We spend tens of thousands of dollars on our trucks and various other vehicles. They are huge investments and deserve to be treated as such. That’s why we pay for things like auto insurance, dash cameras, and in relation to this article—seat covers.
Did you know that it costs an average of $500 to reupholster just one seat in your truck? Even more for the bench seat! This is why installing seat covers is totally worth it. Car seats covers extend the life of your seats, which will help maintain your vehicle’s value in the long run.
What are seat covers?
Car seat covers are accessories that are used to protect the original car seat upholstery from normal wear and tear. They are popular because they add a custom look to the interior of the vehicle. They ensure that the resale value of the car is maintained. Car seat covers also maximize comfort for the driver as well as the passengers.
What car seat materials are the best?
Car seat covers are made of either leather or fabric. Within these two categories, there are different types of materials such as velour and polyurethane leather. They also have different designs and colors.
Fabric Seat Covers
Fabric seat covers are known to be cost effective even though they may not have the best quality on the market. They are practical and offer a great solution for the majority of consumers. They come in a wide range of choices including: oxford, polyester, neoprene, velour, and corduroy. You are always guaranteed to find something that will suit your style, comfort needs, and budget.
They are very affordable compared to leather seat covers and thus can be a great choice if you have a tight budget. They are easy to slip on and off and are effortlessly cleaned in the washing machine. Just be sure to hang dry to avoid shrinkage. It is also worth mentioning their high resistance to extreme changes in temperature.
However, they are known to get dirty quickly. Even though they are machine washable, spot cleaning is not an easy task. Over time, dyed fabric seat covers are known to fade if constantly exposed to the sun. Even though seat cover material can maintain its integrity for a long period of time, the color can become dull and patchy.
Fabric seat covers can also get stained easily if they are not cleaned immediately. Food crumbs, dust and dirt can get stuck within the fibers or between covers and seats.
Leather Seat Covers
Leather seat covers are much more expensive, but their alluring aesthetics and substantial durability compensate for their higher prices. They are seen as a luxurious and classy improvement to the interior of your car over cloth upholstery.
Also, leather seat covers are easier to clean and maintain compared to fabric seat covers. You will have a better chance of spot cleaning and wiping away debris and liquid-like substances. Crumbs and dirt can be brushed off easily. They are also more durable compared to their fabric counterparts making them last longer.
There are different leather seat cover types that can be found on the market. These include polyurethane leather as well as synthetic leather. These do not contain animal products and are the best choice for vegans and vegetarians.
However, it is important to note that leather is susceptible to changes in temperature. They can be damaged in both extremely hot and cold temperatures, just like our skin.
Since they are not made of a breathable material, many people will likely be sweating more when sitting on leather seat covers during the summer months. Luckily, air conditioning can help fix this problem.
As a warning, be careful where you purchase leather seat covers. Sellers may not not honest about the source or the quality of the leather. Be sure to shop with the most reputable sellers.
Why do you need seat covers?
Pets
Pets, especially cats and dogs, can be absolutely oblivious with their tendency to damage car seats. We love our animals and we love to take them everywhere with us, but we also have to be mindful of protecting our vehicles.
With their sharp claws, they can puncture through the upholstery. They can track dirt and mud from outside. Drool and loose fur can find their way into the deepest crevices.
Seat covers act as a shield against the onslaught of our pets. Installing them on truck seats is a no brainer. As mentioned earlier, it will be easier to clean the messes our pets leave behind on certain car seats. This will be detrimental for any future passengers with animal allergies.
Kids
This is terrible for me to say, but sometimes our young children are harsher on our car seats than pets. You would think that they would only cause damage to the back seats, but they can also damage the back of your front seats! Protect your seats!
Like our pets, children can track dirt and mud from the outdoors and get them all over your seats if you’re not careful. In addition, if you’re a parent, you know about all the food crumbs and spilled drinks they can leave behind. If your kids are really bored, they will take their crayons and markers and draw all over your seats! What an utter tragedy!
