Easy interior upgrade

[Guest sewing_guy]

Normally we do full rebuilds on interiors, but sometimes that's too expensive and the customer is just looking for a nice upgrade. This 1997 BMW Z3 is our first use of Ruff Tuff Seat Covers. I'm very impressed with the fit and finish of these slip over covers. We did a few modifications to ensure the best fit, but for the price, they are very solid pieces. In addition to the seat covers, we built custom-fit and mongrammed replacement floor mats and installed a new Stayfast Cloth convertible top and detailed the vehicle inside and out. The owner was thrilled. The full photo album of this project and all the other projects being done by PRO Stitch Auto Interiors can be found on the Facebook local business page.... Facebook: search/pro stitch auto.

[tint_detective]

Looks pretty good... We did an M-series Z3 last week, it's a fairly easy top, just the rear bow is kind of a pain...

When you make your floormats, what type of backing do you use??

[Pyramids]

Looks good, how do they compare in price to a leather kit?

[Guest sewing_guy]

I use a heavy NIB backing on my floor mats. Just sewing edging around carpet is a really poor excuse for a floor mat. Had the initial embroidered into heavy vinly. Then sewed the panel to the carpet, then applied to the NIB and edged both layers. I don't use prepared edge binding. It looks cheesy. I use color matched vinyl and sew in the ditch to hide stitching.

As for the covers, keep in mind that these are slip overs, they are not replacement covers the way leather replacement covers are. But, except for the listings on the inner seams, they are almost identical to replacement covers. As for cost, you're looking about $200-$225 per seat installed depending on the style. They are comparable in price to the clear vinyl protective covers I sew in the shop, so I have started pushing these instead of putting the hours into making my own. And these have a ton of choices and combinations to match an interior. But, I did make some alterations to the covers for fit and finish just because the quality of work coming out of my shop is better than the other shops around here, and always will be.