Re-covering front leather seats? 'Stock' replacements??
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Re-covering front leather seats? 'Stock' replacements??
Hi, I want to re-cover my two front seats on my 1994 e320 coupe.
The car is in excellent cond, and the rears are like new, but the fronts are obviously showing the signs of 11 years of wear!.
What are my options? Can I buy a stock replacment laether cover from mercedes, or have I got to go to an aftermarket specialist, and have the covers made from scratch??
Any ideas of the cost involved??
thnkas guys
tbip2001
The car is in excellent cond, and the rears are like new, but the fronts are obviously showing the signs of 11 years of wear!.
What are my options? Can I buy a stock replacment laether cover from mercedes, or have I got to go to an aftermarket specialist, and have the covers made from scratch??
Any ideas of the cost involved??
thnkas guys
tbip2001
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 28
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www.performanceproducts.com
They sell OEM replacement seat covers. Order a cataloge (its free), I will warn you though, fron seat covers are 499 ea. (for leather)
They sell OEM replacement seat covers. Order a cataloge (its free), I will warn you though, fron seat covers are 499 ea. (for leather)
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 882
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From: Sherman Oaks
2004 C240, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
look into a shopt hat can redye them. if they have no tears, a good upholsery shop can fill any crack marks and redye the leather to look as new. Expect to spend a good chunk of cash though either way.
AshMan
AshMan
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From: west virginia
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Southeast PA
2010 VW Golf TDI
Do you really need all new seat covers?
Years ago I went to a very good upholstery shop to fix a seat in my F350 4x4 pick-up truck. They ordered some material from the factory and simply fixed the panel of the seat that was damaged. It really didn’t cost very much, considering the seat was like new after the repair. Now I always wonder why people don’t fix problems with their seats. Usually the seats are just worn in one ore two areas and the rest of the seating surface is fine. I have not seen your seats, but I wonder if you really need all new covers for $500.00 each.
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Big thankyou for the kind replys, and links.
I have to be honest and say, that Im now not even sure if my seats are leather!
I know the centre sections are leather, as thay are perforated (and having read a previous thread, I now know thats to let the leather breath after the top protective cote has been applied), but Im uncertain as to what the head rest/backs/sides/armrest, are made of.
They have grain, but the grain looks too uniform. Could it be vynal, or tex??
Thanks gaian guys, let me know what you think.
tbip2001
I have to be honest and say, that Im now not even sure if my seats are leather!
I know the centre sections are leather, as thay are perforated (and having read a previous thread, I now know thats to let the leather breath after the top protective cote has been applied), but Im uncertain as to what the head rest/backs/sides/armrest, are made of.
They have grain, but the grain looks too uniform. Could it be vynal, or tex??
Thanks gaian guys, let me know what you think.
tbip2001
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 28
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if the middle part of your seat is leather its highly likely that the rest of your seat is too. Mercedes didn't do any Leather/MB-Tex combo's that i'm aware of.
It should be pretty easy to tell if you have leather or not:
Leather:
MB-Tex:
It should be pretty easy to tell if you have leather or not:
Leather:
MB-Tex:
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Joined: May 2003
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From: Motor City
95 E320 Cabriolet, 108K
I just got my new seat covers from GAHH for the driver's seat. The backrest and bottom cushion run $800 for original replacement leather seating, just as pictured in skiier's attachment. You have to send in your old seat covers so they can transfer the heater pads and plastic clips to the new seat cover. Even after getting my new seat I still had to do some sewing for custom fitting. E320 upholstery is a lot of work. You may want to farm this work out to a trim shop.
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From: Sherman Oaks
2004 C240, 2015 GL350 Bluetec
you can re dye them yourself, but it takes a lot of time and work. I will be re dyeing mine sooner or later when I have the time. But I am doing a color change on mine.
As long as there are no tears, you can get a good upholstery shop to redye the seats. Dont go to a shop that is just going to paint the seats, a good shop should be able to redye the leather and make it look like new, and it wont be that brushed on look that wears out after a couple of years. a proper redye should last as long if not longer than the original factory dye.
AshMan
As long as there are no tears, you can get a good upholstery shop to redye the seats. Dont go to a shop that is just going to paint the seats, a good shop should be able to redye the leather and make it look like new, and it wont be that brushed on look that wears out after a couple of years. a proper redye should last as long if not longer than the original factory dye.
AshMan
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Richmond, Va.
1991 300E
helpful link
Some good info on leather care and re-dyeing process from makers of Leatherique
http://www.leatherique.net/Leatheriq...ookletREV5.pdf
The seams are your best clue to tex or leather. tex will always have the uniform seams running from front to back, leather will be more sectional with fewer seams/stiching. Leather is nice when new, but I honestly prefer tex for the durability of daily driving.
http://www.leatherique.net/Leatheriq...ookletREV5.pdf
The seams are your best clue to tex or leather. tex will always have the uniform seams running from front to back, leather will be more sectional with fewer seams/stiching. Leather is nice when new, but I honestly prefer tex for the durability of daily driving.
Last edited by mhorn; Mar 28, 2005 at 11:22 AM.
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Originally Posted by mhorn
Some good info on leather care and re-dyeing process from makers of Leatherique
http://www.leatherique.net/Leatheriq...ookletREV5.pdf
The seams are your best clue to tex or leather. tex will always have the uniform seams running from front to back, leather will be more sectional with fewer seams/stiching. Leather is nice when new, but I honestly prefer tex for the durability of daily driving.
http://www.leatherique.net/Leatheriq...ookletREV5.pdf
The seams are your best clue to tex or leather. tex will always have the uniform seams running from front to back, leather will be more sectional with fewer seams/stiching. Leather is nice when new, but I honestly prefer tex for the durability of daily driving.
This is not true... the horizontal lined seats are just the older pre 1989 (ish) design which can be MBtex or leather.
The best way to tell on both old and new cars is the door cards. On leather cars, the centre bit is ruffled and on Mbtex equipped cars they are smooth. (see the top picture above in black is ruffled)
