Justin Placek - LWB Seat Woven Leather Inserts - Page 3 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Two things strike me. Firstly that €5500 is nuts for a pair of inserts, or does he think you want the whole seat trimmed? Secondly if he has enough business and a nice long waiting list then he can ask what he wants and whether or not he wants it in advance. This approach may well come back to bite him though if things slow down.

Yes, it is a nutty price. If, (and it’s a big if) the product is as high quality as it looks and if it is a better than OEM finish then maybe I’d buy it. But how do I know? At this price I want to see it first. And even then, I would only expect to pay on delivery. Sure, ask for a deposit that seems reasonable, but to ask to pay up so much up front is nuts, isn’t it? I had a long chat with him and he seems like a genuine bloke. But he doesn’t seem to understand that transferring all the risk into the customer isn’t really fair. And for that reason, unless someone posts that these are some next level items, I’m not ordering…..

Good afternoon all. I have just had the oddest experience with Justin Placek (on Instagram) and wanted to ask if anyone else has bought his product and if I am over thinking this? I have finally, (after many years) managed to secure a new 992 GT3 Touring. I noted a few months ago that for LWB Seats, Justin Placek https://www.instagram.com/justinplacek/ makes really nice, really bespoke inserts. They pop up all the time on my feed and tI think I have seen them on a few other forums too. I particular liked this version of the insert: https://www.instagram.com/p/ConZaCgDzSr/ So I reached out to him today and he said he wanted me to forward him 5500 euros now to make an order. Bank transfer or Paypal (friends) would be preferable. Obviously I laughed out loud and then had a long chat with him about how nuts that is. He seemed like a nice guy (I have made him aware of this thread so he can respond fairly), but is absolutely convinced the only way to do business is for people to pay him upfront, via PayPal or bank transfer without any guarantees or insurance? So I thought I would ask if anyone on here has bought from him and what the community thinks about an Instagram Business asking for 5500 euros upfront? Edited by findtomdotcom on Thursday 22 June 13:28

For inserts, look at www.p1designs.com. Very happy with their products and trading terms.

I bought inserts from Justin, mine are cloth not leather and were (a bit) cheaper than the amount quoted for your leather ones. Justin gained notoriety (in the UK particularly) I think when he supplied inserts to Chris Harris for his Touring. But he's done the same for other relatively high-profile YouTube and Instagram renowned car owners. I paid up front, he delivered. He has a worldwide client base, so I guess he can ask for whatever terms he deems appropriate; there is of course some risk in manufacturing seat inserts to a specific order specification and then not being able to move them on if the purchaser reneges on the deal. I found Justin very easy to deal with - I arranged the manufacture and purchase of my inserts with him whilst he was actually on holiday. I've found his work to be of the highest quality (he uses OEM inserts and his attention to detail is meticulous) and he's a stand-up guy. Yes, his stuff is expensive, but it is also, in my opinion, the best.

TheDeadPrussian said: I've found his work to be of the highest quality (he uses OEM inserts and his attention to detail is meticulous) and he's a stand-up guy. Yes, his stuff is expensive, but it is also, in my opinion, the best. Thanks Mark. Really helpful and exactly what I’m after. So the quality is excellent, that is something I would be happy to pay for. Thank you. Edited by findtomdotcom on Thursday 22 June 20:15

I’ve also purchased various Pepita items from Justin and also paid up front. He’s been a total gentleman to deal with and his workmanship and materials are of the highest quality. It’s worth noting that he sources his Pepita fabric from the factory that Porsche uses to source their fabric so it is to all intents and purposes OEM rather than made in one of the other three German factories that manufacture it or from the USA.

GT3ZZZ said: I’ve also purchased various Pepita items from Justin and also paid up front. He’s been a total gentleman to deal with and his workmanship and materials are of the highest quality. It’s worth noting that he sources his Pepita fabric from the factory that Porsche uses to source their fabric so it is to all intents and purposes OEM rather than made in one of the other three German factories that manufacture it or from the USA. To be fair at €5500 for a pair of inserts you’d expect them to be high quality and made from dodo feathers.

