PHYBENZ

For those of you that got the leather interior, which I plan on getting, the brochure says that the center armrests are also leather with the option, is that true?

Thanks!

Krytech

I was considering the leather upgrade and remember the dealer telling me that the center armrest would be leather too.

QQQ

saw leather at dealer today. not very impressed.

Krytech

I agree. I couldn't really tell the difference between the two. Upon inspection you could tell the two were different, but I probably wouldn't be able to tell which was which. I also read on these forums that the leather can scratch easily and the scratches were very noticeable on dark colors. Made opting for MB-Tex a no-brainer. Especially with two young boys! The Lexus ES350 I was considering though had really nice soft leather that was dyed the whole way through so you couldn't see scratches as easily. Probably would of opted for that if given the choice.

Jorg

With two little boys the MBTex is for you.

I might be mistaken but the perforation will tell you it is leather. I have no idea why the MBTex should not have perforation. I have to ask.

Jorg

The Benz

I have the leather and the CENTER armrests are not leather, or at least they don't appear to be. They look very similar, but there's no stitching and they feel different. The door armrests are leather however. There are no perforations in the leather.

Rick Hunter

The MBTex on the seats are perforated.

Krytech

That's what I'm thinking. It just dawned on me today that I'm not going to have that new leather smell... I hope the 'leather wrapped' steering wheel fulfills my aromatic desires

RLE

<<I was considering the leather upgrade and remember the dealer telling me that the center armrest would be leather too.>>

The driver's right elbow rest is not leather. The pull-down armrest in the back seat is leather since it is part of the seat.

I've examined the beige tex interior and comparing it to my beige leather interior, I see a big difference. Black could be a different story.

There will be no children, animals or packing crates on my seats.

alpinweiss

Leather for luxury.
MB-Tex for durability.

chilledbenz

I'm a car nut..I always nit pick over everything on my car. When it comes down to the leather or the mb-tex in a C class, just go with the mb-tex. Its very hard to tell the difference by just looking at it, and the comfort level is about the same. Yes with leather you get the leather smell, and you get the nice stitching on the door panels, but I can think of better ways to spend the extra $1,550 they want for leather. Heck that would pay for the P1 package and still have money left over for all weather mats.

dion

A close friend of mine who used to be an MB technician at Fletcher Jones MB and then at Laguna Niguel MB (#1 and #2 stealers in the country) said to me when my wife and I picked up our car was "..at least you got leather..".

My car has P1, 18's and leather.

RLE

<<A close friend of mine who used to be an MB technician at Fletcher Jones MB and then at Laguna Niguel MB (#1 and #2 stealers in the country) said to me when my wife and I picked up our car was "..at least you got leather..".

My car has P1, 18's and leather.>>

What he meant was (subtly) that your car is a stripper. No P2 or Multi or roof.

Krytech

I hope I don't regret going with the mb-tex. But after seeing what the two kid seats have done to the leather in our other two cars, I have to think I'm making the right decision. I'm new to MB and the first couple times I looked at the C class I didn't even realize that it wasn't leather. I just hope I still feel that way a few years from now.

chilledbenz

Thats probably because leather is an option the dealership makes money back on lol.

According to the MB website and this is a quote "Premium leather upholstery on all seat surfaces plus headstraints" by using the word "surfaces" it leads me to believe that the only parts that are leather are the parts your body touches, the rest is mb-tex. The center of the seat is leather, but the sides are mb-tex, the back is mb-tex ect. Lol I know all those who bought leather are going to be jumping up and down and saying that can't be so, but its a common practice.

Untertürkheim

I would not be so sure about that. When MB does that, they call it "Leather Seating Inserts" not "Leather Upholstery." The former did not include leather door panels, while the latter does.

chilledbenz

They really don't explain it all too well. "Inserts" or "Surfaces" sound almost interchangeable. Also of note is E class cars come with MB-Tex standard, but their optional leather package (same price as the C) states all leather surfaces, head restraints, and rear seat backs. So it made me wonder

omgitselaine

MB Tex or Leather ...if you're concerned about that new car smell ....then just use Zaino Leather Cleaner ....it smells GREAT and does keep that new car smell ???

dion

No..what he meant is I can add some of the electronics but cannot add leather. And besides, you're talking about 15xx.xx in options, which would be A PART of P2 instead of leather, right? I think at that point it's the rear folding seat, rear sunshade, headlamp washing system, Bi-Xenon headlamps, cornering fog lamps. It's all about opinion/wants and options. I wanted leather rather than the electronics. Pano, MM would've added almost 4K to the selling price. I tend to hang onto cars long after they're paid-off. Besides, it's my wife's car, this is mine....






The leather in my van is holding up pretty well considering we have a 3 and 5 year old, four years and 90K miles and it still cleans up well, but I don't know how well MB leather will hold up. Our C is for my wife, not the kids, so we're not so worried.

Yes, I don't expect the interior to be completely leather, but the face of the seat and door cards/panels are leather and you can see the difference there, not just in the stitching. I just feel if I'm going to buy a luxury car, it should have leather...but then again, all of my cars have/had leather.

chilledbenz

I'm with you there, full leather should be standard on a Benz. It's crazy, you can drop 50 large on an E class and still not get full leather unless you check the leather option box.

Rick Hunter

Less really IS more, huh? We went with the MB-Tex, and am happy with them so far. I really miss the smell of new leather, though.

BTW, nice ride, dion. I like the hardtop add-on. But then again, I'm a little biased.

My other ride:

dion

Even though this is our first Benz, I've always been aware of the MB Tex, but for me, at least in the older cars from the 70's and 80's, it looked like vinyl then. The MB Tex has come a long way, but I'm the guy that just likes the feel, smell, and looks of leather.


Nice car, I hate you! Do you hangout on BF.C as well? I think one of the guys on the z4 area also put M6 wheels on his Z4M roady.

As far as less is more, I'm a believer in that (sort of). I think that I'm young enough to appreciate and get excited about the electronic gadgets in the cars, but old enough to be scared of them also.

tanktube67

you should take a pic on the Sack's model

tanktube67

Perforation on MB Tex only

tanktube67

it's all about taste