Dealer installed/ aftermarket leather

Looking to buy an SR5, but I do need leather. Not looking to spend 40k on a limited. I play alot of sports and Always come in my car dirty, leather is just easier to clean. Has anyone added a/m leather to their 3rd gen or had dealer install. Please show pics and price. Thank you.

 

I looked into this with my DC OffRoad when purchasing at the dealer and they wanted $1700 for the leather seats. Initially I didnt think that was too bad except that the price quoted was for 'basic' design and not what was pictured in their brochure and then I found out it's only leather "skins" for the seats. Seriously? - Way too much for me for just leather covers. I got a pair of very expensive ISRI 10-way leather seats for my semi and they were only $1800 for the pair....real italian leather too...not pleather.

They don't replace the entire seat itself for that. I felt that wasnt worth it and eventually I would likely chase after some real aftermarket leather seats at some point..

 

Katskins is who I'd be looking at, and either DIY or have an upholstery shop install them. 'Cause the dealer is going to farm them out anyway.

 

Wow covers? I know katskin has theirs online for 800 bucks but you need someone to install them. 1700 for covers this insane. Thank you for the heads up.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/clazzio-leather-seat-covers.440635/#post-12802991

 

katskin had a group buy I think a few months ago.. there's some folks around here that definitely have them. I looked into them as well but after the group buy was over and they are not cheap!! I do a seach for "katskin" in the 3rd gen forum and also in the group buy forum.

 

Katzkin thread...
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/katzkin-leather-for-your-tacoma.313544/

 

You can find basic black Katzkins on EBay for about $600.

Clazzio seat covers seem well received here on TW. I think those are around $500.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/clazzio-leather-seat-covers.414702/

 

The clazzio's are nice and fit real tight. I have had multiple people tell me they swore they were factory leather seats.

If you are truly getting muddy though or will have a lot of wet/muddy dogs inside, do know that one option on the clazzio is perforated which kind of defeats the purpose of an actual cover as liquid and mud could still work it's way down to the seat. Same goes for girlfriends/wives/kids that spill a lot of drinks. So consider the non perforated if so.

 

Pretty much this. I was super skeptical, but was no way I was going to spend $1200+ for Katskins or any other aftermarket leather, professionally installed or not. Plus some of the pics I've seen of Katzskins don't really look that great. I've had the Clazzios since February and they still look awesome. I do a lot of snowboarding, hiking, road trips, mountain biking, etc., and never have regretted these covers over anything else. The neoprene covers (Wet Okole, etc.) end up looking worn and ragged over time, and if you get them wet they'll start smelling like a rotten ass over time (same way a wetsuit smells if you've forgot to dry it out. You know what I mean if you're a surfer or paddler).

Just take your time, have patience and go slow with the Clazzios. hey are a mild inconvenience to install, but if you watch one or two of the install videos on YouTube and pay attention to detail they can look incredible. Mine still look amazing.

 

If you want full leather you have to pay to play. Katzkin basics (Clazzio maybe the same I don't know) are leather only under your butt and on your back. The sides, front and backside are vinyl stitched to the leather seat surface. I think the headrests are also vinyl with the basic.

You can step up to full leather everywhere but the basic should work. This 4Runner Limited I bought has "factory leather", but it's like the Katzkins basic, leather for your butt and back and the side bolsters on the bucket seats, vinyl everywhere else.

Vinyl is susceptible to tears, leather does not tear. If you want full leather front, back, sides, front seats, rear seats, you have to pay big bucks.

If you do go leather, don't be 'that guy' that thinks leather doesn't need to be cared for, you just have to wipe the mud off with a damp cloth. Leather has to be cleaned and conditioned monthly with top quality products. Lexol, Mothers, Meguiars, no petroleum based products.

 

Is the vinyl shit material. Or is it basically what comes in every car nowadays

 

Vinyl is fine, Aerospace 303 it to keep it supple. Vinyl tears more easily than leather, but these aftermarket leather/vinyl kits seem like a good deal. You just have to maintain them.

 

I went with Clazzio's, super awesome. $425 shipped.

 

Katzkin in my access cab. A little over 1500 installed and everything. Not the best deal but i was impatient and now im happy

 

Very nice did you install yourself? Have any issues?

 

Looks great. Are those covers or they took off the factory cloth with that?

 

I had them installed at an upholstery shop. They have 4 guys that do that shit all day every day and they jumped on it and was finished in less than 3 hours. It's only been a couple months but no issues as of now

 

Oh yeah they took the factory cloth off

 

I did them myself. They just go over the existing seats, took me about 3 hours. Fit good, but my hands hurt for a couple days after I was done. I was going to go w/Katzkins, but I saved about a grand and got sliders, a skid plate and bed mat w/that extra money.