[jbenington86]

I like my fake leather in my 128i... I have used and abused it with no signs of wear or fading. I haven't touched it other than cleaning the dirt or dust on them.

[owen2001]

So I finally had a chance to sit in my brother's new X3. It came w/ the Nevada leather seats. IMO, the Nevada leather is 95% identical to my Sensatec. I was very surprised. My initial thought was, "Oh, he got the leatherette." His Nevada leather had the sporty, grippier, more-durable feel of my Sensatec. The only difference that I noticed is that the overall feel of his seats felt slightly softer. If I had been at the dealer and sat in his X3 with Nevada leather, and then sat in another X3 w/ Sensatec, I'd have been hard-pressed to tell the difference.

How does Nevada leather rate? Is it cheap? Mid-range? I'd never really heard of it.

[2msport]

I've read about what the modern leather in cars is made of.. It's basically...almost fake. I'm wondering how much of the leather smell is real.. And if it's not, can they put that smell into the sensatec seats. That would certainly piss off leather buyers since the difference would be even more marginal. let alone kill their up-priced leather market.

I agree the feel of the two materials is hard to tell apart when new. after wearing in the leather it does get slightly softer though. but once you're in the 5 series and up range, well that leather is a higher quality.

[SteveSFO]

Had leather in my E46. Did ok after 14 years but started to show some wear and wrinkles - which is ok for leather seating. However, got tired (lazy) about cleaning and conditioning and always concerned about damaging the surfaces. The Sensatec has always gotten good reviews from owners and decided to go with it on the F22. No regrets. Had passengers get in an say how nice the leather is... they have been surprised when I tell them it's synthetic.

[Viffermike]

SensaTec FTW. Always.

I'm convinced that BMW NA (not BMW AG) limits SensaTec color availability to artificially force those who want color in their interiors to fork out for leather or a Premium package. I'm also convinced that BMW isn't the only manufacturer that does this. Proof: the availability of a myriad of cloth options and colors in Europe, where leather interiors are nowhere near as popular (or as acceptable).

Yes, I'd have loved a Terra interior (had it in the faux-hide Lexus I owned before; I have a thing for camel-colored leather, probably because it reminds me of a baseball glove). But I'll deal with black because with rare exception, faux is superior to real(ish) in automobile interiors.

[shark715]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

I'm convinced that BMW NA (not BMW AG) limits SensaTec color availability to artificially force those who want color in their interiors to fork out for leather or a Premium package. I'm also convinced that BMW isn't the only manufacturer that does this. Proof: the availability of a myriad of cloth options and colors in Europe, where leather interiors are nowhere near as popular (or as acceptable).

I agree with you.

But we did order our convertible in black leather because our salesperson told us that the leather seats are treated to be significantly cooler to the touch in the sun, and that sensatec does not have the same treatment. Of course I'll always wonder if we threw away $1500 by not just ordering the lighter color sensatec.

We have black sensatec in our Mini Countryman and black Nevada leather in our X5, and I can't say I have a strong preference for the seating material in the X5.

[crbalch]

I ordered the Sensatec on mine just like I currently have in my 135i. I didn't really see the need to justify the leather considering I was going with black regardless. After 4 years in the 1er, my faux leather has held up extremely well, and am glad I went with it in my 235 as well.

[OpenAir]

Originally Posted by dreamspeed

Sensatec will wear better than leather and personally think BMW leather on anything less than a 5 series is pretty crappy anyways

+1 Not impressed with the leather in my 228.

[Heraklitus]

I got the black sensatec for my M235i. I love it. When I first started shopping cars, I remember getting into an X1 at the dealership and I asked the CA if it was leather or sensatec. She couldn't even tell by feeling it, and had to look at the stitching underneath.

The only one who can tell the difference is the cow. It just didn't seem worth shelling out extra money for. I got basically every option I could for the car except anything that required me to sink into the premium package / leather.

I have absolutely no regrets about it.

[lieb923]

I had sensatec on my previous BMW. 10 years still looked like new.
They are amazing save your $1500 for something you really want.

[dah]

I was pleased when oyster sport seats became available in sensatec for 2016. We just drove our convertible for 1000 miles in Italy and they were never hot in the sun. I drove an S2000 for 7 years, and switched the black seats out for red, and that helped too. That leather looked bad in 3 years.

[zentanker]

Hell yes! If your car is going to be a daily driver and you plan to keep it for a while, the sensatec is a no-brainer choice

[//M235ixD]

Originally Posted by zentanker

Hell yes! If your car is going to be a daily driver and you plan to keep it for a while, the sensatec is a no-brainer choice

I got all black and love it!!!

