Cloth interior, as an option, for Cadillac?

[trinacriabob]

Today I saw the most current version of the DTS driving alongside me on a major boulevard. I was thinking about how this car had "cleaned up nicely" and that there is nothing too overstyled about the Cadillac brand anymore (though I don't like the new heavy "eggcrate" CTS grille).

At any rate, since it tends to be hot in inland Northern California, I remembered how Cadillac typically offered a cloth interior on the DeVille series. It was nicely detailed and very comfortable. Because of the heat, I will always own a car with a cloth interior.

I was thinking that, on one model, possibly the DTS in Trim Level 1 form, a cloth interior should be offered in a couple of generic colors ... and that it could be a credit option. Now, I know that some of you may think this could be something that would make the import brands (and even Lincoln) double over laughing...and probably so. What's your opinion?

[CanadianBacon94]

only if it doesent look likecheep cloth, and they call it premium, ummm Fabric?" upholstery or give it like a made up word for the name

Edited April 16, 2010 by CanadianBacon94

[Satty]

You've never sat on leather seats that are ventilated, have you? Works pretty well, a much better alternative than offering something that will inevitably be described as cheap and lambasted by the media.

[Robert Hall]

Because of the heat, I will always own a car with a cloth interior.

I live in AZ and have no problem w/ 3 cars at home w/ leather (dark blue, black, and charcoal interiors). But seat covers certainly help in the summer..

Though I wouldn't mind seeing high quality cloth interiors or leather/alacantra available on more cars.

Unfortunately, pretty much any new car I'm interested in is available only in leather at the trim level I'm interested in.

Edited April 16, 2010 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Camino LS6]

I'm all for it, I hate leather.

[Drew Dowdell]

Why? Audi, BMW, and Benz all offer cloth in their models in the EU.

[Camino LS6]

Because Americans have been brainwashed to believe that leather is always "better".

Freakin sheeple.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I'd like to see it as an option but at the end of the day the Ventilated seats in the DTS and Lucerne were just fine on the hot summer days we had rented them.

[Z-06]

A high quality cloth will do wonders. I hate leather.

[Intrepidation]

Just because you like leather doesn't mean you're "brainwashed"

I used to prefer cloth seats, but ever since I sat in an LHS I was converted. So much more supple.

As for cloth in a Cadillac, go ahead and offer it on the old fart DTS, but leave it at that.

[Camino LS6]

Just because you like leather doesn't mean you're "brainwashed"

I used to prefer cloth seats, but ever since I sat in an LHS I was converted. So much more supple.

As for cloth in a Cadillac, go ahead and offer it on the old fart DTS, but leave it at that.

You miss my point, DF.

People believe leather is better under any circumstance now, and expect it in everything. Sometimes it is just pure crap (the GMT400s come to mind). I don't care for it, supple or not.

If you genuinely like it, more power to you. But most people think its some kind of badge of affluence because that's what they've been conditioned to believe.

[Intrepidation]

Yeah cheap leather sucks, in that case I'd rather go for good quality cloth. Prizm's came in either base cloth, premium two-tone cloth, and leather...which felt more like vinyl. The premium cloth looks nice and is more comfortable.

[pow]

Ironically, in the US you can get a $55K M3 with cloth seats but not on a $35K 3-series. Personally I prefer high quality cloth to average leather - it holds you better, it's better ventilated, and often times more comfortable. The leatherette on BMWs and Mercs (MB-Tex) is nicer than a lot of leather in mainstream cars.

My cousin has a '97 ES300 with cloth seats, and its interior is brand new. If that were leather, it would have been cracked, saggy, and butt shined by now. I know you can condition leather, and some people like having a patina, but his interior literally looks brand new. Some people like that...

[regfootball]

very few cloth interiors are done nicely enough to warrant being in a cadillac badge.

leather feels better on my tush. heated seats and cooled seats make up for wide temp swings and my car has a/c. heated seats ought to be standard on all caddies.

when your kids vomits, spills milk, or urinates and it gets on your seats, it wipes right up off of leather. get some vomit or urine or some rotten milk curdling away in your cloth and seat foam and you'll be wishing you got the leather or leatherette. enzyme cleaner can only get out so much.

i don't mind a cloth / leather combo.

caddy should never stock cars with cloth interior but i would suggest that maybe it could be a special order factory option.

if you wear gloves, would you rather wear canvas gloves or leather gloves?

[SAmadei]

I am not a sheeple... but I like leather seats. Nobody has every told me their inherently better. I like the smell, the feel. I like the way they hold up... mine have not stained, ripped or absorbed bad smells in 200K miles. I especially like leather bucket seats.

I also like cloth seats, especially ones from the eighties with the velour and fluffy faux-cushions. My only gripe with cloth seats is when I'm sweaty... I don't like the feeling that my smelly sweat is soaking into the seat. What I DONT like are modern cloth seats which seem to wear out fast, stain, smell over time. Also alot of modern cloth seats are too hard, IMHO.

