Hello All,
Just a quick one - does anyone have any suggestions for where to go to get my driver's seat repaired? I have a hole about the size of a small apple in the cloth on the right-hand verticle bolster (from getting in and out over the past 140000 miles!) which I would like to get sorted.
Some people have recommended leathering the bolsters, which I don't want to do (expense, and I don't like the look) and another place has said there isn't enough meterial to take from anywhere else on the car (as apparently the original cloth is hard to get hold of). It's a 1991 H-Reg Audi Coupe.
Any suggestions (or offers of very cheap replacement original seats) much appreciated!
Cheers,
Stuart
|
Tried the local scrapyards?
|
|
|
|
Look in "Practical Classics" or similar;a number of firms offer repair or repair kits.
|
|
|
|
If you have, or can get, the reference number of the trim cloth you might find it thru a search on the amazing Google search engine. A few weeks ago a chap found a 1941 radio valve which he needed for restoring a vintage radio, via Google, so a bit of seat fabric might turn up too! Good luck!
|
Thanks to everyone who has replied so far.
Stuart
|
|
|
|
Stuart
Had the same problem on my 81 coupe, took ages to locate some cloth, I think this came from a firm in Blackpool who advertise in the Audi magazine. They had the cloth spare after leatherising another car. I got the actual repair done locally by Wimshurst and Son, 10 - 12 Culverden Down Tunbridge Wells Kent
01892 521177. Did an excellent job.
Not sure about the cloth on a 91 car, but the 81 uses two patterns and I think the bit for the bolsters came from the rear of a front seat, but it is not a symmetrical pattern and due to the need to cut appropriate shapes to fit the bolster the repair had to be done with the pattern running the wrong way. It's hard to spot unless you know and it still looks nice.
Good luck in tracking down some cloth, if not maybe leather for the bolsters is the only option.
|
|
|
Yellow Pages: Car Upholsterers and Trimmers
HJ
|
Read Alan Clark's 'Backfire' and then decide whether you really want to get it repaired at all.
Regards
Rob F
|
Rob
Sorry, I'm afraid you've lost me on that one! To save me reading a whole book, could you expand so I can get the gist of it please?
Many thanks,
Stuart
|
AC advocated (and practised) keeping his cars cosmetically in an original, naturally worn condition. From this point of view, a blemish, scratch or indeed worn seat cover is part of the character of the car.
How much will a seat repair cost - £100+ ? I would say throw any pretence of owning a brand new car to the wind. Spend the money on rebushing the front suspension say, so she drives like a new car again.
Regards
Rob F
|
Rob,
Your comments raise some interesting points...As far as keeping the car 'original' goes, I fully agree - indeed I have replaced the silly Moto wheel I bought it with for an original Audi version to this end. However, the question of 'naturally worn' seems to me slightly less clear cut.
Let's say for a minute that I wanted to keep it this way - if one is thinking about re-sale, it would have to be assumed that every other person prescribes to this way of thinking. Of course, I am not suggesting that a worn seat will knock any great amount of value off the car, but it is the cumulative effect of these little problems that slows a sale and costs money.
But more to the point, I don't like a dirty great hole in my seat, that leaves bits of foam on my suit when I get in and out! ;-)
By the way, I am currently talking to an Audi/VW specialist about this problem, based in Blackpool. Will wait and see what sort of response I get, and post their details if I am impressed...
Cheers,
Stuart
|
Stuart
There's a whole world of difference between Alan Clark's Bentleys and DS dropheads and an old Audi Coupe. In the scrapyards you will notice that all old Audi Coupes go this way around the seats. Apart from messing up your suits,the supportive side squabs will give way and the seat doesn't hold you as it should.
The people in Blackpool have been advertising this service for years (I sold my Audi Coupe GT5 six years ago and they were around then) and should know how to do it by now.
David
|
David,
Thanks for that - I completely agree about the difference between the cars you mention. Hopefully they will come back to me with something positive (I emailed them a picture this morning for cloth matching!)...
On a slightly different note, if I cannot find any matching cloth, does anyone have any suggestions other than half-leathering the seats (which I don't really like/want to pay for)?
Cheers,
Stuart
|
Is your coupe like mine - plain grey velour bolsters with pinstriped (mainly grey) material on the seat base and backs? Lots of cars had grey velour seats - a quick trip to a breakers should find you an all-grey seat with enough material to repair yours.
The best way round this would be to source a second-hand seat from a German breaker. German cars being LHD, the right hand seat will have been the passenger seat and therefore a lot less worn all round. I though about doing this for my Coupe, but laziness and language barrier have stopped me so far. I reckon if you could bring back a Transit van full of Coupe seats (Mk1 and Mk2) there would be enough takers to make a bit of money out of it.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
|
Richard,
Unfortunately my seats are the pinstripe all over (and not plain gray bolsters) so I may be out of luck there! The importing idea is a good one, but I fear I may fall at the same hurdles as yourself!
However, if I ever find myself passing a German breakers, I might think again!
Cheers,
Stuart
|
|
|
|
Hi All,
Further to yesterday's posts, I have a little more information about this repair job now. Having spoken to the people in Blackpool, I have had no joy on matching the cloth, which I kind of expected. But I have been given another couple of options...
1. Take material from rear arm rest, and cover damaged bolster: £60
2. Leather all front seat bolsters: £120
3. Leather whole car (!): £650
Hmm, choices choices. Anyone have any experience with taking meterial from rear arm rests? Im told it will be replaced with a neutral grey cloth - will this look really shoddy, and defeat the point?
Or maybe I should just leave it gaffa taped up and ignore it!?!
Stuart
|
|
|
|
|
