Seats take the worst of coastal life. They are the one part of the cart that is always in contact with people, sunscreen, and wet towels, and the vinyl spends every daylight hour under UV that is slowly cooking the plasticizers out of it. The lifecycle is predictable: first the mildew spots along the seams, then stiffness, then the small crack at the corner of the driver's cushion that spreads a little every month.
Seat restoration meets the seats wherever they are in that lifecycle. Early on, it is deep cleaning: extraction through the seams, mildew treatment at the roots, and a UV protectant to slow the aging. Further along, it is repair: patching tears, re-gluing lifted seams, and color-matched vinyl repair compound worked into cracks before they spread into splits.
What we are honest about is the point of no return. Vinyl that has fully hardened, foam that has been waterlogged for seasons, or covers split across a whole panel need replacement, not restoration. When a cart is there, we say so, and we would rather lose the job than sell a repair that fails by Labor Day.
Who this is for
Owners whose seats look worse than the rest of the cart. It is a common mismatch: a well-kept ICON or Evolution with paint still glossy and seats going green at the seams, because seats degrade on a faster clock than paint does.
Also anyone buying a used cart. A seat assessment tells you fast whether that Craigslist E-Z-GO spent its life under a cover or under the sky.
How long it takes
One to two hours depending on seat count and how much repair work is queued. Extraction-only visits run shorter; repair compound needs cure time between layers.
What it costs
Seat deep cleaning is included in The Detail at $189. Repair work is an add-on from $75, quoted per seat once we see the damage. Heavy mildew remediation on a neglected cart adds $50 to $100, confirmed with you before we start.
Fair questions
Can you fix a tear without replacing the whole cover?
Tears up to a few inches, yes, with backing material and vinyl repair compound built up in layers and color matched. The repair is waterproof and holds up to daily use. Tears along a seam or across high-flex areas are less predictable, and we will tell you the odds before charging you.
Why do my seats keep growing mildew back?
Because surface cleaning leaves the colony roots in the stitching, and Charleston humidity does the rest. Extraction removes the growth itself, and the protectant makes vinyl less hospitable. Parking with airflow instead of under a sealed cover helps more than most people expect.
Do you work on the flip-down rear seats too?
Yes, including the hinge area, which traps more grime than any other spot on the cart. Rear-facing seats on six-passenger carts are covered by the six-passenger modifier.