My Mk2 has these tartan pattern seats in it. The drivers side bolsters are knackered and the fabric has worn through. The side leather material has worn through as well. Would it be worth getting this repaired at a trimmers, or would it be easier and cheaper to try to source another seat? Thanks!
Considering the prices that some jokers are asking on ebay for used seats, I would look at a retrim. I've got a seat in the same pattern which I'm waiting for a quote back from a local trimmer for work similar to what you need so I cant let you know what they say so you have a ballpark. My plan is to strip a rear bench for the fabric.
Seat trimming/upholstery is very expensive, generally about £700 for a complete seat. I’ve been getting quotes recently for my BMW rear bench they have varied from £600 - 1200. Golf door cards £400 each, BMW carpet £1000. The impression I get is that trimmers aren’t interested in repairs or even whole single seats, they just want whole car interiors. As Tristan says, best looking for seats with parts that have the bits you need in good condition.
Reply from trimmer below: To be fair my seat looks worse than yours so you may get away with spending less but at least you have a ballpark now Looks like you are getting quoted Daaarn Saaaarf prices Phil, this guy is in West yorks
I'd considered buying this set and selling what I dont need but it looks like the drivers seat has been repaired in a non matching material and is bagger than a whore's drawers
On the flip side there's these but I think the seller most be smoking opiates with the price he's asking
There is no doubt everything is more expensive down here However your price is for a repair and not a whole seat plus the material so actually probably similar, pro rata.
My seat was very similar (aren’t they all) I had a rear seat cover and this is what the guy did 3 years ago I’m in the Durham area if you need him I can pass info on?
That looks a nice job, though I bet after 3 years it's gone up from 150. I had a few done by MJ interiors back in the day for about 30 quid a time!
Unless it's urgent keep scouring ebay/Facebook marketplace. One will probably turn-up. I'm sure there must be a good classified ads search tool to do the alerting but I haven't found one for parts. Not sure there is sufficient material in a rear seat to replace the bolsters but happy to be proven wrong. Also not everyone adds scene tax to spares. I prefer the Ultraviolet I have because they are all material inc the back, so buying one with a knackered bolster yields a few cuts out of the back of the seat.
I've just had my early gti seats repaired and rebuilt etc. I supplied some spare bits of cloth and the replacement foam. He worked miracles to be fair especially as the main patterns were like baggy whores. 100 for the rear and 225 for the fronts that I picked up today There are reasonable people out there with masses of experience. But they need to earn a living If you could just find a decent passenger seat and swap things around ..
They look great, you'll be able to put them on ebay for loads-o-money. But seriously the early covers do seem to get really baggy. Not sure if it's the foam that shrinks or the fabric stretches.
Your tartan seats look like the same bolster material pattern as the rainbow trim which is far more common. I’d be looking for a passenger seat cover set from either of the above interiors then get a trimmer to put the inner bolsters from that passenger seat (upper and lower) on to your driver seats outer bolsters. Shouldn’t be too expensive if you shop around.
I don't know if it just the early covers but the trimmer called it de-lamination. The actual fabric is stuck onto a sheet behind and these 2 part over tine causing that bagginess. 100% Rustbusters suggestion is the way to go
I'm certain the rainbow trim is darker. But same principle would apply if you could find a nice passenger seat in tartan. Not sure if anyones mentioned but 90 spec ones are different bolster shapes on the seat base at least, not sure if backrest differs too
just be careful, as that pattern seat comes in both pre and post 90 cars and the seat changed shape at the switchover
