The seat's exploded diagram from the LEAF Service Manual shows the side airbag to be in the lower 2/3 of the seat's side:sullyfahs said:
Leather anyone?
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TRONZ
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Has anyone done leather in the same shade as stock... or lighter? It is leather after all.
JimSouCal
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I am going to try to get close... The problem is the stock interior seems to have some odd color and leather tends to have some red warm that will conflict with the rest of the interior.TRONZ said:
As I have silver, the interior probably would have looked better in dominant gray with no hue, but the interior needed to span all the colors and work with them, I suppose.
I can't wait to get leather, as the fabric is starting to get some grunge and I do not like grunge when it is a combination of dirt, skin flake, and body oil, and whatever lives on that buffet.
sullyfahs said:
Post #22 in this thread:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4266&start=22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
geolizleaf
Member
I got the Katzkin brochure the other day, I'm thinking of getting the Lt Grey..it looks to match the darker color of the console and dash. Anyone have that color yet? If so, could you post pictures?
Not sure about installing it myself. my local installer has quoted $1300 installed, .. which is about $500 for the install. (the kit with plain stitching is $789 at Autoseatskins.com)
I've toyed with the idea of doing it myself after watching the Gearz show on Speed do a truck with Katzkin leather a few weeks ago. It didn't look extremely hard, just tedious.. Anybody installed a Katzkin themselves?
Not sure about installing it myself. my local installer has quoted $1300 installed, .. which is about $500 for the install. (the kit with plain stitching is $789 at Autoseatskins.com)
I've toyed with the idea of doing it myself after watching the Gearz show on Speed do a truck with Katzkin leather a few weeks ago. It didn't look extremely hard, just tedious.. Anybody installed a Katzkin themselves?
JimSouCal
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You might search for the wet okole cover installation thread, as it may shed some light on how hard it is to do. As for my ride, the folks in Westminster will get my $1K for the out the door price... They need the car for over a day (ask for 2 days), but they sew the covers in house, perhaps that might shed some light on how much is involved. I am penciled in for this week...geolizleaf said:
A lot of the stuff they do on This Old House looks easy as well, but I wouldn't really want to try doing some of those things myself!geolizleaf said:
Many years ago, a friend asked me to give him an estimate on redoing the Recaros in his VW Corrado in Utlra-Suede, so I had the opportunity to become very familiar with automotive seat upholstery. You're right that it's not extremely hard, but it does require a bit knowledge on how the cover is attached to the seat. It can be a frustrating experience otherwise.
If the Katzkin covers are properly made and are attached with hog rings, you will need a pair of hog ring pliers.
geolizleaf
Member
I'm in Tucson, so we don't have too many choices in leather shops. If we had 400 miles of range, :lol: I'd go to the shop in Orange County so may LA folks have used.. His work looks nice..
The guy that I got a quote from fixed my G35 seat when it got torn.( that's another story) As for the Leaf, I don't like how light the interior is, and its certainly a dirt magnet. Leather is less dusty, and I'm not too concerned about people thinking poorly of me because I switched to leather. I bought the car because it's cool technology first, and because it uses so little energy second. I find it's almost as quick as my G35 to about 40mph.. really love the acceleration. Electric motor torque is so cool
Yes, I believe these seats use Hog Rings, so if I did it myself I'd buy the Hog Ring pliers from Autoseatskins.com at the time I purchase the new upholstery. My wife thinks I should pay the local guy the extra $500, and not loose several weekends doing it myself. She's probably right The guy at Autoseatskins.com said start with the bottom of the back seat, and if you succeed, then you'll be fine, otherwise, if you fail, pile the covers into the back and drive to the local shop.. he wasn't too encouraging.
The guy that I got a quote from fixed my G35 seat when it got torn.( that's another story) As for the Leaf, I don't like how light the interior is, and its certainly a dirt magnet. Leather is less dusty, and I'm not too concerned about people thinking poorly of me because I switched to leather. I bought the car because it's cool technology first, and because it uses so little energy second. I find it's almost as quick as my G35 to about 40mph.. really love the acceleration. Electric motor torque is so cool
Yes, I believe these seats use Hog Rings, so if I did it myself I'd buy the Hog Ring pliers from Autoseatskins.com at the time I purchase the new upholstery. My wife thinks I should pay the local guy the extra $500, and not loose several weekends doing it myself. She's probably right The guy at Autoseatskins.com said start with the bottom of the back seat, and if you succeed, then you'll be fine, otherwise, if you fail, pile the covers into the back and drive to the local shop.. he wasn't too encouraging.
