Armrest Leather Cover

Looks Too "Add-On"

My dealer's upholstery guy does the center and side arm rests, plus the triangular pieces between the rear back seat cushion and the door for around $150 and it looks like a factory job.

 

I bought the black version from Priushoods, and I love it. I'll be getting the covers for the door armrests soon.

 

I got one of their MFD Sun Hoods and have been happy with that.

 

I also recommend the PriusHoods products. I got the "package" deal from them on center cover + armrest covers + display hood, just by asking about the deal after I'd already ordered all the items separately (didn't decide on getting all the items until after placing first order for some of them). I think that's a nice bit of customer care on their part.

The covers are quite nice, fit well, and seem well-made.

My only reservations are:

* The armrest covers don't really attach well to the armrest along their entire length. This seems to be a matter of how the armrests are constructed, allowing almost no room for tucking in the edge of a cover at some points. I don't think there's much that PriusHoods could have done about it.

* The instructions are really pretty bad. It turns out, though, that it's all simple enough that one can figure it out pretty easily, though matching up the appropriate armrest covers to front and rear doors might throw you until you look very closely at the shapes.

* The instructions say to use a credit card to tuck in the armrest cover edges. If you do, then use a card you don't want anymore. The process will almost certainly peel up the corners of the card's plastic and trash the card.

* Velcro with adhesive backing is used to secure all the items. This stuff will dry out (or whatever they call it when glue becomes brittle and fails) and fall off in about 18 months of exposure in a car interior. But that's true of pretty much all glues (none of them really last worth a damn) and again, there's little that the PriusHoods could really have done differently.

So all in all, I think the concerns are minor and the products are good. I recommend you take a look at them on eBay (search for "PriusHoods" or just "Prius" and work your way through the accessories category).

 

I've got Robin Redbreast's set too. She's Priushoods on eBay. I also have the leather glove box covers and a cover for the driver's side dash. I love them all.

I like the center console cover and armrests so much I think I'm going to have them reupholstered in leather for real. I never did manage to get all of the armrests tucked into the door, not even using a credit card (which did get pretty much destroyed...it was an old, obsolete one.) I just have to decide if I want to do it in black, like the covers I have, or in some sort of bisque, like the ivory interior.

I do highly recommend the hood. It is the first thing I bought and works quite well. I have mine tucked under my dash designs dash cover.

 

I just got the arm rest leather piece. This may sound dumb, but where do the velcro strips attach to? The sides of the cloth arm rest? I assume that's where they go. Like someone else said, the directions are hazy. Thanks.

 

They go on the inside of the factory armrest. I put the leather piece over the cloth 1st. Then I made sure the leather flaps lined up inside the lid before I put the velcro strips on. Lastly, you put the leather piece on. Make the piece snug. Then wrap the leather flap inside the lid & press it onto the velcro strip. The rear piece just comes together. I love mine. I got the black to match my wheel cover, which is burgundy/black. You'll be fine.

 

If the adhesive of the Velcro gets dry and brittle, etc., then get Barge contact cement (no other brand will work well at all), usually at a leather store or online, to redo the glue.
Barge is incredibly strong and long-lasting, so be careful to have things lined up properly before pressing the pieces together. Barge contact cement is great for anything requiring contact cement. I will not buy any other brand, and neither will you if you get it.

 

Here are some pics of the one I bought from Robin in Ebay, I love it!! and it was very easy to install, I took someone's suggestion and bought a tiny piece of foam about 1/4 inch thick from Joann fabrics and placed it under the cover, now it is nice and cushy and it looks great, here are some pics,




Here is what the inside part looks like,

 

Well what I want is a top that is out of the way of my arm when it is open!!!

 

freshmtt,

 

freshmtt,

Where did you buy your seat covers from??

 

From that lady Robin on Ebay, I will find the link for it and post it,

OK, I found the link here it is,
eBay Motors: Toyota Prius Center Console Leather Cover Fits 04 - 08 (item 120274155646 end time Jun-24-08 16:48:54 PDT)

 

I'm not interested, but fyi I don't see the seatcovers in Robin's (Prius Hoods) website.

 

hmm I dont see any seat covers either

 

OMG,, I am so sorry, I am such a dork!!, :doh::doh: I mis-read your post, probably reading it to quickly,, I thought you were asking about the armrest cover,,

You are asking about my seat covers that are in my car??, OH, those were just something I picked up from Pep Boys, They were $24 each. I am not all the happy with them though, if it was a full cover then I would be happy, but I can't seem to get the straps to hook properly on the sides, so whenever I get out of the car the entire seat cover just slides all over and I am constantly fixing it and putting it back in the right place.

They are some kind of suede material, I like them but wish they covered the entire seat and not just the small portion.

 

freshmtt
you do realize that they do not recommend using seat covers with elastic straps to hold them on in cars with side airbags, right? It is supposed to interfere with the operation of the bags if they have to inflate in an accident. (yes I am a safety freak)
Fernsmom

 

I wasn't aware of that myself. In the packaging for my seat covers with elastic straps it expressly said that they were OK for seats with side airbags. And after I thought about it, that seemed to make some sense to me ... that the force of the deploying side airbag was such that a thin elastic strap wouldn't interfere with it. Nonetheless, just to be safe, I ended up not using that top strap.

 

OMG,, NO,,, I had no idea, where exactly do the side air bags come out of??, Are there inside of the seat itself? Then would this not also be bad for someone to put seat covers over the entire seat??

I need a visual on this cause I am drawing a blank, I thought the side air bags are released from the door panel??,