Rrrrrip! There's A Tear In Your Car's Seat... Now What Do You Do?
Not every car accident involves hitting something with your vehicle. Sometimes all it takes is an overexcited pet or some old seat material for your car's upholstery to suddenly have a big gash. If your seats are looking a bit worse for the wear, here are a few of your options to get them fixed up.
Check If The Damage Is Reparable
The most common spot for seat rips is the bolsters, or the part of the seat that sticks out on the sides. The seams, which usually run parallel to the car door, are stressed over the years from the body weight of the passengers. If the rip occurs neatly along a seam, you may only need to have the seat stitched back up as good as new.
If you have a needle and strong thread, you might be able to repair the problem yourself. Car repair services will do this for a relatively low price as well. The repair should take around an hour to complete, depending on the size of the rip.
Consider A Partial Reupholstering
Since the bolsters are so often damaged, many car upholstery services have begun to simply replace that part of the seat when problem occur. Having this done professionally offers you a chance to have additional padding or seat supports put in to prevent future rips as well.
Depending on the specific services you request, you'll likely pay between $150 and $300 for a partial reupholstering job. Since this will require the technician to remove the seat and change out parts before replacing it, you should expect your car to be in the shop for at least a couple of hours.
Invest In Custom Seat Covers
Unlike the one-size-fits-all covers you can buy in an auto parts store, custom seat covers are fitted closely to your car's seats. They can be ordered with padding in some areas, reinforced stitching, and stain-resistant seat material. If your car's seats get plenty of traffic, it's probably a good idea to have protective covers put in place to prevent more serious damage in the future.
The toughest custom seat covers can cost hundreds of dollars, so you should carefully consider whether your children, pets, or rowdy friends have a good chance of destroying your seats eventually. Having one fitted and placed will take at least two appointments, and you should expect for your car to be in the shop several hours on the second one.
A tear in your seat may be a small and simple repair or a good opportunity to protect your upholstery from future damage. If you have a reason to think your car's seats might get torn again in the future, talk to a car upholstery service (such as mercedes service professionals) about how you can protect them. Taking preventative steps now could save you money in the long run.