pharding

The leather on my 08 550 Sport is quite hard. My wife has a 4 1/2 year old Passat with softer leather and she never gives it leather treatment. This is the hardest leather of any BMW that I have owned. What is a good product to soften it up?

What I have concerns about is the dumbing down of the quality on the 08 LCI in comparison to my 04 545. My 08 LCI 550 Sport is not a cheap car. The Logic 7 radio is less, leather is rock hard, and the wood match is disappointing. When I read about BMW future plans to focus on increased profitability, I shudder. Right now I can clearly see the quality trending down and higher priced better options made available if you can't stomach the inferior stuff. That stupid black shifter plate filler panel is another example of BMW just totally cheaping out. The Brits get a wood filler panel. In the US we get that hideous black plastic piece of sh1t. BMW may be doing fine now. But with the quality of the interior finishes (never a BMW strong suit) clearly trending down and this future emphasis on profitability, I am concerned about the future for BMW. Audi and MB have always had better interior finishes and they are both placing more emphasis on sport as they bring out new offerings. Plus they are both developing credible Euro Delivery Programs that I enjoy immensely. Competition is a great thing for the consumer. I hope that BMW doesn't screw up their recent success by cheaping out on quality control and finishes.

EBMCS03

I guess we will see... but I thought everyone has said that the LCI is much improved over the Pre-LCI... I dunno. I never spent much time in a LCI

JSpira

Audi's program is not really "credible" unless you enjoy putting down 19% MWSt. when you order the car.

pharding

The leather is hard to the touch and certainly not supple. It feels tough and dried out and the car is brand new. My 04 545 has less leather but it was of better quality.

What is 19% MWSt.?

DrLev99

MWst (Mehrwertsteuer) is a general tax in European countries such as in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
It is imposed on consumption of goods and services in all European countries as well as numerous countries worldwide.

How this affects cars in the US, I am not sure...shouldn't at all.

swajames

I agree, the leather on my both my E60's felt very tough. I don't doubt it's durable, but I wished it were softer. One suggestion, there is a product called "Leatherique" which is an exceptional conditioner, it's intended to be used to restore old and dry leather but it does of course help soften new leather. Maybe worth a try (it's not cheap, and the application process takes a while, but it is good).

By the way, MWSt is the German value added tax (equivalent to US sales and use tax). It should be avoidable on export cars (there are relieving provisions in both German law and the overriding EU Directives). I don't know what Audi are doing to cause issues with their ED program - JSpira, do you have any specific examples on this?

JSpira

Ja, Audi requires the purchaser to leave the full MWSt. amount on deposit with them until after the car is exported by them. This is unique in the European Delivery industry as it were.

sirch

I've use saddle soap in the past to soften the leather on my cars, if it was needing it. I know of a few car detailers who use saddle soap and then shoe polish to bring back to life old dried up leather seats with very good success. The trick with the saddle soap was to use it every day unit you get the leather to your desired softness, it may take a week or two if it is really dried up and hard.

hinckley

I don't think it's unique, but I didn't know Audi was now doing it.

Porsche's European delivery program also requires it. I'm considering ED on my next 911 and according to my dealer, the refundability of the tax is totally dependent on the German tax authorities. He said that he's seen it take only a few weeks and sometimes a number of months. And of course, there's no interest accumulating.

What makes the Audi thing interesting to me is that my Porsche dealer claimed that the Germans (Europeans?) were going to start requiring this as part of all of the manufacturers' ED programs. I thought he was full of it, but now that Audi is doing it too, I'm not so sure . . .

JSpira

Audi?s program is brand new so they seem to have copied Porsche (I had forgotten that Porsche does this but their numbers for e.d. are so low that they barely show up on the e.d. radar).

Other programs are not going to change.

It does bring up an interesting question. I don?t know whether BMW actually pays the MWSt. and gets it refunded or does not have to pay it unless the vehicle fails to be exported. I will find out however and advise.