Options for Replacing a Ripped Leather Seat?

[Clemsonfan15]

All of the leather in my 4Runner is in like new condition except for the drivers seat. It has a couple of small tears in it. One is about 3" and the other one is about 1". They are both on the bottom of the seat.

What options do I have to replace it?

Of course the obvious option is to just take it to a upholstery shop and that's what I'm going to do to start, I don't know if they'll be able to match the leather.

I also thought about looking at some junk yards to see if they had any 4Runners with leather. I should just be able to swap the seats, right?

Someone on Ebay is selling just the bottom cover that I need. It's like $150. Would it be easy to install?



Someone give me some ideas as to what would be most cost effective way to handle this situation.

 

[tigertown88]

I have checked all the junk yards in the area, im in greenville too. No one has one without rips or wear. The new seat cover on ebay will be the cheapest for you and shouldnt be too hard. I saw them but think it is a different style than mine, not the same as my 99. you can do katskinz custom leather too, but have to buy two front seats at least. I also called some local upholstery shops too, wanted way too much, i think pretty much they are not interested in such a small job. I will be watching this thread too. Someone should make up complete front seat covers for the 4runner and sell them reasonable, Im sure almost all 3rd gen 4runners with some miles on them are starting to wear or already ripped.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

I have checked all the junk yards in the area, im in greenville too. No one has one without rips or wear. The new seat cover on ebay will be the cheapest for you and shouldnt be too hard. I saw them but think it is a different style than mine, not the same as my 99. you can do katskinz custom leather too, but have to buy two front seats at least. I also called some local upholstery shops too, wanted way too much, i think pretty much they are not interested in such a small job. I will be watching this thread too. Someone should make up complete front seat covers for the 4runner and sell them reasonable, Im sure almost all 3rd gen 4runners with some miles on them are starting to wear or already ripped.

Good call. I just took a better look at the picture of the seat cover and it doesn't look exactly like mine either.

How much are those Katskinz?

 

[tigertown88]

i think about 500 for just the two front seats. A friend of mine just get wet okole covers and they are extremely nice but i dont think worth the price. they would just go over the leather. he paid about 600 for the entire set. I guess ill just wait until i find a good deal on craigslist or ebay on a junk yard seat in good shape. it just bothers me its the one thing in my interior in bad shape. I did find a great deal on entire new carpet for the 4runner, about $100 for premolded replacement and they are in seneca. stockinteriors.com

 

[SCRunner12]

Check out 01KY4R or something like that. He replaced his leather with one of the EBay ones and it turned out great. He created a thread about it. Here it is: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/82717-cracked-leather-options.html

 

[BrianSD_42]

saw this and had to post.

you can buy a full leather seat bottom piece on ebay. another member did this and was very happy. he paid $140 for the leather and $75 to have it installed onto the seat.

I saw the pics and it was identical to the original. I plan on doing this in the summer.

if you don't find the links to that thread then pm me and I will look it up in my bookmarks.

 

[rjaudi]

My goal is to find a passenger seat at a junk yard and swap the leather over. I can imagine all the drivers are bad. If I see another good opinion on the ebay leather, I might go with that.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys.

This is what I've found on Ebay:

96-02 toyota 4runner bottom leather seat cover tan | eBay

That doesn't look 100% like the stock one though.

brianemc2_42- I haden't thought about buying it and taking it to a professional. That's a good idea. I feel like I should be able to get someone to do it for cheaper than $75.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Call your dealers in Greenville and ask them which independent shop they use to repair/replace their leather when needed (because I am 100% sure that work is not performed in-house).

If you know anyone who works at the BMW plant in Greer, ask them to get you the # of their leather repair folks to have them perform the work on the side.

 

[TheDurk]

Thanks for the feedback so far guys.

This is what I've found on Ebay:

96-02 toyota 4runner bottom leather seat cover tan | eBay

That doesn't look 100% like the stock one though.

I thought the same thing, but all his feedback calls it a perfect match. It looks like the photo is the cover off the seat--maybe that's why it doesn't look right.

 

[Clemsonfan15]

Call your dealers in Greenville and ask them which independent shop they use to repair/replace their leather when needed (because I am 100% sure that work is not performed in-house).

If you know anyone who works at the BMW plant in Greer, ask them to get you the # of their leather repair folks to have them perform the work on the side.

Good idea. Definitely gonna give that a try.

I thought the same thing, but all his feedback calls it a perfect match. It looks like the photo is the cover off the seat--maybe that's why it doesn't look right.

Yeah. I think you're right. It probably looks a lot different stretched out.

 

[cj80cruiser]

I thought the same thing, but all his feedback calls it a perfect match. It looks like the photo is the cover off the seat--maybe that's why it doesn't look right.

That's what I was thinking too. Think it looks different because it's off the seat and not stretched out.

 

[Supra725]

check with some of the local upholstery shop..

every seat in mine was like brand new except the front lumbar support of the driver side of the runner..

My father went to the shop and had them redo the passenger side and drivers side for $60.. and boy, did they do an good job on matching it to the stock leather..