I have 98 Maxima... I think it's the SE version.

Are the seats real leather, or fake leather?

 

The world may never know. Lol jk I believe these are "pleather' idk thats what my friend called it

 

I think if you check the sticker closely, you'll find that like most all cars they say "leather seating surfaces". That means that the top that you sit on and the back that you lean on is leather, the sides and back are fake.

 

I'm just wondering because I bought a leather cleaner/conditioner for the seats, and it's not doing any cleaning... so I wonder that maybe it's not doing any cleaning or improving of any kind because it's not real leather.

 

The seats are real leather. I can tell by the way mine are cracked!

And leather cleaners generally don't work for crap on tough stains. At least I havent found one that does.

 

The only thing that's real leather are the parts that you physically touch, the steering wheel, shifter the seat bottom and back, and if I'm not mistaken the door inserts too. Everything else is imitation.

 

I dont know about the maxima seats, but my i30 rear seats are real leather. I used a Leather Master conditioning kit that worked great.

 

I thought so back in 1998, but they're not. Very cheap and plasticky. Compare it to a BMW where there is real leather on the door panels, even on a 3 Series......

 

You're right about the gearshift and wheel, but no way on the door panels, that's pillowy vinyl fer sure!

 

Yup, I have dissembled a few 4th gen leather seats. You can tell from the back of each panel which parts are real and which are fake. Our seats are real in the middle and fake around the sides and back. Plus it only takes one touch to know whats real and whats fake.

 

I can accurately tell you from an Upholstery man that worked on many of these cars. The middle sections of the seats are real leather which has the four square cutouts. The sides are vinyl which is everywhere else.

 

You can tell leather vs vinyl by pushing in on it....works on furniture, too. Take a finger and push in - vinyl just "pushes in smooth" while real cowhide kinda "crinkles". It's tough to explain but comparing the two side by side it's obvious. My Maximas appear to be real on the faces of the seats but vinyl on the backs and sides (like where the lumbar and power controls are).