How many of you were faced with this decision: leather vs leatherette in your BMW. I know I was, and it seems like every time I purchase a new BMW, I am still asking myself if I’m making the right choice.

Before I will go ahead and present you the advantage or disadvantages of one over the other one, I have to tell you that each time I’ve chosen the leatherette and I will mention why later.

Leatherette

Advantages:

  • cheaper
  • wears better
  • easier to clean and maintain
  • if leasing, you don’t have to worry about the resale value
  • perfect if you own pets

 

Disadvantages

  • it doesn’t feel as good as leather
  • in the heat of summer, it feels somewhat rubbery and sticky
  • no resale value

BMW leather

Leather

Advantages

  • adds resale value to the car
  • it “breathes” better
  • it softens over time
  • it gives a luxury look
  • some people like its smell
  • more color options

Disadvantages

  • more expensive
  • wears out faster
  • harder and more expensive to maintain
  • not pet friendly
  • it feels colder in the winter

Each time I have decided to go with the leatherette for two reasons:

  1. I have always leased my cars for 2 years, so financially it made sense not to invest the money in leather, and rather get other options, such as BMW Assist
  2. It feels great to me, and people can’t tell the difference. In my opinion the leatherette in the BMW has a really high quality.

If there are any other advantages or disadvantages that I missed, please feel free to let me know and I will update the article.