If you have kids that normally ride in your truck, I would highly recommend fabric seat covers. Find the most durable and waterproof ones. Forgo the leather ones for now, as you will probably end up wasting your money.
Heavily used vehicle for work
There are many occupations that require the constant use of a vehicle. This means an individual will be getting in and out of their vehicle many times in a day. This leads to constant friction on your car seat, which eventually leads to visible wear and tear in a shorter amount of time.
Car seats will of course prevent this otherwise unpreventable damage from occurring. I highly recommend installing custom fit seat covers to ensure a tight fit around the seats. Loose seat covers will only be annoying as they will continuously need to be re-installed on a regular basis.
Maintain vehicle value
When your car seats remain in pristine condition, it will aid in maintaining your truck’s value. If you decide to sell your truck in the future, the future owner won’t try to lowball you by saying they’d have to spend the money to reupholster the seats.
Ultraviolet ray protection
Car seat covers are a form of sunscreen from ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV rays can cause havoc on your seats, especially leather ones. Since leather is basically like your skin, you have to be sure to offer it protection from potential damage.
Constant exposure to UV rays will lead to cracked leather seats or faded colors on cloth seats. Either way, both effects can be very unsightly.
Why would you not need seat covers?
There are hardly any reasons why you would not need car seat covers. Even if you bought the most expensive ones, they would still be worth the investment. Nevertheless, I came up with a few reasons:
Custom-made seats
If you have custom-made seats displaying a unique color or a certain brand or logo, it would make sense to want to show them off. Seat covers would only cover up what you spent the extra money for.
Vehicle in storage
If your vehicle is in storage the majority of the time, or is hardly used, it would not make sense to invest in seat covers unless they were really inexpensive. A vehicle rarely used means no wear and tear on the seats. Just be sure the vehicle is under cover as much as possible to avoid damage from UV rays.
If a storage locker or garage isn’t in your current budget but your truck is still fairly unused most of the time, considering getting a car cover. I wrote a short review on my preferred car cover.
Are seat covers hard to maintain?
No, seat covers are not hard to maintain. However, this is dependent on the type of material that you have chosen for your car seat covers. There are different steps that are necessary to ensure that both leather and fabric car seats are maintained.
For leather car seats, deep cleaning and conditioning is necessary. This is done using the following steps:
Step 1: Vacuum
Ensure that any loose debris and dirt is vacuumed. If it has been a while since you have vacuumed, be aware that some dirt will be deeply seated in the fabric and it will take more than vacuuming to remove.
Step 2: Application of leather cleaner
Apply your preferred leather cleaner onto the surface of the seat cover and use a soft brush to gently rub on problematic areas. These include creases and where skin or hair normally comes into contact with the seat.
Step 3: Wipe dry
Use a clean and dry microfiber cloth to wipe excess moisture. After that, ensure that the covers are untouched for 12-24 hours to allow for a full dry.
Step 4: Application of leather conditioner
Ensure that leather conditioner is applied evenly on the seat cover. This will keep the leather moist and will prevent cases of cracking. The leather conditioner also provides protections against UV rays.
Step 5: Wipe dry
A clean and dry microfiber cloth should be used to wipe off excess conditioner. Do not use the seat covers for 4-6 hours to allow for a full dry.
Leather car seat cover maintenance should be done every 3-6 months. This will help you save money and time since you will not have to replace them often.
For fabric car covers, the process is even easier. Ensure that the fabric car seats are removed and machine washed and air dried fully. Before putting the fabric covers back on the car seats, you should ensure that they are fully dry to prevent growth of mold that can be detrimental to the car seats.
Conclusion
Most people always make sure that the exterior of they trucks are constantly cleaned, but they sometime neglect the interior. We can sometimes be unaware of the amount of abuse our car seats experience on a regular basis.
Seat covers are almost a necessity to maintaining the integrity of the car seats and maintaining the value of your vehicle. Investing in them is a must!
If you’re thinking of different ways to accessorize your truck or make it more functional, consider checking out my recommended accessories page. I spent a good amount of time picking out mods that can be useful for most pickup trucks.