Whether you have a new or a classic car, damaged leather never looks good. A leather car seat repair is a job that can be done DIY, but recommended to take to any auto upholstery shop. Below I will address how these repair shops work, repair costs, quality of service, and share my experience with the leather car seat repair near me.
Leather Car Seat Repair Near Me
If you are searching for “leather car seat repair near me”, see the map below…
How Do the Leather Car Seat Repair Shops Near Me Work?
Leather interior work is done by upholstery shops. Most of these shops will provide more then leather repair, but also do fabric, vinyl, carpets, canvas tops, and related work.
The leather car steat repair near me, is a small buisness with a single owner and a single employee. While his work is impecible and customer service is fantastic, the waitlist to get your owrk done can be long. I often guide people towards smaller shops as the insustry has become very commercialized, but you need to consider the time element. Smaller shops also often more higher prices.
The best approach to finding a shop is to call around. Explain your leather issue and be specific about the year, make, model, part, the extent of the damage, how and long it’s been damaged. For example, my 1957 Thunderbird had a 3 inch crack in the top left corner of the leather dashboard where it touches the windshield. I think it was caused my the sun and it started about 3 weeks ago.
Any good upholstery shop will be able to get you a basic quote, but don’t expect accuracy. They need to see it to assess the damage. You can also consider sending them pictures to get a tighter quote. They will also ask you questions about authenticity of the vehicle to assess what kind of parts they can source or repair techniques they can use.
The best thing to do is bring in your vehicle and let them look at. The shop who does leather car seat repair near me, will take a look for free to give you a better price quote. It’s also better to let them see the vehicle to take measurements and feel the damage with their hands.
Be Clear What You Expect Up Front…
Ask to be walked through the process before any work starts. This is especially true for a classic car, where the value is in the authenticity. Their work can directly impact the vehicles value. Another thing you want to ensure is that they call you if there is any change in plans. For example, if they remove the leather from the seat and the cushion underneath is rotten, have them call you to discuss options.
For an Auto Resto, Authenticity is Critical…
A repair on vintage leather may require a special shop. Understanding the materials and craftsmenship from the era of the vehicle is crucial. For a classic car, you want to find a shop that specializes in auto restorations.
There are other alternatives as well like ordering an inerior car kit. Basically you provide the year, make, model and specs of the vehicles interior and they replicate it and send it to you. Then you install it on your own. This is what is considered an “authentic reproduction” and will impact the vehicles overall value.
It’s also just not the authenticity that is important, but the quality of craftsmenship. You need precision cutting and tight hand stitching that will last.
Types of Leather Car Seat Damage That Can Be Repaired
There are a multitude of issues that can occur with a leather car seat. The following issues can be repaired and require differnt levels of cost and effort:
- Pet Scratches, Punctures, and Cracks
- Fading, Stains, and Discolerations
- Peeling and Flaking
- Burns and Holes
- Cuts, Rips, and Tears
Damage Can be Repaired on Various Parts
Leather repair isn’t just limited to the seats. You can also get leather repair on:
- Seats
- Doors
- Dashboards and Consoles
- Headliners
- Tops
- Car Bras and Covers
Leather and Vinyl Car Seat Repair Price Ranges
| Damage Description | Cost Estimate | |
| Car Leather and Vinyl Repair Professional Services | ||
Minor Damages:
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Moderate Damages:
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Severe Damages:
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Can You Repair a Leather Car Seat Yourself?
Technically yes, but it will depend on the level of damage. There are leather repair kits on Amazon, where you can repair a leather car seat yourself. In my opion those kits should be avoided as they can often do more harm then good. When it comes to leather repairs require advanced tools, advanced skills, color matching, and high end leather compounds.
A few years ago I tried fixing sime interior leather damageon my 1965 Corvette. I ended up doing more harm then I good I tried to repair a tear along the seam on the bottom cushion on the driver seat. While trying to fix it, another tear started on the opposite side from the stretch on the material. I ended up stopping and hiring a corvette restoration shop to work it.
If you do decide to try it on your own, there is a great guide hear on DIY leather repair.
How To Select a Leather Car Seat Repair Near Me?
When selecting a leather car seat repair near me you must consider: experience, customer service, and quality of work.
Here is some general guidance you should follow:
- Research several shops; read Yelp and Google reviews
- Make a short list and call for price quotes.
- Ask to see phots of before and after work.
- Ask about guarantees of craftsmenship.
- Find out timelines to completeion.
- How do they communicate when/if the discover unplanned issues.
- Search online for actual customers who have used their services.
- Ask for a customer reference that you can call.
- Ask is they have worked on any similar vehicles of yeay, make, or model.
Leather Car Seat Repairs Near Me – Conclusion
Different upholstery shops, specialize in different kinds of repairs. I wouldnt take my Mercedes AMG for a leather repair to the same guy I take my 1965 Corvette. You need to call and ask questions; experience matters! Even simple repairs I would take in to a professional shop. In my experience working with leather you can do more harm then good repairing leather yourself. This is what I have learned from the leather car seat repairs near me.