I'm looking for a '01 -'02 A6 Avant 1.9TDI in Germany. I found a car that i believed had leather interior but it turns out it has not. It's a bit hard to find 1.9 TDI's with leather and they seems to be expensive. So is leather a must? I mainly want leather because I have kids and want to be able to wipe of icecream and other stuff without leaving any stains and marks on the seats. Is the fabrick - cloth just as easy to maintain and just as stong?
I've always been a fan of leather for its looks but when ordering a new car last year it was a must because we had a child on the way - fabric just is't up to the job unless you like constant cleaning. I would wait and find one with leather or perhaps you could look into the cost of getting a fabric car re-trimmed in leather. In the UK it's a few hundred £ for a re-trim.
I have an 98 A4 with black leather seats. I drive it daily and have taken my brothers kids across Canada a couple of times. Everything that can be spilled on the seats pretty much has, and the interior always cleans up as new. The leather is very strong and the stitching is excellent.
Honestly I don't like the look of leather after a few years. I've seen so many seats which look sort of ragged and folded. Granted if you take care of it it might remain nice, but I've got cloth seats and they don't need any care at all except for the occasional vacuuming. If I want them completely clean again I take them to a specialists shop and they shampoo them. I do that maybe every 3 years for the complete car interiour and this really takes it back to practically new.
Regards
Wolfgang
Be carefull: This "leather" is not fireproof. My sigaret burned right true the so called leather..... *A6 TDI 1.9 2004*
"Jone Tytlandsvik" schreef in bericht news:429ecbcb$ snipped-for-privacy@news.broadpark.no...
Dont even think about it. Kids will destroy the cloth. Trust me - I know.
I had a 99 A4 Avant 1.8T. Wonderful car, but the grey cloth upholstery showed every spill and even professionals could not restore it. Liquids absorb quickly into the cloth and sometimes cannot be extracted, even by the most powerful vacuum cleaner. Milk based products are the worst - they begin to reek after a day, and the horrid smell can last for weeks depending on the weather.
Just dont do it.
I traded my A4 for an A6 with leather, and it has been wonderful. All spills wipe up perfectly. I keep a box of baby-wipes in the center console - even tho my youngest has been out of diapers for months now. The lanolin and aloe infused wipes are perfect for quick cleanups, and the leather loves it. It always cleans up as good as new.
Here in America you can buy the deep ribbed rubber all-weather floor mats at the dealer - appx $100. They look nice in the car, and they are tough armor agaisnt anything spilled on the floor. Now life is good (and fast, what with the twin turbos and all)
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