The M140i vegan option

[shoestring7]

I'm not a big fan of the Dakota leather BMW seem to fit in most of their UK market cars. It feels like vinyl in any case, doesn't wear well, and has the usual leather disadvantages of being cold in winter, hot in the summer and slippery all year round. The UK market's obsession with leather amazes me, perhaps folks just like it because it matches their World of Leather three piece suite at home.

At least our continental neighbours have the choice to specify cloth/alcantara in their cars - and they save £1000 to boot. When I optioned up my Porsche Cayman sticking with the standard alcantara/vinyl interior was no sacrifice, so I was a bit disappointed to be stuck with only leather options when I specified my M140i earlier this year.

So imagine my surprise when I checked out the configurator yesterday to see this:



I've modified my order (to hell with the next buyer, I'm not choosing a car for them); do the PH's massive think I'm mad?

SS7

[Dannbodge]

I'd rather have Alcantara/Cloth in my cars.

The fact all big engine/decent spec german cars come with leather annoys me greatly.

[Fast and Spurious]

Not at all. You are buying the car for yourself! Do we buy the house that we think the next owner will like, or marry the woman that will be easy to pass on after a few years? (Maybe in my brother's case, as he is on marriage number 4...)

[Mike335i]

Whilst I don't mind the dakota leather as its durable and sport seats are comfortable enough for me, I know it does not suit everyone so glad they now have the option of cloth.

Edited by Mike335i on Tuesday 27th February 20:41

[Funk]

Nope; I've got cloth/alcantara (or something close to it) in my Golf R. I'm also not a huge fan of leather in cars.

[shoestring7]

Quick update; after convincing the BMW sales person I was sane, they suddenly became keen on an non-refundable deposit as they were uncertain of selling a cloth-spec. car should I cancel.

Later I was told that the cloth interior option isn't appearing on their internal ordering system, and they're having to call it in to Munich by phone. They (UK dealer) think that this may impact delivery as it would be treated as a special request.

I'm beginning to think that this is a glitch in the configurator - it only appears in the Shadow M140i 3-door (and M240i) - not the 5 door or non-shadow.

SS7

[aaron_2000]

shoestring7 said:

Quick update; after convincing the BMW sales person I was sane, they suddenly became keen on an non-refundable deposit as they were uncertain of selling a cloth-spec. car should I cancel.

Later I was told that the cloth interior option isn't appearing on their internal ordering system, and they're having to call it in to Munich by phone. They (UK dealer) think that this may impact delivery as it would be treated as a special request.

I'm beginning to think that this is a glitch in the configurator - it only appears in the Shadow M140i 3-door (and M240i) - not the 5 door or non-shadow.

SS7

Glitch or not, it's there so should they not honour it? I heard if you make a fuss they'll let you order just about anything. My uncle had a 320d SE E46 company car years and years ago that he ordered red napp leather and brushed Aluminium in, in the end the company wouldn't let him have it because of resale so he had black nappa leather with aluminium instead.

[mmm-five]

I was really disappointed when I realised I couldn't have my half-alcantara/cloth option on my Z4MC (after having such on my e34 M5).



Went for the best (IMHO) colour leather in the end, and thought I'd just get it retrimmed at some point.

Never did, and the seat heating removed any 'cold leather' days - pity it didn't do anything about the poor level of grip the seat gave. So now it's going for half leather/alcantara bucket seats instead.

[Mr Whippy]

I'd buy cloth over the cheap leather.

F30 heated seats are also slow junk vs E85/6 Z4 ones which are like insta-heaters.
Fortunately my f30 is garaged but if the leather gets cold it's still 5min+ till they feel warm.

I'd imagine 140i heating is no better, and the cheap leather is cheap.


The cloth looks smart and is comfy, grippy and warm, and looks far from cheap like the basic leather.

Why more people don't get it is beyond me.


Mmm-five, some Z4 came with mixed material Msport seats, but not M seats (base side bolsters just one panel not two).
But yeah best to retrim to suit. Full alcantara for the win!

[Locknut]

I would be quite happy with cloth seats. I think leather seats are for taxis so that they can wash out the puke on Saturday nights and quickly get back on the road again.

[smashy]

Interesting stuff ,maybe thats why my 120d on cloth seats were so much more comfortable than the leather seat in the 330d.Thanks for the thread its food for thought.

Edited by smashy on Saturday 3rd March 13:45

[Wills2]

I've always seen that option available on 1er and 3er M sport models, It's not an new thing.

[shoestring7]

Wills2 said:

I've always seen that option available on 1er and 3er M sport models, It's not an new thing.

The UK market M135is and M140is were only available with Dakota leather.

SS7

[Wills2]

shoestring7 said:

Wills2 said:

I've always seen that option available on 1er and 3er M sport models, It's not an new thing.

The UK market M135is and M140is were only available with Dakota leather.

SS7

I didn't mention the M performance models.

[Hoofy]

shoestring7 said:

I've modified my order (to hell with the next buyer, I'm not choosing a car for them); do the PH's massive think I'm mad?

Nope. I think leather sucks, too. As you say slip around all year, cold in winter, hot in summer.

Much prefer cloth.

[Mr Whippy]

shoestring7 said:

The UK market M135is and M140is were only available with Dakota leather.

SS7

Yeah it's daft. Before we bought our f30 my wife and I sat in a 118d Msport just to get a feel for size etc in showroom with baby in carrier...
The cloth was really very very nice, looked smart and felt lovely.

The 140i demo car with black leather felt more towards plastic with leather pattern effect.


Then when I said about going for cloth and being told you can't was a big surprise.
On the M340i and 335d you can order cloth however (or could pre shadow editions which seem more limiting)... though finding one used is another matter!

[MitchT]

When configuring a 2 Series M Sport, cloth used to be there by default, but if you selected leather you couldn't then go back to cloth! I notice cloth is now a selectable option. It's also an option on the 420i Coupé M Sport, but seemingly not on the Grand Coupé or on any of the larger engined 4 Series models. It looks great with the Carbon Aluminium interior trim...

[anonymous-user]

Each to their own, I’ve nothing against cloth seats other than they are undoubtedly harder to clean, if needed.

But the comments about the leather wearing more and the “hot and cold” comments don’t ring true for me. Never been an issue.

Neither has sliding about. Maybe we’re talking shiny suited sales reps here?

[to3m]

I've got dakota leather in mine and I expect it would feel a bit more slippery and cold if I wore a suit. I've found it fine in jeans, though. (I've used the heated seats all of once over winter. Wasn't really worth it.)

Even though the leather isn't exactly upmarket stuff, I do think it looks better than cloth in the lighter shades that I prefer. But I think cloth looks better for darker interiors, like the one here - there's something about black leather that I've often found makes a car interior feel a bit gloomy and claustrophobic.

It's always possible that I just have no taste, as I also actually like wood trim.

Edited by to3m on Saturday 3rd March 22:36

[Wills2]

Dakota is a dismal leather and not nice, I'd prefer cloth if I didn't have merino nappa.