My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors

PatchyBoy · 16th March 2016, 11:55

My Bossa Nova White T-Jet is now 5+ years and 65000 kms old. Wanted to give her a face lift. During my visits to the US, had seen a friend's car with Alcantara interiors and loved it. Wanted the same for my car too. The material was hard to come by. No retailers in India. The manufacturer in Italy does not sell retail. After a long and hard search, found JPM Coachworks in the US, who sell retail.

Doing up the interiors in Alcantara alone was going to cost a bomb. The fabric at $ 110 for a yard (91.44 cm x 142 cm), would cost more than twice as much as leather would. So, I decided to get it done in a combo of the two materials.

So, went ahead and imported two yards of the material. Now to decide on the vendor who would do this for me. After speaking to a few popular names, I decided to approach Ceralli. I had got my Palio seats done from them and was very happy with the outcome.

Mr. Santhosh of Ceralli not only remembered me after all these years and was very eager to do my car interiors again. I was originally thinking of getting Napa leather, but at the shop after looking at which one blends better with Alcantara, decided to go with Satin leather instead.

I am very happy with the outcome. Since we were left with a bit of the Alcantara fabric, Mr. Santhosh made those neck rests for me. I had originally wanted to get the steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara as well, but he was upfront with not being able to get OE fit and finish, so dropped that idea.

Cost break up -

Alcantara - $259.30 - incl taxes & local shipping. Sister brought it back with her, so saved on international shipping.

Leather & labour at Ceralli - ₹ 38,800 - less the cost of leather saved due to Alcantara. Mr. Santhosh also gave me an additional discount as I was a repeat customer. He also threw in a bottle of Amway leather cleaner for free.

Let the pictures do the talking now

My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors-p1000578.jpg

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My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors-p1000572.jpg

My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors-p1000568.jpg

My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors-p1000574.jpg

My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors-p1000565.jpg

GTO · 17th March 2016, 11:06

Congratulations! Man, the interior looks so rich & premium.

From what I've read on international forums, alcantara is hard-wearing. More durable in the longer term than leather. But be sure to clean it immediately if it gets dirty. Black is the only recommended colour for alcantara (impossible to keep clean in lighter colours).

Alcantara is man-made, so it's a better option for those who feel strongly about using animal leather (example).

zee_bat · 17th March 2016, 11:53

Wow finally you got it! Remember posting pics of my octy's alcantara to help you! Congratulations it looks slick! I especially love the diamond cut design. Leather quality also seems top notch! Something to keep in mind for my verna's interior upgrade which is due soon!

mxh · 17th March 2016, 12:15

Wow this is looking really nice. Quite a huge investment for a 5 year old car! You must really love your Linea. How is it holding up mechanically?

vb-saan · 17th March 2016, 12:17

Very nice indeed! The combination along with the white stitching works very well.

You got rid of the seat belt for the rear middle seat?

PatchyBoy · 17th March 2016, 12:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

Congratulations! Man, the interior looks so rich & premium.

Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zee_bat

Wow finally you got it! Remember posting pics of my octy's alcantara to help you! Congratulations it looks slick! I especially love the diamond cut design. Leather quality also seems top notch! Something to keep in mind for my verna's interior upgrade which is due soon!

Thanks. Your inputs helped a lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mxh

Wow this is looking really nice. Quite a huge investment for a 5 year old car! You must really love your Linea. How is it holding up mechanically?

The car is absolutely fine mechanically. I have no plans of selling / upgrading in the near future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vb-san

Very nice indeed! The combination along with the white stitching works very well.

You got rid of the seat belt for the rear middle seat?

Thanks. The rear middle seat's seatbelt is stored beneath the seat and can be pulled out as required. My car usually has only 2 occupants, occasionally 3 or 4 and very rarely 5. As a matter of fact, the car has had 5 occupants only thrice in the 5+ years of ownership

M00M · 18th March 2016, 13:48

Interior looks premium. Great job. can you share the source if others want to buy alcantara in india through international shipping ? Thanks in advance.

PatchyBoy · 18th March 2016, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by M00M

Interior looks premium. Great job. can you share the source if others want to buy alcantara in india through international shipping ? Thanks in advance.

