Today noticed a few small wear marks on the drivers seat base edge.

I expect it to wear over time as all leather seats will but after 18 months and only 7k miles it appears to be happening way way to early.

I would say this is not normal.

Is it normal for skoda?

Warranty work? Or will dealer just laugh this one out the door.

depends really on the wear if its just deep creases i wouldn't worry too much if its actually wearing the material away then absolutely would expect it to be covered under warranty 

Agreed. Wouldn't consider excessive wear on the seats after just 7k to be "fair use" to an extent to have caused anything too bad

It's creased which I expect but also the black finish has worn away now showing grey underneath. Looks poor and will only worsen.

Dealer it is once more! Grrrrrr

The leatherette used on the Octavia is carp....to be fair the vienna leather on the Golfs isnt a great deal better.

VAG leather quality is only good when you get to Nappa/Valcona grade and thats only available at extortionate costs on some VW and Audi models.

Cheap leather. After 24 months and 16K miles the wear on my VRS seats is a little excessive. They scratches easily, have stretched a bit, and some places are now more shiny than others.

 

The 3-Series I had beforehand showed absolutely no wear after 3 years. I guess BMW pay for higher quality cows.

Edited 4 March, 201610 yr by Orville

The standard Dakota leather on BMW's is very hard wearing. Trade off is that it isn't that soft really!

Cheap leather. After 24 months and 16K miles the wear on my VRS seats is a little excessive. They scratches easily, have stretched a bit, and some places are now more shiny than others.

The 3-Series I had beforehand showed absolutely no wear after 3 years. I guess BMW pay for higher quality cows.

You always have to PAY for higher quality cows be they for skining or living with.

Regards

T

I'm a gentleman of a larger persuasion and after 11000 miles the leather on the door side of the driver's seat squab looks like Bruce Forsyth.

I guess it's a case YGWYPF

I always swore blind that I would never entertain leather seats in a car - I can't stand the things - give me cloth seats any day.  However, I wanted a car with a good level of trim and the only way to get that on an Octavia was to get the leather seats with the synthetic suede centres.  The first thing I will do is to buy cloth covers for them!

            I had an Octavia  L & K  with leather seats and the leather was unbelievably thin.  Loading something in Ibroke  the leather covering it on the back of a front seat and I was shocked as to how thin it was, put me off. Material is  subject to staining  but what the Alcantara is like I don't know. My  fear of that is it may grip  your clothing, I had a Vauxhall Carlton which had  some form of cloth seat covering, despite the seats would  change in all ways, up, down  back , forwards  , squab as well as back of seat, I could never get  comfortable. Eventually I realised why, the  seat material  did not allow  my trouser material to move but " gripped " it, so I when I moved, I did  so INSIDE my clothing, which was not nice at all, very uncomfortable !

If you want to self-help, I touch up the worn leather with black schumagic. This is the scuff cover stuff you use for the kids school shoes available from Clarks - it has 80% dye so is perfect for the job and colour match is pretty good (on phone so I can't see if you are in UK?). Use masking tape to protect stitching then dab on with a match stick. Leave for a few mins the wipe off excess and buff to a shine.

Edited 4 March, 201610 yr by Black_Sheep

Tony R - Alcantra - that's the stuff.  I also wondered if it would grab my trousers as I got into the car.  So when I went for the test drive I deliberately wore trousers made of corduroy - if any material was going to grab at it I think corduroy would.  I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't aware of the Alcantra behaving oddly on the fabric.  However, I am still going to spring for some TUV approved seat covers esp. after reading the reports above regarding the thinness of the leather material as I think the edges of the seats are actual leather.

Tony R - Alcantra - that's the stuff.  I also wondered if it would grab my trousers as I got into the car.  So when I went for the test drive I deliberately wore trousers made of corduroy - if any material was going to grab at it I think corduroy would.  I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't aware of the Alcantra behaving oddly on the fabric.  However, I am still going to spring for some TUV approved seat covers esp. after reading the reports above regarding the thinness of the leather material as I think the edges of the seats are actual leather.

To be honest I'd quite like the whole seat to be upholstered in the alcantara, as I've found it very hard-wearing and it's kept its shape very well. By comparison the leather on the sides does seem a bit more prone to wear and creasing.

 

In order to save wear and tear on the leather nearest the driver's door, I've started 'throwing' myself into the car when I get in so as to jump over the leather bit and avoid my backside/ample thighs sliding over the problem area. While I've found it to be effective as a means of protecting the seat, I doubt it does much for the offside suspension (and it does elicit some fairly amused looks from the neighbours)

Does anyone know definitely which parts of the seats are real leather and which bits are fake artificial? I've known some leather that wouldn't pass for Fablon, and some fake stuff that'd fool the cows in the next field. Got a fair idea with the vRS, but looking for input.

 

Cheers.

Cheap thin leather only bettered if I buy further up the VAG ladder?

Does the same apply for skoda paint. Will this wash away over time as it's 'thin'.

Maybe I should have purchased that I40 after all for the same price as my octavia. Starting to feel I got a bad deal.com

In Ireland full leather in an Octavia RS is €670.

On a Leon FR it's €1800, on a Golf GTD/I it's about €2000. You really do get what you pay for. The Golf or the Leon's leather are no great shakes but a they wear much better. Turned me right off the leather option for mine.

I was disappointed to get my, new to me, car home today and discovered marks on the back of the leather of the front passenger seat that I hadn't been aware of.  This in a car that had only done 11K - it looked like someone's knees had rubbed.  I've covered them up with the kids back seat pocket hangers, but it didn't fill me with confidence.

Edited 10 March, 201610 yr by OctaviaJo