Just got a rude awakening..

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 30th, 2007, 3:56 pm

I just called a couple of auto interior shops with the inquiry about getting my front seats recovered. I got quotes from $1000 to $1400 for JUST the two front seats. One guy even said it would take 6 hours of labor PER seat to do them. So is this industry a complete scam or am I missing something here?

Tunes67

Dali · Post by **Dali** » July 30th, 2007, 4:13 pm

not too bad really, good material that will last more than a year is expensive. i ripped my fabric off my seats so i could use them as a template and it took me about 3 hours to strip the fronts and rear.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » July 30th, 2007, 4:19 pm

Most cars that want custom/reapholstered interiors are higher end or older and the owners are willing to pay big money. I've called around and found cheaper places, but worried about the quality and thus didn't bite on the quote. There was a GB on here for custom interior stuff for about 1100 IIRC, but it was for the fronts and rear seat. I think the inserts were a tad more, but came as fabric only since the buyer would have to install or find a local install place. The price was also Canadian IIRC so the prices are similar. I've thought about making my own. I'm not the best seamstress, but am usually pretty quick to pick things up. Jeff (cannot remember his last name), an old MX-3.com member, made his own and they came out really nicely. You would need a pretty decent sewing machine to get through all the thick fabric (if doing leather or vinyl). I've unseamed a cover to see how difficult the patterns are and how difficult the seams would be to recreate. It doesn't look all that bad, but trial and error and a high patients level would be necessary. Jeff sais he sewed his loosely and then restitched to make sure the seams weren't too tight. I think he added a slim layer of new foam to help fill the cover and keep wrinkles to a minimum.
If you need places that sell fabric let me know as I've found a few with good selections of vinyl. Good fabric patterns are hard to find and plain fabric without a pattern is even harder. I really wanted to find a place that would sell Alcantara, but was unable. It is a synthetic suede used in very high end sports cars. Finding perforated vinyl is terrible hard and if you find it they usually only sell it in 1 or 2 colors.

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 30th, 2007, 4:20 pm

I found this site in case anyone else is interested. They even list the MX-3.. looks like they have decent color combinations.. might even be able to do logos..

http://www.wetokole.com/MAZDAF.html

Tunes67

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » July 30th, 2007, 4:22 pm

Btw.. for the record.. there is NO WAY anyone will convince me that a pair of seat covers are equal in value to a freaking paint job

LOL

Tunes67

monty73741 · Post by **monty73741** » July 31st, 2007, 10:53 am

Tunes67 wrote:Btw.. for the record.. there is NO WAY anyone will convince me that a pair of seat covers are equal in value to a freaking paint job LOL

Tunes67

jeff abrams has a how to on his web site....

mrmike420 · Post by **mrmike420** » August 1st, 2007, 8:53 pm

Tunes67 wrote:I just called a couple of auto interior shops with the inquiry about getting my front seats recovered. I got quotes from $1000 to $1400 for JUST the two front seats. One guy even said it would take 6 hours of labor PER seat to do them. So is this industry a complete scam or am I missing something here?

Tunes67

For that much, you can probably buy some mazdaspeed seats. Lol. I know my seats are pretty much crapped! So i'm just gonna buy some black leather racing seats (probably from Ebay) for a couple hundred bucks!

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » August 2nd, 2007, 10:41 am

Jeff Abrahms, that was who I was thinking of. I thought his site was down and has been for some time.
Anyway, KatSkins skinz, has a set for the MX-3 also.

mx3autozam · Post by **mx3autozam** » August 2nd, 2007, 5:07 pm

Yes this stuff is not cheap. Heres a local place http://www.shamiahs.com

I am actually considering haveing my seats and door panels done there.But its gunna cost me alot.

MazdaManiacMx3 · Post by **MazdaManiacMx3** » August 2nd, 2007, 11:21 pm

Meticulous , and cheap .. A combo that doesn't quite "Jive"

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » August 3rd, 2007, 12:33 am

Uhh.. yeah.. maybe you should check the definition of Meticulous.. it has nothing to do with how much cash you have or spend. And spending $1500 for seats for a car that bluebooks for less than $3200 in my area isnt that great of an idea in my book.

Tunes67

Post by **Mooneggs** » August 3rd, 2007, 8:36 am

LOL:roll:

me·tic·u·lous
adj.
1. Extremely careful and precise.
2. Extremely or excessively concerned with details.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[From Latin metculsus, timid, from metus, fear.]

MazdaManiacMx3 · Post by **MazdaManiacMx3** » August 3rd, 2007, 9:29 am

Precision costs money ,People don't get "perfect" work done for free. I wasn't exactly saying the words were acronyms , just joking around , sheesh .

So in terms , I'm right , A meticulous person is most likely not going to get his way if hes cheap , because cheap quality work is hard to come by .

Anyhow it was just a joke ,
Kris

mrmike420 · Post by **mrmike420** » August 3rd, 2007, 10:08 am

Just take em' to a Mexican upholstery shop, they'll probably do it for a few hundred... We have a bunch of them down here!!

Tunes67 · Post by **Tunes67** » August 3rd, 2007, 10:37 am

So in terms , I'm right , A meticulous person is most likely not going to get his way if hes cheap , because cheap quality work is hard to come by .

There is a difference between being cheap and allowing ones self to be ripped off.

Joking aside.. if you know that someone is WAY over charging for their goods or services and you pay it.. that just means your stupid. So in this instance.. I guess I would rather be labeled cheap that stupid.

As for my being meticulous.. well I guess you'll just have to wait and see what I come up with for my seats

Tunes67

Just got a rude awakening..

Just got a rude awakening..

Re: Just got a rude awakening..