Replaced Driver's Leather Seat Cover -- 98 V70 Topic is solved

[abscate]

Thanks son-of-Mr-Showell....

[E Showell]

So, I thought I'd give the long term durability results now, almost three years in (three years comes up in early June) with the Elwood Industries seat covers. Except for a little dye rubbing off (which I touch up periodically with some black liquid shoe dye) right around kidney height on the bolster where you get in an out of the car and about a quarterly application of Lexol leather conditioner, the seat cover I got from Elwood Industries is hold up exceptionally well and looks almost as good as the day it was installed. Some small wear lines are developing in the leather, but they are very faint and do not appear to be compromising the integrity of the surface. It is still perhaps the most comfortable car seat I have sat in and I am not fatigued after multi-hour highway drives. In my mind, it continues to be a viable restoration option, but it is certainly not a cheap way to go.

I did use Bob's covers in my wife's 1999 V70 and am pleased with the results (two bottoms and one back).

For the newly-aquired '99 S70, I opted for the Ebay synthetic seat covers- from Greece- which go on over the existing seat upholstery -- after seeing a set on a fellow forum member's C70. They are considerably cheaper than the Elwood Industries option (c. $160 for covers for two front seats including shipping), but they are vastly different products as well. I have yet to install the Greek covers, but can say that the printed installation instructions are sketchy at best. Still, I'm betting installation is fairly intuitive, so I don't consider the lack of great instructions a substantial negative.

Turnaround time for the order from Greece was about 10 days less than Ebay's estimated delivery. I forget when I placed the order, but I was promised the covers by May 8th and they arrived on or about April 29-30, so almost ten days before Ebay said they'd get here.

Once installed, I'll let folks know how they seem.

[abscate]

I did have my originals seats stitched locally, he suggested I soak them in water and let them sit in the sun for a few hours before installing, since they had shrunk.

I fit them over the seat and attached them to the frame with zip ties instead of hog rings.

The 1999 seat is incredible and like no other car I have ever driven for comfort on a long trip.

[E Showell]

Steve, I'll email you some follow up pictures for posting.

[abscate]

Lots of pictures on this ...

[Rondo]

Love the condition of the seats, but I'm really jealous of your intact, non-pulled away vinyl on your door panel inserts.

[E Showell]

Don't be. What you can't see in the pics is that the door panels are absolutely filthy with that oh so special ground in dirt that no brand of cleaner or quantity of elbow grease will remove. They are being replaced by very clean door panels with separating vinyl.

[E Showell]

The tan seats are the Greek seat covers from EBay. About $160 shipped for the pair.

The black driver's seat is an Elwood Industries seat bottom and seat back one month shy of three years in service.

[Rondo]

Have you tried magic eraser on the vinyl? I don't use it too often because I'm afraid it will discolor the vinyl, but for an initial cleaning it worked wonders.

[E Showell]

I haven't. I'm going to try Magic Replacer instead as there are other flaws, but thanks for the suggestion.