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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) General G20 Sedan / G22 Coupe / G26 Gran Coupe Discussions G20 Vernasca Leather Quality?

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      01-23-2020, 11:05 AM   #45
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
Almost 10k miles on the car and my seats still look showroom new.
If I had ordered light colored interior, I might have gone with Sensatec as well because the contrast stitching tends to only make a visual difference on dark interiors.

I always go for black interior, and on that I felt contrast stitching adds a lot to the overall look. I figured real cost difference for me was roughly 12 bucks a month (10% off the msrp of $1450 then subtracting the $400 or so that it adds to resale to private party when I sell). I tend to keep cars 5-6 years, so for me it's worth it. Love the low-maintenance of synthetic leather though.
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      01-23-2020, 02:02 PM   #46
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Originally Posted by TheRetroGuy View Post
If I had ordered light colored interior, I might have gone with Sensatec as well because the contrast stitching tends to only make a visual difference on dark interiors.

I always go for black interior, and on that I felt contrast stitching adds a lot to the overall look. I figured real cost difference for me was roughly 12 bucks a month (10% off the msrp of $1450 then subtracting the $400 or so that it adds to resale to private party when I sell). I tend to keep cars 5-6 years, so for me it's worth it. Love the low-maintenance of synthetic leather though.

Another potential benefit of sensatec that has not been been brought up yet- since it is not porous like leather, it is very less likely to hold on to offensive odors/smells, etc.

I know we all have that one friend/family member that that smokes like a chimney and has less than stellar hygiene...or accidents with kids, foods, etc.

My nephew had an "accident" on the dakota leather once and the smell still lingered for months even after using bleach etc.
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      01-23-2020, 06:06 PM   #47
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Originally Posted by alpinewhite3 View Post
Another potential benefit of sensatec that has not been been brought up yet- since it is not porous like leather, it is very less likely to hold on to offensive odors/smells, etc.

I know we all have that one friend/family member that that smokes like a chimney and has less than stellar hygiene...or accidents with kids, foods, etc.

My nephew had an "accident" on the dakota leather once and the smell still lingered for months even after using bleach etc.
The last such incident I had was maybe 10 years back, someone who promised to be careful with her ashes if I let her smoke ended up letting the tip of her cigarette bump the light colored alacantara on the passenger side door, and it left a nasty looking burn scar. It bothered me every time I looked at it, and since then I don't have a fondness for alacantara in general. I don't think I can do anything about my fondness of women . It would have been an easy repair on leather and probably vinyl. Since then I've been avoiding alacantara seats because (accurate or not) I have this impression of them as being easily stained / damaged and hard to clean, even though it's reputed to be durable. I go with black interiors (whether leather or synthetic) as much as possible, because I tend to buy and keep rather than lease and return in 3 years and for me it seems to hold up better.
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      01-23-2020, 06:36 PM   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRetroGuy View Post
The last such incident I had was maybe 10 years back, someone who promised to be careful with her ashes if I let her smoke ended up letting the tip of her cigarette bump the light colored alacantara on the passenger side door, and it left a nasty looking burn scar. It bothered me every time I looked at it, and since then I don't have a fondness for alacantara in general. I don't think I can do anything about my fondness of women . It would have been an easy repair on leather and probably vinyl. Since then I've been avoiding alacantara seats because (accurate or not) I have this impression of them as being easily stained / damaged and hard to clean, even though it's reputed to be durable. I go with black interiors (whether leather or synthetic) as much as possible, because I tend to buy and keep rather than lease and return in 3 years and for me it seems to hold up better.
Ouch. I don't even let my daughter eat in my car... much less let someone smoke in it.
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      01-23-2020, 06:50 PM   #49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRetroGuy View Post
If I had ordered light colored interior, I might have gone with Sensatec as well because the contrast stitching tends to only make a visual difference on dark interiors.

I always go for black interior, and on that I felt contrast stitching adds a lot to the overall look. I figured real cost difference for me was roughly 12 bucks a month (10% off the msrp of $1450 then subtracting the $400 or so that it adds to resale to private party when I sell). I tend to keep cars 5-6 years, so for me it's worth it. Love the low-maintenance of synthetic leather though.
I just caved in and ordered the 330i with mocha leather having come from nearly five years in Lexus Nuluxe which I love. Main reason is color. I got the Mineral Gray and wanted a color that would refine the interior a bit other than black and without the two tone dash.

