to be worn internally anyway. Let it wear even, and if you keep longer, just get some new seats.
drivers seat on my t-bird after 10,11 years and 250,000 miles, no seat covers.
http://home.comcast.net/~psc777/Linterior.JPG
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Great question on seat covers. Depends what you intend to do with the Pony. Like most have responded,if you plan to sell in the future why keep them fresh for someone else to enjoy. Then again if you plan to use her as a daily driver which most pony's are then why not cover for the week and take them off for the weekends. Many reasons to cover, extreme sunlight will fad flat surfaces first,dry dusty climates will harden the leather and crack,cold climates will crack the leather as well over time. My pony has the parchment interior and being a light color will show any blemish quickly. My solution was to clean and condition the leather surfaces , double on the bottoms. And then I covered just the bottom section.Found some great seat covers from (www.shearcomfort.com). The encore covers look just like the factory leathers seat surfaces. I NEVER plan to sell my pony and right now she is a daily driver. I bring her to a ton of local and regional shows. When she goes to a show the covers come off. The seat will always look mint to me and that is all that matters..Picture is before covers where on..
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I've drove my winter car year-round for 15 years until I got my mustang. After about 12 years there was stuffing coming out of the driver's seat cushion (cloth covered) so I put a seat cover on to hide it. The seat cover fits well enough, but still moves around a lot. I'm thinking I'm sure glad I didn't drive around for 12+ years with that pita. Maybe a $1200 seat cover wouldn't do that, but it's a bit much, no? And I don't really care too much about the value of the mustang in 12 years anyway. So there's the reasons I'm agin the seat covers.
On the other hand... when I picked up my car from the autobody shop after about a month and a half of not seeing it, the drivers seat was much more noticeably dirty than the passenger seat as I remember it. I'll have to find a good leather shampoo to clean it up in the spring.
On the other hand... when I picked up my car from the autobody shop after about a month and a half of not seeing it, the drivers seat was much more noticeably dirty than the passenger seat as I remember it. I'll have to find a good leather shampoo to clean it up in the spring.
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