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Heated Steering Wheel?

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Old 11-27-2014, 11:23 PM
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2013 650i GC
Heated Steering Wheel?

I couldn't find info on it, is it true the C300/400 doesn't have that as an option?
Old 11-27-2014, 11:31 PM
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2015 C400 4matic W205
Originally Posted by armoredsaint
I couldn't find info on it, is it true the C300/400 doesn't have that as an option?
true...unfortunately
Old 11-27-2014, 11:41 PM
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2013 650i GC
Originally Posted by jbbeauso
true...unfortunately
i would never understand why certain things that should be common on a vehicle like this is omitted. It already has the 4Matic and heated seats for a "winter" package.
Old 11-28-2014, 06:37 AM
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During winter I use wonderful Samsonite leather gloves with cachemire interior and it's fine for me. Also never used heated seats as I usually drive with winter clothes on! ;-)
Old 11-28-2014, 07:17 AM
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Just a theory, maybe i am wrong:

MB seems to use fake leather on steering wheels a lot. Genuine leather on steering wheels, is for some reason very expensive option on MB.

Fake leather can not breathe or absorbe sweat like genuine leather can. So if you have heated fake leather on the steering wheel, against the bare skin of your hands, will it perhaps become uncomfortable?
Old 11-28-2014, 09:20 AM
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late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
No fake leather on SA production.
Old 11-28-2014, 09:40 AM
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Reading the description from the official Mercedes SA folder (sonder ausstattung), my car from Sindelfingen Plant, has fake leather on steering wheel. It is part of the P22 Exclusive Interior Package. Same for AMG and Avantgarde Interior packages.
Old 11-28-2014, 09:57 AM
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late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
The wheels are made locally in SA & covered with SA genuine leather as are seats. Ladies spend all day stitching the leather onto wheels.

SA provides over 50% of the leather used by Benz & BMW.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:01 AM
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maybe so, but they don't get fitted to cars here. Fake leather all round.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:05 AM
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late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Yes ~ I can't speak for other markets/plants. I've never owned a Benz without a genuine leather steering wheel.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:12 AM
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For the Doubting Toms.

Lenkrad = Steering Wheel
Leder Nappe = Fake Leather

Old 11-28-2014, 10:20 AM
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late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
No I don't doubt you. It's like AMG use Alcantera which is also man made from polymer microfibre.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Eilers
For the Doubting Toms.

Lenkrad = Steering Wheel
Leder Nappe = Fake Leather

That's odd, I always understood Nappa Leather to be Genuine. Wikipedia seems to agree:

"Nappa leather or Napa leather is a leather, typically dyed, made from kid-, cow-, calf-, lamb- or other skin by tanning. It is noted for its soft temper. It is a generic term in the leather field and has no distinct test for characterization. Because of this ambiguity, the term is often used in advertising to imply that a leather has a soft hand. Among other uses, Napa leather is often used in leather products such as furniture, clothing, handbags, and shoes. As the term is used today, Napa Leather may be either full grain, or more likely, corrected grain."

I may be wrong, but did check the translation of Leder Nappa and this is Nappa Leather. The fake stuff is called Artico in Europe and MB Tex in other markets.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:25 AM
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Getting back to the point, there's no reason other than cost for MB to not have a heated steering wheel on this car. Plenty of less expensive cars offer heated steering wheels, and those steering wheels are not necessarily leather covered.

The seats are heated, and that seems to have no effect on the MB-Tex the majority of cars have.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:29 AM
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Benz also call MB Tex "Taxi Leder" in much of their older commentary. It was originally developed for the Taxi industry where you can order a Benz with rubber floor covering & trunk lining & prewired for roof lights & meters.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:34 AM
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you are correct! - my bad.

I always thought nappa was the fake leather. So this is good news to me!
Old 11-28-2014, 10:37 AM
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late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Originally Posted by StanNH
Getting back to the point, there's no reason other than cost for MB to not have a heated steering wheel on this car. Plenty of less expensive cars offer heated steering wheels, and those steering wheels are not necessarily leather covered.

