E30 Zone

Hey folks!

So I'm restoring the SHIT outta my cabby.

The interior in my car (black leather) is all cracked, shabby and basically generally shite.

Anyone ever used an upholsterers?

I'm looking to simply reupholster the seats (front and back) and door cards as I imagine that would be cheaper than buying a whole new interior?

Is that likely to be expensive? Are there any companies that do this kind of thing particularly cheap?

Recommendations and advice please!

You can source a nice black leather interior for about £600

A re trim in black leather done to a good standard with quality hide will be over £1200. The last re trimmed e30 done the trimmers I use set the customer back £1500, but this involved new door handles and recolouring door card and other bits. It was also in lotus white. The hide was as close to OEM as possible

I was well over £1400 iirc for my LS's and the rear bench, no door cards.

I'm not one for posting pictures normally.

Buying a good secondhand set will defiantly be cheaper than a retrim or you could try the self restore kit from furniture clinic or liquid leather come up a treat they even have videos on the website to show you how it's done.

www.furnitureclinic.co.uk

www.liquidleather.com

Unless it's actually got holes in it, leather can usually be saved..

As above, it can be bought back from the dead.

Kos wrote:
A re trim in black leather done to a good standard with quality hide will be over £1200. The last re trimmed e30 done the trimmers I use set the customer back £1500, but this involved new door handles and recolouring door card and other bits. It was also in lotus white. The hide was as close to OEM as possible

How much of the 1500 would have been on the leather alone?

I was budgeting a couple of hundred to re-trim my own seats seeing as I would be supplying the cloth and other bitz!

Depends on the quality of leather

bab-91 wrote:

Kos wrote:
A re trim in black leather done to a good standard with quality hide will be over £1200. The last re trimmed e30 done the trimmers I use set the customer back £1500, but this involved new door handles and recolouring door card and other bits. It was also in lotus white. The hide was as close to OEM as possible

How much of the 1500 would have been on the leather alone?

I was budgeting a couple of hundred to re-trim my own seats seeing as I would be supplying the cloth and other bitz!

Good question, I think 4 hides were purchases at £150 each , labour was 20 hours for the trimming

This is who I use

http://www.strongandturton.co.uk/


Edit

Thinking about it they may have used 5 hides as the seat backs were done as well, still about 20 hours work but the labour rate was reduced as it was a cash job as such lol

Its 300 quid a hide and you need 3 hides just to trim the seats.

kieran325 wrote:Its 300 quid a hide and you need 3 hides just to trim the seats.

Jesus , was that for your highbacks & m3 rear bench ??


I keep meaning to stop of at my trimmers as I have some work for them, when I do I'll ask what the hides start at.

They do vary that's for sure but a decent hide will be over £125 that's for sure. When these lotus white hides were purchased they came from Germany and the euro was pretty weak at the time

Kos, it depends on where the hides come from.
The guy I use here has given me a choice of 5 different grades of leather, and 5 prices to go with them.

I know it varies a lot, it's the same with paint an lacquer costs

I've never had a full retrim only localised repairs, gaitors and steering wheels done so never really got too involved with the cost break downs.

But to trim an e30 seats properly with good leather will cost from £1200 quid but nearer £1500

To paint an e30 properly will also be £1500-£2000

You can obviously spend more and you can also pay less but when you pay less its always going
to be with lower quality materials and inferior workmanship.

True.
I think you know the trimmer here.
His work is really good, he did Mtts Cab in cardianl Red last year, he's quoted me £1000 as a favour to do the Recaros, M3 rear bench and spary all the doorcards in Tan, handles etc..... for the chromie.

Kos wrote:

kieran325 wrote:Its 300 quid a hide and you need 3 hides just to trim the seats.

Jesus , was that for your highbacks & m3 rear bench ??


I keep meaning to stop of at my trimmers as I have some work for them, when I do I'll ask what the hides start at.

They do vary that's for sure but a decent hide will be over £125 that's for sure. When these lotus white hides were purchased they came from Germany and the euro was pretty weak at the time

Yeah that was the leather I chose, in all it was £1500 for the LS's and a standard rear bench with headrests.

Would anyone like some pics

Kos wrote:

bab-91 wrote:

Kos wrote:
A re trim in black leather done to a good standard with quality hide will be over £1200. The last re trimmed e30 done the trimmers I use set the customer back £1500, but this involved new door handles and recolouring door card and other bits. It was also in lotus white. The hide was as close to OEM as possible

How much of the 1500 would have been on the leather alone?

I was budgeting a couple of hundred to re-trim my own seats seeing as I would be supplying the cloth and other bitz!

Good question, I think 4 hides were purchases at £150 each , labour was 20 hours for the trimming

This is who I use

http://www.strongandturton.co.uk/


Edit

Thinking about it they may have used 5 hides as the seat backs were done as well, still about 20 hours work but the labour rate was reduced as it was a cash job as such lol

So £750 for 20 hours work.... I'm in the wrong job!!

So am I. It works out to about £35 an hour, but like most businesses he's got over heads & wages to pay etc. it's not bad considering garages charge £50 an hour these days

20 hours for a re-trim?


I might rebuilt the seats myself!

Dismantle front seat and un pick the covers to make templates for the lether

Cut leather and stitch it

Re foam and repairs to the frames etc

Re fit new covers

4 hours per front seat and 6 hours on the rear bench

Re do door handles (no these are pita to do )

Prepare and re colour door card & consoles and make new gaiters

A couple of more hours

That's my interpretation of 20 hours lol

I'll call you tomorrow

eugh... why is this car so demanding!!


That will do!