Haven't bought a vRS yet, but it's definitely my next car (next as in next month or soon after). I'm currently in a Golf VR6 Highline which I still love but I'm clocking up mileage for work now and I've always liked the look of the Fabia but I'm not so keen the fabric.

I have checked with the Seat Surgeons but it's over £900 for front and back seats and they won't supply the kit so I can fit it myself. While I'm including the seat cost in the overall budget I don't want to push it that far - heck, if the Golf seats would fit in, I'd probably just swap them but I would imagine it's pretty unlikely??

So, I'm looking for alternate suppliers and maybe just in kit form so I can save a little by installing myself, I've done MGBs and an E-Type in the past so I can't see it being much different.

Does anybody know of any alternates?

Hi, and welcome to Briskoda.

I am not aware of an aftermarket DIY leather retrim kit directly designed for the fabia.

Most peoples regular route for leather is either a seat surgeons retrim or to locate a damaged SE and obtain its interior. Leather was an option on the vRS, but was expensive and as a result tends to be rather rare to obtain these days. I should also point out the the Seat Surgeons route also gets the door cards trimmed - something no standard vRS will have. In addition, the level of work performed by the guys at Seat Surgeons appears (from the pics on here) to be of outstanding quality and can be customized to your specification.

Golf seats would not fit into the Fabia without modification to the rails, but I'm sure with time and effort, it could be done. - you may be better off with polo or Ibiza seats, as due to being made on the same platform, they would probably slot straight in. But, I must be honest and state that I haven't got a clue about the leather options on these cars.

You could wait until the right car becomes available that already has a leather interior and therefore avoid the expensive one-off modification cost.

All the best with your search for your vRS

Seat Surgeons are always open to offers. Have you had a chat with them about doing a deal? If you have money, they are extremely keen to supply you!

Seat Surgeons are always open to offers. Have you had a chat with them about doing a deal? If you have money, they are extremely keen to supply you!

I'm not sure they're so keen at the moment. I was quoted front and rear seats (no door cards) at £922 and when I said I couldn't quite stretch to that, could I have them supply only... no further response and I did ask very nicely.

If I put the giddy new car excitement aside, the golf will run for as long as I need to wait, I'm not so sure my patience will last as long as the golf though.

I did think about the SE but there seems to be a large premium, beyond the cost of the leather interior and although the blue is nice, I think red is my preferred colour and maybe even black before the racing blue. (VR6 is Black Magic)

If you think how much leather cost as an option at new, the seat surgeons price is a good deal.

there was some kits on ebay a while ago and some people fitted them on here

there was some kits on ebay a while ago and some people fitted them on here

Company in question dk-schweizer

or you could try Transcal, Livingston near Edinburgh

Really helpful, thanks !

I have emailed both of those companies and through the magic of google, found the thread on the dk-schweizer purchase and fitting which is an interesting read! I'm expecting costs to be much more than some of those got on eBay but those were absolute bargains.

If I can bring costs in nearer £500 then I'd be perfectly happy with that and fitting isn't a problem.

Leather was an option on the vRS, but was expensive and as a result tends to be rather rare to obtain these days.

Leather was never a factory fit option on the vRS but rather a dealer fit option available during the later years - and I think black only. Is it still available I wonder?

Have you [buzzark] asked a dealer what he might be able to supply you with to DIY fit? Even so I doubt you'll be able to get down to £500 - my retrim (on the previous car) was £1400.

Edited 5 September, 201015 yr by DRJ

Leather was never a factory fit option on the vRS but rather a dealer fit option available during the later years - and I think black only. Is it still available I wonder?

Have you [buzzark] asked a dealer what he might be able to supply you with to DIY fit? Even so I doubt you'll be able to get down to £500 - my retrim (on the previous car) was £1400.

Still available not cheap

http://www.accessories.skoda.co.uk/productdetail.aspx?p_no=ZGB6Y0061625

Still available not cheap

http://www.accessories.skoda.co.uk/productdetail.aspx?p_no=ZGB6Y0061625

RRP: £1,264.99 - All prices are inclusive of VAT but do not include retailer fitting costs. Please contact your local retailer.

Goodness - didn't realise the prices I'd seen previously were supply only... BTW the price list I downloaded on 2/2/06 has the leather trim option but price is noted as TBA so it came in about then...

As it happens, I was at a Skoda main dealer today I could have enquired but by the sounds of it, much less cost effective.

Very steep prices really on the factory or dealer options compared to what I've seen before on other brands but I can't say I've been tracking prices much in recent years.

I'll see what the other trimmers come back with and look at my options then. Still looking for the right car so no desperate rush yet and there's a slim chance I'd find a red one with leather already fitted.

Looked at a couple today and would have bought but they wanted too much for the condition - above main dealer prices but not in main dealer condition, better to walk away and keep looking.

Edited 5 September, 201015 yr by Buzzark

Very steep prices really on the factory or dealer options compared to what I've seen before on other brands but I can't say I've been tracking prices much in recent years.

I'd say they're pretty reasonable - which ones do you think are high?

OK here's why I thought the leather options were a bit dear on the Fabia.

New cars, current listed options;

Ford Ka £500

Ford Fiesta £700 (but includes heated seat upgrade too)

VW don't do a leather option on the Polo but alcantara is £815

Seat Ibiza leather £815

That does make £1400 look a little much.

