To all those with cloth / interlagos seats...

[lowdown]

How have they faired with age? If you could say how many miles you've done in them that would also be helpful.

Edit: Also does anyone know how straightforward it is to replace them with the mk5 gti leather seats?

After 40,000 they look perfect and much nicer than the ones they fit in the MK VI (too soft for me!)

(and just while I'm here...Mk V is the best, don't get suckered into the MK VI is an improvement-it isn't really, just cheaper for VW to make. They over-engineered the MKV, to get the GTi back, and now they are relaxing the grip.)

[Steve30]

How have they faired with age? If you could say how many miles you've done in them that would also be helpful.

Edit: Also does anyone know how straightforward it is to replace them with the mk5 gti leather seats?

After 40,000 they look perfect and much nicer than the ones they fit in the MK VI (too soft for me!)

(and just while I'm here...Mk V is the best, don't get suckered into the MK VI is an improvement-it isn't really, just cheaper for VW to make. They over-engineered the MKV, to get the GTi back, and now they are relaxing the grip.)

Thats what they all say becuse they aint got a mk6!!

[sharman]

My car is an 07 GTI with approx 32K miles. I know there is a problem with the cloth wearing on the bolster(drivers side). I've seen loads with really bad wear, even at the dealers, for sale. So I make sure I'm careful getting in/out and so far mine are great. Think VW are aware of this as it is a common fault and they could've used better cloth. Just be careful!

..........you would think BUT this problem with GTI drivers seats has been around since the mk1.

The best seats I ever had were the standard (red insert) Recaros fitted on my year 2000 MK4 GTI T. Really good seats!

[Snoopy]

My car is an 07 GTI with approx 32K miles. I know there is a problem with the cloth wearing on the bolster(drivers side). I've seen loads with really bad wear, even at the dealers, for sale. So I make sure I'm careful getting in/out and so far mine are great. Think VW are aware of this as it is a common fault and they could've used better cloth. Just be careful!

..........you would think BUT this problem with GTI drivers seats has been around since the mk1.

But the mk1s have far thicker longer lasting thick weave material. My mk1 in constant daily use as my main car from 1990-2005 was ~18 years old before it got any bolster ware.
The mk5 we had it started to show after been a few years old!

[Gene Hunt.]

My car is an 07 GTI with approx 32K miles. I know there is a problem with the cloth wearing on the bolster(drivers side). I've seen loads with really bad wear, even at the dealers, for sale. So I make sure I'm careful getting in/out and so far mine are great. Think VW are aware of this as it is a common fault and they could've used better cloth. Just be careful!

..........you would think BUT this problem with GTI drivers seats has been around since the mk1.

But the mk1s have far thicker longer lasting thick weave material. My mk1 in constant daily use as my main car from 1990-2005 was ~18 years old before it got any bolster ware.
The mk5 we had it started to show after been a few years old!

...........must have been how you took care of it because most earley GTI's that have had a few owners seem to have wear on the drivers seat.

[Snoopy]

I have had a few mk1's as have friends back in the 80s/90s and when they were around 5-8 years old few suffered imo it was later years and milage, unless they had (real low miles and used stop start all the time with a fat barstuard owner). I think the later models with tinted glass helped matters.  Were as the mk5's suffer earlier imo or ours did as did quite a few others from another forum i was on at the time in 05-09.
VW are like any company of today if they think they can save a penny here or there they will. They live off the image of quality they created with the mk2 golf. The same as Audi live off the image of the Quattro and the type 44 100.

[Gene Hunt.]

Must admit if i could get hold of a mk5 seat cover (orginal) i would swop it over.I got my mk5 GTI second hand & ''yes'' the car is in very good condition but i'm very fussy & would be happier with a new cover.
No holes on the orginal but could be better.

[Spaced]

GTI 05 Nearly 5 years old, 70000 miles....



Nuff said

[maxp]

If changing to leathers from interlagos, is it just a case of switching the seat covers and interior trim or is there more than that?

[winrya]

Mine is an 05 with 42k on the clock and the seats both look brand new