Worn leather on driver seat?????

I thought I'd seen a thread on premature leather wear on the seats. My C4S with sport seats is less than 2 months old, I don't wear jeans often and I get into the car very carefully, but the outer side bolters seam is already rubbing through the leather. ahhhhhhhhhhh How many of you have experienced this and what did you dealer do?

Hmm...you have a few options and even "opportunities" here. If your car is truly so young, you should be able to go into the service dept and show them what the problem is. They may balk at first, but if you persist, they will eventually replace the seat, or at least the leather. But that raises another question. If all Porsche leather is essentially the same, why would your specific hide have problems? It is possible that it could be a bad hide, but I strongly doubt it. A more reasonable thing to assume is that there is something on your butt/backside that is doing this to the seat. Perhaps an exposed button on your back pocket, or a phone clipped to your belt... Nonetheless - this is a great excuse to pony up the cash for some GT3 seats!! Yeah!

it's only worn on the outside of the side seam where it can only be rubbing during exit and entry. i've read about people having this problem on this board so from the time i got the car i try to make sure i don't rub my pants against the side bolsters getting in and out. i can only imagine what the leather elsewhere is going to look like in 5 - 10 years if it's all this cheapo. i will definitely hold my ground with the dealer, but i'd like responses from people that have any wear at all on a car that shouldn't have it...YET. thanks in advance...

You don't have the optional supple leather, do you? I hope not, since I do. Mine looks new after 10K miles. I hope you can get your taken care of soon!

Leather on Porsches is definitely not "cheapo". I took a factory tour last summer and they were stressing the quality of the leather. In fact they said they get first pick at the leather and send the rest to the "other auto manufacturer in Stuttgart"

I have had mine for 3.5 years and 42,000 miles. And I am, shall we say......... "large". I have the supple leather, they look new, but they are not sport seats so they don't have the larger bolster, still.......... Something does not sound right..........

It is interesting though ... some 996s with 45K miles look like they have brand new seats and some with 20K miles look worn out on the drivers side. I dont know about the quality, but normal wear aside, I dont understand why some of the leather 'wrinkles' more than others

I have the sports seats on my '99 with 65k miles and mine are worn (as I think it should). The wear is on the side nearest the driver's door, the other side looks fine. Planning to replace both the driver's and passenger seats in the future. But still have other upgrades that take priority..... let's see how long this Porsche will last.

Yes - have noticed in other 996s that bad wear. (mine is ok.) However, I previously had a 1986 911 3.2, and I am sure that the quality of the leather was far better.

just lurking over here from the 928 forum. Hello gretch. The leather in my 85 is still in excellent condition and makes the greatest sound as you move over it. Sounds like something is wrong with ours. Tom __________________ 1985 euro 310 hp

Nope, i don't have the supple leather, but do have the sport seats. I've never seen leather so fragile. I can take my finger nail and easilly scratch across the edge of the leather and it will tear the top layer off...

Something is definitley wrong. Go to the dealer, look at the cars over there, run your fingernail through their leather, the show them yours. I think you'll get new seats.

Lifting the top layer of the leather off with a fingernail? I have to agree with Leon. Something is definitely wrong with your leather. I use my car daily, wear jeans with rivets on the back pockets when I go to the track, have gotten the outside edge soaking wet coming in from a downpour, and the leather is pristine. Check everywhere else that you have leather, as you may have gotten a bad batch. Hopefully it's just the seat, and only the drivers seat. That should be replaced under warrantee as a factory fault. Just curious. What, if any, leather protectant/conditioner/cleaners have you used? I have heard that some may actually do damage.

Perhaps you should switch to wearing jeans more often.....

palting, i haven't put any conditioner on it yet. i put some conditioner (McGuires) on the drivers side arm rest because it was looking a little discolored..i guess from body oils. i've avoided the conditioner because i wasn't sure if i could keep the new flat look that it has after using a conditioner. thanks for the replies...

Top layer of my drivers seat has started to wear in two spots. 1999 with only 27,000 miles. Took it to the dealer today for a new spoiler and deck lid (Aero Kit) that has started to crack in various places. Asked if the leather problem could be repaired. He said they have an expert leather guy who will fix?? We shall see. I will let you all know when I get the car back next week. It would seem that an $85 K car would have a better quality of leather?? I have heard some say that PORSCHE leather is top quality and others say it is crap!! From my experience it is crap..... I am very careful getting in and out of the car to avoid this type of problem. If it is fixed I may try cloth covers to keep the leather in top shape.

I have sport seats, and I've been told by the concours guys to 'back into' the seat, then swing my legs around. This prevents the bolster wear that will occur otherwise.

Damian, yeah, that's what the dealer says is the "proper way to get into a Porsche." Thank good ness the leather on my furniture, wallet, day planner, briefcase isn't this fragile, or none of them would even last 2 months, instead of the years that they have without any sign of wear.

KW, I think Damian was talking about how to preserve the car for concours. He means making the original leather last 20-30-40-50 years or more. This does not pertain to your car's leather, which has not lasted even a few months. Take it to the dealer, and tell them you got saddled with a bad saddle. Sorry, bad pun.

The leather on my sports seats looks very bad. I have 21K miles and can tell you my dads old '88 911 and my mothers '85 928 never looked as bad as mine. I am very disapointed in how the seats have held up. My warranty runs out this October and probably have very little chance of getting them covered.

I had a crease in the driver's seat of my wife's Boxter with 15K miles. Took it to the dealer service dept and told them it didn't seem right. They agreed, and ordered and installed an new seat bottom cover. No big deal...take it to the dealer. Of note, I moved after I bought it, and the dealer that replaced it (Brumos, Jacksonville, FL) wasn't even where I purchased the car.