I'm sure Justin's work is great, but 5k for a set of inserts is bonkers. I got my LWB inserts made by Gary at ClassicFX and i'm really very happy. They were less than £700 all in for the cloth pattern I wanted. https://www.classicfx.net/

Anybody stupid enough to pay that for a couple of inserts needs to re-evaluate their life.

fistenburger said: I'm sure Justin's work is great, but 5k for a set of inserts is bonkers. I got my LWB inserts made by Gary at ClassicFX and i'm really very happy. They were less than £700 all in for the cloth pattern I wanted. https://www.classicfx.net/ Thanks for this. Noted for the future.

Thanks DMC. A little unnecessary and not really helpful but thanks…. Thanks to everyone else. Some really useful alternatives there. I’m keen on the cross leather insert And really want a quality finish. This car will be a keeper so worth a little extra expense if it’s right. Edited by findtomdotcom on Friday 23 June 10:52

I read a few reply’s, then skipped.. I have a decent following on Instagram circa 20k and I reached out to Justin just like you, when he came back with 5k I nearly spat my coffee out over my desk! I went with Gary from @classic FX.. too lad and quality was better than OEM about 1200 inc better foam base pads.. Get onto Gary you won’t look back, all the best with it.

MeisterH said: Get onto Gary you won’t look back, all the best with it. I read that too quickly and read “get into Garry” and wondered if that was how you got such a good price…. Thanks very much. That’s a lead I will chase down. I think Justin has had a lot of success and people are willing to pay the price. I’m not going to lie, firstly I think it’s a lot for an insert, but to pay it upfront seems a little OTT too and is really putting me off.

MeisterH said: I read a few reply’s, then skipped.. I have a decent following on Instagram circa 20k and I reached out to Justin just like you, when he came back with 5k I nearly spat my coffee out over my desk! I went with Gary from @classic FX.. too lad and quality was better than OEM about 1200 inc better foam base pads.. Get onto Gary you won’t look back, all the best with it. Just to give you an indication of what I got from Gary, here are my inserts as fitted.... I wanted the Golf GTi tartan to match my stitching and remind me of a car I should never have sold

There are two ways of looking at this: 1. You’re paying GT3 tax. Houndstooth fabric is found in Ladies fashion all over the place. You can buy it on design911. It doesn’t need to come from a Porsche supplier as it’s a common pattern and you can probably get better quality elsewhere. There are plenty of UK trimmers who can do this to a high standard. It’s an easy job on the bucket seats. 2. Porsche create a special model and a huge part of the allure is the perception of the classic retro touches that are thrown in. The price increase is astronomical and so in comparison the work you’re having done is good value. I’ve seen the seat centres on the 997 Sports Classic and they’re poor quality (having said that, the owners will still be laughing on account of the huge profit they’ve made).

What’s not being mentioned is that we’re not just talking about simple inserts. The 5500 euro is related to handmade woven leather inserts, look it up on his insta. Not something you can buy ready made anywhere, every piece is special order for which he has to pay premium as well… .Materials alone are more than half that number. We have been working with Justin for yrs now and we have yet to see the quality and attention to detail Justin and his team pour into every single product coming out of that shop. We will be picking up a white alcantara turbo seats interior for a 1980 targa in the next few weeks. Go check his story line on insta and see what we mean with quality . There are primo quality shops in the UK as well but if you think they are less expensive, think again. We worked with three in the past( names I will not mention) where we more then once were charged over 15k for a 911 interior, quality and exclusive materials cost money everywhere, everywhere… I have seen the pictures posted in this post by some else. In our shop those inserts would have gone straight back to the upholstery shop so that they can get the lines straight…. If you find the 5500 to exuberant for what you’d be getting, do go ranting over it on a public forum or discuss with the guy trying to justify your idea’s. It’s just a simple yes or no. That simple

