ralleyone

Had the seat heater malfunction. Finally got the car back from the dealer (at night with the interior light off). I get home and then switch the interior lights to door function before getting out of the car.

I look back insided to make sure everything is neat and tidy and can't believe that my driver's seat is gray and a different leather altogether while the rest of my interior is black.

The dealer is closed by this time so I'm asking you all:

WTF? I find it hard to believe that since the seat has been replaced that I have to live with the new style that doesn't match (I have an 02), so...

is this just a simple and complete f-up, in which case I need to drop it back off once I wait for another week to get my matching seat, or do they now need to replace my whole interior because the original black can't be matched correctly, or do I have to just be thankful the warranty paid for the seat and be laughed at all over town? It's of course Friday, so I have to wait and talk to the dealer Monday.

Anybody else have this happen to them?

RI55

no offense, but that is kinda funny.
There is no excuse for that. If things like that are happening, just imagine what else is going on at that shop. Hopefully there is a good excuse, make sure you get a "nice" loaner while they take care of that. Meanwhile eat all the foods in the car that you wouldnt dare do if it were your seat.

Good Luck

jtc55

WTF!!! u got to be kidding right?

i would be really **** if that happened to me.

go and talk to service manager and ***** him/her out.

benzmodz

Yeah and steal the floor mats, remove all the items that a clipped on and disconnect all of the electronics ?

Geez .... why do people do stuff like that ?

RI55

Why would he steal the floor mats?

mez456

Make them put the C55 seats in!!

advans

go back to the dealer and curse the F*** outa them!!!!

smgC32

This has been a common problem with many replacement seat covers on the C32.

amgme

just got my driver seat bottom replaced due to the same problem. fortunately it all matched.

ralleyone

Mind elaborating? The leather is softer and has some texture but feels less substantial than the original, which is smooth. The color is a charcoal grey black kind of thing, while my original is a darker bluish black.

Are you telling me that they are doing this on a regular basis? Can't imagine anybody saying "Oh, that's fine."

AWDman

JEEEZ CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

same thing with me...yesterday i picked up my car for seat heater and same deal.

ralleyone

oh sh)t, this is not good...

AWDman

i'm going to the dealer just now and hope to get it back. hopefully they havnt thrown it out. will have to decide how much of a deal this is to me and may end up asking for the originals to be put back one...that's if it wasnt ruined in process for getting it off......have a feeling maybe it CUT off. will be SOL it thats the case.

Vomit

I had mine replaced about a year ago. I initially had the same reaction (the replacement seat leather was softer and a lighter shade of charcoal). However, with time, the two seats now look and feel the same. I have come to the conclusion that the leather is the same, but that the replacement looks and feels different because it is new. I would suggest that you just give it time. It is logical that 4-year-old leather will look and feel different than brand new leather.

ralleyone

I am trying to believe that as I stare at the two but it's tough. Texture can change, I'll give you that, and color too to a certain degree. But from charcoal grey to blue black? I just don't know...

AWDman

thanks Vomit that's reassuring.

Bif powell

pics please? - i JUST got mine back today for exact same thing and will post my results - it's definitely new, but my car only had 30k on it so maybe the back hasn't worn as much...anyways, will post pics after I put crying kid to nap

Bif powell

K, here's a pic of my front drivers that just had this done. Only the ***-part of the seat-heater wasn't working so they just replaced the bottom. I think you can see where my right bolster has worn the way leather does, but if you look at the perforated part, it's pretty much the same I think. More importantly, if you look at where the bolster meets the perforated part, in the crease, it's more or less the same shade. I think it's just two different wear-levels. Probably if my whole seat had been treated with something good from day one?...in any case, it's definitely a little different.

Vomit

Think about it this way. . .If you go look at a new car, the leather is soft and supple. Now jump ten years into the future. . . Depending on how the car has been taken care of, the leather will be, at the very least, less supple. It may even be hard and cracked. The color will be different. The leather that was exposed to alot of sun but rarely touched by people, like the backs of the rear headrests, may be bleached out. However, the leather which is relatively protected from the sun, but exposed to alot of people-contact, will have absorbed alot of oil/sweat/other human fluids and gases, and will be darker. Go look at the average "cream" colored leather seats in the average 10-year-old Lexus, and they look like you could wring the sweat and raunchy burrito farts out of them. I know that the seat bottom of my driver seat is destined to be five shades darker than my passenger seat bottom, mainly because I love Mexican food but my wife does not.

ralleyone

Well, I guess the previous owner must have sh*tted his pants several times, and his wife too. But I am starting to believe!

"Thanks Vomit" (never thought I'd be uttering those exact words in my lifetime)

And thanks everyone else.

acm

Same thing happened to me when I had the seat bottom replaced. The leather is definitely different and in my case the stitching was blue on the new bottom (i've got charcoal/blue seats). On the original the stitching was black.

I complained to the dealer but they couldn't do anything about it, this is what MB sent them.

smgC32

As with any hide or wood product, there are natural variations that occur. The hides provided today are different than those provided when the car was assembled. All hides take dyes differently, and their grain is also different. When an automobile manufacturer, or a furniture manufacturer produces a product, they use "matching" hides that have typically come off the same animal, and have been dyed at the same time.

VanC32

I had the same problem about a year ago. I made them order a new seat and it ended up being significantly better than the first replacement. The first one was totally different in texture, color and suppleness. I would ask to have a different one brought in.

I asked for my old seat to be reinstalled at the time as I find the look of the leather was more important than a half warmed up bum.