[txoid]

I have a 535I '14 m-sport with dakota leather and multi-contour seats.
With the interior being all black, it's hard to tell where the leather stops and where and vinyl/plastic/synthetic parts are.
Can someone let me know what is leather and what isn't?

Front Door panels -
Rear Door panels -
Front seats - Of course. But what about the sides? I know the back isn't.
Rear seats -
Front headrests -
Rear headrest -
center console -
Shifter -

Thanks.

[snowmuch]

Originally Posted by txoid

I have a 535I '14 m-sport with dakota leather and multi-contour seats.
With the interior being all black, it's hard to tell where the leather stops and where and vinyl/plastic/synthetic parts are.
Can someone let me know what is leather and what isn't?

Front Door panels -
Rear Door panels -
Front seats - Of course. But what about the sides? I know the back isn't.
Rear seats -
Front headrests -
Rear headrest -
center console -
Shifter -


Thanks.

Best way to tell its to feel it with your hand, Dakota leather has a soft and smooth feel to it. If you push it with your thumb you will see wrinkles around it.

[DLerner]

Originally Posted by txoid

I have a 535I '14 m-sport with dakota leather and multi-contour seats.
With the interior being all black, it's hard to tell where the leather stops and where and vinyl/plastic/synthetic parts are.
Can someone let me know what is leather and what isn't?

Front Door panels -
Rear Door panels -
Front seats - Of course. But what about the sides? I know the back isn't.
Rear seats -
Front headrests -
Rear headrest -
center console -
Shifter -

Thanks.

This is a great question - I'm always trying to figure this out when I condition my leather. Some surfaces are obvious (top of dash - not leather in my car), other surfaces, not so obvious (door cards/armrest).

[lsturbointeg]

Exactly what snowmuch said...you can totally tell what's leather and what's not. Is this for cleaning purposes cause I normally use the leather conditioner on parts that aren't leather anyways

[txoid]

It is for cleaning purposes. I know some products can be used on all interior surfaces no matter what they are. I would like to know what is real leather and what is synthetic or vinyl. Some of the new synthetic materials are very close to feeling like leather. I don't want to waste leather conditioner or time cleaning something that isn't leather.

It really isn't that big of a deal but I wanted to know if someone really knew. The rear seats don't feel like real leather. I think the rear bolsters are synthetic or vinyl.

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by txoid

The rear seats don't feel like real leather. I think the rear bolsters are synthetic or vinyl.

I wouldn't exactly put massive amounts of money on this, but I'm fairly certain rear seats are all leather. I know some of 528 models I've seen on the lots had leatherette seats but as far as I know 535 and 550 is all leather.

I checked a bit this morning, and, not 100% convinced the door trim, other than armrest in the doors maybe is leather, hard to tell for sure. Pretty sure seats are though.

[Quicksilv3r]

Originally Posted by Bbb34

I wouldn't exactly put massive amounts of money on this, but I'm fairly certain rear seats are all leather. I know some of 528 models I've seen on the lots had leatherette seats but as far as I know 535 and 550 is all leather.

I checked a bit this morning, and, not 100% convinced the door trim, other than armrest in the doors maybe is leather, hard to tell for sure. Pretty sure seats are though.

Upper and lower door cards are not leather, more of a pressed vinyl/plastic alternative. Same goes for the upper dash, and B-pillars. Not 100% convinced the lower dash is real leather either, even though it's dyed the same color (in my case, Cinnamon) and has what appears to be simulated French stitching.

[PJinCA]

Typically if you have Premium Package, you have leather. Cars that have adaptive headlights have Premium Package, cars that have halogen lights don't have it. So they probably have leatherette.
Believe it or not, I did see a 550 completely base once, no sports package, no premium package, and no leather. I boggled my mind because the V8 is about a $10k difference, those that order it don't usually skimp on options, but this one I saw was very bare bones, didn't even have NAV.

[Nalod]

Never any harm using leather cleaner or conditioner on "Pleather". It cleans and protects. I have black interior and use steam (low pressure) to clean leather. I condition the seats but that's it. Steam on dash and quick wipe really cleans nice. Im talking about a quick pass with it and wipe with micro fiber cloth. I like to clean the steering wheel with some leather cleaner and then run some steam off it. I use a windshield sunscreen rather than put protector on the upper dash. I don't like having to reclean the wood and glass to get the material off of it.
I have a cordless small Dyson and its great for vacuuming the car. I have a dog and while the microfiber orvis cover Sling does great containing the hair, 5 min a week quick touch up keeps it great. I also keep a micro fiber towel in the dash compartment and wipe down the console about every other day. Hate the dust and man crumbs that sometimes occur!!
Black headliner I need not touch. In my wifes car steam is great to clean.

