[BrianP2k20]

Hi All,

The seats in my Beetle are looking a little tired with a rip on the driver's side seat. Can anyone recommend either good replacements seat skins or a custom fit seat cover made for the Beetle? I know there are plenty of manufacturers out there who make seat covers, but most of the time they are not a tight fit and look like crap.

 

[Beetel]

If you fit seat covers...make sure you use seat covers designed to work with airbags.
If you get your seat recovered...make sure it is done by someone who uses airbag stitching etc.

New Beetles have airbags in the seats...and if you just use regular seat covers or get them recovered with regular
automotive upholstery stitching - that can be deadly.

If the airbag cannot deploy correctly - and gets forced to expand inside the seat in the case of an accident...the driver
can be seriously or fatally injured from being crushed between the seat and steering wheel.

 

[jdfelosi_9663]

I finally found a guy in knoxville that does great interior work and can replace panels in the original leather seats. he's part of the knoxdubs group on facebook.

I'm still in the search for a good interior shop that can cut my originals apart to use as patterns and remake them with better materials, sure i've found places but none that were really in my price range, most were wanting more than 4x what i paid for the car lol.

 

[billymade]

I'm in the exact same boat as you with my 2002 New Beetle Turbo S; the desert sun, has destroyed my seats and the leather is splitting, seams coming undone. I actually like my stock sport seats but like you, I don't want to spend allot and in most cases, seems, more then the car is worth. When, I have looked over the upholstery; from what I can tell, it seems, VW really only used leather on, the center contact areas and not on the bolsters and sides.

 

[jdfelosi_9663]

I'm in the exact same boat as you with my 2002 New Beetle Turbo S; the desert sun, has destroyed my seats and the leather is splitting, seams coming undone. I actually like my stock sport seats but like you, I don't want to spend allot and in most cases, seems, more then the car is worth. When, I have looked over the upholstery; from what I can tell, it seems, VW really only used leather on, the center contact areas and not on the bolsters and sides.

correct all the black parts are pleather, the grey parts on mine is actual leather.
The guy in knoxville tn will cut out the bad panels and replace them and his rates are more than fair
on the drivers side seat in my car the side panel (airbag one) had tore away at the seam and he replaced it for $60 and you can't even tell, done amazing work.
going to have him do my headliner as well once i decide on material.

 

[billymade]

Got any photos; showing, before and after repairs? Did you remove the covers yourself and pit them back on or have the shop handle things?

I would think remove/install diy; would save allot of $, doing it, that way.

 

[jdfelosi_9663]

Got any photos; showing, before and after repairs? Did you remove the covers yourself and pit them back on or have the shop handle things?

I would think remove/install diy; would save allot of $, doing it, that way.

i took my car to him, he done seat and headliner same day. im sure if you pulled the cover off and mailed it or took to them it would be much cheaper. i can try and find out.
im sure most good custom upholstery shops would do a pretty good rate for that as well

 

[billymade]

I’ve taken mark iv seats apart and removed covers, to repair failed, heated seat heater elements. Not very hard and i think; many auto upholstery shops would be happy to just work on a removed cover and end up, being much cheaper, compared to having them do everything, by just dropping off a car.