A student's solution to retrimming?

  1. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #1
    Ive been having a good old search of the forums for retrimming the Alcantara from gti half leather interior.. Ive just bought one. Everything is pristine except the drivers seat's Alcantara is torn ina few places and basically looks wank.

    I know retrimming costs a bomb, so ive got a cunning plan and i wondered if this would be an epic fail or not? Im gunna be retrimming my roof lining in pink velvet (subtle? me? never.) and if i get a piece of that pink alcantara in exactly the same dimensions as the Alcantara bum bit and basically sew/staple it on top of it.. Reckon it would work?

    Cheeers, Clare
  2. Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Jul 2006 Somewhere nicer than you Posts: 32356 S2 Exige 240S, CLS63 AMG, Freelander
    #2
    It will look shit
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  3. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #3
    "epic fail" might turn out to be an understatement. And then pink, I can't help but cringe every time I see pink bits on cars.
  4. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #4
    Well forget about the pink and pretend its something you like, then would it work?
  5. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2009 Pembrokeshire Posts: 3952 DubYaRex
    #5
    please dont lol, just get it repaired
  6. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #6
    I havent got £250 to repair it.. I only paid £120 for the whole set in the first place!
  7. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #7
    Quote:
    Well forget about the pink and pretend its something you like, then would it work?
    expect it to look like a 70 year old woman wrinkled ass. Then it will tear apart in no time...
  8. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2009 Pembrokeshire Posts: 3952 DubYaRex
    #8
    it wont cost £250 to fix the one seat in the broken places.. lol
  9. Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Jul 2006 Somewhere nicer than you Posts: 32356 S2 Exige 240S, CLS63 AMG, Freelander
    #9
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    "epic fail" might turn out to be an understatement. And then pink, I can't help but cringe every time I see pink bits on cars.
    I saw a new shape Audi TT yesterday in pink. It was vile
  10. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #10
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    expect it to look like a 70 year old woman wrinkled ass. Then it will tear apart in no time...
    Well obviously its going to happen eventually, the rest is fine but just the drivers bum bit looks a bit shit.. Just wanted to know if i could bodge job it is all :|
  11. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #11
    a bodge job on the seats won't work. Basically because you sit on it and put some strain on it. If it's loose it will tear, and will look even worse, honest.

    If you want to do a cheap job, you can buy some of them small seat covers that just cover the bum and back area. Shops like aldis often do these, it would be easy to find one that doesn't look chavvy. Then save your money until you can afford a proper retrim.
  12. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Nov 2009 Pembrokeshire Posts: 3952 DubYaRex
    #12
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by YourDreamGirl View Post
    Well obviously its going to happen eventually, the rest is fine but just the drivers bum bit looks a bit shit.. Just wanted to know if i could bodge job it is all :|
    do it properly or not at all... asking a car entusiast site about "Bodging" is asking for trouble.. most people do it, but to admit to it.. Can of worms. lol

    its not as easy as taking the old material off and putting a fresh piece on and sewing it, the wear and tear of daily driving with pull the seems apart in no time, and the material will wrinkle faster then your nan in a bath

    Wassy78 on here can retrim seats, its what he used to do for work (not sure if he still does it for work) but he still has the skills, Send him a pm and ask how much it would cost to fix up that part of the seat
  13. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dano_vT View Post
    do it properly or not at all... asking a car entusiast site about "Bodging" is asking for trouble.. most people do it, but to admit to it.. Can of worms. lol

    its not as easy as taking the old material off and putting a fresh piece on and sewing it, the wear and tear of daily driving with pull the seems apart in no time, and the material will wrinkle faster then your nan in a bath

    Wassy78 on here can retrim seats, its what he used to do for work (not sure if he still does it for work) but he still has the skills, Send him a pm and ask how much it would cost to fix up that part of the seat
    Bodging doesnt make me any less of an enthusiast, i just dont have the money do it properly so i wanna know other options :\

    If its not as easy as that then whats the knack that upholsterers have then? Surely it must be basically that?

    Ill give him a pm, cheers
  14. Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Apr 2008 Bedford & Manchester Posts: 17504
    #14
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by YourDreamGirl View Post
    Bodging doesnt make me any less of an enthusiast, i just dont have the money do it properly so i wanna know other options :\

    If its not as easy as that then whats the knack that upholsterers have then? Surely it must be basically that?

    Ill give him a pm, cheers
    I think your statement is correct. whilst a bodge, i can see why you want to do it. (not personally something i'd do but oh well)

    theoretically it would be fine. but...

