# Tough time with E90 interior



## Halfunction (Apr 15, 2012)

Leatherette, or vinyl, on the seats has been giving me problems. It looks decent but all the crevices look dark. I tried really going at it with Wolfgang's upholstery cleaner which smells pretty harsh. I had mixed results, some parts looking better than others.

I tried Lexol leather cleaner on the door, you can see the dark spot, that was after just a few rubs, wow! Won't ever use that stuff again. I tried the Wolfgang's and it was still putting marks in... wow.

On the floor the plastic was seriously dirty, I went and got a magic eraser, in three passes it took all the dirt out... as well as the texture from the plastic.









































Worst of all, my steering wheel is on the wrong side! :O

Fairly frusturated at this point, and not sure what to do short of running out and getting a steam cleaner.


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## Jammy J (May 5, 2012)

Take a look at this review done by Derek.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=265705


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

Dr Leather on my E92 http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=236055

:thumb:

The grain in the plastic will come up nice if you use a brush & agitate the dirt :thumb:

Try these first as they are not too hard: Pair of Bristle Shoe Boot Polish Brush: Amazon.co.uk: Shoes & Accessories

:thumb:


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

I use Gliptone Leather Cleaner and agitate with a nail brush. Once cleaned protect them with some Gtech L1 :thumb:


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## Halfunction (Apr 15, 2012)

They are vinyl seats, not leather, though. Will have a go at the plastic with a brush, should work.


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

Halfunction said:


> They are vinyl seats, not leather, though. Will have a go at the plastic with a brush, should work.


Are you sure


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## Halfunction (Apr 15, 2012)

Leatherette

Leatherette is a form of artificial leather, usually made by covering a fabric base with plastic. The fabric can be made of a natural or a synthetic fibre which is then covered with a soft PVC layer.

Leatherette bound books and 20th century cameras are good examples of leatherette. Leatherette clothing of various kinds (including lingerie) also exist.

A disadvantage of plastic "leatherette" is that it is not porous and does not allow air to pass through it; thus, sweat can accumulate if it is used for clothing, car seat coverings, etc. One of its primary advantages, especially in cars, is that it requires little maintenance in comparison to leather, and does not crack or fade as easily.

During a fire, leatherette may cause serious skin damage, because it burns more vigorously than leather and can melt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_leather#Leatherette


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

Halfunction said:


> Leatherette
> 
> Leatherette is a form of artificial leather, usually made by covering a fabric base with plastic. The fabric can be made of a natural or a synthetic fibre which is then covered with a soft PVC layer.
> 
> ...


No mate you miss understood :lol:, I meant are you sure that your BMW has leatherette seats? :thumb:


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

Most leather on the face of seats is actual leather elsewhere it tends t be others forms I would anything harsh on them at all. 


Sent from a fat fingered Jobsian phone user.


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## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

I use Zaino leather cleaner and a bristly brush (usually included in a kit form) and haven't met a set of leather seats that haven't come up yet.


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## Fac (Mar 31, 2012)

To the OP, 
Ive been using Dr. Leather wipes with head nodding satisfaction, for the stitching Ive found a medium toothbrush soaked with the juices as i tear off a wipe does well.
Found that in tearing the wipes i was wrangling a fair bit of the good stuff back into the tub hole via my fingers, now it goes onto the brush and worked in, clean mf to lift gear off.


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## Halfunction (Apr 15, 2012)

ITHAQVA said:


> No mate you miss understood :lol:, I meant are you sure that your BMW has leatherette seats? :thumb:


I see! They are indeeed leatherette.

Any suggestions for vinyl seats?


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## juddzey455 (Jan 30, 2009)

There leather seats and doors 100%, not vinyl/leatherette


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

juddzey455 said:


> There leather seats and doors 100%, not vinyl/leatherette


Thats what i thought 

I havent heard of any of E90 range with leatherette seats & doors


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## rinns (May 24, 2008)

ITHAQVA said:


> Thats what i thought
> 
> I havent heard of any of E90 range with leatherette seats & doors


The USA get leatherette instead of cloth seats on the basic models


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

rinns said:


> The USA get leatherette instead of cloth seats on the basic models


Poor show BMW :doublesho


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## Dr Leather (Sep 8, 2010)

ITHAQVA said:


> Poor show BMW :doublesho


I think you'll find it offers more resistance to coffee and donuts.....seriously!!!


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

Dr Leather said:


> I think you'll find it offers more resistance to coffee and donuts.....seriously!!!


:lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## juddzey455 (Jan 30, 2009)

the low spec 1 series can be bought in the uk with full leatherette/vinyl or what ever you wish to call it.

But the op seats are 100% leather, the picture of the door clearly shows the colour knocked of the leather showing the hide, if it was a vinyl/leatherette car it would be showing a white mesh (i have the original bmw vinyl on a roll)

Just by the look of the seats thay look like bmw's "soft look leather" vinyl/leatherette cars look tight as a drum! (for a reason)


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## Halfunction (Apr 15, 2012)

The seats are indeed leather, it's not my car.

Note, this is a US spec car. I had to Google around to find out how to tell the difference as both are textured. I didn't know you could get real leather in the cream color, the seats are also not particularly soft so I just figured it was the faux stuff.

In the US Leatherette is standard on the 3 series, as well as other cars.

I will try Lexol with a horsehair brush, hopefully that will do the trick! 

The tell is the line going down the door, you can read more about it here http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=523721&highlight= (don't bother reading after page 1, the thread gets dumb fast)

EDIT: Didn't seem to make much of an impact. I'll probably give the Dr. Leather stuff a go but chances are those cracks are dark due to things besides dirt.


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

If you see the price they pay for a new 3 series in US you will see why they don't get leather on new F30


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## juddzey455 (Jan 30, 2009)

Derekh929 said:


> If you see the price they pay for a new 3 series in US you will see why they don't get leather on new F30


Also a different market to us, a friend of mine just come back from Lear in germany doing R&D seat design work for the new X5 for the american market, the uk (euro) spec will be different to the usa to suit customer needs.


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## Halfunction (Apr 15, 2012)

Derekh929 said:


> If you see the price they pay for a new 3 series in US you will see why they don't get leather on new F30


Yeah cars are quite a bit more in the UK than in the US it seems. I'm so shocked at how seemingly every single person on here owns or knows someone that owns a Maserati/Ferrari/Porsche/750Li etc

Must be nice!


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## rinns (May 24, 2008)

Halfunction said:


> Yeah cars are quite a bit more in the UK than in the US it seems. I'm so shocked at how seemingly every single person on here owns or knows someone that owns a Maserati/Ferrari/Porsche/750Li etc
> 
> Must be nice!


Theve had it good for too long, times must have changed and this cant be the norm no longer? Surely

When you look at the lease rates the us get on cars it takes the ****


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