Car seat covers Halfords Ripspeed/Walser

cootuk

We bought Halfords Ripspeed car seat covers and, after about 5 years, the side bolster is starting to tear.
Halfords still do these for £22.50 for a full set.

Why post this?
Inside the factory sealed packaging are labels for Walser Sab Clix III which is a fairly decent brand which retails for over £40.
It looks like the Ripspeeds are actually rebranded Walsers.

motorguy

cootuk wrote: »

We bought Halfords Ripspeed car seat covers and, after about 5 years, the side bolster is starting to tear.
Halfords still do these for £22.50 for a full set.

Why post this?
Inside the factory sealed packaging are labels for Walser Sab Clix III which is a fairly decent brand which retails for over £40.
It looks like the Ripspeeds are actually rebranded Walsers.

You mean these bad boys?

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/interior-accessories/car-seat-covers/ripspeed-car-seat-cover-full-set-blue

TBH i've never really got the whole seat cover thing.

• They never fit properly.
• They always look cheap and aftermarket
• They dont "protect" the seats, because the dirt still gets through
• When you remove them, moreoften the seats need valeted anyway.

Any cars i've got through the trade with seat covers, the seats always look grotty underneath if they've been on a number of years and / or they'e being used to cover up damage to the seat.

With so many people doing cheap valeting these days i'd rather have the actual seats cleaned, and if theres damage, theres people these days will do a professional repair for £50 anyway.

cootuk

If you keep a car for long enough then you do get wear on the seat edge for the driver and possibly passenger.
I find seat covers help protect the seat and can be washed if you really want.
Valeting? What's that?

Nikkisun

How well do the ripspeed covers fit? I have an old car with worn seats which I'd like to cover but don't want baggy seat covers!

cootuk

Obviously they are not a tailored fit, but the seat back is pretty tight.
The seat squab is also taught and held by elastic bands stretched under the seat. They aren't baggy like some you see.

forgotmyname

Buy some seats in better condition from a breakers.

motorguy

forgotmyname wrote: »

Buy some seats in better condition from a breakers.

Or a SMART repair for about £50.

I was motor trading there fore several years, and was dealing in cars usually under £5000 down to £1000.

Very rarely ever saw a car with excessive wear on the seats.

But when we got a car in with seat covers on, invariably when we hacked them off, there was stains on the seats anyway and we had to get them valeted.

Nikkisun

I've had to downgrade my car to a 13 year old clio - I'm only planning on keeping it for 12-18 months then tbh it'll probably be scrapped so not worth changing the seats or getting them repaired - just over £20 for some seat covers seems a much better option.