Question/idea for those w/ Stone interior:
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2004 E500
Question/idea for those w/ Stone interior:
As those of us with stone interiors know, the fabric door sill strips look nice, but are one MAJOR pain to keep clean. 
Has anyone thought of (or tried) replacing the stone fabric door seals with black ones? On a black or other dark car they might look pretty good and save major cleaning hassles. Any clue as to pricing/ease of install? Looks like they just press into place.
As always, I am open to suggestions/ideas and discussion
Jim
Has anyone thought of (or tried) replacing the stone fabric door seals with black ones? On a black or other dark car they might look pretty good and save major cleaning hassles. Any clue as to pricing/ease of install? Looks like they just press into place.
As always, I am open to suggestions/ideas and discussion
Jim
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2004 E500
I don't mind the maintenance and expected it
given the light color. If you think about it, it doesn't get any more or less dirty than the other colors-just shows more. What gets me is having cloth/fabric on a DOOR SILL (??!!??) What were they thinking?? Maybe substituting a black strip would help...
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Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Los Angeles / Orange County
2005 E500 / 1993 MR2 Turbo
I have the ash interior which is also light colored. I get the door sill fabric dirty all the time. Its usually because your shoes will brush up against that part when entering and leaving your car.
Forget about buying expensive carpet or upholstery cleaners. Some of these cleaners can stain or will discolor your light colored fabric. What I do is mix some laundry detergent with warm water until its soapy. Get a tootbrush and rub out the dirt stains. Then I get a dry towel and blot the excess. Your fabric door sill liner will dry clean.
Forget about buying expensive carpet or upholstery cleaners. Some of these cleaners can stain or will discolor your light colored fabric. What I do is mix some laundry detergent with warm water until its soapy. Get a tootbrush and rub out the dirt stains. Then I get a dry towel and blot the excess. Your fabric door sill liner will dry clean.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
My ideal solution to the "WTFWTT?" problem created by a Stone interior and carpeted outer door sills would be a plastic shield colored like the inner door sill that would cover or replace the carpet on the outer door sill. Second choice would be a clear plastic shield to go over the existing carpet. I've experimented with cutting acetate (or whatever you call it; the transparent stuff used for report covers and the like) to fit, but it's too shiny and I haven't figured out a way to make it stay in place.
If anyone knows of a solution to the door sill problem along these lines, please post it. Yes, brushing the dirty carpet with mild soap and rinsing will remove the dirt pretty well, but eventually the carpet will be worn down by repeated cleaning and won't look so nice.
If anyone knows of a solution to the door sill problem along these lines, please post it. Yes, brushing the dirty carpet with mild soap and rinsing will remove the dirt pretty well, but eventually the carpet will be worn down by repeated cleaning and won't look so nice.
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
How about some of that embossed plastic stuff grandma had on her livingroom furiture??? 
http://www.nationwideplastic.com/plastic.html
,,, does custom work, maybe they would run up some plastic sillcovers with the Tristar logo embossed into them ... I could even ask for a quote on plastic slipcovers for the seats.
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From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
Rubbing alcohol on a paper or regular white towel works the best to remove shoe scuffs on the fabric door sills and it won't leave a ring like water and soap. Wet the towel with the alcohol and blot the scuff rubbing lightly, do this a few times until the scuff is gone then blot with a dry towel. Do not use on leather and try to treat the scuff as soon as possible. I've got stone and there's not a mark on it...but what a pain to maintain! Another tip: When going in for service I use extra wide masking tape to cover the sills and door jambs as the techs can really scuff things up. I also have very thin clear plastic mats which helps keep the carpeted one's clean and I change them every 2-3 months. Also watch out for dye transfer from belts, jeans etc on the leather seats. Believe it or not the best leather cleaner/conditioner I've found (and I've tried the expensive one's) is from turtle wax, in the beige bottle, it cleans and conditions and does not leave any type of shine or slippery finish, just the matte finish as from the factory if used as directed.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 416
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From: Lone Star State.
