blackduc1

I have a 2009 CLK350 with the interior color code of 850A, AMARETTA/LEATHER/NAPPA/SEMI-ANILINE - BEIGE.

Data Card reads as follows:

Sales designation: CLK 350
Order number: 0 9 705 48367
Delivery date: 07 11 2008
Market: NA,North America
Production order: N
Paint code 1:
650U - CALCITE WHITE - STANDARD FINISH
Equipment:
805A - AMARETTA/LEATHER/NAPPA/SEMI-ANILINE - BEIGE

I did some searching and the links didn't list this color. My apologies as I know these topics are discussed frequently, but I couldn't find a definitive answer for my situation.

Where do you find the best leather dye and is there a company that can help me get the right color?

Thank you in advance!

Blackduc1

Fatz

There are a few threads on leather restoration. I haven't generally read them in much detail but you can search. I do recall Rodney providing some really good info on leather cleaning and dyeing.

Being that the color is beige, are you sure it needs dyeing and not a good cleaning?

blackduc1

i gave everything a good scrub a few weeks ago, and it improved substantially, but the rest is dye loss.
Any really good vendors? I've never done this before, do I need to hit YouTube.
My data card shows 850A, but damned if I can find it anywhere!! I guess I'll have to take a snip under a passenger seat!
Ive seen some lousy due jobs(on girls,too...), and they immediately cast doubt on the car!! If they skimped on what you can see, what else did they skimp on??

Thanks,

duc1

blackduc1

Currently

Ptrigg17

My 09 CLK550 Cabrio has the same problem with the steering wheel , so far no luck, hope someone posts a solution

Rudeney

Our C240 was like that, but even worse. I did a lot of research and found some online information about how to clean and refurbish it. I did try the cleaning process, which was equal parts water, ammonia, rubbing alcohol, and acetone (yeah, sounds scary, but no explosions). It worked surprisingly well, but did remove even more dye. The next step is to sand the leather to smooth it out, but also to use filler where the "skin" is missing. After that, you dye it and seal it. It just sounded like too much work, so I bought a good condition used wheel on eBay. I had also looked into replacing the leather and I found a company that sells a kit for around $100. I kept the old wheel, and always thought I'd buy the kit and try it, but I never did.

blackduc1

I am going to contact this company as a friend used their products on the interior of a vintage Chris Craft boat, and the results were very good. He's also a national concours winner with his Porsche Speedster, so he can probably offer some advice on the procedure of dyeing the leather.

I'll let you know what I find and I will try to document what I do with photos so maybe I can help someone else with the same issue.

Last resort will be to find another steering wheel.

Thanks for the help! Love this forum!

Best,

blackduc1

xsever

I have the steering wheel with the wood inserts on the top and the bottom so when the black leather started showing wear on the sides, I took the car to an automotive upholstery shop where they stripped the old leather and installed a new one and it looked better than brand new. It cost me $40, but that's in Lebanon where labour is cheap.

megacrazy

I can't vouch for the color match but I have used this in the past (black) and it works very, very well.

blackduc1

Mega - after reading through your build, I'll follow any advice you give! Your creativity is astonishing!

Best,

Rick

Barry O

Leatherique can match your color exactly, (they match the beige on my CLK and the grayish color on my Silver Arrow). Also they have a "how to" as far as refinishing wheels and it is very through. I took the wheel and both seats in my Silver Arrow almost down to bare leather, (worrying the whole time) and they came out perfect. Call them if you have questions and I think they give MB World discount. http://www.leatherique.com

Good luck

megacrazy

Haha thank you sir. Keep an eye on it for an all digital instrument cluster ala Audi and Tesla next.

eteller

My interior is Amaretta/Beige and a few wrinkles in the drivers side bolster are spoiling the near mint interior, I think I'm going to look into this.

m1mmmm

I have the Stone color interior and the same steering wheel, I live in Dallas Tx and had taken my car to ASM Auto Upholstery, Sue from the Gas Monkey Garage guys show "Fast 'N Loud for a console upholstery repair, she did a perfect job on my console btw, looked brand new again, and while I was there she quoted me $450 to hand-stitch a brand new MB steering wheel cover on. This isn't the information you asked for but another solution. Take care - Mike.

Yidney

I assume you have stone color seats. The steering wheel is a totally different color, so a sample from your seat will not help. If you send away for a match, you'd need to send your shift boot or a dash vent. I've used leatherique. Looks like paint (it is) and does not last long. New leather wrap or a different wheel are the way to go.

blackduc1

Thanks Yidney!

My plan is this: I am going to purchase a temporary steering wheel and send mine out for a complete refurb.

I think that's the only way to get it done properly.

Can I temporarily use a wheel without paddle shifters without issue? That's my one concern.

Thanks all!

blackduc1

clydem

With a steering wheel, it might not much matter, but it can turn out your newly refinished wheel is a different shade of leather than the rest of the interior - Sun fade on the older parts.
An upholsterer warned me about this when doing a driver's seat. At a glance, the leather seats, center console, door panels looked uniform. Hit them with a halogen light & I could see the significant differences.
His advice though drastic - don't just do one interior piece - they probably wont match.

BTW: I've used leatherique oil/pristine clean for years. Haven't used the dye yet. Good products

Rudeney

Even in brand new cars, it's common for different interior parts to be slightly different colors. It;s because they use different suppliers for parts. The MBZ "Java" interior color is the worst - i don;t think any two panels matched colors.

blackduc1

I haven't done anything with the wheel yet, as I will be moving into a townhouse, with a garage,at the end of the month. I will finally have a garage again to work on my cars!! Haven't had a garage in a few years due to divorce, and I cannot wait to have my work space back!!

blackduc1

I think it turned out pretty good. A few more coats and it should be as close to new as I'll get without having the wheel recovered. The dye came from the seat doctors and the steering wheel color is dark stone.

Rudeney

That looks fantastic! Did you do anything special to clean it beforehand?

blackduc1

Thanks rudeney!!

To prep; I wiped everything to be dyed with alcohol and a 3M, no scratch cleaning pad. Then I used 3000 grit paper with alcohol wipe down between each sanding and finally I smoothed it out with a magic eraser. At this point I began looking for a new steering wheel on eBay,,,I was convinced that I he’d ruined my wheel because mine looked crap...

Then it got worse....

i let let the wheel dry for few days and then started dyeing.

There me are three methods of applying dye; spray gun, lint free towel or pad, or the foam paint bushes they sell everywhere:

As soon as the first coat was applied, I was convinced the wheel would never come back to presentable.


But I kept going! I painted in horizontal and vertical patterns with some dabbing the dye in between. I let it coat dry for 30 minutes in heated garage.

The smaller foam brushes are good for tight spaces by the steering wheel controls.

Last step is I want poke a pin into some of the perforations where the dye pooled.

i bought four ounces and used about two ounces for the whole job. So I ave some left four touch ups if needed.

Everything came from Andy at Seat Doctors.

Ill post some some better pics tomorrow in the day light, My garage lighting is horrible,

Thanks,

Blackduc1