Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior Car Seats-Leather VS Cloth in Celica GTS

I am in the process of purchasing a 2003 Celica GTS. I can purchase a GTS with leather seat about the same as one with cloth. So what do you like Cloth or Leather? Why? Would you get the same interior again?
Thanks for you time

i personally like the cloth and thats what i have... i dont like the leather because it gets real hot in the summer and whenever you move around the leather squeeks... and leather looks bad/wrinkly after its worn out.

Don't quote me on this, but my friend is a dealer (car, not drugs), and he says the leather on the GTS is synthetic. I wouldn't personally bother if its fake, I'd do cloth, but hey, its your life.

my old seats were the stock cloth ones and i liked them alright. they did have a few small flaws in them after a year's use (cloth was slightly torn in one area), but overall i liked them over the leather ones i sat in (too hot in the summer, don't hold you in as well, etc.).
but in the end, i like my cloth corbeau A4's better than both of those .

leather!!!

the GTS leather sucks in the 00-02 models, the 03 is perforated, and is much better!

If you like leather get it, but, its sticky and doesn't hold the driver as good as the cloth

I've sat in the 03 with leather and it's still not as good as cloth. You're just sliding around too much still so yea, cloth is preferred by me!

Leather has a better look to it though...so...

its really just a matter of personal preference. i have an '00 gts with leather and i like it fine. i don't find it too hot to sit on (even in our hot summers)...but it is more slippery than cloth.

i find leather more easy to maintain than cloth...harder to stain and all you have to do is wipe them down and looks good as new. havnt had problems with the seats being wrinkly after awhile either.

and if you really are worried about heat (like i said i got along just fine in the summer), tinted windows will help evern more.

that said...theres nothing wrong w/cloth at all...and its cheaper.

I have leather, and I live in the heart of texas, it doesn't hold all that well, but nothing a harness can't fix.

^^ as in seatbelt

LEATHER:
PRO'S: Easy to clean, Looks great.
CON'S: Hot in the summer, Cold in the winter, Will crack/wrinkle if not taken care of.

CLOTH:
PRO'S: Doesn't have as great of a temp. change as leather, Comes in different colors to match your car.
CON'S: Is harder to clean, can fray over time.

When it all comes down to it, it's just personal preference.

cloth...makes it seem more import...if you kno what i mean...

Honestly I find the seat holds me in well enough anyway so the leather doesn't affect me to much. Celica does have a real good design on seats.

Leather looks a lot better and will last much much longer if maintained properly. It's a given that cloth will fade and fray and tear eventually.

Honestly I never understood the big deal about how it is hot or cold etc. Simply let your car warm up (better for the engine anyhow) and it shouldn't be to big of a deal. Doesn't matter if you have leather or cloth if it is below freezing outside it's going to be cold in your car. Same goes for heat.

uhm, no.

The leather gets HOT if you leave it in the sun. Cloth, does not.

BTW, the leather/cloth seat shape isn't the same. the leather seat has less padding on the side bolsters, making it feel like "pinch-y" on your sides during spirited driving

leather is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. personally i'd never get a car with leather interior. my boyfriend has leather in his stang GT and i hate it, you slide everywhere, its hot and sticky in the summer, its cold in the winter, and it can be easy to scratch up the leather too if you're not careful.

It's easy enough to rip cloth.

As for it being hot or cold I always let my car warm up and being a guy I very rarely have my skin touching it and even when I do it doesn't bother me. I've had leather cars since I've been driving and it's just never bothered me.

I just think it looks a lot better and cleaner then clothc. I've never really cared for cloth as it gives a cheap feel to the car for me.

But in the end it's all personal preference but if maintained leather has the huge advantage of lasting a good deal longer then cloth. Problem is few people maintain it and use products such as leather softener.

i've had more problems with my leather being cold than i have being hot. the hot has never bothered me..but i do hate sitting on it when its cold out.

and i like the fact that the leather has less padding...its more of a "race style" seat and makes the car look a little sportier.

LEATHER!!!

I like cloth...just seems more comfortable...but leather is more sporty and looks better

i used to say i didn't like leather either until i got a car with leather in it... i definately wouldn't trade it for cloth now (and i have a parts car with cloth seats in it... so i really could if i wanted to) truth is.. the leather looks awesome... i love it... it kinda gives the interior a classy/sporty look... yeah it's kinda hot in the summer... but once you crank the a/c it cools down... as well as it'll warm up in the winter... the temp of the leather really doesn't bother me... but like everyone else said... it's really about personal preference

LEATHER TURNS CHICKS ON:happywink

Both are nice, but if I had a choice I would either go for leather or aftermarket seats BUT I have been in an 03' GTS with leather, and the quality was ehh ok and I have been in more luxury cars with leather and there is no comparison...

Actually...why don't you take the money that you would be spending extra on the leather and get some nice aftermarket seats? Thats what I would do...if I had the money.

i think that either or your screwed...you get the none leather matrial and you have to deal with a lot of dust sittin on the seats...leather jus tears up after a while and is not fun on a hot summer day...

