I've seen leatherette and it's not bad. I don't recall it having any bad odor at all. With that said, I prefer leather. I just don't like the idea of having anything fake - including replica wheels etc. Just my opinion.

How can you tell if you have Leatherette? I have an 02 3.0 sport package, XENON,AERO SPORT KIT, 18' wheels,rear HVAC, etc.. I listed that info incase anyone of those things/options means it has leather or leatherette..
thanks

so THAT'S what the weird smell and cheap feel interior was caused by in the X3 loaners i've had .............. WOW. unacceptable for this class of vehicle.

you have premium package...you have leather :thumbup:

yup. Prem=Leather.
My old summer car, a '99 Saab 9-3 convertible, had all vinyl, and while not too soft are pretty, it stood up to the elements very well. My '04 has partial leather/vinyl.

Not selecting leather also means not selecting the premium package which include plenty of other goodies (power seats, folding mirrors, Homelink, BMW assist, Bluetooth, etc.). That's sacrificing a lot of goodies.

I'd select leather in nearly every situation unless there are some special needs (i.e. transporting dogs, messy brats, etc.). However, the leatherette in both Bimmers and Benz's is high quality stuff. They are wear-proof, stain-proof, and don't require any maintenance other than a damp cloth.

BMW should make Premium standard in the US, as most people order it. I would expect it to be different in Europe?

If you had it, you would know. All you have to do is look at it.

I recently had a brand new (250 miles on the odo) 328Xi loaner with the fake stuff and I couldn't believe how awful the smell was! I suspect it goes away after a while but it was very strong in this car. I'd prefer cloth over leatherette any day...

Just looking at them, it's difficult to tell, but leather certainly smells better. When warm, leatherette is just about as supple as leather, but when it gets colder, it easier to tell them apart by touching.

My '97 540i/6 has all leather seats and it has stood up very well against time and usage from me, my kids and even my 80lb Doberman. It takes some elbow grease and time with the Lexol (both cleaning and conditioning) but my leather looks great after all these years.