# Leather car seats hot weather



## Ang&Mark (Jun 11, 2010)

I'm sure this will be the first of many questions but as we are buying and shipping a car over before we come in 4 weeks, this is the most urgent. Would you recommend we don't buy a car with leather seats? Although they are easier to clean, are they uncomfortable in the heat and would they be liable to crack and spoil. Thank You.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Ang&Mark said:


> I'm sure this will be the first of many questions but as we are buying and shipping a car over before we come in 4 weeks, this is the most urgent. Would you recommend we don't buy a car with leather seats? Although they are easier to clean, are they uncomfortable in the heat and would they be liable to crack and spoil. Thank You.


Leather seats are not a good idea. You would have to have seat covers on them in the summer to avoid burning your legs when you get in if you are wearing shorts.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

We bought a car with leather seats and OUCH, not only that, when you sit on them for a while, you sweat and then have a wet bum when you get out, but that may well happen in any seat and at least the leather doesnt absorb the sweat and stay wet??!! They are probably more sturdy and easier to keep clean - but try to park in the shade or make sure you have a towel or something to sit on!!!!!!????? In retrospect, I dont think I would have had leather??!!!

Jo xxx


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## Ang&Mark (Jun 11, 2010)

Many thanks. The forum has been such a great help. Recommendations for movers and getting through the "red tape" are much appreciated. We had planned to purchase a Nissan Navara 2.5 or Mitsibushi Warrior (or something similar) in Cyprus but, even taking into account the duty and re-registration costs, we think we can still get more for our money here.


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## totorama (Jun 12, 2010)

I have lived in California for 10 years where the temperature is probably on a par with Cyprus. It is was 102 degrees F. (sorry not sure what that is in new money)., this weekend. Anyway, I have always had cars with leather seats and never found it a problem. The biggest problem is getting into a car that has been sitting in the parking lot after a boiling hot day and trying to hold a steering wheel that is ready to burn your fingers off


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

totorama said:


> I have lived in California for 10 years where the temperature is probably on a par with Cyprus. It is was 102 degrees F. (sorry not sure what that is in new money)., this weekend. Anyway, I have always had cars with leather seats and never found it a problem. The biggest problem is getting into a car that has been sitting in the parking lot after a boiling hot day and trying to hold a steering wheel that is ready to burn your fingers off


Good god Terry did you wet the bed or something. Its 4.40am where you are. What are you doing up?


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## totorama (Jun 12, 2010)

Veronica said:


> Good god Terry did you wet the bed or something. Its 4.40am where you are. What are you doing up?


Didn't have the aircon on last night and woke up at 3:30am and it was too hot to sleep... :mad2:


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

totorama said:


> I have lived in California for 10 years where the temperature is probably on a par with Cyprus. It is was 102 degrees F. (sorry not sure what that is in new money)., this weekend. Anyway, I have always had cars with leather seats and never found it a problem. The biggest problem is getting into a car that has been sitting in the parking lot after a boiling hot day and trying to hold a steering wheel that is ready to burn your fingers off


Oh yes the steering wheel!! AAAAGGGHHHH!

Jo xx


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

Oh I saw a car today in the parking lot with a steering wheel cover on it to block the sun and heat. I thought what a smart idea! I need to get me one of those!

Terry, 102 is 40 here, you'll see it upto about 105 in the shade. Are you in Southern California?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Whatever you decide to buy try to get something with seats covered in a breathable material. Don't worry so much about the steering wheel itself, get two or three of those foil covered sunscreens that go up against the windscreen - OK so you only need one for the screen but if you cover also the sides and or back depending on where the sun will be in the sky during your stay in a car park or where you are staying, it makes a real difference - copes with the steering wheel problem, too. Note you may have to make a slight modification to hold them up at the sides/back but sewing on a loop or two of tape should help. Works here in Spain where we regularly hit 35-40 (95-104F) - those are temps in the shade of course - it can be 50 (122F)or more in the sun which is where your car is likely to be standing!


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## totorama (Jun 12, 2010)

theresoon said:


> Oh I saw a car today in the parking lot with a steering wheel cover on it to block the sun and heat. I thought what a smart idea! I need to get me one of those!
> 
> Terry, 102 is 40 here, you'll see it upto about 105 in the shade. Are you in Southern California?


Not quite.

I'm in Morgan Hill/Gilroy south of San Jose. Moved out here 10 years ago from the UK, now looking to retire back to Cyprus (As soon as I can sell my house here)..


