Fabio421

I am in the middle of removing my dash for another repair and since I have come this far i really don't want to have to do it again any time soon if possible. My dash and pod are cracked and they were in my plans to have recovered at a later date. I am thinking that it may make sense to do it now. The problem is that I have a garage full of cars and this one is still parked outside. Being in FL, the sun is pretty intense. If I were to cover the dash in leather I think it would become sun damaged pretty quickly. What if I use Alcantara? Isn't this stuff supposed to be made for the intense sun and an automotive environment? The Alcantara is going to cost me a little more but if it will survive I think it will be a better alternative. Is there anyone here who has experience with Alcantara and can shere it with me? this car will eventually be parked inside but it may be a year or more down the road.

Thanks

RyanPerrella

Alcantara shouldn't cost more then leather. Its a synthetic or man made material made to replicate the look of suede.

I found some nice stuff in a fabric store and it costs about $15 a yard. I believe Alcantara is a trademark and something made by a specific manufacturer. That could be more expensive then a "generic" faux suede but i coudn't tell you whats makes alcantara better or cost more.

Vinyl could also be used, that shouldn't shrink like leather and it should be allot cheaper as well.

Fabio421

Alcantara is more expensive. The only saving grace of Alcantara is that you get a little more useable area since its not irregular like a hide.

I don't really want to go with vinyl.

RyanPerrella

then you may want to look for a generic alcantara then or other faux suede. The alcantara i know was used in E39 BMW M5's and is nice as a head liner, it could be good for a pod as it wont reflect off the dash, but i wouldnt pay more for a man made faux suede then a nice piece of leather.

Again, you may want to look for other brands, i am pretty sure alcantara is a trademark brand or product of god knows who. I think there are much cheaper alternatives.

Then again if you keep leather conditioned then the sun shouldn't be to hard on it. Worst case scenario is you buy a silver windshield cover to reflect the heat if you leave the car in the sun for extended periods.

Just trying to offer some other suggestions here not suggesting one is the be all end all.

Good luck

Nicole

Alcantara is not just a simple microfiber. It's a very high qualitiy material from Italy, very thick, and supposedly pretty well UV resistant. It probably costs more because making it takes more effort than killing a cow and prepping its leather, minus the revenue from selling the meat...

I love Alcantara - have it on a chair in my living room. I wanted it for my sofa also, but decided to save $1k and go with regular microfiber - which is OK for my light use, but doesn't feel as robust as the Alcantara (which is much thicker).

In terms of a dashboard - I would think twice about putting Alcantara OR microfiber on a dash. Because it will catch and hold on to every little piece of dust or lint. It's not too hard to clean (with a moist, lint-free cloth), but things won't come off quite as easy as on a leather or vinyl dash. Your decisieon, if you can deal with it. If not, it'll always look dirty.

If you plan to leave the car outside a lot, I would consider a high qualitiy vinyl that gives you the original look without the worries of leather. Alcantara works, with some trade-offs as mentioned.

PS: Don't go for the cheap stuff, as it will fade and look really ugly after a while. You get what you pay for.

M. Requin

I have also used Ultrasuede (Alcantara is the UltraSuede brand for automotive apps) to upholster a couple of club chairs (which my ex has now ). This stuff is NOT the equivalent of 15 bucks a yard fabric- it's far superior, and has been around for years and years. Those chairs today look almost as new as they did about 20 years ago when we had them done. It's very strong, and seems to be used more and more for top-end auto interiors - an awful lot of the reviews of exotica in R&T seem to mention it.

And Fabio - damn!, I feel like the guy getting off the elevator at the top of the 90 meter ski jump watching the the jumper before me sail off the lip! You talked about the SpeedHut EL stuff, mine just arrived. Thinking about, hey, while the pod is off etc etc, maybe ALCANTARA, and here you are. Please stay away from more expensive mods, at least for a while!!

And Nicole, I appreciate your comments about dirt collection- that might be the biggest downside to this material for dash/pod rejuvenation. Might still try it.

Sharkbody

Real leather and limo 5. G

Champagne

I have covered this before, but somehow, people don't seem to believe.

I don't know who is starting these rumors, but Alcantara is not more expensive than a quality leather, as the Porsche spec leather for example.
As a matter of fact, most of the leather I use is more expensive than Alcantara, by a good margin. Sterling's interior is a good example.

On the other hand, Alcantara is not to be confused with the ultra suede found at your local fabric store.
For one, Alcantara makes different levels of the stuff and only the automotive grade is suitable to use in cars. If for no other reason, it as been tested and approved by most high end car makers.
Automotive Alcantara comes in two weights labeled "panel" and "cover". The panel is lighter, stretches in one direction and is designed to be used for, well ...panels.
The other is heavier, more expensive and suitable for seats.

But again, even the cover Alcantara, which is the most expensive of the two, is about the same cost as a good quality leather.
There is less waste, but it's also far less versatile than leather.

Now for those who seem to think that Alcantara is that magical stuff that will out perform everything else, don't get me wrong, it's wonderful stuff. But it still needs maintenance and care. It needs to be cleaned and stains dealt with, following a precise guideline.
I use it, and I like it. But I like a nice piece of quality leather more

Paul

Ed Hughes

If you cover the pod, think about your wheel as well. I had the fortune to drive a new GT3RS a couple of months ago. The Alcantara steering wheel was the best feeling wheel I've ever experienced.

Fabio421

Paul, can you comment on my questions? I was not asking about cost, although Robb Bud charges quite a bit more for Alcantara than leather. You already told me that you aren't taking any new orders. What I need to know is whether the Alcantara will hoild up in the sun.

Thanks

Champagne

Shawn,

as you know first hand, I'm not commenting here in an effort to get orders. I'm just trying to set the record straight. I'm just tired of hearing people quote things that are simply not true.

As for your question, Alcantara is supposed to be UV protected. In my view, that as more to do with color fading than anything else. Alcantara on a dash will not stop the heat from the core, but as a man made material, the cover itself should remain stable. The texture will also cut the reflection.

Paul

Fabio421

Thanks Paul. I know you aren't trying to drum up orders. I wasn't implying that. Your work is such that you are overbooked and rightly so. I just can't afford to do this twice and would like some guidance from the experts (thats you) . Do you think its a bad idea for me to cover these items in Alcantara and then park the car outside for another year? I know in a perfect world I should wait until I have the garage clear. I just don't want to have to dissasemble everything again if I can avoid it.

Ed Hughes

Why not use a sunscreen in the window to minimize risk? Anytime I had to leave mine outside for more than a couple of hours, mine went up...

Fabio421

I bought a sunscreen but it is way too big. Is there a specific one that fits well?

Mrmerlin

try a pair of scissors, trim the edges then sew them.
I like to use white instead of any other color for the wind screen protector, white reflects the most UV/light back, more than the silver backed too