Another Jeep Dealer Katzkin Install Issue

[UtahRubi]

Hi y'all,
I just picked up a 2018 JLU Rubicon and I love it!! However, I don't have good things to say about my post purchase experience. I'm not one to complain but there are a few things that just can't go unheard. I purchased black Katzkin's with red stitching with red Rubicon logo to match the interior of my Bright White Rubi. I purchased these through the dealer at the time of the vehicle purchase. The skins I received were all black stitching (no red) with only the Rubicon logo being in red. I opted to move forward with the install anyway. The installation was absolutely nothing short of terrible. Here's the rundown:

• All seats are severely wrinkled and stretching is minimal with a very baggy fit.
• Headrest covers are lop sided with a small tool puncture through the drivers side rear seat headrest.
• Dealer broke a bolt taking out one of the seats and that had to be drilled out. (irritated me because the rig only had 900 miles on it when this happened. I purchased it with 416 miles on it).
• Plastic molding that surrounds the seat/headrest take down lever on the driver side rear seat was completely broken in the install. Dealer has ordered the new part.
• Katzkin cover was not sufficiently fitted under the headrest levers and is starting to come out.
• If possible the drivers side seat seems slightly raised in height vs the passengers side with the lever adjusted all the way down.
• The dealer said they would get tight as I used them and they see more heat but this is not happening and the seats look like crap.

Here are my questions:

• Should I go back to the close seats to get a tight seat covering? I have a yellow lab that drools hence the want for leather seats for ease of clean up.
• Is the "factory leather" different than the Katzkin's? I originally wanted the factory leather. I have seen other leather seats in JL's and they look super tight fitting.

Thanks all for your input!

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[Rhinebeck01]

@Katzkin

Any comments on this Katzkin?

 

[paulr]

that looks absolutely horrible... sorry to see that, judging just from other threads I've read this is 100% an installer issue and them not knowing what they're doing and this wont get better with use/time, needs to go to an installer that knows what they're doing, not that dealer

 

[hansolowookie]

Sorry this happened. I still can't understand why people buy jeeps and then have leather installed after . Makes no sense.

 

[UtahRubi]

Sorry this happened. I still can't understand why people buy jeeps and then have leather installed after . Makes no sense.

I have a dog that goes just about everywhere with me. Cleaning up after her is much easier with leather seats.

 

[UtahRubi]

I'm not sure if Katzkin really should do much about it other than be aware. I'm going to work with my dealer to make it right but I don't have high hopes. They are one of the recommended install locations. My question is once a skin is installed how much can be done to make it look as tight as factory?

 

[BWWJL]

I'm not sure if Katzkin really should do much about it other than be aware. I'm going to work with my dealer to make it right but I don't have high hopes. They are one of the recommended install locations. My question is once a skin is installed how much can be done to make it look as tight as factory?

Terrible to see the poor install! Really seems to be hit/miss with @Katzkin based on quality of installer. My lesson learned which won’t help you:
- Dealer uses their local installer of choice (low cost?) vs best local installer
- So, I’d avoid dealer katzkin option and work directly w katzkin on who they suggest is best local installer. You will miss Jeep, rubicon, sahara, etc logo, but you will get an quality end result.

What I hope helps you is @Katzkin has exception customer service.

 

[UtahRubi]

Terrible to see the poor install! Really seems to be hit/miss with @Katzkin based on quality of installer. My lesson learned which won’t help you:
- Dealer uses their local installer of choice (low cost?) vs best local installer
- So, I’d avoid dealer katzkin option and work directly w katzkin on who they suggest is best local installer. You will miss Jeep, rubicon, sahara, etc logo, but you will get an quality end result.

What I hope helps you is @Katzkin has exception customer service.

I'm going to contact Katzkin to see who they recommend in my area that has the expertise to make this look good and last. Just want to have some options as I will be speaking with the dealer tomorrow.

 

[BWWJL]

Terrible to see the poor install! Really seems to be hit/miss with @Katzkin based on quality of installer. My lesson learned which won’t help you:
- Dealer uses their local installer of choice (low cost?) vs best local installer
- So, I’d avoid dealer katzkin option and work directly w katzkin on who they suggest is best local installer. You will miss Jeep, rubicon, sahara, etc logo, but you will get an quality end result.

What I hope helps you is @Katzkin has exception customer service.

“

• Is the "factory leather" different than the Katzkin's? I originally wanted the factory leather. I have seen other leather seats in JL's and they look super tight fitting.”

Many of the katzkin installs look better than factory but factory is very consistent!

 

[Warz2k4]

Hey OP,

I hate to beat a dead horse, but those seats absolutely f'n terrible. I would take stock leather any day over those.

I myself, thought of getting Katzkin, but now that I think about it, it's depends on your installer and how meticulous they are.

At the end of the day it's not their vehicle, and they probably didn't give 2 shitz about how they did yours.

 

[UtahRubi]

I have spoken with Katzkin and they have recommended a preferred installer. However, the dealer is trying to make it right. I’m going to give them the opportunity to fix it. Then if it’s jacked up the preferred installer can re-do it. Katzkin has mentioned that if there are problems with the fix to reach out to them and they would help.

 

[aven2rus]

Installed mine recently and can tell you there are a lot of fastening points so attention to deatail is never so important as with these. As long as they did the hog rings correct pulling the cover to that point and verifying connecting points is not to bad. However you can only inspect the outer rings. They follow every seat seam with 4-5 rings. See my build post.

The issue that would concern me is you cut small hold and stretch it over the plastic head rest piece s no fix if got it wrong.

The part you pulling on at the lever snaps on, likely broke a clip.

Do you have the plastic back cover on front seats?

 

[Katzkin]

Terrible to see the poor install! Really seems to be hit/miss with @Katzkin based on quality of installer. My lesson learned which won’t help you:
- Dealer uses their local installer of choice (low cost?) vs best local installer
- So, I’d avoid dealer katzkin option and work directly w katzkin on who they suggest is best local installer. You will miss Jeep, rubicon, sahara, etc logo, but you will get an quality end result.

What I hope helps you is @Katzkin has exception customer service.

A little misinformation in your post that we would like to clarify. The dealer program we have established with FCA/Mopar requires that a Katzkin Authorized installer perform the installation or the dealer has the choice to install the leather "in house" aka the service dept. In about 95% of the dealers across the country the same Katzkin installer is installing the leather that is also our best local installer. The other 5% are done in house, this is typically a rural area or in cases where the dealer sells enough leather to keep a full time installer on staff. Therefore, you can use the "Jeep. Rubicon, Sahara,etc logo and still use the "best local installer".

 

[Katzkin]

Sorry for our tardy forum response on this issue, we have made some adjustments and we were not monitoring the forum. UtahRubi, a private message has been sent to you also.
As was previously mentioned, this is not the quality of work we like to see during the installation of our product. Furthermore, we will work with UtahRubi to correct the issues.

 

[UtahRubi]

Katzkin,
Thank you for your reply.
I called and left you a voicemail and sent a PM with my phone number this afternoon.
Looking forward to speaking with you! It's been a few weeks and the dealer is still waiting on a new drivers side rear seat headrest cover as it was punctured on installation.
Thanks again as I am looking forward to getting my interior dialed in finally. The rig only has 2000 miles on it as it hasn't been right since day one, interior installation, recalled track bar mount weld, etc..

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