The Mystery, and Beauty of Extended Leather.......... (PIC HEAVY)

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by stephenti

What does EL do for the coupe... everything less the hoops?

yup

[gcreeden]

Great pic's but how does the wind screen mount. Don't see any mounting hardware?

[Starscream]

I think this thread needs bumping,

you know how long it took me to take all those bloody pictures!

[caseysc]

Originally Posted by Starscream

I think this thread needs bumping,

you know how long it took me to take all those bloody pictures!

Outstanding pics and ride. Very expensive option, but it definitely makes it special.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by caseysc

Outstanding pics and ride. Very expensive option, but it definitely makes it special.

and it makes it smell awesome too

[Topshelf]

That EL option makes a massive improvement! Actually looks like it's a BMW now. Shame they didn't finish off the dash top and lower section as they are the only 2 spots of this ridiculously cheap looking and feeling rubber stuff that's left. If I had some spare $$$ floating around I'd seriously considering covering a good amount of my interior in some nice leather. Makes the car look 10x more expensive.

[SlikM]

thanks for this, clears up what this is...wish i had it =(

[Jacques79]

Here's a pic of my car and the extended leather I discovered I had the day I picked it up:

[Starscream]

If anyone has extended Sepang Leather feel free to post some pics of that

Id love to see exactly what the color scheme is for that option

[TopDown]

Best write-up I've seen on Extended Leather. Makes me wish I hadn't gone with the 'Extended Synthetic Polymer' option.

[GP20]

Is the center console storage door also covered in leather as well? I'm really wishing I had gone with extended leather. I'm actually thinking about buying the parts and retrofitting them.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by GP20

Is the center console storage door also covered in leather as well? I'm really wishing I had gone with extended leather. I'm actually thinking about buying the parts and retrofitting them.

No
That door and the section directly above it are the only 2 parts besides the actual dashboard that isn't covered in leather,

and the retrofit parts are stupidly expensive, I think just the roll hoops are $1500

[Dieter]

Originally Posted by Starscream

If anyone has extended Sepang Leather feel free to post some pics of that

Id love to see exactly what the color scheme is for that option

I got the leather also, except the roll over hops are without it.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by Dieter

I got the leather also, except the roll over hops are without it.

You have extended black leather or sepang?

and all of the ones I have seen have leather roll hoops regardless of interior,
The extended black and sepang both used black leather roll hoops

[Dieter]

Originally Posted by Starscream

You have extended black leather or sepang?

and all of the ones I have seen have leather roll hoops regardless of interior,
The extended black and sepang both used black leather roll hoops

Well I went out and double cheked.
You are correct, the sunvisors have no leather , the roll over protection has none an dthe doors have leather only in the middle. Above that is is leather rette ? they cal lit.

The center console has that carbon fiber thing and so is the dash.
I will take pictures of it when it has stopped raining here.
The steering wheel is fully covered in leather and also has the tri color stitching to it. The seats have the M logo also,

dieter

dieter

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by Dieter

Well I went out and double cheked.
I got everything that was listed except the roll overs and the sunvisors have no letahers, but everything else does, incl. the center consol, dash, the seat have the M logo imprinted, the stearing whell has the stitching etc. The door has the leather.

That is how I got the car, it was a dealer lease with only 10 000 miles on it.

dieter

Somethings wrong then,

There was no "half leather" option,
Do you have your window sticker for the car? Or the build sheet from the dealer? (if not you can ask them for it, It will tell you how the car was built from the factory)

You have the leather running up the windshield pillars? Over the top of the window frame? and FULL leather door covers? exactly like mine with the stitching?

[GP20]

Originally Posted by Starscream

No
That door and the section directly above it are the only 2 parts besides the actual dashboard that isn't covered in leather,

and the retrofit parts are stupidly expensive, I think just the roll hoops are $1500

Thanks! If I were to do the retrofit I would just leave the roll hoops alone, and only get the center console trims, door panels, and maybe the A-pillar windshield trims.

I wonder if there's any door panel with extended leather and the imola red inserts. I seem to remember that the extended leather option wasn't available for imola red interior. But maybe this part does exist for Europe spec M's. Did a quick search on realoem, and the part descriptions weren't very clear at all.

If this part doesn't exisit, I wonder if I can simply swap out the imola red inserts.

[jgorman13]

so basically the whole car is leather.

[endofanera7]

damn, great pics... very nice and clean Z4 M!

[Jacques79]

Originally Posted by GP20

Thanks! If I were to do the retrofit I would just leave the roll hoops alone, and only get the center console trims, door panels, and maybe the A-pillar windshield trims.

I wonder if there's any door panel with extended leather and the imola red inserts. I seem to remember that the extended leather option wasn't available for imola red interior. But maybe this part does exist for Europe spec M's. Did a quick search on realoem, and the part descriptions weren't very clear at all.

If this part doesn't exisit, I wonder if I can simply swap out the imola red inserts.

Not worth it to get OEM interior leather parts to retrofit it's going to cost you a fortune!

I think it would be even cheaper if you sold your car and bought one with the extended leather option

If you want more leather in your interior bring it to a shop specialized in interiors and ask them to cover the doors-center console-sun visors and anything else you want in leather. It will be a lot less expensive than going the OEM BMW way and the leather will be just as nice if not softer!

With my Boxster S a shop here in Montreal quoted me about 1000$ to basically cover all my center console-door panels and other stuff in leather.

They can even make it customized to your liking with contrast stitching of your choice and all.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by GP20

Thanks! If I were to do the retrofit I would just leave the roll hoops alone, and only get the center console trims, door panels, and maybe the A-pillar windshield trims.

I wonder if there's any door panel with extended leather and the imola red inserts. I seem to remember that the extended leather option wasn't available for imola red interior. But maybe this part does exist for Europe spec M's. Did a quick search on realoem, and the part descriptions weren't very clear at all.

If this part doesn't exisit, I wonder if I can simply swap out the imola red inserts.

I actually asked and requested for extended Imola leather,
I even asked there must be an "individual" request line for the US market, I was told dealers CAN make the car and interior to ANY color,

Clearly I was wrong, Or my dealer sucked, one or the other,
So I settled for the black,

an by the looks of it you CAN swap out the center color part on the door,
I was even thinking of buying an Imola interior and swapping the seats and door inserts to my car,
That so far hasn't happened as its very hard to get someone to part with Imola Interior but you never know!

Originally Posted by jgorman13

so basically the whole car is leather.

Yup,

Smells AWESOME

[Starscream]

ok some scary numbers,

For the
Center console (where the gear knob/e-brake is) -- $1135
Upper Center console (where the storeage box is) --$1421
Door panels $2224 each, Total --$ 4448
Sun visors $436 each, Total ---$872
Windshield panels left and right $622 each, total $1244
Center Windshield (where the maplight is) $786
Roll hoops (each side, and you need 4) $397 each, Total $1588

Total cost for retrofit: $11494

Makes $2700 for the option of extended leather seem cheap!


I can also provide part numbers for those who want them