Thank you. Here is the Alcantara source - JPM Coachworks

The upholsterer who did the job for me -

Ceralli,
23rd Cross, KR Road,
Banashankari 2nd Stage,
Bangalore

YoungSaint · 18th March 2016, 15:13

That is some posh looking interiors! Awesome work. Really appreciate the lengths you went to make your car interior be this immaculate. Love it when someone pampers his/ her ride!

satz581993Mille · 18th March 2016, 15:47

wow! This just looks fabulous and IMO looks better than leather. With more time, it will only get better I suppose. However those looking for anything else other than black color like beige, this will be a pain to maintain. Thanks for sharing the pictures since I can recommend this to many of my friends who can try this instead of replacing the leather after some years of wear.

carwatcher · 18th March 2016, 16:00

You have done a smart job if you really want to retain this car for further five years or so.
We have this discussion on Lateral upgrades thread that it is better to invest the money on your newly purchased car on its mid life rather that hunt for another pre-owned one as you know the car's history very well and it would renew your interest in the car.
I have the T-Jet which is driven only 15000 kms in last four years and I also intend to retain it for longer periods but 1.6 S-Cross or some awesome A/T may force me to change my decision. But thank god 1.6 S-Cross is Diesel otherwise I would have exchanged it for my Petrol T-Jet by now.

Ruchitya · 18th March 2016, 20:38

Looks fab in black. Forgive my ignorance, but I am curious to know if the satin leather warms up when sat on for longer periods? Does it get uncomfortable, or does it feel the same as normal leather?

PatchyBoy · 18th March 2016, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruchitya

Looks fab in black. Forgive my ignorance, but I am curious to know if the satin leather warms up when sat on for longer periods? Does it get uncomfortable, or does it feel the same as normal leather?

Thanks. According to the product document, it is supposed to feel cool in summer and warm in winter. It is also supposed to hold you to the seat, when you take those sweeping curves. Too soon to comment. Will post long-term observations after a decent period of use.

Skyline_GT · 18th March 2016, 21:19

Classy! Looks simply stunning. Totally worth all the hard earned dimes spent. Indeed a unique way to celebrate five years of the Italian beauty.
One question despite being black is the material a dirt/stain magnet or is it easy to maintain?

ajaypjayaraj · 19th March 2016, 21:08

So that's 2 of us giving new life to our cars when turning 5 by giving Alcantara treatment to interior. I could imagine how much you are enjoying the upgrade as I am going through the same. I also sourced it from a garage in US through ebay with my brother's help. Have put up pics in my Skoda Yeti thread a few days ago. It is better in hot climate with Alcantara. Does not heat up like OE leather. Its a worthy upgrade. Enjoy!

16th March 2016, 11:55	#1
PatchyBoy BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Goa Posts: 923 Thanked: 2,153 Times View My Garage	My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors My Bossa Nova White T-Jet is now 5+ years and 65000 kms old. Wanted to give her a face lift. During my visits to the US, had seen a friend's car with Alcantara interiors and loved it. Wanted the same for my car too. The material was hard to come by. No retailers in India. The manufacturer in Italy does not sell retail. After a long and hard search, found JPM Coachworks in the US, who sell retail. Doing up the interiors in Alcantara alone was going to cost a bomb. The fabric at $ 110 for a yard (91.44 cm x 142 cm), would cost more than twice as much as leather would. So, I decided to get it done in a combo of the two materials. So, went ahead and imported two yards of the material. Now to decide on the vendor who would do this for me. After speaking to a few popular names, I decided to approach Ceralli. I had got my Palio seats done from them and was very happy with the outcome. Mr. Santhosh of Ceralli not only remembered me after all these years and was very eager to do my car interiors again. I was originally thinking of getting Napa leather, but at the shop after looking at which one blends better with Alcantara, decided to go with Satin leather instead. I am very happy with the outcome. Since we were left with a bit of the Alcantara fabric, Mr. Santhosh made those neck rests for me. I had originally wanted to get the steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara as well, but he was upfront with not being able to get OE fit and finish, so dropped that idea. Cost break up - Alcantara - $259.30 - incl taxes & local shipping. Sister brought it back with her, so saved on international shipping. Leather & labour at Ceralli - ₹ 38,800 - less the cost of leather saved due to Alcantara. Mr. Santhosh also gave me an additional discount as I was a repeat customer. He also threw in a bottle of Amway leather cleaner for free. Let the pictures do the talking now Attached Thumbnails
	(60) Thanks

