[adasisthefuture]

I was searching for a discussion on this topic on this forum however, most discussions are only restricted to low cost cars and hardly any specific to Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Volvo etc. These days, luxury cars come with multiple Airbag setups including Centre Airbags and Specialized Airbags apart from regular curtain Airbags ( see SIPS - Side Impact Protection System offered by Volvo and a similar system by Mercedes S-Class wherein the seats move towards the centre and the Centre Armrest collapses to save the passenger from Side Impact). With such complex systems involved, I request knowledgeable members of this forum to throw light on the following aspects :

1) Should a owner of these hi-end Cars install Seat Covers, more particularly in view of the fact that most OEMs do not provide Seat Cover options as additional accessories ?

2) If the answer to question No.1 is in the affirmative then, which type of Covers are advisable as there are Custom Fit Options as well as Universal Fit options. The issue with most Custom Fits is that they require removal of seats for installation which is not at all advisable in Cars with such complex safety systems in place.

3) If the answer to question No.1 is in the negative, then what are the options available to protect and regularly clean expensive Genuine Leather ( for example Nappa Leather ) seats. There are some Detailing outlets doing Ceramic Coating on the seats however as Genuine leather is mostly porous, doing Ceramic Coating makes the Leather hard over time.

Thank you .

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by adasisthefuture

1) Should a owner of these hi-end Cars install Seat Covers, more particularly in view of the fact that most OEMs do not provide Seat Cover options as additional accessories ?

We even had a sub 10L car with 7 airbags. In India, we do not have a manufacturer/installer who is certified to make airbag compatible seat covers. Only option is to provide an opening for the side airbags.

2) If the answer to question No.1 is in the affirmative then, which type of Covers are advisable as there are Custom Fit Options as well as Universal Fit options. The issue with most Custom Fits is that they require removal of seats for installation which is not at all advisable in Cars with such complex safety systems in place.

Better to go for a reputed installer specialized in car seats (who have work experience in luxury cars). Have a detailed discussion with them in advance.

3) If the answer to question No.1 is in the negative, then what are the options available to protect and regularly clean expensive Genuine Leather ( for example Nappa Leather ) seats.

Not a big deal. Use leather cleaner and conditioner from a reputed manufacturer if you are DIY person or take it to specialists like 3M car care or Turtle Wax centers.

[BANDHAV]

Numerous customization outlets can do Grade A work by changing/upgrading the upholstery for any luxury car. Interior upholstery rework is possible for all kinds of cars.

To put it into perspective, a Phantom VIII interior is currently being refurbished. The only technicality involved is special stitching to ensure the correct deployment of airbags integrated into the seat.

[condor]

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

Just to put it into perspective, a Phantom VIII interior is being refurbished currently. The only technicality involved is special stitching to ensure correct deployment of airbags integrated into seat.

Interesting. Coming directly to my question: Does your company/ any other company provide replacement seat covers for regular cars in India, that can be shipped to customer and fitted on locally ?

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by adasisthefuture

1) Should a owner of these hi-end Cars install Seat Covers, more particularly in view of the fact that most OEMs do not provide Seat Cover options as additional accessories ?

2) If the answer to question No.1 is in the affirmative then, which type of Covers are advisable as there are Custom Fit Options as well as Universal Fit options.

3) If the answer to question No.1 is in the negative, then what are the options available to protect and regularly clean expensive Genuine Leather ( for example Nappa Leather ) seats.

Thank you .

1) Not just premium cars, any car with airbags integrated in the seat cannot be fitted with covers of any kind as it’s difficult to match the factory tear points built into the stock seats. Also you’ll lose any ventilation and cooling/heating built into the seat. Seat massaging might work but won’t be the same experience.

For eg. even mass market cars like Accord, Camry and even smaller ones like Verna have had 6 airbags for many years now. The factory fabric/leather easily lasts 10+ years and on many cars, 15 years. Post which just replace the seat instead of messing with the factory systems.

The correct method would be a full strip and reupholstery, skills I’ve not yet seen any local shop possess (with a quality outcome at least). Unless we’re talking high end interior customisation from the likes of Brabus/Alpina, etc.

Goes without saying, unless the customisation is checked and approved by the mfg. the warranty on all related components will be void.

2) The only way to get a half decent fit is to remove the seats and do a custom install. Removing seats on any car, specially newer ones is not advisable as you have a lot of wiring and sensors.

Sensors and motors for not just airbags but also occupant weight and position, temperature and ventilation, massaging functions, lumbar support, seat position adjustment and more.

3) Keep the leather clean (use an all purpose cleaner like Koch Chemie Greenstar with a medium soft brush) and apply a good conditioner like 3D LVP to form a thin barrier between the leather clearcoat and whatever touches it.

It’s the buildup of grease/body oils and fine debris in the folds of the leather that accelerates its wear and tear.

[Akshay1234]

Seat covers certainly aren't a good idea in my opinion for any car with a lot of seat electronics and airbags, etc. If one has to change the upholstery, it would require removing the existing leather/fabric and then stitching new upholstery on to the seat. Now there are a lot of factors in this right from the people removing/fitting the parts (they need knowledge and care, so as not to break minor parts), to the person doing the stitching (Who needs to be a bit OCD to ensure the finish), to even the leather/material used. When all these come together then its possible to get an almost factory fit and finish.