GPowers
Well-known member
sullyfahs said:
The upholstery from Skyline Seating are NOT covers. Tony does a complete re-upholstery job on the interior. It is a one off custom job that you can upgrade things like diamond perforation and stitching colors that you want.
GPowers
Well-known member
TRONZ said:
At the Skiline Seating shop I could not match the light color exactly. And if you can not match it exactly it might look a little strange as there are several trim parts that are right up against the f upholstery.
Plus my wife's car has light gray leather seats that are hard to keep clean. So We picked the darker color.
The contrast looks great.
aqn said:
I'll agree with this. I've done several cars worth of installs and the toughest part is figuring out how the new upholstery goes on. But you generally learn this while you're taking the old covers off - as they used to say in the Haynes automotive repair manuals, "reassembly is the reverse of removal". Except that while you could generally care less what condition the covers coming off end up in, you're obviously wanting to be more careful with the new ones.
From what I've seen the kits cost at retail, you're only paying an upholstery shop $200-$300 to do the whole job for you (of course they make a bit extra from the difference between wholesale and retail). And they've got the experience, so they're going to be doing it a heck of a lot faster than you. So I'd say unless you're really tight for cash; are unable to drive to an install facility; or really, really want the experience of doing it yourself, it's not the most prudent way to go.
GPowers
Well-known member
When we had Tony do our leather interior we also had the Leaf logo embroidered on the head rest. The blue stitching matches all the blue accents in the cabin, like the blue around the gear shift knob.
TRONZ
Well-known member
GPowers said:
When we had Tony do our leather interior we also had the Leaf logo embroidered on the head rest. The blue stitching matches all the blue accents in the cabin, like the blue around the gear shift knob.
NICE! I am actually not thinking of trying to match the plastic color. You are right, if it looks like you are trying to match it and get it wrong... your screwed! I am thinking of the the same hue but going noticably lighter.
JimSouCal
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Well, today I dropped of my LEAF, I went with a dark grey to match the dash under the window, so it will be a two tone effect. Will put up pics.TRONZ said:
Also, forgetting the headrests from the rear in the garage... GRRRR. Anyway, will bring them and they are kind enough to put them on when I wait. Tony, Tommy, Santos, nice fellows; Tony even gave me a ride to wait at Starbucks for my ride.
By the way, I happened upon the least expensive Vietnamese Restaurant I have ever been in--the Pho Noodles with white chicken meat was $2.75. I found it via Yelp with a series of happy reviews. I also ordered the fried noodle special with shrinp, and a jelly thai desert, and a house made carbonated lemonade. All for $9 total plus tip. http://www.yelp.com/biz/nha-hang-1-99-westminster" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Pretty ghetoo, pretty good, Music sorta feels like you landed in Da Nang. Just a part of the adventure--Chaya on Main it aint.
Again, will put up the pics in the next few days... So far so good.
derkraut
Well-known member
JimSouCal said:
I'm happy to see that Skyline is getting some more Leaf business. I am absolutely happy with mine after two+ months. No flaws whatsoever noted; and the leather is so comfortable, and smells SOOO nice.
ColumbiaRiverGorge
Well-known member
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet."
Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel Prize 1921
Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel Prize 1921
I have been enjoying the posts about putting leather on your Leafs. Two weeks ago we took delivery on our blue Nissan Leaf. Right away we saw that the seat coverings were totally inadequate. They seemed to seek out and showcase any small stain or dirt. National NIssan could not advise seat covers, due to liabilities involved in inhibiting the deployment of the airbags. But my local Nissan dealer treated the seats and interior with some super stain preventer and, so far,it works very well! For the vegan who is posting, this could be a good solution. This is really a great car!
ColumbiaRiverGorge
Well-known member
Sullyfahs, I was part of the group buy & have custom wet suit material seat covers with heaters in the back and bum portion of the front seat covers. They are three colors (light grey in the middle with blue piping and darker grey for the outer portion of the seats and a center console cover). They also have some flaps in the side of the front seats for the air bags to deploy. They have pockets on the backs of the front seats to hold magazines, etc... Wet Okale makes them. I also used scotch guard on the door armrests. This is an amazing car, 3000 miles so far for $45 in electricity.
