The DW and I have pulled the trigger and are now looking for a new/used truck.What is still up in the air is the 150/250 debate.But one thing is clear is no leather.My question is is it easier to remove the leather seats and replace with cloth or bring to upholstery shop.I know that looking for cloth seated XL XLT and FX4 is easiest,but some lariats have been meeting my search criteria.

 

The seat covers are removable, so you may be best off trading for someone who wants to upgrade to leather. It's not a tough job.

 

I would stick with the XLT or FX4 models. To go to a Lariat with leather seats, heated and /or AC, and then take them out makes no sense. Order a XLT or FX4 to your specifications, and you'll be happy. Good Luck!

 

I would get a F250, if you get a F150 and decide or need to tow later on, you will already have the truck to do it. So IMO Corporal...F250 all the way!

As far as leather, I bet its a special order to get cloth seats, just like manual windows and locks. A truck with leather will more than likely or hopefully not had the shot beat out of it.

You can just sale or trade the seats to person with cloth, or get some contractor grade high dollar covers that fit just like the actual cover themselves.

Marathon Seat Covers for your 2009 Ford F-150 | Marathon Seat Covers

Ballistic Cordura Seat Covers by Coverking

A truck that new, you should be able to locate some cloth seats in a JY for a fair price, then flip your leather ones on the Craigslist.

I would not let the fact a truck has leather make you pass on a deal.

 

Completely disagree with you here. I've had both F150s and Super Duties in the past, and it's all about the correct tool for the job. Super Duties make for terrible daily drivers with abysmal fuel economy and a ride that will rival a grain truck. I've pulled more with my F150 than most have with their F250s, and I think they make for a great mix of capability, ride, and efficiency.

That's completely incorrect. In fact you can't even get leather in several trim levels offered in the F150. Likewise you can't get a Lariat or higher with cloth seats or manual HVAC. They just don't make them that way.

 

Wow you have all the answers, that's a good thing, I sure don't. lol

How did I get out of my normal forum and end up in the "Newer LIGHT DUTY truck" section?

Won't make that left turn mistake again. Now I know why I like old trucks, I occasionally do have a correct piece of advice. And if I don't, I don't get kicked of the island so fast, jeesh.

I didn't realize this is a 100% correct fact forum....

 

Please don't misunderstand, I wasn't trying to be demeaning. I just happen to be the kind of guy who LOVES to argue with people, and sometimes I come off a bit strong.

No reason to avoid the newer truck forums, we like to have all kinds of perspectives in here.

 

No way you can back out that mud hole, you went in full throttle and snapped a u-joint, I am laughing now.

I had some whitty replies, but you might be thin skinned and only be able to dish it out and not take it.

So into backspace it goes.

Resubscribe due to a fellow FTE member shedding some light to this subject and then I noticed a small, but very vital fact in my FTE world.

What was I thinking it could of NOT been you, you are "Currently truckless", and we all know that bus #11 (legs) or the good ol shoe leather express never gets stuck. lol

Can you argue that and be strong about it? How is my perspective now? lol And yes that's a hint of sarcasm, that is not a condescending tone in case you are confused.

 

Not getting into the 150 / 250 debate. I have / had both and love each model. As far as the Leather, just wondering why you wouldn't want it. Way easier to maintain IMHO than cloth seats, as long as you treat them with a quality conditioner, spills wipe right up, not so with cloth in my experience. I have a 2008 company truck that has cloth, they stain if water is spilled on them.

Anyway, just curious.

I would love to be able to find a truck with leather seats and the vinyl / rubber floor instead of carpet!

 

While on some level i agree ... i'm with the OP. 3 of the last 4 vehicles we bought have leather seats. not because we wanted them, but because that's what they had. out of all the greath things those vehicles are or were, i always hated the leather. i got tired of burning my legs in the summer and freezing my **** off in the winter. my wife finally put a seat cover on her's just so it wasn't so freaking cold in the winter (the stupid seat heater broke).

if you have to heat and cool your seats to be comfortable ... then are they really that comfortable?

why the last 3 out of 4? because when i bought my expedition i specifically looked for cloth seats. if it had leather, i didn't even look at it. If i could have gotten one with a rubber floor, i would have, but they don't make them that way AFAIK.

i think you've unknowingly hit the reason why some don't like leather.

leather is only easier to maintain if you put all the extra maintenance into them ..... not worth the extra effort IMO, not for the privileage of burning my legs and freezing my ****, anyway.

i guess i've never found cloth seats to be that much of a hassle. if they get really dirty just get an upholstry machine and clean them ... guess that's just what i'm used to.

i will admit one thing to leather's credit .... if you get mayo on your leather, all you need is a napkin ... if you get mayo on your cloth, you will need a seat cover ... i haven't found ANYTHING that can get the stupid mayo stains out of my work truck's seats....

to the OP .. if you do end up with a truck with leather seats and really don't want them, your best bet is to purchase cloth seat covers from ford and have them switched out. you can do it yourself, or have an upholstry shop do it for you. then you can unload your leather covers to recover your costs. i wish that is what i would have done, but was too lazy and found it easier to complain about the seats

 

I'm lazy, I'd rather wipe down leather seats with conditioner about a 5 min job every few months than break out the wifes "little green machine" to try to get the mayo, pipe dope, grease stains, etc...out with minimal success. Point taken though! If it were me, and I found my dream truck and it had leather, I'd just buy the Carhartt seat covers from Ford.

I'm just rough on a truck interior and have had great results with leather, good thing we all don't like Vanilla Ice cream only!

How you been anyway?

 

Thanks for the responses! some were entertaining(to say the least)! I maybe picky, but the NEEDS for my next vehicle are few from the common rig. We go camping every year. So a golf cart(723 lbs) has to fit in the bed of the tow vehicle.(Wifes HHR tow capacity is 1000lbs) so 2nd vehicle is out of equation.Next is Travel Trailer. 6800 lbs empty.(8000lbs loaded) so both 150/250 are neck and neck!So Finding a screw with a 6.8 bed is clearly the challenge!

 

point taken. what i've found, in my life anyway, is that the easy jobs are the ones that get put off and never done. I'm lucky to get our leather seats conditioned once a year. then they stick to my leather jacket ... iiick.

ain't that the truth!

and an asset to ford, they usually are pretty good about giving a guy some choices. they all have package deals, but for the most part the packages at least make some sense. that is to say, generally a guy who wants a lariat or platinum type package would usually walk a way if it had cloth seats. there's always exceptions that prove the rule, though.

if i was any better, i'd be you

 

I hear ya Mike! I have just had rotten luck with cloth seats over the years, the light gray seats in my '08 company truck has literally stained from water, but, in all fairness, theres no telling how much dust and other crap that was already there, Like I said the ultimate interior for me would be leather and the vinyl floor, I hate carpet just as much. Thank goodness the Co. truck has the vinyl (or rubber) floor, I can't even imagine what that would look like with some good ole Ms. red clay.

Take it easy Mike, talk at ya later!

PS: Not sure if you'd like to be me, I got some rotten luck! Pays to have a sense of humor!

 

I'm with buck 1 in looking for an F150 XLT or FX4 model with cloth AND to satisfy your towing needs look for the max trailer tow package on top that will give you additional payload and tow capacity.