Featured Product - 1/97Featured Product - 1/97Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
Crazy Red Italian Leather Seats
This product was a fairly easy install if you take your time. It took me about 4.5 hours per seat. I did make a mistake of putting the right on the left or vice versa and had to redo after partially through the job (I have a 99 so pockets are in back on each--why can't the manufacture put a D or P on the inside indicating driver's side or passenger's side?). Product appears high quality and looks great. I used zipties and that seemed to make the job much easier than hog rings. Take your time--you will like the results and like the product.
Hardest part of the job was to get the 8th bolt holding the seats out. I eventually went to a service station and they did right away with an impact driver.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97
The CRI/Katzkins leather seat covers are beautifully made. Ordered the two tone patern with contrasting stitching and embroidered "Miata" with gathered fit, and they look great!
Installation was every bit as easy as suggested by others in this section. I used a combination of nylon tie strips and hog rings. Hog rings simply work better/faster in a few locations, while the tie strips make easy work out of the hidden locations in the seat cushions.
Don't be intimidated, this is straight forward installation work. As long as you take your time, the results are very rewarding!
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to '90 - '97 '99 + 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Crazy Red Italian Leather Seat Covers
Following a suggestion read here somewhere I used cable ties (zip ties) instead of hog rings - a bag of 8" long ties rated to 75 lbs was about $8. I cut the existing hog rings off with aircraft snips (that having a geared mechanism to give more leverage), which were about $10.
It took me about 4 hours per seat, but that included making lunch and answering my sons questions about his computer game, answering the phone, watching TV etc. Doesn't take much skill to do, but is fairly time consuming. Cable ties made the job of fitting the new seats very easy, especially as I could move the material about before committing myself. I found I could thread the ties through all the attachment points first, then offer up the covers - removed a lot of fiddly work with hog ring pliers.
Extremely pleased with the quality of the goods and service received from the Crazy Red family. Seat mounting bolts required significant effort to remove!
Over 30 minutes to remove completely
A set of leather seats, custom made to your specs.
I love these seats. They make the interior look different, with the way that the leather is bunched up in the seat. Much better than any factory leather could ever look, with great craftsmanship throughout. I ordered the Custom Style, with red inserts, and red stitching. These were the last part of the work I have done on a red/black contrast in the interior, and they finish it off very well.
I thought about talking them to an upholstery shop, but decided with to go for it myself. I was surprised by how easy the really were to put on, and would recommend that anyone with slightly more than average skills in do-it-yourself work to tackle this part of the job yourself. It will help pay for the difference in Regular style and Custom Crazy style.
You can see them on my site at http://home.earthlink.net/~bkmcomber
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Crazy Red Italian seats have been around for awhile now, and are replacement covers made for the Miata. They even have designed leather seat covers for the new M2. Covers are made from Katzkin and are the leaders in leather seating accessories.
CRI Leather Seat Covers for my 1995 Miata were ordered on a Monday and were shipped to my door the following week. Couldn't believe how fast these were made, especially when you consider that there is a 2 week average for ordering a pair. They came boxed...but be warned. DO NOT TAKE A KNIFE TO THE TOP OF THE BOX AND CUT DOWN INTO IT! They are not protected in anyway, so after having CPR performed on me by the paramedics, I got to look more closely at them. Construction is top notch! Stitching is good and everything was straight. Some minor pencil marks (numbers) were written on the leather seats, but quickly cleaned up. I ordered mine in standard OEM Mazda Tan Leather with black a "Miata" logo on the headrest. Mine were also perforated for my HR speakers. Kept the overall stitching in tan, but could have chosen any other color on the planet. No hog rings were shipped with my order and I didn't know if this should be the case. My installer had plenty in stock, but be sure to double check this before attempting to tear down your factory seats yourself.
I finally, after 3 days of seriously considering the option, decided to leave it up to the professional to do this. I like installing everything on my Miata, but this job was too critical. If you goof up, it will show like no other goof up on your car...believe me! The covers have to be perfectly aligned and straight and you will get cut. Besides, I got quotes from $150-$200 for full professional install, and they did it in less than 8 hrs. When I picked her up, I could not what a difference they made! Holy cow! Where have I been!?!? They looked INCREDIBLE. Lot's of people checking the seats out even days after. They are very soft and smell great. The bunched-up leather is a perfect fit for the Laguna Blue color. They seem a little stiffer and softer lateral support from the side bolsters, but hey, were talking leather here, not a Racing Sparco carbon-fiber seat. If you do have them installed professionally, don't forget to ask your installed to save those old cloth covers. You can sell them for about $75-125 and recoup some of the $$$ for the install. Overall, I highly recommend the covers. Your fanny will appreciate it ;0-)
Custom black leather seats with white contrast stitching and white Miata logo with matching shift and brake boots.
Excellent product and great people to deal with.
I ordered the seats from Crazy Red along with the matching shift and brake boots and black textured knobs. I sent a check out on Wed. the knobs arrived on Thursday, wow that was really cool. The seats came about a week and a half later. Installation was a breeze I had it done at Johns Upholstery shop and I gotta say they look and feel GREAT! Really compliments the interior. I would do it again in a heartbeat and Dave is a pleasure to deal with.
| Back to Product Reviews | 19 April, 2003 |