Gncb said: What’s not being mentioned is that we’re not just talking about simple inserts. The 5500 euro is related to handmade woven leather inserts, look it up on his insta. Not something you can buy ready made anywhere, every piece is special order for which he has to pay premium as well… .Materials alone are more than half that number. We have been working with Justin for yrs now and we have yet to see the quality and attention to detail Justin and his team pour into every single product coming out of that shop. We will be picking up a white alcantara turbo seats interior for a 1980 targa in the next few weeks. Go check his story line on insta and see what we mean with quality . There are primo quality shops in the UK as well but if you think they are less expensive, think again. We worked with three in the past( names I will not mention) where we more then once were charged over 15k for a 911 interior, quality and exclusive materials cost money everywhere, everywhere… I have seen the pictures posted in this post by some else. In our shop those inserts would have gone straight back to the upholstery shop so that they can get the lines straight…. If you find the 5500 to exuberant for what you’d be getting, do go ranting over it on a public forum or discuss with the guy trying to justify your idea’s. It’s just a simple yes or no. That simple Irrespective, £5500 in obscene for a pair of inserts. There’s surely no way materials would be £2750!

€5,500 Someone is having giraffe. Makes the car look cheap if inserts are that much. Ridiculous rip off springs to mind but I enough porsche owners are stupid enough to pay it, fair play to him

Gncb said: What’s not being mentioned is that we’re not just talking about simple inserts. The 5500 euro is related to handmade woven leather inserts, look it up on his insta. Not something you can buy ready made anywhere, every piece is special order for which he has to pay premium as well… .Materials alone are more than half that number. We have been working with Justin for yrs now and we have yet to see the quality and attention to detail Justin and his team pour into every single product coming out of that shop. We will be picking up a white alcantara turbo seats interior for a 1980 targa in the next few weeks. Go check his story line on insta and see what we mean with quality . There are primo quality shops in the UK as well but if you think they are less expensive, think again. We worked with three in the past( names I will not mention) where we more then once were charged over 15k for a 911 interior, quality and exclusive materials cost money everywhere, everywhere… I have seen the pictures posted in this post by some else. In our shop those inserts would have gone straight back to the upholstery shop so that they can get the lines straight…. If you find the 5500 to exuberant for what you’d be getting, do go ranting over it on a public forum or discuss with the guy trying to justify your idea’s. It’s just a simple yes or no. That simple You’ve joined today just to post this? No one is ranting. The Porsche forum is full of useful information and I’ve benefitted several times from excellent advice given by fellow owners.

Agreed, no one is ranting. I think it’s a valid question to ask on a public forum. It’s a bit like doing some background checks on a person you want to do business with. Let’s not forget that Justin asked me to just forward him 5500 euros into his bank account. No insurance, no backing of the usual credit card systems. His message to me, (from someone called Lizzie), looked a lot a like a scam. Cost aside, this has been really useful to gauge what’s available and get real feedback from previous customers. This is vital when you are dealing with an unknown person on the internet. Or at least I think it is.

Gncb said: What’s not being mentioned is that we’re not just talking about simple inserts. The 5500 euro is related to handmade woven leather inserts, look it up on his insta. Not something you can buy ready made anywhere, every piece is special order for which he has to pay premium as well… .Materials alone are more than half that number. We have been working with Justin for yrs now and we have yet to see the quality and attention to detail Justin and his team pour into every single product coming out of that shop. We will be picking up a white alcantara turbo seats interior for a 1980 targa in the next few weeks. Go check his story line on insta and see what we mean with quality . There are primo quality shops in the UK as well but if you think they are less expensive, think again. We worked with three in the past( names I will not mention) where we more then once were charged over 15k for a 911 interior, quality and exclusive materials cost money everywhere, everywhere… I have seen the pictures posted in this post by some else. In our shop those inserts would have gone straight back to the upholstery shop so that they can get the lines straight…. If you find the 5500 to exuberant for what you’d be getting, do go ranting over it on a public forum or discuss with the guy trying to justify your idea’s. It’s just a simple yes or no. That simple as a collective on this forum we all know the value of items, I was shocked at the price when I enquired hence why i did not reply, and went with Garry @ Classic FX! Top guy, yes you have to pay him up front but least he's in the UK Dont get me wrong, Justin's work does look exquisite Its a bit like PPF actually, its the manufactures that are seriously cashing in on the raw materials, this i know from my trusted PPF installer who has NO reason to lie to me... But lets be honest, even in my industry its the manufacturers that post pandemic have be Royally shafting us.