17th March 2016, 11:06	#2
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 72,616 Thanked: 317,361 Times View My Garage	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors Congratulations! Man, the interior looks so rich & premium. From what I've read on international forums, alcantara is hard-wearing. More durable in the longer term than leather. But be sure to clean it immediately if it gets dirty. Black is the only recommended colour for alcantara (impossible to keep clean in lighter colours). Alcantara is man-made, so it's a better option for those who feel strongly about using animal leather (example). Last edited by GTO : 9th July 2022 at 09:02. Reason: Removing old url
	(11) Thanks

17th March 2016, 11:53	#3
zee_bat BHPian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Delhi Posts: 92 Thanked: 154 Times	Wow finally you got it! Remember posting pics of my octy's alcantara to help you! Congratulations it looks slick! I especially love the diamond cut design. Leather quality also seems top notch! Something to keep in mind for my verna's interior upgrade which is due soon!
	(1) Thanks

17th March 2016, 12:15	#4
mxh BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Mumbai Posts: 319 Thanked: 280 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors Wow this is looking really nice. Quite a huge investment for a 5 year old car! You must really love your Linea. How is it holding up mechanically?
	() Thanks

17th March 2016, 12:17	#5
vb-saan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: S'pore/Thrissur Posts: 7,424 Thanked: 13,141 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors Very nice indeed! The combination along with the white stitching works very well. You got rid of the seat belt for the rear middle seat?
	() Thanks

18th March 2016, 13:48	#7
M00M BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mumbai Posts: 853 Thanked: 1,322 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors Interior looks premium. Great job. can you share the source if others want to buy alcantara in india through international shipping ? Thanks in advance.
	() Thanks

18th March 2016, 15:13	#9
YoungSaint BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata Posts: 78 Thanked: 65 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors That is some posh looking interiors! Awesome work. Really appreciate the lengths you went to make your car interior be this immaculate. Love it when someone pampers his/ her ride!
	() Thanks

18th March 2016, 15:47	#10
satz581993Mille BHPian Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Pune Posts: 94 Thanked: 50 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors wow! This just looks fabulous and IMO looks better than leather. With more time, it will only get better I suppose. However those looking for anything else other than black color like beige, this will be a pain to maintain. Thanks for sharing the pictures since I can recommend this to many of my friends who can try this instead of replacing the leather after some years of wear.
	() Thanks

18th March 2016, 16:00	#11
carwatcher Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bardez, Goa Posts: 1,184 Thanked: 1,032 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors You have done a smart job if you really want to retain this car for further five years or so. We have this discussion on Lateral upgrades thread that it is better to invest the money on your newly purchased car on its mid life rather that hunt for another pre-owned one as you know the car's history very well and it would renew your interest in the car. I have the T-Jet which is driven only 15000 kms in last four years and I also intend to retain it for longer periods but 1.6 S-Cross or some awesome A/T may force me to change my decision. But thank god 1.6 S-Cross is Diesel otherwise I would have exchanged it for my Petrol T-Jet by now.
	() Thanks

18th March 2016, 20:38	#12
Ruchitya BHPian Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Austin, BLR Posts: 89 Thanked: 124 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors Looks fab in black. Forgive my ignorance, but I am curious to know if the satin leather warms up when sat on for longer periods? Does it get uncomfortable, or does it feel the same as normal leather?
	() Thanks

18th March 2016, 21:19	#14
Skyline_GT BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Bombay Posts: 217 Thanked: 477 Times View My Garage	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors Classy! Looks simply stunning. Totally worth all the hard earned dimes spent. Indeed a unique way to celebrate five years of the Italian beauty. One question despite being black is the material a dirt/stain magnet or is it easy to maintain?
	() Thanks

19th March 2016, 21:08	#15
ajaypjayaraj BHPian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: KL 11 Posts: 930 Thanked: 1,164 Times	Re: My Fiat Linea T-Jet gets Alcantara & Leather interiors So that's 2 of us giving new life to our cars when turning 5 by giving Alcantara treatment to interior. I could imagine how much you are enjoying the upgrade as I am going through the same. I also sourced it from a garage in US through ebay with my brother's help. Have put up pics in my Skoda Yeti thread a few days ago. It is better in hot climate with Alcantara. Does not heat up like OE leather. Its a worthy upgrade. Enjoy!
	() Thanks