Thoughts on Alcantara interior

[Somefakename]

What's the overall feel of this faux suede interior? Is is easy to keep up and clean? Can anybody contrast it to the leatherette? Or is good old fashion leather still the way to go?

Thanks

 

[EmenGeeRoxx]

I have it and love it. I have had no problems thus far. Others have had wear on the steering wheel and bolsters. Use the search function on the site and type in alcantara to get more opions and feedback.


Good luck.

 

[bmwrocks]

No offense EmenGeeRoxx but most opinions I have read have been negative on the stuff. Bryan330i who has the ZHP package has complained that his steering wheel has worn down considerably over a short time. I have also heard it is warrantied but are you up for having it replaced every so often? If you are going to keep the car past warranty, what will you do after the warranty is up? I would go with the leather as it is classic, durable and luxurious at the same time. My $0.02.

 

[deutsch100]

I 100% agree with BMWrocks. Leather will last so much longer, is so easy to clean and condition, and won't show flaws such as skin oil. My 2 cents too!!!!

 

[nasa43]

I love the alcantara steering wheel. I did opt for leather seats though. The one thing I keep in mind though with the steering wheel is I make sure my hands are clean. I could see it getting dirty and would probably be a little harder to clean.

 

[jaf211]

I have the alcantara and love it. I must say, reading all the negative comments has me concerned, but as of right now, I have no complaints. It truly is soft and quite comfortable. The other thing I like is that leather is what EVERYONE has in their BMW. Perhaps there is a reason... but by NOT having leather, it just makes my BMW one bit different from the masses- and that is worth more than being part of the norm.

If this alcantara holds up (I hope), I will continue to have no regrets on my choice.

 

[rjp325i]

I have not had any problems with the alcantara steering wheel as yet but I only have the car 10 weeks and 3300 miles. One does not have a choice with the wheel. I opted for the leather seats etc however and I love it so far. I have had leather before and it wears very well and is easier to clean. I don't know how long term the alcantara fabric will last but it will not outlast leather. The alcantara is standard so it is cheap. The cost of leather is not cheap at $1450 (sticker) so one has to balance things out. The leather is also worth more at sell/trade in time if you care about such details. One thing that might contribute to excessive steering wheel wear is if the driver(s) wear rings that might cut into the fabric. I would have thought BMW would have considered that situation tho. I don't know of anyone with long term experience with the fabric that would give credibility (or lack of) to its durability.

 

[EmenGeeRoxx]

No offense taken.

This has just been my experience and it's unfortunate others have had issues with the material. Again as I said on a previous post related to this topic, I have the the alcantara on the headrests and bolsters only. I don't have the alcantara wheel where most of the complaints seem to be directed.

As for leather holding up better over time, I think that is subjective. I wasn't happy nor pleased with my research and observation on the montana leather in the 3's when I was making my purchasing decision. IMHO the nappa in the higher models seems to hold better over time.

Another perspective on the alcantara
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53808