Went to a banquet late last night and the ride was a 2001 LS430. My colleague said it ran about 74 grand and had some 13,000 luxury option. Had a Levinson stereo and heated seats in the back! Funny thing is he said it was only $100 to upgrade the rims and tires to 17". Nicest car I've ridden in, and I've been in the previous 600SEL. Suddenly my own seats feel like cheap plastic or something. Those folks know how to celebrate the New Year it was a 9-course meal....burp. Gotta get to the gym

saab leather is really good too. The newer MB is ok doesn't really feel like leather

I think I remember hearing something about MB Leather
 

actually being a very high grade vinyl back when i worked on car stereos..

Re: I think I remember hearing something about MB Leather
 

Nope MB leather is real leather. One some of their cars, the base setup is MB Texas Vinyl while real leather is an option.

$74 grand my a$$, he was trippin.
$60k finished with taxes and everything.

Re: Re: I think I remember hearing something about MB Leather
 

oh I was probably in the vinyl one it looked like leather

btw does maxima have real leather?? I feel the surface area where we sit on is different type of material then the back, middle of second roll, and the side

is the side and back cheaper vinyl?

Check the prices on Edmunds.com

A 2001 LS430 with all options is over $72k MSRP. Invoice price with all options is around $63k. So, I would not be surprised if an LS430 went for $74k out the door if it had all options.

Now if you were talking about 2000 LS400, then 60k is the right price.

the 01 LS 430 has a 12k Ultra-Luxury
 

option... yes that is 12k!

I sat in a showroom 2001 Maxima and its leather seemed alot better then my leather. I have a 97 SE and the leather is alright, maybe its time to bust out the Lexol.

I'm also curious to know if maximas have real leather in them. I used some good leather cleaner on mine a while back and the next day if felt so much softer and smoother and looked 100% better

I believe the Maxima has "leather seating surfaces." In other words, the part where you sit and lean back on are leather. But the side bolsters, headrests, and seatbacks are all fake leather. So are those "leather inserts" in the doors...fake fake fake. But fake isn't necessarily bad. BMW's imitation "leatherette" isn't that bad at all. In fact, I'll take BMW's leatherette over MB's "real leather" anyday.

Eric is right about the seating surfaces being leather and other areas are fake. That is true on almost all vehicles equipped with leather. I work at a tannery and we produce automotive leather exclusively. We used to make the leather for the Maxima prior to 2001, but Nissan demanded HUGE cost reductions so we let a competitor take the job. We also make leather for Mercedes. It's amazing to see what goes into making leather. There are a lot of processes and one screwup can ruin the hide.

Also, if your leather is starting to feel a little crusty, you should put some leather care on it to moisten it back up. If you do that regularly, the leather will last forever. BTW, I'm not a leather technician so I don't know everything about leather.

no doubt leather varies
 

Sit in a DeVille and you see what old-fashioned USA leather is all about, made by a tannery dating back quite a while. Not made by anyone with the lowest price.

Got to a furniture shop and a sofa starts at $699. You don't have to walk 10 steps to see another for $3900. There are various grades and purposes--easy care, natural look, durability, or low cost.

Porsche and Benzes can be ordered with leather on the headliner, behind the seats, on the dash, sun visors. The nicest I have sat on as far as a car goes is the XJ-R. I haven't been in the new LS but I remember the old 400 beared little resemblance to what you get in a Maxima. The Maxima is more designed to sell an options package--electronic climate, power driver seat, convenience package.