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by Nalod

Never any harm using leather cleaner or conditioner on "Pleather". It cleans and protects. I have black interior and use steam (low pressure) to clean leather. I condition the seats but that's it. Steam on dash and quick wipe really cleans nice. Im talking about a quick pass with it and wipe with micro fiber cloth. I like to clean the steering wheel with some leather cleaner and then run some steam off it. I use a windshield sunscreen rather than put protector on the upper dash. I don't like having to reclean the wood and glass to get the material off of it.
I have a cordless small Dyson and its great for vacuuming the car. I have a dog and while the microfiber orvis cover Sling does great containing the hair, 5 min a week quick touch up keeps it great. I also keep a micro fiber towel in the dash compartment and wipe down the console about every other day. Hate the dust and man crumbs that sometimes occur!!
Black headliner I need not touch. In my wifes car steam is great to clean.

That's very interesting, I would never think to use steam on leather and to be honest, I would be terrified to try it. I think whatever works though, so I am not disputing it does a great job for you, and your leather looks perfect

I think it's funny what we will use that others may cringe at. I kept 2 cars with cream beige dakota (which is almost white) looking perfect and showroom new until the day i sold them using OXI carpet cleaner on them. I'd never suggest OXY carpet to anybody though, but the real cleaners just didn't do a good enough job for me.

[Nalod]

Originally Posted by wrickem

That's very interesting, I would never think to use steam on leather and to be honest, I would be terrified to try it. I think whatever works though, so I am not disputing it does a great job for you, and your leather looks perfect

I think it's funny what we will use that others may cringe at. I kept 2 cars with cream beige dakota (which is almost white) looking perfect and showroom new until the day i sold them using OXI carpet cleaner on them. I'd never suggest OXY carpet to anybody though, but the real cleaners just didn't do a good enough job for me.

They sell commercial steam machines to car detailers.
Catch some Youtube on it. My wife's cream leather in the audi gets dirty and I'll work some cleaner in with a soft brush then steam with a towel over head and its works incredible. The leather actually feels new again.

[lsturbointeg]

haha so bored at work this gave me something to do







i will say for the items i labeled "vinyl" it could be leather but without the soft sponge underneath?? i dunno

okay, back to work lol!

[wrickem]

^^^ great information!

In my car with Nappa, the dashboard and the bottom of the dash are not leather. It must differ slightly with model (528 in my case) and leather type.

[RED RIDER]

lsturbointeg Are you sure about that being a leather dash? All the F10s I've seen with leather dashes are stitched and only the section above the wood is leather like in this picture. The dash in your pictures looks exactly like mine in my 2014 550i Luxury and it's not leather. I don't believe any of these cars have a leather bottom section of the dash.

[Quicksilv3r]

Originally Posted by RED RIDER

lsturbointeg Are you sure about that being a leather dash? All the F10s I've seen with leather dashes are stitched and only the section above the wood is leather like in this picture. The dash in your pictures looks exactly like mine in my 2014 550i Luxury and it's not leather. I don't believe any of these cars have a leather bottom section of the dash.

I'm with this guy. We do not have a leather upper dash. That's a fact. And again, I still don't think the lower dash section is leather either. The rest of what was pointed out appears accurate, however.

Side note: IMO Dakota leather is a sorry excuse for "leather" anyway. It not nearly as supple/soft as Nappa or Novillo, and that simulated grain effect is just tacky. Too bad finding an F10 with the Nappa option is nearly impossible. Like 1 in 200 buyers must've checked that box on the option list. Nice to see Nappa now comes as standard on the '17s. Shame we bought ours too early lol

[DDD31]

2016 550i here. My car has the leather upper dashboard with the leather stitching (leather upper dashboard is standard on 2016 550s). Below the wood trim, it's not leather.

[lsturbointeg]

Originally Posted by RED RIDER

lsturbointeg Are you sure about that being a leather dash? All the F10s I've seen with leather dashes are stitched and only the section above the wood is leather like in this picture. The dash in your pictures looks exactly like mine in my 2014 550i Luxury and it's not leather. I don't believe any of these cars have a leather bottom section of the dash.

your probably right! i went back out to feel it...i mean, it's soft and somewhat spongy...could by vinyl?

[DLerner]

BMW's Dakota leather and their vinyl leatherette are so close in feel, you have to wonder if the durability of vinyl makes it the more sensible choice. I had black leatherette in my E46 and everyone assumed it was leather. I had that car 10 years, never treated the seats with anything and it looked brand new when I sold it.

The rear side bolsters (to the sides of the fold down seatbacks) in the F10 with Dakota have got to be vinyl, mine are crispity crunchity and are the worst feeling texture in the car. I haven't found any leather or vinyl conditioner that can soften these up.