The seats are heated, and that seems to have no effect on the MB-Tex the majority of cars have.
Indeed ~ I'll bet a heated wheel will be offered in appropriate markets given time & MY.

My damn CLK is the so called "International Model" & German built. It has heated seats, heated screen & headlight washers, heated mirrors & a whole lot of gubbins that means nothing in South Africa with our mild climate. Because I wanted BiX & memory package & Parktronic etc I had to take all the rest. On SA built models I can tick the box & get only what I want.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:40 AM
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Another round of ICE
Originally Posted by StanNH
Getting back to the point, there's no reason other than cost for MB to not have a heated steering wheel on this car. Plenty of less expensive cars offer heated steering wheels, and those steering wheels are not necessarily leather covered.

The seats are heated, and that seems to have no effect on the MB-Tex the majority of cars have.
Yes, you are correct. My new non-MB had a base price of $32k, sticker at $46k, but sold for $42k. Cold weather package added heating to the leather steering wheel. Never had one before, but will never omit it in the future (unless we move to California) based on experience this season. It is quite a treat to go along with the heated seats!
Old 11-28-2014, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Eilers
you are correct! - my bad.

I always thought nappa was the fake leather. So this is good news to me!
Yes ~ what the AMG spec is saying is a combo of leather & Alcantera. (mikrofaser)

Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; 11-28-2014 at 10:44 AM.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:43 AM
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Another round of ICE
Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck
Yes ~ what the AMG spec is saying is a combo of leather & Alcantera. (mikrofaser)
Actually, based on common misconception, Alcantara is the closest thing to "fake leather". Surprising number of people have expressed that they thought it was leather (suede) and did not realize it is a man-made fabric. At least, with MBTex, it seems most folks know what they have!

Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; 11-28-2014 at 10:57 AM.
Old 11-28-2014, 10:49 AM
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Funny, the moment I got into my full jam C400, with heated/cooled seats I adjusted the steering wheel, tried to turn the knob for the heated steering wheel. Lol . Of course I check this out at delivery. Lol again. Not that it is a dealbreaker in any way just puzzling that a car that has cooled seats, HUD, yadda yadda yadda does not have a heated steering wheel! And I was so looking forward to it as my 507 had that nice alcantara wheel...oh well, gloves it is!
Old 11-28-2014, 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Sportstick
Actually, based on common misconception, Alcantara is the closest thing to "fake leather". Surprising number of people have expressed that they thought it was leather (suede) and did not realize it is a man-made fabric. At least, with MBTex, it seems most folks know what they have!
Yes indeed ~ Sorry about my spelling of "Alcantara". I don't like the stuff. It looks scruffy very quickly on a Lambo or whatever & you can't revive it with a brass bristle brush like genuine suede.
Old 11-28-2014, 11:07 AM
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Heated Steering wheel is only a $250 option on GLK, maybe other MB's too...

Why it is not offered on the W205 is something I can't comprehend - other than its just a plain oversight, capacity or margin play.

It makes even less sense as the first W205's off the line all had 4matic and heated seats as an option..

I live in the snow-belt of the US and having heated steering wheel is important to me. It was 7 degrees in my backyard this week. I hope by the time I'm ready to place my new car order in 2015 this option becomes available.
Old 11-28-2014, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by StanNH
Getting back to the point, there's no reason other than cost for MB to not have a heated steering wheel on this car. Plenty of less expensive cars offer heated steering wheels, and those steering wheels are not necessarily leather covered.

The seats are heated, and that seems to have no effect on the MB-Tex the majority of cars have.
If it were about cost, they should have made it an option at least. I think it's just another way for them to justify an E class for a potential buyer.
Old 11-28-2014, 11:56 AM
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If anyone from MB is reading ... Please add a heated steering wheel (at least for Canada). When is -40, gloves are not enough. Its bad enough watching all the KIA Optima's drive by with their driver's hands all toasty on their nice heated steering wheel.


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