As said before you simply have to maintain leather. Leather can have a longer lasting life then cloth but it requires applying leather softener. Few people tend to use thse products.

its all a matter of personal preference...i have the cloth seats myself and I love them...but then again its all on you

cloth is easy to rip. a keychain or a pen could defect it. dirt is harder to remove, and if seats are cleaned with steam vacuum(the one that uses hot water and vacuums back the water), the sponge in the inside will destroy quicker. cloth doesnt have a good feel as a leather does and when you sit on it and move, cloth sometimes sticks on u, which makes it wear out quicker. think about some fat guy wearing a small tshirt, the shirt will get bigger by time. same with cloth, ur movements will sometimes make the material wider, bubbly. as of leather, once it starts wearing out, it starts looking bad and its more sliding. it also absorbs more temperature while it doesnt really absorb liquid spilled. the good thing about leather is that it definetly gives ur car a better, sporty look (leather with holes in em). you also have the option to shine it which will make it look nicer. i would go for leather. i dont think that you fall off the seat by sliding on the seat, and you can prevent parking the car under the sun, or tint ur windows.

For what it's worth, leather doesn't get any colder or hotter than cloth, it just feels that way because leather has a higher thermal conductivity. Any time you have two objects at different temperatures, heat will transfer from the warmer object to the cooler object. The thermal conductivity of the objects determines the rate of transfer. When you get up on a winter morning your floor is the same temperature whether it's tile or carpet, but the tile feels colder because there is a higher rate of heat transfer from your feet to the cold floor. The carpet is just as cold, but since it doesn't sap the warmth out of your feet, it doesn't feel as cold. Same thing with leather vs. cloth seats.

I love my leather seats. They hold you just fine. Even most top magazines that have test the GTS with leather seats were suprised how much the seat held the driver.

^^ it's already a given that the celica seats are realy good seats for being stock, doesnt matter if it's leather or cloth.

i like my cloth seats, btw

suede!

What everyone says here also. If you are really and I mean truely into racing don't get leather, you'll be sliding around perforated or not uless you weigh 390 Lbs. I love the leather and my seat is a little lose ( not mine the cars) just hit 70,000 miles. The heat in the summer is a killer. Let the AC start and come back like 10-15 minutes like warming up your car in the winter and the same there, but I don't mind the heat or cold that's just me. Leather thumbs up for appeal and resale if the price is the same.

Sorrry I forgot this. My friend has a GT w/cloth seats (25,000 < miles) and the drivers seat is completely worn. Maybe due to his fat ass but the dealership is giving him a hard time in replacing it.

dealership wouldnt change it for free under warranty. the cause if because of the way/person sitting on it. that is not their fault, and that just what happens to cloth. IMO

leather is great in a temperature controlled environment...such as chairs/couches in ur house/apartment...

but (IMO) in a car due to the hot/cold effect cloth is the way to go...(until you get aftermarket seats that is)...

Heh, no way. The leather in the celicas is genuine, no doubt about it (My driver's seat even has a "Scar" that belonged to the cow originally, no joke)

Seriously, the leather isn't bad, it does get hot in the summer, doesn't squeak all that much, and will wear much slower than cloth. Perforated leather is an available option, and would not only keep the seats cool, but would lighten them up a bit as well over the solid leather seating Like my perticular car has. If the leather were synthetic, they would need to say so by law; synthetic leather is called nagahyde BTW, and actually it will last longer than natural leather.On my seats,almost the entire seat face leather, as are the bolsters, the seatback appears as if it may be nagahyde.

Anybody know what it would cost to have a couple Corbeau A4 seats wrapped in leather? Maybe red and black to match my interior.

Figured I would bring this old as hell thread back to ask this question instead of starting a new one.

i have cloth seats, i wish i had gotten leather

You can find them in the for sale forum sometimes. There is also people looking for your cloth seats every now and then, but you probably knew that since you have been here since 03 huh?

tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed. lol bad pimp my ride joke

yea i know but i would want the 03-05 celica leather seats not pervous years

Well, I'm sure there are lots of people who get racing seats. Shouldn't be too hard to find if you did want them.

I'm about to put my red and black cloth seats up for sale. Not sure if anybody will want them, but worth a try.

whats the difference between the 03-05 and the previous year seats?

i have leather and i would buy it all over agion --i dont know why all these people are sliding but i dont have any issues with that and they hold me in very dood--to my surprise they have not been to hot or too cold in the winter so it is personal preferance and since you are asking i bet you would rather have leather-so go for it

I've never had cloth seats that didn't fray and tear, but I must add I have a job that requires getting in and out of the car dozens of times a day. My GTS is my first experience w leather, and so far so good.

Temperature retention has not seemed a major factor, and they clean very easily and look great after using leather wipes. Also ride with puppy occasionally and doggy vomit is a MAJOR issue on cloth seats.

IMO, the leather (synthetic or not!) compliments the sporty style of the GTS better than cloth

YOU have never had a problem when the seats are hot because you always wear jeans!! Try it with shorts or a skirt...it's HOT!

i got leather...wish i had cloth doe...

Leather is like all other skins it will crack & wrinkle if not properly moisturized. Thats why some seats look like my grandmother. Leather conditioner (a type of lotion) must be used regulary! Also, most back seats are vinyl. Vinyl can get shiny after prolonged use.

Like many have said, it's all personal preference and what you plan to do in the future. If you're going to get racing seats in the near future, go with the cloth. I have an '03 GTS with leather and I really like it. The leather gives the interior a luxurious look and the seat design adds the sporty image. I've found that the perforated leather in the '03s cut down on the extreme temps.(too hot/too cold) With a leather cleaner/conditioner used regularly, the seats maintain a nice look all the time. One last thing, (important to me!) My fiance's hair doesnt stick to my leather like it does to her cloth seats, easy to keep my car clean.

Leather is def the way to go. Especially with an 03 cause they have perforated leather thats way comfortable.

i like my cloth seats, ive had a lot of people ask me if theyre aftermarket