Lexus Nuluxe seats are identical in appearance to the leather ones, whereas the Sensatec is not. They look blah compared to the leather ones. If BMW would match their appearance with the Leather seats, it would be a win-win.
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      01-24-2020, 07:11 AM   #50
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Originally Posted by FUZCO View Post
I just caved in and ordered the 330i with mocha leather having come from nearly five years in Lexus Nuluxe which I love. Main reason is color. I got the Mineral Gray and wanted a color that would refine the interior a bit other than black and without the two tone dash.

Lexus Nuluxe seats are identical in appearance to the leather ones, whereas the Sensatec is not. They look blah compared to the leather ones. If BMW would match their appearance with the Leather seats, it would be a win-win.
I had a Lexus IS as well, and in the third generation it was an interesting situation because Lexus only offered synthetic material (NuLuxe) for their premium trim level (F-Sport). Not 100% sure of their reasoning for that. I read a theory somewhere that Japanese car engineering places strong emphasis on long-term durability of things (the car should look the same 10 years later), and that the demographic that wanted the sportier F-Sport trim was perceived as being generally rougher on a car than the demographic that wanted a more luxurious feel. It was important to Lexus to draw in the enthusiast / performance crowd without losing the interest of their more traditional audience.

I think all the Sensatec and leather combinations offered on the G20 are gorgeous, but I always go with black interior because in any car, sunny days are hard on my eyes so the darker and more light absorbent the material is, the better.

I could have been perfectly happy with Sensatec I'm sure but in black the contrast stitching (both on the seats and other areas around the car) really adds cosmetic appeal.

Most modern leathers which are even remotely durable are coated in such a way the feel is indistinguishable from synthetic. The finer grain leathers, which are gorgeous and feel awesome when new, are higher maintenance and not as durable, so it's a balancing act really.

Congrats on the mineral grey, dark metallic grey remains my favorite color. Very versatile and looks great with any wheel color (my own preference is black wheels), and also holds up great over time. I like Dravit grey too but I'm seeing a lot of lower-end cars with a similar color and wasn't sure I would still love it in 4-5 years.
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      01-24-2020, 07:37 AM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JayPichardo View Post
I find that Vernasca feels much better than Dakota.
+1, I have no issues, yes it is not as soft as some leathers. Softer can mean it does not hold up with heavy use
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      01-24-2020, 08:36 AM   #52
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I love the Vernasca so far (I'm coming from Audi Napa leather). The Vernasca has a meatiness to it and I like the graining. Seems like it's going to hold up really well. Looks and smells enough like proper leather for me to be okay with it. The Napa leather in my S5 was nice but it was so smooth and buttery soft that I started seeing creases after only a few weeks. I always felt like I had to get in and out so gently especially if I had anything with metal rivets (jeans) or a jacket with a zipper. I've also had to the Lexus NuLuxe and found it very nice but it had a strange smell (kind of sweet?), so that was probably the only downside. I love the leather smell in cars, regardless of the quality.
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      01-24-2020, 02:17 PM   #53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burrcold View Post
I love the Vernasca so far (I'm coming from Audi Napa leather). The Vernasca has a meatiness to it and I like the graining. Seems like it's going to hold up really well. Looks and smells enough like proper leather for me to be okay with it. The Napa leather in my S5 was nice but it was so smooth and buttery soft that I started seeing creases after only a few weeks. I always felt like I had to get in and out so gently especially if I had anything with metal rivets (jeans) or a jacket with a zipper. I've also had to the Lexus NuLuxe and found it very nice but it had a strange smell (kind of sweet?), so that was probably the only downside. I love the leather smell in cars, regardless of the quality.
I have the BMW Nappa leather. 25 months in no creases, sagging, etc.
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      01-24-2020, 03:46 PM   #54
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Will I regret choosing leather over the sensatec?
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      01-25-2020, 06:45 AM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FUZCO View Post
Will I regret choosing leather over the sensatec?
Doubtful. The additional cost added by Vernasca is not enough to feel in the wallet and I haven't really heard any complaints about either material by folks using them daily.

The G20 is probably too new for anyone to report on how the interior looks many years later. You might be able to research that answer on a forum for another model. BMW sells more SUVs so you may find more lively discussions on sensatec vs various leather grades in those forums.
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      01-25-2020, 12:56 PM   #56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRetroGuy View Post
I had a Lexus IS as well, and in the third generation it was an interesting situation because Lexus only offered synthetic material (NuLuxe) for their premium trim level (F-Sport). Not 100% sure of their reasoning for that. I read a theory somewhere that Japanese car engineering places strong emphasis on long-term durability of things (the car should look the same 10 years later), and that the demographic that wanted the sportier F-Sport trim was perceived as being generally rougher on a car than the demographic that wanted a more luxurious feel. It was important to Lexus to draw in the enthusiast / performance crowd without losing the interest of their more traditional audience.