Alcantara I quite like, I'd be happy with some seats in that although I expect the price is probably similar to standard leather. Just guessing though.

Edited 5 September, 201015 yr by Buzzark

OK - so you're just talking about the cost of leather, not the cost of options generally which your previous posting was suggesting.

I think you have to realise here in the context of leather seats that the other ones you're quoting are (I believe) regular manufacturer fit options where many cars will be involved, not the few that the dealer-fit Skoda option was addressing. Hence not only are there economies of scale but also the original cloth seats aren't even fitted in the first place - with the Fabia you're effectively paying for two sets of coverings.

I think you'll find that other extras are cheaper than other manufacturers. Just compare the £125 being asked for cruise with the £500+ Mazda and Kia/Hyundai want.

Yes, I was only talking about the leather seat options, it is a thread about leather seating after all. The other options may well be more competitive.

It's just an observation anyway and largely irrelevant as it's highly unlikely I'll be getting a set of £1300 seat covers from the dealers.

I have found a couple of other potential suppliers over the weekend and have sent out pricing requests. Autotrim.co.uk do supply kits for the Fabia, the vRS isn't mentioned but I assume it's "all" the Fabia's so that looks promising of course it depends on the price.

I have found a couple of other potential suppliers over the weekend and have sent out pricing requests. Autotrim.co.uk do supply kits for the Fabia, the vRS isn't mentioned but I assume it's "all" the Fabia's so that looks promising of course it depends on the price.

Just a note to check you realise that the vRS's seats are different to other Fabias and you can't fit leather covers to ones with side airbags, neither can you retrofit seat heating (according to my dealer)

Just a note to check you realise that the vRS's seats are different to other Fabias and you can't fit leather covers to ones with side airbags

ISTR seat surgeons cater for side airbags.

ISTR seat surgeons cater for side airbags.

Yes, they do. I am slightly confused on the seat side airbags though, I thought they were standard on the vRS? Presumably, you would just disable them.

I realise the standard seats are different to the vRS ones so any kit needs to be specific to the vRS shape. It's actually possible to carve new bolsters and re-shape a seat but I really don't want to go that far and modern seats tend to use a mixed density foam unlike older cars - the mixed density is often high density close to the surface, giving it a tight durable form while lower density in the middle gives it the absorbency and comfort. Modern seats are mould formed rather than carved.

As you have probably gathered so far though, I'm after a fairly simple cost effective solution, not a complete custom one so I'll not be going down that road again.

Edited 6 September, 201015 yr by Buzzark

I am slightly confused on the seat side airbags though, I thought they were standard on the vRS? Presumably, you would just disable them.

No - never standard. £275 option (in Feb 2006) but I believe not often fitted...

You may have to advise your insurance company if you disable them.

No - never standard. £275 option (in Feb 2006) but I believe not often fitted...

You may have to advise your insurance company if you disable them.

Thanks for the info, I've only looked at a couple of cars and both had them so I assumed it was a standard fitting. I'll try not to buy one with but the red ones are certainly in a minority it seems.

just come on the bay

with leather

just come on the bay

with leather

That's cheap...

It's my understanding most leather re-trim places tend to have a cheaper option of whatever they've got to much of at the time?

Also, do seat surgeons offer "leather Faced" re-trims.. where the sides and back are fake leather?? My Mums 9000 has leather faced seats and it's taken 12 years for the difference in characteristics of ageing to be come obvious... the fake stuff doesn't crease in the same way over the years and has kept it's colour slightly better then the real stuff... but you'd still be hard pushed to point it out as leather faced? That, and my Mums Saab's done 100k and NEVER had anything done to the leather.. so with a bit of a clean and treatment might well come up the same colour as the fake bits again.

The SS re-trims always include door cards as well... Wonder how much it drops the price if you don't have this done? Stripping, trimming and re-fitting alone in labor must make a difference.

If you put all three points above together, you could be on for a pretty cheap re-trim?? I'm just speculating though.

Just some thought's.

Edited 7 September, 201015 yr by Rob.

It's my understanding most leather re-trim places tend to have a cheaper option of whatever they've got to much of at the time?

Also, do seat surgeons offer "leather Faced" re-trims.. where the sides and back are fake leather?? My Mums 9000 has leather faced seats and it's taken 12 years for the difference in characteristics of ageing to be come obvious... the fake stuff doesn't crease in the same way over the years and has kept it's colour slightly better then the real stuff... but you'd still be hard pushed to point it out as leather faced? That, and my Mums Saab's done 100k and NEVER had anything done to the leather.. so with a bit of a clean and treatment might well come up the same colour as the fake bits again.

The SS re-trims always include door cards as well... Wonder how much it drops the price if you don't have this done? Stripping, trimming and re-fitting alone in labor must make a difference.

If you put all three points above together, you could be on for a pretty cheap re-trim?? I'm just speculating though.

Just some thought's.

The Seat Surgeons price of £922 was without door cards but full leather, the PU non facing areas (which is the same as most production cars like my highline) was £40 cheaper give or take a few pennies. Maybe they don't like dealing with email enquiries, but while the first response was pretty quick, it seems they're not conversing any more since I said I couldn't stretch to that and were there any options to bring it down a bit.

That black vRS does sound decent for the money but I'm ideally looking for a red one and with a few less miles, there are a couple of black ones with leather on autotrader too but I've had the very same "Black Magic" on my highline for the last 5 years and really fancy a change.