Factory Installed Leather Package Vs. Leather Interior Upgrade @ dealership

[priusenvy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(apriusfan @ Jun 13 2007, 10:43 PM) [snapback]461414[/snapback]</div>

The factory seats are certified to not interfere with air bag deployment. Are the after-market seat covers similarly certified? And who is giving the certification - the installer? What proof do you have regarding the veracity of the installer's claim that the seat covers they installed will not interfere with the operation of the seat-mounted side impact airbags?
[/b]

Well, Katzkin covers are used by just about everybody to put leather in a Prius, and they claim to make theirs with the breakaway seams. When ordering, you do have to specify whether you have airbags or not, and the ones for airbags have a little tag on them that says "SRS Restraint" or something like that. Also, off the Katzkin web site:

We are aware of your concerns regarding the new Occupant Classification Safety Systems that will be found on all popular vehicles by 2006. Katzkin has always taken a proactive stance on safety matters, especially airbag safety matters like OCS. We started performing airbag system testing through 3rd party test facilities in 1997 and have continually performed internal and external testing to ensure that our products meet and exceed the highest standards.

We have recently completed a broad range of tests specified by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 to determine if our leather interiors would affect the performance of the OCS systems. Those tests demonstrated that Katzkin Leather Interiors, when properly installed, DID NOT interfere with the performance of the Occupant Classification Safety Systems


This manual provides the results of our recent OCS testing, SRS tests and an overview of our warranty, quality and insurance coverage. Inside you’ll also find information that will help you better understand the most popular OCS systems. Most importantly, section 2.0 contains the results of tests performed by MGA Research Laboratories on vehicles with OCS Systems.

Because we understand your concerns, we are maintaining our industry leading $51 million per occurrence insurance policy (see section 4), 3 year/36,000 mile warranty and ISO 9001 manufacturing facility. You can feel confident selling Katzkin Leather Interiors to your customers. We have sold over 250,000 interiors without a single reported airbag system failure. This success can be attributed to our world-class manufacturing facility and the finest restyling facilities in the industry, like yourself.

If you have any additional questions or specific concerns, please contact your local restyling professional, they have full access to our technical department or regional managers who can answer most questions immediately.

Thank you for your continued business.
[/b]

[007Prius]

I've installed Katzkin Liquicell leather in my Tundra and and looks great compare to the cheap and thin factory cloth but the leather smells funny, I have the factory leather in the Prius which is perforated leather, both are comfortable and enjoy the truck and car with leather seating

[apriusfan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusenvy @ Jun 14 2007, 03:57 PM) [snapback]461933[/snapback]</div>

Well, Katzkin covers are used by just about everybody to put leather in a Prius, and they claim to make theirs with the breakaway seams. When ordering, you do have to specify whether you have airbags or not, and the ones for airbags have a little tag on them that says "SRS Restraint" or something like that. Also, off the Katzkin web site:
[/b]

Then it would seem that one should be sure to get a Katzkin seat cover. But what about the "properly installed" disclaimer? Specifically: "Those tests demonstrated that Katzkin Leather Interiors, when properly installed, DID NOT interfere with the performance of the Occupant Classification Safety Systems...."

My understanding is that the primary factor in whether the seat cover hinders the operation of the side impact airbag is the stitching on the seam that covers the airbag deployment module. To date, there is no way to identify which stitching is compliant and which is not (it is not as if compliant stitching has a florescent thread running through it or some other readily apparent indicator). So, back to my original point - the factory seats are certified to not hinder the proper deployment of the side impact airbag. Anything else, and the factory's liability for proper operation of the side impact safety system just got released. Caveat emptor.

[amylow]

I am having a similar issue, but instead of just leather, the dealer wants to modify a package #2 to a Package #6. Something makes me uneasy about this. Should I wait until the factory #6 comes in, or is this major overhaul a viable option?

[apriusfan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(juslookin @ Aug 10 2007, 10:43 AM) [snapback]493631[/snapback]</div>

I am having a similar issue, but instead of just leather, the dealer wants to modify a package #2 to a Package #6. Something makes me uneasy about this. Should I wait until the factory #6 comes in, or is this major overhaul a viable option?
[/b]

How long of a wait are you looking at? Going to Package #6 from #2 involves things other than leather seats. How does the dealer propose to handle any warranty considerations? I doubt you will get Toyota to cover any warranty issues on the items that are dealer-added.

