leather seats and aluminum trim standard in Canada?
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From: Milton/Westport, MA USA
me: 2015 SL400 & 2015 ML400; wife: 2022 GLC Coupe; daughter: 2017 GLC SUV
leather seats and aluminum trim standard in Canada?
I'm pretty sure my seats are "MB Tex," not leather, and I know my trim is wood, but I thought I remembered being some wood other than "Burl Walnut," so I looked up the original sales brochure (brochure archive HERE.)
Since the US brochure isn't available, I checked the Canadian, and it lists "Premium leather upholstery on seating surfaces, head restraints, front-seat side panels and door trim inserts. Carpets, dash, consoles and door panels in complementary colour." and "Aluminium trim on doors, dash and console" as standard on the CLK350.
Can the Canadian version be THAT different than US?
Since the US brochure isn't available, I checked the Canadian, and it lists "Premium leather upholstery on seating surfaces, head restraints, front-seat side panels and door trim inserts. Carpets, dash, consoles and door panels in complementary colour." and "Aluminium trim on doors, dash and console" as standard on the CLK350.
Can the Canadian version be THAT different than US?
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2008 CLK550 Cab
What makes you think the seats are MB Tex? I do not think it was standard on CLKs. I think they are all leather. Makes a big difference in how you take care of it. It's not really that hard to tell the difference between real and fake leather, no matter how good the fake is. Not only does it feel different, but real leather sets permanent wrinkles quickly. Especially on your driver's seat bottom. There will be wrinkles that usually radiate towards where your butt goes. Fake stuff doesnt set wrinkles that way. Or you can tell by close inspection of your driver's outside seat back bolster. There will usually be at least a little dye worn off on leather or a few small cracks in the dye.
Regarding the wood, if it is the medium brownish color you see on 90% of them, then it is walnut burl. If it is the real dark blackish color, that is ash burl but dyed almost black. Ash in it's natural state is real light, like maple.
Regarding the wood, if it is the medium brownish color you see on 90% of them, then it is walnut burl. If it is the real dark blackish color, that is ash burl but dyed almost black. Ash in it's natural state is real light, like maple.
Last edited by Yidney; Nov 8, 2011 at 02:57 PM.
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2008 CLK550 Cab
Another way to test for real leather is to take the tip of your index finger and just press it into a spot - like the flat area on the bottom of the passenger seat. Fake leather is kinda stretchy, so the depressed "cone" around your fingertip will be real smooth - like if you jump on a trampoline. Leather will usually have small wrinkles in the cone.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,122
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From: Milton/Westport, MA USA
me: 2015 SL400 & 2015 ML400; wife: 2022 GLC Coupe; daughter: 2017 GLC SUV
What makes you think the seats are MB Tex? I do not think it was standard on CLKs. I think they are all leather. Makes a big difference in how you take care of it. It's not really that hard to tell the difference between real and fake leather, no matter how good the fake is. Not only does it feel different, but real leather sets permanent wrinkles quickly. Especially on your driver's seat bottom. There will be wrinkles that usually radiate towards where your butt goes. Fake stuff doesnt set wrinkles that way. Or you can tell by close inspection of your driver's outside seat back bolster. There will usually be at least a little dye worn off on leather or a few small cracks in the dye.
"Black Ash" is what MB calls the wood trim that is indicated as standard on the CLK500's in the Canadian brochure, shown in the attached pic. Black Birdseye Maple is what I have in my 2007 E350 Sport.
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2024 GLE63s
When I was playing around with ordering a C63, I was surprised to see leather was a ~$3000 option. But MB Tex was not standard...... it was cloth with leather bolsters! I kinda liked the cloth so I told the dealer that I'd pass on the leather and it made it easier to pay for the performance package ($6k) and LSD ($2k).
So I ended up with an order for a sand beige C63 with no nav, HID. PP and LSD. The dealer told me that I needed to put down a $12k non-refundable deposit because if I backed out of the deal they would never be able to sell the car to anyone else. I passed on the request and started looking for a CLK550
.
So I ended up with an order for a sand beige C63 with no nav, HID. PP and LSD. The dealer told me that I needed to put down a $12k non-refundable deposit because if I backed out of the deal they would never be able to sell the car to anyone else. I passed on the request and started looking for a CLK550
.
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From: A Canadian in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
'05 C200K SS, '05 Kleemann CLK500K, '08 Hummer H3 & '92 Z34 5sp (track car in Canada)
When I was playing around with ordering a C63, I was surprised to see leather was a ~$3000 option. But MB Tex was not standard...... it was cloth with leather bolsters! I kinda liked the cloth so I told the dealer that I'd pass on the leather and it made it easier to pay for the performance package ($6k) and LSD ($2k).
So I ended up with an order for a sand beige C63 with no nav, HID. PP and LSD. The dealer told me that I needed to put down a $12k non-refundable deposit because if I backed out of the deal they would never be able to sell the car to anyone else. I passed on the request and started looking for a CLK550
.
So I ended up with an order for a sand beige C63 with no nav, HID. PP and LSD. The dealer told me that I needed to put down a $12k non-refundable deposit because if I backed out of the deal they would never be able to sell the car to anyone else. I passed on the request and started looking for a CLK550
.
