I don't think I'd go this route on a new truck, but it'd be worth considering on a used truck. I've seen some really nice trucks with stained, torn, or just wore out seats. A nice, new set of quality leather seats for $1500 sounds like a good solution, especially the heated ones since most older trucks only have heated seats on the highest trim levels.

We like our heated and air conditioned leather seats. I do not think they offer AC seats...

This is a good idea for extending the life of your seats or refurbishing them. I'd get a quote from a local automotive upholstery and from the auto wreckers before I'd do mail order.

I do agree this is a wast on a new vehicle but on used vehicle that has lots of useful life left and the seats are worn then this would be worth it. With some of the discounts available on new full size trucks it is not much more to buy the extra trim package to get the leather seats even if you do not need the extra features. Most who want leather seats on a new truck will probably just accept the extra equipment that they would not normally buy.

@Lou_BC--Agree the local automotive upholstery shop although not cheap might still be less expensive and better service. The local salvage yard is another source if the vehicle is not too old or too rare.

Just be aware that there's more to it than just the seat cover. The underlying structure of the seat is critical.

Me? I'd look for seats from a Cadillac or Denali SUV. They are GM and they'd bolt right into my Chevy. Perfect fit.

Start with the website for the local junkyard...

@papa jim--Yes if you had a Suburban or Tahoe that would be a good match. Maybe a Silverado or Sierra would take the Escalade or Denali seats. They should be less expensive and better quality.

I bought a new Ram 1500 2015 outdoorsman with the Eco-diesel without leather seats or most important COOLED SEATS. Well Katskins make a kit now with cooled and heated seats. I put all leather in my 4 door truck with heated and cooled seats for 1780 without Tax. Way better option than a 5-7k jump to get the limited with leather and cooled seats.

@Jeff if you refer to the trim, yes. Otherwise they are almost identical.

@papa jim--All the full size body on frame GM suvs and pickups are very much the same. That can be an advantage when you need replacement parts. They had an article on TTAC about body on frame suvs from GM and Ford. It had pictures from a junkyard of many late model body on frame suvs that basically had little or no body damage but many of them were junked because many after a few years hit the pay day lots and are bought by those who can least afford to maintain them. Pickup trucks hold their value much better and are for the most part better maintained. Mechanically the suvs and pickups are the same vehicles except one has an open bed and holds its value better. The same article said that many of the suvs' parts especially drive trains were donors for pickup trucks.

@Jeff S - Just be aware that not everything papa jim is telling you is correct - he is a car salesman and they will have you believe anything. This is a trick he pulls when he tries to make the authors of articles look stupid. First, Cadillac logoed seats in a Silverado or Sierra would look ridiculous. Also the seats don't just bolt right in, the memory seat modules are totally different and these also control the seats. Wiring is completely different between the years. There is no real bolt right in and plug and play way to do it. Plus there is wear and tear of the old seats and the whole point of this was for new seats. Now, watch papa jim is going to get angry at me.

@Jeff S - Just be aware that not everything papa jim is telling you is correct - he is a car salesman and they will have you believe anything. This is a trick he pulls when he tries to make the authors of articles look stupid. First, Cadillac logoed seats in a Silverado or Sierra would look ridiculous. Also the seats don't just bolt right in, the memory seat modules are totally different and these also control the seats. Wiring is completely different between the years. There is no real bolt right in and plug and play way to do it. Plus there is wear and tear of the old seats and the whole point of this was for new seats. Now, watch papa jim is going to get angry at me.

I don't know about finding a good set of factory leather seats at the local junkyard......that is unless the seat you currently sit on is a shredded mess.

The only way you will find decent set of seats at a junkyard is at one of those full service wrecking yards where they will charge you a kings ransom for a good set of leather seats. So, I think recovering the seats you now have with aftermarket leather is probably the best solution. If I'm switching to leather, I want a mint set, not some few year old weather beaten hard cracked used set.

Personally, I don't really like leather because it eventually cracks and makes the seats look like crap after a few years of normal use. In addition, leather is cold to the touch in the winter and sticky hot in the summer. However, it does smell pretty darn nice if you have it which almost makes the other things not a problem....almost.

I don't know about finding a good set of factory leather seats at the local junkyard.

@other Mike

Expect to pay from 2000 to 3000 to re-skin your seats, less if it's a reg. cab. Why not call around to a few top recyclers and see if you can save a cool grand or so? What's the harm?