[englishguy84]

Bump. People who got leather, how is it holding up? Visible wear?

[shark715]

Originally Posted by englishguy84

Bump. People who got leather, how is it holding up? Visible wear?

Our 235 convertible with black leather is at 15,000 miles after 14 months, and the leather is holding up just fine, although I would point out that I have used leather conditioner on it a couple of times to protect it.

I am still not sure that the leather was worth the extra money, but I would point out two things:

We have had other BMW products with both leather and sensatec, and so long as you take care of the leather, as it ages it looks distinctly more like leather then the sensatec does, and I like that look. And as it ages, the leather is distinctly softer than the sensatec. Not trying to knock the sensatec as it is very durable, and we have been happy with it. But long-term the leather looks and feels more luxurious.

Also, there's no question the sun reflective technology BMW uses on the leather seats works significantly. Of course that's a more important issue to us than most because we have a convertible. But I think we could have achieved more or less the same thing by ordering lighter colored sensatec, although lighter colored seats would tend to show more dirt.

If we had to do it all over again, if the leather were only an $800 option, I think we would order it. Not so sure it's worth as much as they are charging for it.

[Maynard]

Loving my sensatech, and the more I hear, the less I wonder (had agonized a bit about this). The leather is pretty plastic. I got the sportline with red stitching, which adds some nice detail - doesn't look like they are offering that anymore, unfortunately.

[Trappedinbelgium]

I've had both and prefer leather. I would agree it's not as durable but it just seems to "sit" and "feel" better.

[zentanker]

Originally Posted by Trappedinbelgium

I've had both and prefer leather. I would agree it's not as durable but it just seems to "sit" and "feel" better.

Leather does in fact feel better, I don't think anyone would argue against that.

After around 30000 miles the leather is almost always going to have visible wear (and depending on care, sometimes significant to heavy wear). I had a 2004 with sensatec that I kept until 2015 and the seats still looked mostly new. I bought it when it had around 30k miles on the clock, and when I was shopping for low mileage used cars I remember seeing 1-2 year old cars with 25k miles with leather seats that were already cracked and wrinkled.

[230iZTR]

I'm perfectly happy with the sensetac seats. Most people can't tell the difference, it made the car more affordable, and I'll probably replace them with racing buckets eventually

[MerlinMc]

Originally Posted by 230iZTR

I'm perfectly happy with the sensetac seats. Most people can't tell the difference, it made the car more affordable, and I'll probably replace them with racing buckets eventually

Originally Posted by Viffermike

SensaTec FTW. Always.

I'm convinced that BMW NA (not BMW AG) limits SensaTec color availability to artificially force those who want color in their interiors to fork out for leather or a Premium package. I'm also convinced that BMW isn't the only manufacturer that does this. Proof: the availability of a myriad of cloth options and colors in Europe, where leather interiors are nowhere near as popular (or as acceptable).

Yes, I'd have loved a Terra interior (had it in the faux-hide Lexus I owned before; I have a thing for camel-colored leather, probably because it reminds me of a baseball glove). But I'll deal with black because with rare exception, faux is superior to real(ish) in automobile interiors.

Agree with your theory on limiting the color choices in Sensatac.

Also agree with Sensatac always. I've had both and Sensatac holds up way better. In a black interior, which is what I almost always get, it's hard to tell the difference until the vehicle gets old and then the leather starts looking bad.

[60_Driver]

Any more long-term thoughts on the sensatec vs bovine interior? Figured it was worth revisiting now that some of the older 2 series have some time on them (and proving I can use the function!!).

My wife had a ‘13 F30 with black sensatec that was fine to us. We only had the car about three years before we traded her for the baby hauler suv. I’m curious how it wears over real time.

[BrettKA7]

Originally Posted by 60_Driver

Any more long-term thoughts on the sensatec vs bovine interior? Figured it was worth revisiting now that some of the older 2 series have some time on them (and proving I can use the function!!).

My wife had a '13 F30 with black sensatec that was fine to us. We only had the car about three years before we traded her for the baby hauler suv. I'm curious how it wears over real time.

Sensatec definitely wears better than leather. However, my coral red leather is so, so much more breathable on a hot day than my previous sensatec BMW and my previous NuLuxe ventilated Lexus seats. Both of those cars made me sweat on a hot day. The leather BMW doesn't. It's very strange and unexpected, but I'm appreciative of that.

If I had the choice, I'd still do synthetic. Especially if it came in coral red.