Of course, I like old school vinyl, too. Yeah, that stuff you fried your legs on years ago when you wore shorts in the summertime. The stuff held up reasonably well... but was hard as a rock in the winter. Take that curve too hard and whooops... you're on the wrong side of the car.

Do I think cloth belongs in a Cadillac? Well, not really. I think overall, the leather goes hand in hand with a car being a Caddy. I feel alot of modern cloth materials are either boring or gimmicky. Neither belongs in a Caddy. Make it a option... IMHO, there needs to be more than two material/color options for a Caddy.

[PurdueGuy]

Some of you seem to be missing the point that cloth can be done very well. Comparing leather seats in a BMW to cloth seats in a chevy isn't a fair comparison. Of course caddy cloth seats would have to be very high quality and classy in design. What caddy should offer is what customers want, not what just some customers think should be standard. Consider high-end plush furniture, does it only come in leather? Heck no.

[Nick]

Cloth is filthy, makes a car musty, is more prone to absorbing odors, stains, and just looking like $h!.

A good quality, well designed leather seat will look nicer, feel nicer, exude a much higher quality than cloth, and will have negligible temperature differences in comparison to cloth.

I can understand why most of you dislike leather...cheap leather can really suck to sit in, and GM (among other automakers) has a history of some really crappy leather.

I will say though that cloth can be good, especially in performance applications. For example, this is one of the most sought-after seats in the BMW community..straight out of the e36 M3, and seemingly quite rare, the cloth vader:

Edited April 16, 2010 by Nick

[trinacriabob]

People believe leather is better under any circumstance now

because that's what they've been conditioned to believe.

Wow, when I started this thread, I thought I would be the lone wolf. Conditioned is the work I was looking for. I started the thread because seeing that DTS made me think of periodic sightings of late 1980s Coupes and Sedan De Villes, in perfect condition, that have the dark brown, dark blue or burgundy cloth interiors with the Cadillac crest in the upper cushion and the wide-ribbed horizontally banded velour in the lumbar area. It's well done. I also say this because my 84 Cutlass Supreme Brougham (loose cushion velour interior) coupe was far and away the most comfortable road-trip car of any car me or my family has ever owned. I could drive from Northern Cal to the PNW and take it all in stride 10 hours later.

@ oldsmoboi - right, I remember noticing that on some mid-level BMWs while over there

@ samadei - I remember that "shorts during the summer" problem in my Dad's Pontiac (vinyl seats) when I was a kid in L.A. - in the coastal basin, it might be a little uncomfortable....cross the pass into the San Fernando Valley and leave the car in the 100 degree sun for a couple of hours and I didn't want to even deal with the cool-down period (OUCH)...plus, I don't like the fine hairline cracks that eventually develop in the seats.

[trinacriabob]

Consider high-end plush furniture, does it only come in leather?

I was also thinking about the furniture analogy and think that there a lot of people who choose cloth over leather, and who could realistically afford either. However, I think there are also a lot of people who think the "living room on wheels" (what my Dad called the higher-end BOP cars, and he meant that in a good way) concept went away in the 80s and should never come back.

[regfootball]

Cloth is filthy, makes a car musty, is more prone to absorbing odors, stains, and just looking like $h!.

A good quality, well designed leather seat will look nicer, feel nicer, exude a much higher quality than cloth, and will have negligible temperature differences in comparison to cloth.

I can understand why most of you dislike leather...cheap leather can really suck to sit in, and GM (among other automakers) has a history of some really crappy leather.

I will say though that cloth can be good, especially in performance applications. For example, this is one of the most sought-after seats in the BMW community..straight out of the e36 M3, and seemingly quite rare, the cloth vader:

they may be nice for cloth but they look like they have no business in a luxury car. those seats do not look luxurious.

[PurdueGuy]

they may be nice for cloth but they look like they have no business in a luxury car. those seats do not look luxurious.

I would guess they're more desired for a blend of performance and comfort. Looks like they have pretty decent bolstering.

[Robert Hall]

they may be nice for cloth but they look like they have no business in a luxury car. those seats do not look luxurious.

They are in an M3. An M3 is not about 'looking luxurious', it's about serious performance. Though I'd rather have the leather and alacantra seats in an M3.

[trinacriabob]

There is definitely a way to pull off upscale luxury touring sedan/coupe seating in cloth. And make it look New Millenium and not 80s. I am sure the seating design experts could work up something and make it durable, well-crafted, comfortable and not detrimental to the image. However, I don't see it happening, because of the expectation that all cars over $35,000 feature leather seating.

At my price point, I get cloth anyway, but if I got a chunk of change, I wouldn't mind having one of the more subtly styled Cadillacs, and not have to put on the sheepskin covers during the summer. A DTS in ice blue metallic, with alloys, and a dark blue cloth interior wouldn't be bad. I hear they get about 25 mpg on the highway, which is pretty damn good.