Also, if your factory work-truck seats were lame to start with when new, there's no point in putting new hide on your old seats.

I don't know why more premium trim vehicles don't offer cloth as an option. Even with ventilation and heat, leather is still sticky in the heat and clammy in the cold when you first sit down. I never understood why people consider it so appealing. I bought the most highly optioned LT trim Silverado so I could have cloth, but it would be nice to have some of the features you get in the LTZ. Had I bought a Ford, same sort of thing with XLT vs Lariat.

All the dealers seem to like to upgrade mid level trucks with those Katskin leather kits. Makes me wonder what they do with all those cloth covers. Those would be nice to have in a few years to recover worn and dirty seats to freshen up used vehicle interiors.

My point about the auto wreckers is that I often see newer trucks wrecked with good interiors.

I went this route and so glad I did. The dealer installed Katzkin in my new Ram 1500 and I love it! All I had to do was print what I wanted from their website and take it to the dealer. I saved a few thousand by going with a lower trim. It cost me about $1600 and I was able to include it in my loan.

@Jeremy--Yes, but you could probably find a Chevy or GMC leather seat. Also there are independent upholstery shops that can install leather.
@Lou_BC--I have seen late model suvs and trucks in salvage yards that have good interiors as well. Much easier to find a good late model interior than to find a good interior on an older vehicle. A vehicle that is too old can be a challenge to find parts for. I have been through the junkyards before looking for parts on older vehicles that I owned in the past. Most salvage yards want to keep later model vehicles because there is more demand for the parts. Salvage yards do not keep vehicles as long.

Jeff S - I'd look at these and the other 2 options i.e. local shop or salvage yard. ironically I was just considering such an upgrade.

@Lou_BC--Your truck is new enough to make either option feasible. On an older truck, it would be harder to find seats and unless its a classic it would not be worth having the seats reupholstered. The salvage yard near my house is mostly late model vehicles and they do not keep them long After a couple of months most salvage yards crush what is left. There is a constant flow of new salvaged vehicles. Old pickups also have a market in Mexico. I have seen a few S-10s' the vintage of my 99 at the high school near me which has a vocational school, The vocational school has about 3 extended cab S-10, a couple of 90's Dodge pickups, and an old VW Bus. Many of the vehicles at the vocational school are donated and are used for the students to learn auto mechanics and body work. In a few years those S-10s' will mostly disappear.

Wiring is completely different between the years.

@Jeremy

Jeremy, are you really telling us that GM or Ford changes the electronics (you said 'COMPLETELY' different) in their power seats every year?

I'd be interested to know where you get that little nugget.

I'm also surprised that dumb comment went 24 hours on this site without being challenged by any of the smart guys who comment here with regularity.

Remember, you did not say the wiring changes a little, you said COMPLETELY...

Go sit in the corner for a while Jeremy.

In fact, Ram trucks being built today share the same power seats that E Class Mercedes sedans had 8 years ago. Why change if it's working for you?

@papa jim,

I don't know about that. The seats and carpet are the two most important things when it comes to an interior of a truck/car.

Change out the seats and carpet and you basically have an all new interior if the rest of the plastics like the dash, door panels, trim panels, etc are in fairly good condition.

The original tight weaved cloth seats in mine are almost mint except for some minor wear on the driver's seat bolster. So, if I'm upgrading to leather, I want it to be mint or almost mint. That's hard to find in most wrecking yards and if you are lucky enough to find a set from a late model truck/car, you better believe you will be paying a boat load of money for it. If I'm going to spend that much, I rather spend just a little more and get a brand new set of leather skins.

In fact, when I think about it, seats are even more important than carpet. A new set of leather seats will literally transform the look, feel and smell of the interior. And to me, that's worth the 1-2K I'd be paying for it.

However, I realize there are some cheapskates out there who wouldn't mind putting in a set of old, worn out leather seats from the local "pull it yourself" junkyard in their trucks and that's their choice. For me, I'd rather keep the almost mint condition set of cloth seats until I have enough money to spend on a brand new set of leather skins for my seats.

Nothing for a G8 :[ sigh

Cost of leather seats on a 98 ford ranger bucket seats

Looking at getting heated and cooled seats for a 2015 Yukon SLE

LOL 2500 dollars, you should have just bought leather seats with the car/truck. Paying that is way more than what you would pay buying the car/truck outright with the leather options. This is a stupid joke. Katzkin can keep their stupid Pep Boys seat covers lol, this is soooo stupid