# New Car: leather or cloth material?



## Anijunga (Jan 6, 2009)

Hi there,

We're buying a new car and are discussing the option of having leather or cloth interior. Anyone have experience with both? Our current car has cloth and is kind of a pain to keep clean, even with blankets and throws in the backseat. I'm thinking leather is easier to clean up the hair but there might be some drawback that I'm not realizing.

We have one 55 lb. Catahoula Leopard dog and occasionally foster a second dog of the same breed.

Thanks!


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Leather is much easier to keep clean and the hair doesn't stick like it does with cloth. Never had a problem with tears from claws.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

Same here... I had leather in my Bravada and LOVED it... never tore from claws. I have tan cloth (ugh) in my trail blazer and HATE it... Even with the back seats folded down they still find a way to mess things up.


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

I could never own a leather interior car for two reasons: gets too hot in the summer and burns my legs, and my legs stick to them when I'm wearing shorts.


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## .308 (Jul 26, 2009)

Can't beat good leather, although I can't help but wonder if people would feel differently about the product (leather) if it came from dogs instead?


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## amdeblaey (Jun 27, 2009)

We had leather in our Jetta-but I also had one of these http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19401 and they worked really good on both our leather and cloth.


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## pittsabowawa (Jul 26, 2009)

If your worried about it I would go with leather. I personally love my cloth car seats (warm in winter cool in summer) so I don't let the dog hair issue bother me.


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## Anijunga (Jan 6, 2009)

I usually don't care if a car has leather or not. This particular model only has the heated seats in a leather interior and I LOVE me my heated seats, hence the consideration.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

Leather would probably be easier but I hate the smell. In my experience dogs feet do tend to leave little scratches in the seat if they're jumping around or fidgeting a lot. It is very very hot in the summer too, might be a bit much for a dog if your car was sitting in the sun for a long time.


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## Dreadog (Jun 12, 2009)

I just got a new car, and got leather for the first time. I love it. If you can, spring for heated seats in the front... it is heavenly.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Leather for cleanliness (both wiping up hair and wiping up any spills/dog puke) and given that you are in Ottawa, I'm betting that heated seats will be more useful than the "coolness" of cloth in the summer.

And if you get a light colored leather, it really won't get very hot. 

My car's cloth backseat is covered in a homemade dog cloth that runs over the headrests all the way over the edge of the seat, with cut outs for the seatbelts. Works great for muddy paws and hair, easy to wash (much thinner than the car seat covers sold in pet stores-- and about $6 worth of fabric from Wal-Mart)


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## pittsabowawa (Jul 26, 2009)

Depending on how your back seat is shaped you could just take an old fitted sheet and drape it over the back and tuck it in under the seat.


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## Max's Mom (Feb 24, 2009)

I like cloth because it doesn't get hot and doesn't scratch or tear as easily as leather.


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## Taz Monkey (Sep 2, 2007)

Actually, it takes 900 lbs of pressure to tear leather, where as it only takes 90 lbs to tear fabric. LEather is so much stronger than fabric, and easier to keep clean. I have leather in my car and leather furniture. I'll never own fabric again, ever. I have 15 year old leather furniture that my parents bought and I've had for 8 years. Ihave 3 dogs and 10 cats and its never torn.


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