Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeSurfer
I'm one of the rare guys who hates Alcantara. I've had a half Alcantara half leather steering wheel for the life of my car and never once had to clean or do anything with the leather portions of the wheel and it looks brand new, however, the Alcantara has to be cleaned at least every 6 months or so. It looks good when it's clean but only lasts a month and then it looks like garbage, especially bad next to the clean black leather. I've used Alcantara cleaning products with great results but a few areas have worn out and become "pilly" like an old sweater.
I also despise it as an end user because of the premium cost for it. It is super cheap to produce but is marketed as such a fantastic product that started in high end cars we think we're getting some kind of exclusive luxury product when we're really getting an ultra cheap, high maintenance alternative to suede. To me it's as much of a scam as forged carbon fiber. It all looks and feels fantastic but certainly shouldn't be in the premium product category. Just my opinion.
Sorry to jack the thread, Im just tired of being treated like an idiot by the marketing scams in the auto industry.
|
I don’t think you are alone in your dislike of the product. Plenty of folks don’t care for it. Mostly, though, I’ve found the hate comes from people who neglect it for years and then complain that it looks nasty after never cleaning it once.
Your points about production costs and marketing ploys aside, I do prefer the material on most surfaces to leather, especially touch points.
First, I think it feels nicer to the touch. Second, I think it looks nicer. Third, again pertaining to touch points, it grips better. Lastly, it is more temperate neutral than leather. Doesn’t get hot in the summer and doesn’t get cold in the winter.
Also, not sure what type of magic leather you had on your steering wheel that looked brand new after such a long time with zero maintenance but please share. To me, leather requires almost as much maintenance as Alcantara to maintain properly, unless you like the look of shiny, tough leather. To keep leather looking supple and matte requires preventative and regular maintenance as well.