[phansson]

I just had the Katzkin kit with Gel inserts installed in my 07. I went with factory gray with perforated inserts.

I am very impressed with the fit, quality, look, feel and price. $900 installed.

[geodosch]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(juslookin @ Aug 10 2007, 01:43 PM) [snapback]493631[/snapback]</div>

I am having a similar issue, but instead of just leather, the dealer wants to modify a package #2 to a Package #6. Something makes me uneasy about this. Should I wait until the factory #6 comes in, or is this major overhaul a viable option?
[/b]

I would be extremely leery of this, considering the differences between a 2007 package #2 & #6:

● Anti-theft
● JBL audio w/ 6-disc changer
● Bluetooth
● auto-dim mirror w/ Homelink
● HID headlamps
● NAV system
● Leather

The mirror & leather are no-brainers. They could probably install some sort of alarm system, though I'd wonder exactly what. For the audio, maybe a trunk-mounted changer? HID lamps would be a big expense for them. Maybe they'll slap a Garmin on the dash for a NAV system. And I'm not sure how they'd manage the Bluetooth.

Personally, I would not only pass on the offer, but I'd probably be looking for another dealer. Though I'd be interested to hear how they would intend to give you all of the above.

[prius2go]

tried checking the katzkin site
found the part number BTO36
but couldnt locate images

[Katebell1977]

I ordered Leather for my package 2 07 prius. What got me to go with the installer the dealer uses, was the leather was better quality and I thought the cars on the lot that had it came like that. I am very picky myself about after market stuff because i have a platinum package for an extended warranty so I am all about keeping that thing. My husband works for a higher end dealer that has quality leather in their vehicles so when he saw the leather in the toyota prius package 1, he thought wow that leather is nice quality. the kits they used i dotn know the name but i am dropping it off on tuesday to have the leather installed. They had a thing of swatches to check out. I picked a color called "willow" which is gray. i wanted to get sage or jade but my husband said it would not match and if I ever wanted to sell it no one would want it because of the leather. basically he said it would kill my resale value . My prius is green so I thought it would be so nice but the dash and stuff match the gray interior. I was going to have my husbands work dye the carpet since i have kiddos and they are messy but he wants to wait until they make the dark gray carpet dirty so he can see if we can just shampoo it.

As far as child seats, if anyone here has leather and is worried about it, i picked up a seat protector at target and one step ahead has one that is thicker to protect the seats from the heavy seat. My kids are small and tend to sit in a seat forever so that is something i had to put into my durango since i thought the seat would ruin the leather i have in it and the target one does the job its by eddie bauer. And my husband sees a lot of people putting child seats in the cars he works on and the cars are from 100k to 1.5million depending on which of the two makes the people have, they use the protector or a towel under the seats and they work fine. When i get my car back i will take pics and show you guys But i got my prius from toyota of huntington beach.

[Dan.]

There may be a bit on context to share here.

There seems to be three places to get leather before the car is purchased:
1) Factory (ie Japan).
2) Port (this is usually a state, or multi-state Toyota distributor).
3) Dealer (the guy on the lot trying to sell you the car).

I couldn't afford #1 since I had to get gobs of other options I wasn't as interested in. Also in my region, #1 was very rare, and hard to get (ie way, way, way over MSRP). Since the distributor dictates what dealers get to stock their lots with, our the distributor for my region was likely trying to get more business for #2.

#2 Is done by the distributor. It's a very high volume and consistent install. They also install Liquicell packs which does seem to help driver seat comfort. For my region, #2 was only available with SRS airbags. Also, no waiver of liability was required on #2 stating that "Airbags may be impeded"

#3 Is done by the local dealer, and usually outsourced to a local shop. You can usually get a better deal on #3 if you can find the shop they do it at and do it yourself. I've never seen Toyota do it, but on a Honda we wanted with #3 leather, the dealer wanted us to sign a SRS waiver so we wouldn't sue if airbags didn't deploy. That turned into THE deal buster, since we were never gonna sign away airbag functionality.

Back on topic, I think the OP was talking about #2 since there are gobs of them here in our region.

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