5500 Euros is exactly the same as Porsche Exclusive charge for this when i asked for others half’s car in 2017. Was happy to pass on it. This new turbo s available at OPC Reading a month or so ago had it as an option. For the money I’d personally want something a bit more unique from Justin as quite common now. In terms of money though whilst a lot seems to be par for the course if you want quality.

Asking a customer to pay paypal friends and family is ridiculous and shady. Also the price as noted is ridiculous anyway. There are retrimmers in the uk that can do the same job but I guess some people are happy to pay more for what they hope is a better quality job.

Parker and Parker wanted their name and 65th anniversary on their GT3 stitched on the seats but Exclusive came back with a £12k cost. Everything has its price.

Have a look at this guys work https://instagram.com/porschetrimr?igshid=MzRlODBi...

IMI A said: 5500 Euros is exactly the same as Porsche Exclusive charge for this when i asked for others half’s car in 2017. Was happy to pass on it. This new turbo s available at OPC Reading a month or so ago had it as an option. For the money I’d personally want something a bit more unique from Justin as quite common now. In terms of money though whilst a lot seems to be par for the course if you want quality. I’ve done quite a few modifications to my 991.2 Carrera now. Next on the list is to go from the standard black to the Houndstooth inserts shown in your post. They’re commonly done now, but still nice and classic in my opinion. A local but experienced guy had quoted 1200 plus 350 for the fabric. We’ll see if turns out to be a disaster or not! It’s different to bucket seats as the centres will need to be unpicked and stitched back, rather than Velcro. I’ll re-post later on in the summer when it’s done. I love your 997 Turbo btw!

If you didn’t know the name, it would smack of a scam. Surprised anyone does business with him if that’s the payment policy, but clearly they do If I was a decent trimmer, I’d do the same thing but take credit cards… kerrrrching

Grantstown said: IMI A said: 5500 Euros is exactly the same as Porsche Exclusive charge for this when i asked for others half’s car in 2017. Was happy to pass on it. This new turbo s available at OPC Reading a month or so ago had it as an option. For the money I’d personally want something a bit more unique from Justin as quite common now. In terms of money though whilst a lot seems to be par for the course if you want quality. I’ve done quite a few modifications to my 991.2 Carrera now. Next on the list is to go from the standard black to the Houndstooth inserts shown in your post. They’re commonly done now, but still nice and classic in my opinion. A local but experienced guy had quoted 1200 plus 350 for the fabric. We’ll see if turns out to be a disaster or not! It’s different to bucket seats as the centres will need to be unpicked and stitched back, rather than Velcro. I’ll re-post later on in the summer when it’s done. I love your 997 Turbo btw! Cheers. Do post pics once the work done. Off to have a look at Justin’s work again couldn’t find anything that grabbed me last time I had a look - would love to do something similar to lift the all black interior on my turbo like you are but even at 107,000 miles still rattle free and looks like 30k miles other then paw marks here and there

IMI A said: Cheers. Do post pics once the work done. Off to have a look at Justin’s work again couldn’t find anything that grabbed me last time I had a look - would love to do something similar to lift the all black interior on my turbo like you are but even at 107,000 miles still rattle free and looks like 30k miles other then paw marks here and there Looks like a Maine Coon? Wouldn't let mine in the car with his monstrous claws!! Edited by MarkM3Evoplus on Monday 26th June 13:39

Pair of Norwegian Forest Cats v.similar to MCs but not quite as big. Always been a dog person thinking cats not as clever. How wrong I was they are car enthusiasts too Back on topic. Just seen some more of Placeks more recent work. l’d love to do a tri colour interior. Nice nod to 959.

