Does anyone have a photo of an original leather seat in a '96 Z3? The insurance company is trying to say I didn't have leather seats in my car. It has been towed away, so I can't go look at it. I could have sworn those were leather seats I had, but I'd like to see a picture of them from someone before I get to strident with the insurance company.
I don't have a picture of a 96 seat, but I do remember that the James Bond car in the BMW Zentrium had the exact same style leather seats that are in my car.
They are probably claiming the seats were Leatherette - a popular setup amongst early cars. Did your seats have ostrich looking leather on the center section of the seat bottom and back?
They are claiming that they are vinyl. Yes, the ostrich looking leather on the center and seat bottom! That's the real deal isn't it? If not, it's a pretty good fake.
On eBay at Item Number 200163863356 is a 1996 BMW Z3 offered for sale. The seller has provide some excellent photos including interior photos of the vehicle's seats. The seller indicates that the seats are cloth, not leather. They look to me to be leatherette although I don't have a lot of experience in this subject.
At this url are details about Z3 interiors including photos of various seat options in leather, letherette, fabric and so forth:
I thought some of the very earliest U.S. 1996s were cloth. There was an owner in Houston with one of the very first (if not the first) 1.9s, who then immediately had the interior re-upholstered in leather.
Your dealer can get you a printout of all options on your car if you give him the VIN. He can also include any/all service done at BMW dealerships. If your car came with leather seats, this printout should satisfy the insurance company; if not, sue the bastards.
Same with my 1997. Leder is leather in German. Maybe the rough dotted pattern was called Oregon Leather to associate it with the American West and particularly the Oregon leather trade. http://oregonleatherco.com
BTW: I was told by the experts at LeatherSeats.com that the BMW Ostrich-leather-looking seat inserts were actually made by stamping the pattern into the leather. It's a common technique, but nobody is producing it at the moment.
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