MB-Tex and bumper fix pictures ... DONE!!!!
#27
Member
Happy for you Stan. It's a relief for many of us to see that they are able to get new seat covers installed that look factory new.
I know it must be nice to get your car back. I am on day six with my loaner and really miss my C class, and I still have a few weeks to go until I get it back. Although, the loaner has really gotten me to appreciate my C class even more. I got a brand-new GLK loaner and while it's fine, there's really nothing special about it. It made me realize how nice and different the new C class really is.
I know it must be nice to get your car back. I am on day six with my loaner and really miss my C class, and I still have a few weeks to go until I get it back. Although, the loaner has really gotten me to appreciate my C class even more. I got a brand-new GLK loaner and while it's fine, there's really nothing special about it. It made me realize how nice and different the new C class really is.
#29
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Pretoria, South Africa
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C220 BlueTec AT
Stan, Having watched your struggles from a long distance and warm climate I am very glad to hear that your car is now sorted. Many years happy driving.
#30
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Thanks again for all the good wishes!
My conclusion is that, with a decent dealer, the new seat covers will look fine after the rather tedious installation process. All the dire warnings about staples sticking out, mismatched material, and inevitable damage to the car all came to nothing.
Also, it's apparently not that big of a deal to get that rear bumper lined up properly. It turns out to be a simple shimming job. I looked at a new S550 in the showroom while I was at the dealer, and it uses the same rear bumper to fender arrangement as the W205. On that car, the panels lined up correctly. My rear panel fit is now the same as that S550. And yes, the tail lights do stick out slightly more at the bottom now, but it's very minor and a very small price to pay for the proper panel fit. Actually, it's not that they stick out more, but rather that the upper ends of the lights now sit a bit deeper with the bumper cover shimmed out at the top.
As an aside ... the snow continues here unabated and we're building up mountains of plowed snow by the sides of the roads. It just doesn't stop. After nearly three weeks driving my C300 loaner on all-season tires, I'm now back into my own car which rides on very aggressive Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice WRT snow tires. The difference is huge. I was sliding around on the all-seasons, and had the anti-lock brakes chattering away at many stops. The snows feel like glue compared to those tires.
And ... I'm now entering day four with no new issues!
My conclusion is that, with a decent dealer, the new seat covers will look fine after the rather tedious installation process. All the dire warnings about staples sticking out, mismatched material, and inevitable damage to the car all came to nothing.
Also, it's apparently not that big of a deal to get that rear bumper lined up properly. It turns out to be a simple shimming job. I looked at a new S550 in the showroom while I was at the dealer, and it uses the same rear bumper to fender arrangement as the W205. On that car, the panels lined up correctly. My rear panel fit is now the same as that S550. And yes, the tail lights do stick out slightly more at the bottom now, but it's very minor and a very small price to pay for the proper panel fit. Actually, it's not that they stick out more, but rather that the upper ends of the lights now sit a bit deeper with the bumper cover shimmed out at the top.
As an aside ... the snow continues here unabated and we're building up mountains of plowed snow by the sides of the roads. It just doesn't stop. After nearly three weeks driving my C300 loaner on all-season tires, I'm now back into my own car which rides on very aggressive Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice WRT snow tires. The difference is huge. I was sliding around on the all-seasons, and had the anti-lock brakes chattering away at many stops. The snows feel like glue compared to those tires.
And ... I'm now entering day four with no new issues!
#33
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#34
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Join Date: Oct 2014
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2015 C300 Luxury
It's weird, I have the same black MB Tex and we have had very cold weather here in Boston on and off, and my seats are fine...
My rear bumper on the other hand... the dealer thinks because all C-Classes are poorly aligned, they're normal.
Actually after seeing yours, it's still not a perfect solution... so I'll either wait for next year's model or whatever. Not keeping the car for very long in any case...
My rear bumper on the other hand... the dealer thinks because all C-Classes are poorly aligned, they're normal.
Actually after seeing yours, it's still not a perfect solution... so I'll either wait for next year's model or whatever. Not keeping the car for very long in any case...
#35
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
It's weird, I have the same black MB Tex and we have had very cold weather here in Boston on and off, and my seats are fine...
My rear bumper on the other hand... the dealer thinks because all C-Classes are poorly aligned, they're normal.
Actually after seeing yours, it's still not a perfect solution... so I'll either wait for next year's model or whatever. Not keeping the car for very long in any case...
My rear bumper on the other hand... the dealer thinks because all C-Classes are poorly aligned, they're normal.
Actually after seeing yours, it's still not a perfect solution... so I'll either wait for next year's model or whatever. Not keeping the car for very long in any case...
I don't think every MB-Tex car will bleed even in cold weather. There's been little consistency in when or why it occurs. On my car, I went almost three months in sub freezing temperatures before it first came out. Once it starts though, it always comes back. Sort of like vinyl herpes.
#36
Why
#37
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
The factory apparently told my dealer that only the seat cushions on the rear seats had to be replaced. They did not send the side bolsters or the piece below the armrest as part of the repair kit. (Mine was one of the first repair kits sent out by MB. They have since corrected this)
They were wrong, and the parts that weren't replaced started bleeding again just three days after I got the car back. My dealer now has the missing parts and, when our non-stop blizzard conditions finally let up, I'll have them pick up my car to finish the job. The good news is that the new seat covers have shown no signs of bleeding .... and it's been down to -28 F already.
And yes .. I was more than slightly annoyed by the situation.
They were wrong, and the parts that weren't replaced started bleeding again just three days after I got the car back. My dealer now has the missing parts and, when our non-stop blizzard conditions finally let up, I'll have them pick up my car to finish the job. The good news is that the new seat covers have shown no signs of bleeding .... and it's been down to -28 F already.
And yes .. I was more than slightly annoyed by the situation.
Last edited by StanNH; 02-19-2015 at 05:03 PM.
#38
The factory apparently told my dealer that only the seat cushions on the rear seats had to be replaced. They did not send the side bolsters or the piece below the armrest as part of the repair kit. (Mine was one of the first repair kits sent out by MB. They have since corrected this)
They were wrong, and the parts that weren't replaced started bleeding again just three days after I got the car back. My dealer now has the missing parts and, when our non-stop blizzard conditions finally let up, I'll have them pick up my car to finish the job. The good news is that the new seat covers have shown no signs of bleeding .... and it's been down to -28 F already.
And yes .. I was more than slightly annoyed by the situation.
They were wrong, and the parts that weren't replaced started bleeding again just three days after I got the car back. My dealer now has the missing parts and, when our non-stop blizzard conditions finally let up, I'll have them pick up my car to finish the job. The good news is that the new seat covers have shown no signs of bleeding .... and it's been down to -28 F already.
And yes .. I was more than slightly annoyed by the situation.
I did read your situation. Hopefully soon, you can have all this situation behind you. Here in Canada, eh.....lol we are still waiting to get the seats done, and knowing that they forgot your bolsters, I will be aware of it now.
Thanks for all your help.