Has anyone had the Katzkin seats/covers installed in their vehicle on a base model? I would like to see some pictures of what they look like and see if they are just covers (not formed to fit and a little loose) or if they are worth the amount they are asking for them. Any help would be appreciated.

Also do the seat heaters that they can install get routed to the center console button to where the seat heater buttons are? Or do they have to put some tacky little toggle switch in attached to the dash?

 

I have the Limited, and am planning to have the Katzkin put on this spring/summer because I want two tone seats, and am not all that crazy about the OEM two tone colors that are available. They are full upholstery replacements, not just seat covers. I've had them installed on a previous car. You will not be able to tell they are not OEMs from a quality standpoint. I'm staying with my OEM graphite color, but will add burnt orange inserts and piping and have them embroider the crossfire name on the head rest area with the correct font.

 

I haven't had mine done yet that will happen in early spring but I have got pricing and all the details from the installer. These are not just seat covers they are of higher quality than OEM. The seats are removed and the fabric removed from the seats and the new skins are put on the seats. These need to be done by professional installers; it is not a shade tree job. As far as I know they only sell through an installer network. The company I priced with has a long reputation in our area and is a true custom interior shop. They also do a great deal of work for local dealerships in replacing cloth interiors with Katzkin interiors in new cars. The patterns Katskin use for the base Crossfire seats came from DC and has a bottom, back and head rest skin. The LTD seats are different in that the head rest is part of the seat not separate and called a high back seat. That’s why the base seat is referred to as a low back seat. Katzkin makes custom interiors for many other manufactures as well. The cool thing is you choose the colors then they make your skins they are in stock sitting on a shelf. It really isn’t fair to call these seat covers because they are much more. I have seen the products in many other cars but not in a Crossfire they really are first class. The seat heaters are to be connected to wiring that exists under the seat but the controls I looked at are small rocker switches that go on the plastic part at the sides of the seats. They look much like seat adjuster switches. I wanted the same thing you asked, why can’t you just replace the blanks on the console. The installers concern was his ability to get correct matching switches with as many positions as needed because there will be three or four positions for the switch depending on the heater and or ventilation system you purchase. Also the heaters are a very thin carbon fiber pad that goes on the foam cushions before the leather skin is put on the seat and the switches are already wired on. He was able to show me a set on another car and they were more than acceptable to me they also had small color indicator led’s on them for on, off. It took me some time to collect information on the seats so shop around a bit for your interior shop. You can imagine the look on my face when they told me, yeah were going to tear the seats out of your new car. Then were going to rip off those old cloth covers and pull on these new leather covers and charge you about $1400.00. I think that included heaters, I can’t find my quote now but when I have it done I will get the system that heats and cools. You know, hot buns in the winter and cool cheeks in the summer.

 

Just wanted to add a few more thoughts to this thread, as I am interested in doing Katzkin as well.

I had a 2004 SRT-4, which I had the Katzkin leather put in. I did the real leather front and back, suedezkin inserts, contrasting stitching and custom embroidery with the Dodge Ram's head logo and the SRT logo. Katzkin had a special program through Mopar to order the seats. Total price for the "loaded" leather (everything but heaters, I live in Texas ) was about $1250 installed with tax. This included both rows of seats. Through the Mopar program, you pretty much get the options for free.

I'm going to give the Dodge dealer that did my SRT ones a call and see what they say as far as a quote goes.

 

make sure they will even fit the base model seats... the limited and srt have different seats than the base model!!!!!

 

For sure. Katzkin really had their stuff together and are acutely aware of the differences between different packages, etc. That being said, the person at the dealership putting in the right order is a whole different story.

 

oh no you got the stealership involved? lol when i did my interior this was not available or i would have kept the stock seats, they are rather comfy

 

i opted to pickup srt-6 seats for 300 dollars in brand new shape from a recycler ... the base seats had a headrest positioned for some with a neck permanently set at a 30 degree bend. was killing my back...

someone post some pictures of their katzkin

 

I could be mistaken, but aren't the base Crossfire cloth seats the same as the leather seats from the previous generation of the Mercedes SLK? Say circa 1999-2002. Check edmunds.com for interior photos of the SLK.

The photos of the SLK interiors that I have seen look the same to me. The SLK has the adjustable head rest just as the base Crossfire has.

In fact there was a forum member who installed SLK seats in his base coupe and I thought that they were re-skinned Crossfire seats. The owner informed me that they were in fact SLK seats.

If this is true, just order SLK skins and problem solved. Or heck, buy used SLK seats if there is a color combo that meets your needs.

Good Luck

EDIT - Found the link to his car...It looks like its still for sale. Check out the SLK seats in it
http://www.bradbensonautogroup.com/used_vehicle_details.htm?vehicleId=02d2c4974046381 e000bb1ee9350e0b6

Also here is the old thread that has a better photo of the seats
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ad.php?t=19352