I am starting to notice that my leather seats are starting to show some creases on the outer sections of the seat bottom after just 2000 miles. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do about this? I'll post some pics if you all don't know what I'm talking about but I don't think it should be happening so soon.


P.S. I know this is probably supposed to go in the Detailing forum but since it might be specific to the w211 I thought I'd post it in here first and then move it over there later.

 

I have not noticed any creases and I have about 12,000 miles. I had over 18k on my first E500 and did not have creases.

I have charcoal interior also.

 

Pictures would help, but do you mean permanent lines from the folding of the material of the seat bolsters (the side sections) that don't go away when you leave the seat?

If the creases are only in the bolsters, the problem could be specific to the E320. The E320 uses different materials in the bolsters and in the bottom and back seating surfaces; the E500 uses the same material for the entire seat. For the record, our seats doesn't have any creases after 11,000 miles. The driver's seat recently developed a butt-print ripple in the bottom leather, but that's not what I would call a crease.

 

Hopefully your seats don't look anything like the seats some of our friends driving new Acura TL's look like...

 

No creases here on a W211 at 15,000.

 

What are you cleaning the seats with? Maybe its a little harsh? Sounds like the seat leather is getting a little dry, & is not staying supple. When I clean mine I use a spray bottle I have filled with 1/5 Lexol Leather Cleaner & 4/5 water. (Talk about mild!) Then I make sure I towel them dry. I have not yet applied any leather conditioner to the seats & have 13,000 miles on the clock.

 

If he has an E320 the (non-perforated) side bolsters are covered in "MBTex" or something like that, not leather. I think that's where he said the creasing was happening. I don't know that the various unguents and ointments sold for real leather work equally well on synthetic upholstery material.

In response to dacbiet's post, a few months ago I was considering going downmarket to an Acura TL because I missed having a sport sedan with a manual transmission. Reading some of the many posts in an Acura TL forum about sagging upholstery leather (Honda apparently uses thin, poor-quality leather), various rattles, etc. cured me of the fantasy.

 

I've read about this here before on the E55 forum. My E55 also has some slight "wrinkles" on the side bolsters. Maybe it's from getting in and out? Just saw an '03 E55 in my dealers showroom and it also had wrinkles/creases. If I remember someone mentioned trying leatherique cleaner/conditioner.

 

Wrinkles are completly normal on the leg bolsters, espicially the outter one. Depening how how wide you are and your body type, if your leg rests on the bolsters or you use them as support entering and exiting the vehicle, they will form creases at some time.

 

Wow!!!

 

Acura: Wrinkles
Mercedes: Character lines

Actually, if the E320 does not have full leather the MB-Tex on the bolsters in my experience is more resistant to lines and markings from seat pressures than leather. Over time most leather will develop lines from constant stresses but it is not damaging unless never properly cared for. Check out the www.Leatherique.com site for lots of leather information. Mine does have full leather and has a few lines on the sides in 24k miles plus a "butt print ripple" as defined by DWP--thanks--which was there at delivery. Good leather is not man-made but is hand finished and fitted and some variations will likely occur.