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## Su Dawes (Jun 19, 2008)

Ang&Mark said:


> I'm sure this will be the first of many questions but as we are buying and shipping a car over before we come in 4 weeks, this is the most urgent. Would you recommend we don't buy a car with leather seats? Although they are easier to clean, are they uncomfortable in the heat and would they be liable to crack and spoil. Thank You.



Hi Ang&Mark

We are moving over late September and probably several steps behind you on the car front. Are you using a removal co to ship your car across? 

We were told when over last month to ship a car across as expensive to buy in Cyprus and generally not good condition. We met someone with a contact in the UK who will import for us if we want but not done anything yet. 

Any advice really welcome....



Su (&Allen)


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Su Dawes said:


> Hi Ang&Mark
> 
> We are moving over late September and probably several steps behind you on the car front. Are you using a removal co to ship your car across?
> 
> ...


If you are bringing a container you might as well bring a car in it.
A lot of people do that and if you look through some of the old threads on this forum you will find posts about it.


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## Su Dawes (Jun 19, 2008)

Veronica said:


> If you are bringing a container you might as well bring a car in it.
> A lot of people do that and if you look through some of the old threads on this forum you will find posts about it.



Thanks again Veronica. You must be logged in 24x7! Have to post a message at some ungodly hour to catch you out!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Su Dawes said:


> Thanks again Veronica. You must be logged in 24x7! Have to post a message at some ungodly hour to catch you out!


Haha!!! If I am having a sleepless night you might find me here at any time
Seriously though as I am online a lot working on my website or dealing with other things with our business I do spend a lot of time glued to this seat. No wonder my rear end is expanding


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## Su Dawes (Jun 19, 2008)

Veronica said:


> Haha!!! If I am having a sleepless night you might find me here at any time
> Seriously though as I am online a lot working on my website or dealing with other things with our business I do spend a lot of time glued to this seat. No wonder my rear end is expanding



Buy a Ninteno Wii - it's great for exercise and lots of fun........bringing mine to Cyprus.....


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Su Dawes said:


> Buy a Ninteno Wii - it's great for exercise and lots of fun........bringing mine to Cyprus.....


Not so good if you have leather seats and it is hot weather.:focus:


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## Ang&Mark (Jun 11, 2010)

Thanks everyone, 3 days on and we're still undecided. For a 2.5 Nevara or similar, the re-registration costs, duty and someone helping us the other end totals about £2k so factoring that in, the prices are not so bad in Cyprus. And, as is our experience everywhere so far, people in Cyprus cant do enough for you. They even offered to meet us at the airport with the vehicle thus saving us hire car charges too. We're tempted to go that way, even without seeing the car we are buying first.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

OK so we aren't talking Cyprus but similar climate. In Spain it is a far better bet to buy it here. 

Back to the original question, I think that you may have a constant battle to keep the leather nourished and prevent it cracking.


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## Ang&Mark (Jun 11, 2010)

Agreed - our initial concerns were whether we could keep the leather supple in the heat. The The Navara here had leather but was an automatic, the one in Cyprus had cloth but was a manual. Mark generally prefers automatics so now I think we will hire a car after all and take a look around when we arrive. I'm sure there is a good used car market for these sorts of vehicles and we can do some sight seeing at the same time.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Ang&Mark said:


> Agreed - our initial concerns were whether we could keep the leather supple in the heat. The The Navara here had leather but was an automatic, the one in Cyprus had cloth but was a manual. Mark generally prefers automatics so now I think we will hire a car after all and take a look around when we arrive. I'm sure there is a good used car market for these sorts of vehicles and we can do some sight seeing at the same time.


When we were coming to Spain, I did lots of research online and we decided on the type of vehicle we wanted and then sourced a number of places where we could buy one (this gave us an idea of prices and various options available). In the end we went to a dealer in Alcalá la Real which is about 9 miles away whose reaction was "Ah yes, I've seen you in the park." In our village, so out of 5000 inhabitants we were already known and we hadn't even moved there. We got an excellent deal on the car that we fancied - well he wasn't going to do us down when we were going to be living just round the corner from him, especially in a village where everyone knows everyone else (and many of them are inter-related)!

We think it is important also to look at what the locals drive around in. If there is a preponderance of a particular type of vehicle (in our case Citroen Berling/Peugeot Partner/Renault kangoo type) then there has to be a reason - and that is usually because that is the best type of vehicle for that area (in our case it includes narrow roads around the towns and villages) and a capability of carrying both people and/or goods (we bought our kitchen flat-pack in Granada and brought it home in the back of the car!) economically. The banks in the village have one of the highest per capita account balances in Spain simply because the people here aren't spendthrifts and are not ostentatious; they are also practical people. However, they are warm, friendly and generous to a fault! Sorry have wandered off thread.... :focus:


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