Best everyday seat covers.

I just had the front seats redone in my 996 C4, looking for recommendations for seat covers to keep the new leather looking good for a long time. This is my daily driver, so something nice and as little fuss as possible. Thanks, Brian

Brian, Yeah, this is an area that I struggled with, with most of my newer cars. MOST car cover manufacturers go only for appearance, including tight fit against the seats. They do not seem to do any followup on the effects of their covers on the leather seats after a few years -- it's a big business, and money is the goal, period, end. So, when spending money on the covers, you have to physically check them out -- do NOT rely on the seller's internet claims. You have to check both the outer surface of the seat covers, as well as the backside of the covers. OUTER SURFACE: The cover's got to breathe, so the vinyl, or even some leather covers are out. (No, leather does NOT breathe well, contrary to many claims.) Although great protection against spills, impermeable covers trap the leather seats in a hot and even humid environment, which obviously isn't good for leather. In addition, they tend to be stiff (especially in cold weather), and as such, they then abrade against the leather seats when you get in or out of the car, or when you move around in the seat. BACKSIDE OF COVERS: I pay attention to the backside of the seat covers. Typically, cover manufacturers don't pay attention to the backsides; they can really be like sandpaper or rasps, rubbing against your leather. These cause abrasions on the leather, which you don't see until you uncover the seats (usually when ready to sell the car)(ask me how I know). I found that covering the leather seats even with sheepskin covers produces abrasions -- you have to physically check the backside of the sheepskins, as this leather can be very rough, as it is not treated to be soft, and it can rub the leather seats raw. I have often thought that these sheepskin covers should be facing AGAINST the seats, rather than outwards. Watch for ragged seams on the backside of even cloth covers. I have found that when any kind of piping is used to accent or highlight the appearance of the seats, they cause very rough and stiff edges on the backside of the covers. These lines will abrade the seats every time you get in or out, or when you move around in the seat. AS these are Porsches and you often want to spend money to get the best, I find it strange to say, but I have ended up favoring cheapo one-piece soft fabric/cloth (not canvas!) covers, with minimum number of seams (or at least seams that are not on the surfaces against which you sit), and without waterproofing (which stiffens the fabric). I have tried breatheable Spandex or stretchable fabrics, and they work well in that they conform to the seat better, minimizing the baggy look of many covers, while also providing protection against UV deterioration and abrasions. They are easy to wash, too. Others will probably also have inputs regarding soft surface covers that I might not have tried yet. Maybe there is a new fabric out there that I haven't tried.

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Hi Brian - take a look at the link below for some excellent seat covers. Please let us know if you have any questions! Coverking Seat Covers - Pelican Parts