SteveATL

Are you aware that the 2007 std interior is now ALL MB-tex? No more leather inserts! I just traded my 2006 for the 2007 and even though I found out a few days before I took the car, I took it anyway and I am NOT happy about a $50k car with ALL vinyl interior. I associate luxury with leather NOT vinyl. Am I the only MB buyer who feels this way, or am I being too picky and expecting too much? the 2007 drives great, love the car, but not the seats. sure you can order the leather option, but few dealers stock it. BMW dealers stock nearly all vehicles with leather as part of the Premium pkg. What do you all think? Is it ridiculous of me to not like the MB-tex?

akbro93704

no, I find it ridiculous too. What doesn't make sense is the CLK350 as well as the SLK 280/350 come standard with leather and they're priced way less than the E. The MB tex is not bad, but it can never replace leather for feel or smell. They should definitely include is as a part of the premium packages like BMW does.

LNL

Although I agree that Mercedes "should" offer leather seating surfaces as standard, the MB-Tex is OK. I have a hard time telling the difference between the MB-Tex and a full leather interior (other than the leather smell). To me, the MB-Tex feels fine. MB-Tex wears better than leather and will not pucker over time. In addition, having two different materials on the front seats that will fade differently over time could be an issue "down the road." One user here from Phoenix believes that the MB-Tex is cooler in summer. When you sell the car, having or not having full leather shouldn't make too much (if any) of a difference in resale value.

Don't hate your car because of the seating surfaces. Enjoy the drive!

Lou

jangy

MB-Tex may look good, but it feels NOTHING like leather on my sweaty butt.

Nothing like the ventilated seats for that

LNL

I sincerely hope that you wear pants when you drive!

AndrewAZ

I agree most people cant tell until you tell them its not leather. But you point out a great advantage of MB-Tex it requires a lot less care and is very easy to clean up. Right no in the M3 with grey leather I have a problem with some of my pants dye bleeding into the seat. And I have tried a few leather cleaners and still have some spots left but eventually they do come out.

MBenzNL

The E350 starts at 65.000 euro in the netherlands...that is a little over 83.000USD...and that is EXCLUDING the almost 1000USD costing MB TEX option (as the E350 comes as a standard CLASSIC with cloth at 83k USD)...

consider yourself lucky getting an E350 with MB Tex at only 50k...we pay more then a new US E55 for that same specced E350.

greetingz,

MJ1133

lol

jangy

I wear pants, but no undies.....you don't wanna buy my used one anyway!!

LNL

TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!

SteveATL

For sure, $50k list is still a fair price, but wouldn't $51.5k be a fair price with leather? Or $50.5k with leather inserts? I saw BMW 530i's with full leather for $48,565 list, got in it and smelled 100% leather!! So MB thinks it can sell E350's with vinyl for up to $53.7k against a BMW 5 series with full leather and free maintenance for the warranty period for up to $48.5k? Then has the nerve to wonder why BMW is starting to overtake it?? My bet is that inserts or full leather come back in 2008 and that there will be lots if unhappy 2007 buyers who buy it and don't realize it is MB-Tex not leather-buyer beware....

SteveATL

Another question for everyone - How do sheepskin seat covers do in the summer. Where I am, it gets to 100 degrees and while the MB-Tex may be hot, would the sheepskin feel cool in summer or would I burn up in summer with them?

lig

Sheepskins are much nicer and cooler than vinyl. Better than vinyl in the winter too for that matter.

Bit of air circulating between the fibers and certainly more comfy to sit on after the car has been sitting in the sun for a while.

BenzVince

umm....MB-Tex has been around, if you haven't noticed, Leather is optional as always. I had a 97 E320 and it was MB Tex on the inserts. Same with my mom's 95 S500 has MB Tex insert in it too. I'm not quite sure what you mean, in case you didn't read the brochure or visit MBUSA site about that, cuz it shows LEATHER as OPTIONAL. I don't know what you did expect, Just like AUDI's has same thing like ours MB tex, but they call it Leatherette, if you wanted leather, it says leather.

cyclerider

It IS $51.5 with leather. You seem to be willing to pay the difference, so why did you settle for a car without the $1540 premium leather option? Every so often someone has to complain about their expensive M-B luxury car that has vinyl upholstery when Brand X, Y, or Z offers leather as standard. Next time have a little patience and locate a vehicle which will make you happy.