I think all the Sensatec and leather combinations offered on the G20 are gorgeous, but I always go with black interior because in any car, sunny days are hard on my eyes so the darker and more light absorbent the material is, the better.

I could have been perfectly happy with Sensatec I'm sure but in black the contrast stitching (both on the seats and other areas around the car) really adds cosmetic appeal.

Most modern leathers which are even remotely durable are coated in such a way the feel is indistinguishable from synthetic. The finer grain leathers, which are gorgeous and feel awesome when new, are higher maintenance and not as durable, so it's a balancing act really.

Congrats on the mineral grey, dark metallic grey remains my favorite color. Very versatile and looks great with any wheel color (my own preference is black wheels), and also holds up great over time. I like Dravit grey too but I'm seeing a lot of lower-end cars with a similar color and wasn't sure I would still love it in 4-5 years.
Hey man. Thanks for the reply. Which G20 combo do you have? I would have gone with the Sensatec but I feel that the mocha brings the interior to a whole other level. Especially with the mineral gray.

I agree with you about the Dravit grey. We had a 850 coupe on display with that color an an event a few months back. I thought the color was a some sort of prep primer on a prototype. I can’t understand the appeal but to each his own. I went to a dealership nearby yesterday again that had one on the floor and still wasn’t impressed. The mineral gray looks better. Dravit does not mask imperfections at all either because it is a very opaque metallic color. Maybe it’s the higher price tag that makes it attractive? Same with TB. No reason for the up charge.
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      01-25-2020, 01:01 PM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Burrcold View Post
I love the Vernasca so far (I'm coming from Audi Napa leather). The Vernasca has a meatiness to it and I like the graining. Seems like it's going to hold up really well. Looks and smells enough like proper leather for me to be okay with it. The Napa leather in my S5 was nice but it was so smooth and buttery soft that I started seeing creases after only a few weeks. I always felt like I had to get in and out so gently especially if I had anything with metal rivets (jeans) or a jacket with a zipper. I've also had to the Lexus NuLuxe and found it very nice but it had a strange smell (kind of sweet?), so that was probably the only downside. I love the leather smell in cars, regardless of the quality.
Good to know. Thanks for the feedback!
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      01-25-2020, 01:58 PM   #58
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I like the Vernasca leather so much, that I would have paid a premium to get Sensatec if it were available with interesting colors and /or stitching.
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      01-25-2020, 02:26 PM   #59
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Originally Posted by x986 View Post
I like the Vernasca leather so much, that I would have paid a premium to get Sensatec if it were available with interesting colors and /or stitching.
? Does that mean you don’t like Vernasca?
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      02-18-2020, 10:06 AM   #60
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It'll take some time to break in but its smooth like butter and comfy
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      02-18-2020, 12:57 PM   #61
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Originally Posted by stvding View Post
Bmw leather is shit except for merino and nappa.
While I would use an expletive instead, I agree. That is a major reason I went from a 3 series to a 5 series, to get Nappa upholstery.
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      02-18-2020, 01:01 PM   #62
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While I would use an expletive instead, I agree. That is a major reason I went from a 3 series to a 5 series, to get Nappa upholstery.
I would definitely pay extra for leather if the 3 series offered Nappa. Def not paying for Dakota/Vernasaca to get a harder seating surface on top of the stiff leather.
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      02-18-2020, 01:05 PM   #63
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I wish there were more sensatec options for the g20
Love my Venetian Beige against MGrey. Hasn't aged a day.
Opted for Mocha to contrast with AW on the new one.
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      02-18-2020, 01:14 PM   #64
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For those outside the US and have had the opportunity to try out both vernasca and merino in the 3 series, can you comment on the difference in quality/comfort?

I have merino in my X5 and it's a major upgrade over the vernasca in my 3 series, but admittedly it's a different seat so not a true apples-apples comparison.

I'm just trying to see if it's worth the $5k or so to get merino in the 3 series in the US.
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      02-20-2020, 07:56 PM   #65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveinArizona View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by stvding View Post
Bmw leather is shit except for merino and nappa.
While I would use an expletive instead, I agree. That is a major reason I went from a 3 series to a 5 series, to get Nappa upholstery.
I personally spent $1900 CAD more on top of $8500 Premium Excellence Package here in Canada on my new G20 M340ix to get full merino leather. Before and after I got the car, for 2.5 months now, I believe it was $1900 dollars well spent! Worth every goddamn penny!
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      02-24-2020, 09:18 PM   #66
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All I can say is that upon initial viewing, the sensatec looks like vinyl and has less stitching which looks cheaper or else I would have went with it. Went with the Vernasca.
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