Seat Covers |
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Dennis James
February 18, 2008
Using a seat cover will provide the passengers and drivers in your vehicle a comfortable place to sit. It will also give your vehicle seats protection from sun fading and ground in dirt. They will also give you a way to take those already damaged and unsightly seats and make them look new again with a lower amount of money than a total reupholster will charge. General seat cushions will run about $30 and may be as high as $100 each. You can check out your local auto parts store for the more generic seat cover choices.
The first thing you will need to do is to take a look at the price of the seat covers. The more you pay the better quality you will get. Those covers that are multiple production products will cost less for the consumer but will tear up faster than the ones that are more custom and handcrafted. The cheaper covers will tend not to fit correctly and wear out much faster. The money you save will need to be spent time after time to replace the bad covers thus saving you no money at all.
Before you take a day to find the right seat cushion, you will need to know the make and model of your car. It also is essential to know what kind of seats you have. Not all seat covers are universal and they will not fit some particular seat shapes and sizes. Some of the seat types include a bucket seat, a seat with adjustable neck rest, a captain’s chair for vans, a bench seat, or others. Knowing this will save you a return trip to exchange a seat cover that does not fit. Just a note to those in the process of buying seat covers, the model of your car may have a few types of seats available to that model. Make sure you know exactly what yours is. You might even want to take a measurement of the seat and the neck rest in back.
The headrest on the back of the seat will also make a difference especially since the post may be single or double. Does the seatbelt run from the brace of the car to the seat or is it connected to the seat itself? Does you particular car have airbags inside the seat? These models of cars are usually the higher dollar vehicles that are new to the market. Each of these is a major factor in how the seat cover will fit.
The make up of the seat cover material will be best if it can repel moisture and can be thrown into a washing machine for easier cleanup. They will also need to be strong and be able to stand up to rough treatment. Materials used for the covers can include cotton, canvas, velour, sheepskin, and Cordoba fabrics. They are better materials for the changes in weather and for being able to last a long time. They need to have a lifetime warranty attached to them for the best buyer protection.
If you prefer to spoil yourself, you might want to consider custom seat covers. This is a great option for those individuals with hard fitting seats to find something that really works well. It might cost more but the time and money you save in having the upholstery changed throughout the car will be worth it. Custom seat covers will come with a complimentary measurement service to make sure there are no mistakes in the fit. Prices for this service may run into the hundreds of dollars depending on the materials and styles chosen. Dennis runs Car Dealer Check which has independent Car Dealer Reviews written by the car dealerships customers and a Car Forum.