SteveATL

My fault, I ordered the car thinking it would still have leather inserts atleast, like my '06. What I sort of resent is that M-B seems to try to slide it by us...A cpl of years ago, front and back had leather inserts, last year, front only leather inserts, and now NO leather. I ordered the car and I took the one I ordered after I found out it had M-B tex only. Because I drive 30-40k miles a year, I get to trade atleast once or twice a year, otherwise I could get nothing for them. Adding the $1540 option for leather would raise the cost of ownership by $3000 a year.
I guess it seems like I'm b**ching over something so minor(and my wife says shut up, you get it for free). I guess it just seems that they tried to pull it over us. No where in the new model information release on this site did I see where they disclosed the change to M-B Tex. I may move down to a C-class next just to get leather inserts standard!

Carnaught

I totally agree that with a $50K price point and a name like Mercedes, leather SHOULD be standard. The Tex vinyl should be an option for a reduced price.

cyclerider

With a name like Mercedes, there shouldn't be any options available at all. Every single thing they are capable of manufacturing, no matter the cost, should be included in the base price. Who do they think they are?

mbchris

I think it is very deliberate for MB to have multiple options that are highly priced. This helps the resale numbers. From what I have read in the past, resale values are based on % of base MSRP. So, a highly optioned car will sell for more in the future, and be a higher % of base MSRP a few years back. Hope I'm making sense.

All the luxury car makers do this. How often do you see any high end car with no options?

Calcio

Actually, the Audi A6 does come with standard leather inserts front & back or you can get premium full leather for $1,000 extra. The GL also comes with standard full MB-Tex, but I would prefer that in an SUV and wish my ML had that.

SteveATL

I shared my displeasure with the change from leather inserts to full MB-Tex in the E350 recently. I know you guys will think I'm sniveling, BUT, if you were furnished a new E350 yearly but can't order the leather option(another $1600 loss), would you continue to buy the E350? It gets about 95 here in the summer and I went ahead and took the car even after I found out(on my own not from the dealer) they took leather inserts out, but this stuff is sticky! Sure, it will look great in 8 years, but I won't be driving it then. Anyone else considering a 2007 that is put off my $50k and NO leather on the seats????? My alternative choice is a BMW convert. with FULL $@!%@#% leather. All input appreciated....

cyclerider

Get the M-B sheepskin seatcovers, which are cool in summer and warm in winter, and move them from car to car each year.

If it's that hot in the summer, you wouldn't drop the top on a convertible anyway.

amdeutsch

Frankly speaking;
1) you claim you get the car for free. If you don't want it, deed it to a fellow MBWorld member.
2) the car has a lot of std equipment that cost extra last year: Sunroof, HK, CD changer, no more SBC, etc
3) lets assume you're looking at the 3 series convert: less room

EDIT

Just noticed that you already started a similar thread on this subject. Therefore I merged both.

Alan Smithee

Personally I don't see the point of the heavily treated and vinyl-like leather inserts on my 2006. I suppose it's so that they can say "leather seats" in marketing materials, but I can't tell the difference; both are uncomfortable after sitting in the sun, and neither smells like fine leather. I'd be just as happy with full MB-Tex knowing that it will wear better, even if I don't keep the car long-term.

Nappa leather used in BMWs is nice and soft, but it will show wear within a year...in my M3s, it stiffened up in areas exposed to sunlight (rear headrests and tops of rear seats), had varying degrees of shiny patina; heavy on the driver's seat (always used, obviously), less so on the passenger seat (sometimes used), and completely matte finish as it was new on the rear seats (never used). One of the cars had extremely light leather that showed dinge almost instantly, and belts left discoloration on the driver's seat on both of my M3s.

IMO, leather is great on nice furniture and shoes, but in cars it's only great on the showroom floor.

LNL

Yes. In fact, I decided NOT to order full leather for my '07 BlueTec. I believe you took your car from dealer inventory; a full leather interior can be ordered.

Summers in St. Louis are as brutal as those in Atlanta. It was 101 with high humidity in St. Louis for 4 days in a row this year; it's been a really hot one. The full leather in my '01 BMW 540ia is hot and sticky too, as has every other BMW, Audi or Mercedes I've ever owned. I crank up the A/C and put up with it. Given the short time it takes to cool the car down, and assuming that MB-Tex is in fact hotter and stickier than leather, how intolerable can it be?

Lou