I can highly recommend https://www.hideandseam.com/ There's plenty of skill hidden away in the uk if you know where to look. Brad has worked on my customers and my own personal cars.

All the photos are of seat inserts and door cards right? I’m just wondering to myself how much super duper quality can be added to those particular items for the (to my mind) astronomical numbers mentioned. Agree that using the same materials as Porsche is not much of an endorsement these days either.

I've kept quiet on this one up until now.... but Half the people on this thread, the ones spending 5k GBP on cushion fashion, need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror, and then instead give the money to, say, their local children's Hospice, where that sum would actually be useful. You could even tell your friends you did that at your next dinner party, if that's what's important to you.

Orangecurry said: I've kept quiet on this one up until now.... but Half the people on this thread, the ones spending 5k GBP on cushion fashion, need to take a good look at themselves in the mirror, and then instead give the money to, say, their local children's Hospice, where that sum would actually be useful. You could even tell your friends you did that at your next dinner party, if that's what's important to you. Sorry Jon, but what is this about? How do you know half the people in this thread don’t already contribute to charity? I don’t disagree it’s an outrageous amount of money, but shaming people for how they spend the money, (as a Porsche owner yourself), seems a little self-righteous? Again, thanks very much to everyone else. Loving the UK alternatives. I have already reached out to a few of them for a quote. Edited by findtomdotcom on Wednesday 28th June 20:36

findtomdotcom said: Sorry Jon, but what is this about? How do you know half the people in this thread don’t already contribute to charity? I don’t disagree it’s an outrageous amount of money, but shaming people for how they spend the money, (as a Porsche owner yourself), seems a little self-righteous? Again, thanks very much to everyone else. Loving the UK alternatives. I have already reached out to a few of them for a quote. Edited by findtomdotcom on Wednesday 28th June 20:36 Well said. I 'm looking forward to seeing a 993 up for auction by a West Sussex hospice, one precious hypocrite previous owner. Typical PH, someone looking for genuine input on a 3rd party is always hijacked by the flat cap value for money brigade or the even worse, the 993 owning "do as I say not as I do" clown who's never looked in the mirror he's recommending to the OP. Edited by GT3ZZZ on Friday 30th June 21:17

I would also recommend Gary at FX. He he is a really nice guy and does great work

IMI A said: Grantstown said: IMI A said: 5500 Euros is exactly the same as Porsche Exclusive charge for this when i asked for others half’s car in 2017. Was happy to pass on it. This new turbo s available at OPC Reading a month or so ago had it as an option. For the money I’d personally want something a bit more unique from Justin as quite common now. In terms of money though whilst a lot seems to be par for the course if you want quality. I’ve done quite a few modifications to my 991.2 Carrera now. Next on the list is to go from the standard black to the Houndstooth inserts shown in your post. They’re commonly done now, but still nice and classic in my opinion. A local but experienced guy had quoted 1200 plus 350 for the fabric. We’ll see if turns out to be a disaster or not! It’s different to bucket seats as the centres will need to be unpicked and stitched back, rather than Velcro. I’ll re-post later on in the summer when it’s done. I love your 997 Turbo btw! Cheers. Do post pics once the work done. Off to have a look at Justin’s work again couldn’t find anything that grabbed me last time I had a look - would love to do something similar to lift the all black interior on my turbo like you are but even at 107,000 miles still rattle free and looks like 30k miles other then paw marks here and there

As promised. Bolton car interiors have done a grand job and for a reasonable price.

…common now, but still nice.

Another vote for Garry @classicFX

I’m struggling to upload decent pictures for some reason.