Interior Choices
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 10
2004 CLK320
Interior Choices
I have black leather seats on my current CLK320 (w209). After 11 years of daily commute and 210k miles, these seats and the burl walnut trims still look great. My car has been well maintained by Meguiars products.
Just like my current car, I tend to keep my ride for many years. So I have to choose the interior based on long term use.
I have been reading this forum for the past few weeks. First of all, MB-Tex is more durable than leather and it will look great for many years. Light color seats will age worse than darker seats.
How about interior trim? Which trim would age better?
Just like my current car, I tend to keep my ride for many years. So I have to choose the interior based on long term use.
I have been reading this forum for the past few weeks. First of all, MB-Tex is more durable than leather and it will look great for many years. Light color seats will age worse than darker seats.
How about interior trim? Which trim would age better?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,822
Likes: 33
From: Whitefield, NH
2015 C300 Sport: Palladium, Premium, Multimedia, Leather, BLIS
Black piano plastic trim scratches easily and shows fingerprints. The gloss finish wood trims will show small "micro" scratches which have to be polished out occasionally. Open pore Black Ash requires almost no maintenance.
MB-Tex holds up better than leather, but leather is leather. The look is similar, the smell and feel are not. I've had both, and prefer the leather. Black is easy to maintain, lighter colors do require some periodic cleaning.
MB-Tex holds up better than leather, but leather is leather. The look is similar, the smell and feel are not. I've had both, and prefer the leather. Black is easy to maintain, lighter colors do require some periodic cleaning.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 333
From: Tampa, FL
2019 E450 4Matic & 2018 E400 4Matic
Black piano plastic trim scratches easily and shows fingerprints. The gloss finish wood trims will show small "micro" scratches which have to be polished out occasionally. Open pore Black Ash requires almost no maintenance.
MB-Tex holds up better than leather, but leather is leather. The look is similar, the smell and feel are not. I've had both, and prefer the leather. Black is easy to maintain, lighter colors do require some periodic cleaning.
MB-Tex holds up better than leather, but leather is leather. The look is similar, the smell and feel are not. I've had both, and prefer the leather. Black is easy to maintain, lighter colors do require some periodic cleaning.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 10
2004 CLK320
Thanks for your replies.
I currently have the burl walnut wood in my car. Is this considered gross finish wood? I do see scratches on the clear coat on these trims. I do not mind them at all.
Maybe the interior will be too dark to match black leather with black ask wood.
One time I tried but failed to remove some jeans stains from a white leather seats. Quite frustrating...
I currently have the burl walnut wood in my car. Is this considered gross finish wood? I do see scratches on the clear coat on these trims. I do not mind them at all.
Maybe the interior will be too dark to match black leather with black ask wood.
One time I tried but failed to remove some jeans stains from a white leather seats. Quite frustrating...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 333
From: Tampa, FL
2019 E450 4Matic & 2018 E400 4Matic
Thanks for your replies.
I currently have the burl walnut wood in my car. Is this considered gross finish wood? I do see scratches on the clear coat on these trims. I do not mind them at all.
Maybe the interior will be too dark to match black leather with black ask wood.
One time I tried but failed to remove some jeans stains from a white leather seats. Quite frustrating...
I currently have the burl walnut wood in my car. Is this considered gross finish wood? I do see scratches on the clear coat on these trims. I do not mind them at all.
Maybe the interior will be too dark to match black leather with black ask wood.
One time I tried but failed to remove some jeans stains from a white leather seats. Quite frustrating...
I also have the Cranberry Red Leather in my current car, which has held up incredibly well after 4 years. I like it so much that it's the color leather coming in my C300 (which is being built one week from yesterday!). I agree white leather is very difficult to keep pristine.
If you go through the top sticky you'll see several example of Open Pore Black Ash with black interiors. It wouldn't bother me to have that combination. It would certainly require the least maintenance.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 10
2004 CLK320
Thanks StanNH for the picture. The seats sure are not as sexy or eye popping like red or beige but the whole interior looks elegant.
There are definitely more considerations (seats, trims, options, etc) to choose a car for 10 years
Is this palladium silver similar to charcoal? Charcoal was a very popular color many years ago.
There are definitely more considerations (seats, trims, options, etc) to choose a car for 10 years
Is this palladium silver similar to charcoal? Charcoal was a very popular color many years ago.
Last edited by mis3; Sep 19, 2015 at 11:14 AM.
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 333
From: Tampa, FL
2019 E450 4Matic & 2018 E400 4Matic
Why Mercedes does anything they do country by country is anyone's guess, to be honest..........
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 10
2004 CLK320
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,447
Likes: 333
From: Tampa, FL
2019 E450 4Matic & 2018 E400 4Matic
Even less need for 4matic in Tampa, FL. Fortunately for me, we can get a rear wheel drive C300. It let me add more creature comfort options as opposed to paying for a drive system I don't really need.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
c300
Thanks for your replies.
I currently have the burl walnut wood in my car. Is this considered gross finish wood? I do see scratches on the clear coat on these trims. I do not mind them at all.
Maybe the interior will be too dark to match black leather with black ask wood.
One time I tried but failed to remove some jeans stains from a white leather seats. Quite frustrating...
I currently have the burl walnut wood in my car. Is this considered gross finish wood? I do see scratches on the clear coat on these trims. I do not mind them at all.
Maybe the interior will be too dark to match black leather with black ask wood.
One time I tried but failed to remove some jeans stains from a white leather seats. Quite frustrating...
.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 10
2004 CLK320
That happened to me, too, with light leather seats in my prior (non-MB car). I primarily wear jeans to work, and I was not able to get the dark stain out of my light seats. And light interiors are the way to go for me in the US South. So it was mb-tex for me, even though I don't have the leather smell. And no crotch-cooler without leather, I do miss that a lot from my other car.
.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
c300
Um, no, I got the mb-tex so I wouldn't have the lite-colored leather-blue stain problem in the first place. I hope. I'll let you know in a few years. The lite leather was in my Buick LaCross. Got it because it was designed primarily by Opel. I sure miss my 70's Opels.
pek
pek