[harshaguduru]

One practical issue with a colleague's baleno after installing seat covers has been that the no seat belt chime is continuous from the rear seats even when no one is seated.
Any car with sensors, electronics, or ventilation seats will be a challenge for after-market seat covers.
One interesting thing a known person spoke about was using a spray coating to protect the seats - if I recall correctly they used ceramic. Not sure what happened afterwards.
Does anyone in the forum have experience with ceramic coating for seats?

[RedOne]

Originally Posted by harshaguduru

Does anyone in the forum have experience with ceramic coating for seats?

The ceramic coating package for my car at Ultimate Detailerz included a coating for the leather areas (seats, dashboard). The product they used was CQuartz Leather.

It's too early for me to comment on effectiveness, but so far, no issues in 5 months. Leather has retained its suppleness and there are no new stains or marks. I'll probably do a DIY clean and condition every 6 months.

[ALTIMAed]

A friend is going to take delivery of his MG ZS EV Excite Pro (equipped with 6 airbags). He is keen to go in for high quality seat covers, hence has approached me for advice. Could I get a recommendation for an expert in this field please (Delhi / Gurgaon)?

Thanks in advance.

[adasisthefuture]

Originally Posted by ALTIMAed

A friend is going to take delivery of his MG ZS EV Excite Pro (equipped with 6 airbags). He is keen to go in for high quality seat covers, hence has approached me for advice. Could I get a recommendation for an expert in this field please (Delhi / Gurgaon)?

Thanks in advance.

I think Ceramic Coating would be the only viable option if you do not want to compromise on safety. Gyeon Leather Shield Evo might be a good option however it would depend on what type of leather the car comes with.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by harshaguduru

Does anyone in the forum have experience with ceramic coating for seats?

Yes I do, would not suggest a coating for anything on the interior. Reasons-

1) Leather coatings are not hard, glossy coatings like we see on paint or glass. They’re very similar to a conditioner in that they form a thin protective layer over the leather’s clearcoat. They also don’t last significantly longer than a traditional leather conditioner while being much more expensive.

2) They are irreversible, unlike coatings on paint/glass/wheels. These cannot be removed as you’ll need to polish with abrasives which will ruin the matte appearance and texture on most leathers.

3) For the same reason above, if one gets a high spot during application, it is near impossible to correct it not caught within 30-45 mins.

4) Strong odours (similar to paint coatings) but as it’s in the interior, it can take weeks to fully get rid of harmful odours emitted by the transfer solution. Note: you may not sense it as certain gases are not picked up by our nose very well, doesn’t mean it isn’t there and harming your health.

In my experience, just stick to a good leather conditioner and reapply every few weeks (drivers seat) and every few months on less used seats.

Originally Posted by ALTIMAed

A friend is going to take delivery of his MG ZS EV Excite Pro (equipped with 6 airbags). He is keen to go in for high quality seat covers, hence has approached me for advice. Could I get a recommendation for an expert in this field please (Delhi / Gurgaon)?

Thanks in advance.

Show him the posts above please, you cannot simply add seat covers in a car with airbags integrated in the seats (look for the SRS Airbag tag on the right edge of the seat back).

The only way to change the seat leather is to strip it down and have it reupholstered by a mfg. approved expert otherwise your airbags may not work correctly in a side impact, you’ll also lose warranty on related components.

[Flyingdutchman]

We did try something out of the box (Or was it??) back in 2019 on one of the friends Jetta. It was a 2012 Model equipped with 8 airbags. It was a Pre-owned vehicle and we got a decent deal on it. Being a 7 year old /100k mileage had taken its toll on the seats. Seat cushions had flattened out and being beige colored theme, soiled dirt marks were pretty evident.

We both were ecstatic having owned our first car fresh out of college at such low price. Obviously we took it to a local detailing shop. Changing seat covers was not an option considering airbag sensor although the local mechanic insisted to trust his skills (which turned out to be a pretty big mistake). We, being 22 year old goobers believed his stories. So he suggested he would removed the original cover, re-cushion them with foam and stich the original covers back together. One thing we and he had forgot; It was not some Tata Indica seats we were experimenting on but a German Power Adjustable seat with in-built Airbags and sensors.

Long story short, He tore the cover alright but in the process messed up electrical wirings, airbag warning came up on instrument cluster thus making airbag on seat useless ,rather made it a safety hazard, power adjustable motor/actuator stopped working and he could not stich the cover properly ruining the contours of the seat.

Lesson learnt. Stick to what manufacturers advice. Don't do experiments with complex car parts, never trust local mechanic when he says "Kuch nahi Hota Saar".

[ALTIMAed]

Originally Posted by adasisthefuture

I think Ceramic Coating would be the only viable option if you do not want to compromise on safety. Gyeon Leather Shield Evo might be a good option however it would depend on what type of leather the car comes with.

The vehicle has fabric seats.

[akshaymahajan]

One could alway get the original seat cover replaced like Mr Narayan did with his Lexus (Lexus ES300h Ownership Review | EDIT: Bagheera celebrates 7 years and 76,000 kms)

Costs a pretty penny though