W211 2005 CDI, X166 2013 350 BT, 997.1 2008 C4S
Solution:
Have all Drivers and passengers wear plastic booties like the ones you use in scrub/clean rooms. Who knows..you may even start a fashion trend. It's very European
Have all Drivers and passengers wear plastic booties like the ones you use in scrub/clean rooms. Who knows..you may even start a fashion trend. It's very European
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2004
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Black fabric die
I have debated using black fabric die on the ash door sill I have. You could die the entire fabric area (all the way around the door frame) or you could just die the area of foot "contact". Any thoughts?
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 462
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From: CT and FL
SL500 E320 ML350
Please don't hate me for this but after many years of DIY detailing light interiors (Ash, Java, Stone, etc.) I give it a quick once over with Woolite Carper cleaner and move on. Let's face it, it's a car - it's the floor - it will get dirty! Get over it! 
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From: The OC
MY MB WAS LEMON'D
Originally Posted by jz500
I have debated using black fabric die on the ash door sill I have. You could die the entire fabric area (all the way around the door frame) or you could just die the area of foot "contact". Any thoughts?
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From: NYC
S550
Originally Posted by RJC
Rubbing alcohol on a paper or regular white towel works the best to remove shoe scuffs on the fabric door sills and it won't leave a ring like water and soap. Wet the towel with the alcohol and blot the scuff rubbing lightly, do this a few times until the scuff is gone then blot with a dry towel. Do not use on leather and try to treat the scuff as soon as possible. I've got stone and there's not a mark on it...but what a pain to maintain! Another tip: When going in for service I use extra wide masking tape to cover the sills and door jambs as the techs can really scuff things up. I also have very thin clear plastic mats which helps keep the carpeted one's clean and I change them every 2-3 months. Also watch out for dye transfer from belts, jeans etc on the leather seats. Believe it or not the best leather cleaner/conditioner I've found (and I've tried the expensive one's) is from turtle wax, in the beige bottle, it cleans and conditions and does not leave any type of shine or slippery finish, just the matte finish as from the factory if used as directed.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
i will keep all this in mind
only because i stopped cleaning my doors ...makes me
i actually use armor all leather wipes, i must say it does a good job and keeps the matte finish no slippery leather lol smells nice too!
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Posts: 1,439
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From: THE NAPA VALLEY, CA
Build date 2-04 E500
Originally Posted by DWP
Sounds like a plan. Since this outfit ...
http://www.nationwideplastic.com/plastic.html
,,, does custom work, maybe they would run up some plastic sillcovers with the Tristar logo embossed into them ... I could even ask for a quote on plastic slipcovers for the seats.
http://www.nationwideplastic.com/plastic.html
,,, does custom work, maybe they would run up some plastic sillcovers with the Tristar logo embossed into them ... I could even ask for a quote on plastic slipcovers for the seats.
Man.... Those pic's in that link are giving me some wierd fuzzy flashbacks...Grand-ma didn't put up with any **** in her livingroom.
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From: The OC
MY MB WAS LEMON'D
Originally Posted by DWP
Sounds like a plan. Since this outfit ...
http://www.nationwideplastic.com/plastic.html
,,, does custom work, maybe they would run up some plastic sillcovers with the Tristar logo embossed into them ... I could even ask for a quote on plastic slipcovers for the seats.
http://www.nationwideplastic.com/plastic.html
,,, does custom work, maybe they would run up some plastic sillcovers with the Tristar logo embossed into them ... I could even ask for a quote on plastic slipcovers for the seats.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 30
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From: Costa Mesa Cal
99 C230k
[QUOTE=DWP]My ideal solution to the "WTFWTT?" problem created by a Stone interior and carpeted outer door sills would be a plastic shield colored like the inner door sill that would cover or replace the carpet on the outer door sill.
My 99 C230 has sill plate just like this that covers the door strip. I don`t know why they stopped doing that.
My 99 C230 has sill plate just like this that covers the door strip. I don`t know why they stopped doing that.
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 65
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2003 E320
Oh my goodness. Keeping that strip of cloth clean is so difficult. I remember they used (W210) to have bigger plastic entry panels/sill. Now, the panels are so small and useless. Also, have you noticed that the cloth next to your backseat also gets dirty from people with dirty hands getting onto it. It is very annoying. I use carpet conditioner on the cloth bits of the car and it seems to do the job. One drawback is the smell it tends to give the car. Carpet conditioner smells horrible. Anyway, that's my only complaint about the car.