    - It will look shit unless you spend loads of time on it
    - it will wear / rip easily unless you spend loads of time on it

    theres a reason upholsters charge loads. It's fairly obvious why when you read the two bulletpointed clauses above.
    1 user thanked this post:
  15. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 2829 saxo vts . honda hrv modified to the max
    #15
    well i dont have pm lol
  16. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 2829 saxo vts . honda hrv modified to the max
    #16
    trimming seats are easy if you know how . as for Staples omg will look crap to sew seats you need the right sewing machine not just a house sewing machine ..... needs to be done right
  17. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wassy78 View Post
    trimming seats are easy if you know how . as for Staples omg will look crap to sew seats you need the right sewing machine not just a house sewing machine ..... needs to be done right
    Well yeah it obviously shows im not an upholsterer lol, but hence the thread as i know you clever people would know a lot more than myself And i know that you need some sorta industrial sewing machine which i clearly dont have lol.. The thing is doing it right nearly always means moniessss :\
  18. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #18
    obviously if you want to make a bacon omelette, you gotta break a pig.
  19. Established Member Joined: Jan 2011 Scarborough Posts: 1420 Vauxhall Corsa SXI+ Saxo Furio 1.4
    #19
    just put a seat cover on it... and live with it till you can afford to buy new seats or a retrim it
  20. Saxperience Addict Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 11714 A6 Le Mans tuned/A3 TFSI tuned
    #20
    ^^^ that's what I thought and said. You can get a set of half covers at aldis for a fiver
  21. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    ^^^ that's what I thought and said. You can get a set of half covers at aldis for a fiver
    Was gunna say it wouldnt look as good, but I thought it would look better than a rip :\
  22. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #22
    Heres how it is:


  23. Established Member Joined: Jan 2011 Scarborough Posts: 1420 Vauxhall Corsa SXI+ Saxo Furio 1.4
    #23
    its not that bad tbh, id just get a seat cover for the time being till you get some cash together. My boyfriend had a huge rip in the side on the arm of his and he got it covered for £30 as they used a leather part from the back of the seat at the bottem.
    1 user thanked this post:
  24. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #24
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Westgarth View Post
    its not that bad tbh, id just get a seat cover for the time being till you get some cash together. My boyfriend had a huge rip in the side on the arm of his and he got it covered for £30 as they used a leather part from the back of the seat at the bottem.
    Thats really good tbh! thanks
  25. Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 2829 saxo vts . honda hrv modified to the max
    #25
    you have a few problems there . once you do the middle bit the rest will look pants the other part of the leather wants treating to bring it back up yeh you should be able to use the back of the seats to do it . saves getting leather . to do all seats and door panels yeh looking around the 300 to 400 seats will look brand new . if your using pink doors def need doing . but i would say the doors need doing anyway lol
  26. Frequent Poster Joined: Feb 2010 Wivenhoe, Essex Posts: 968 White MK2 VTR (Dead black/pink VTR)
    #26
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wassy78 View Post
    you have a few problems there . once you do the middle bit the rest will look pants the other part of the leather wants treating to bring it back up yeh you should be able to use the back of the seats to do it . saves getting leather . to do all seats and door panels yeh looking around the 300 to 400 seats will look brand new . if your using pink doors def need doing . but i would say the doors need doing anyway lol
    Yeah there's no way i can afford £300-£400.. Tbh i cant afford anything right now. How much to do just that one seat? Cause the rest is basically new and look as though theyve never been sat in. Im gunna retrim my door cards myself so not too bothered about those for the mo.. Work in progress and all that
  27. L-plater Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 37
    #27
    Ive got a seat cover on my drivers seat because the leather is torn on the bolster. I'll get the leather re-trimmed when i get the money, but i wouldnt go playing about with it yourself... It will end up shit and you'll regret it IMO.
  28. Frequent Poster Joined: Jul 2010 Swindon Posts: 943 Renault clio dynamique tomtom 1.2
    #28
    my opinion is probably irrelevant after u've been slatted lol but personaly I think that if u know how to sow and u do it using a decent strength thread the same colour as fabric and do it with a really small stitch it should work and look ok, just make sure u roll the edge slightly so that it doesnt Frey or anything.

    after all other then the £12 or wat ever for fabric what have u got to loose if it works it will look better then a saggy seat cover
  29. Established Member Joined: Jan 2011 Bridgwater, Somerset Posts: 1092 2001 Saxo 1.1
    #29
    Tecnically it would work. Aslong as you spend the time to make sure its trimmed to shape and fits with looseness for sitting on I dont see why you would encounter any problems.

    If your prepared to take your time with it have a go, you can always remove it if it doesnt work.
  30. Infrequent Poster Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 126
    #30
    dont do it