stanatl

I just found out from my salesman that MB has run out of Black Ashwood trim and if I want the E550 sport that I ordered I have to get it with Burl Walnut trim. If I want to wait until February (my car will be available late December). My 550i lease is up in December so I really don't want to wait. I ordered the car with Obsidien Black/Natural Beige/Black Ashwood.

I'm not happy to say the least especially given that the only trim option with Natural Beige when you use the on line build a car link is Black Ashwood. They weren't even offering the combination but now want to put it on my car. Because the configurator won't allow the combination and there are no cars made with teh combination I can't even see how it looks.

The sales guy will give it another shot tomorrow but he's not confident.

ESIX3POWER

I have never seen a MB with beige leather and Black Ashwood. I dont think its possible.

MichaelB.

Here is what I know about this...

At the launch of the new E-class the configurator DID allow you to "build your own" with almond seats & black ash wood. And I did... And so I placed my order. But I noticed that months later the configurator stopped letting you opt for black ash wood with almond (the natural seat color was available with black wood though)... But - my car came in with the almond (beige) seats, black carpets, and black ash wood.

The day I picked the car up I asked the salesman if there had been a change in color choices, and I told him about the configuator changes. He knew of no changes but agreed that the combo was excellent.

So I got one, even if they dont offer it currently.

EDIT. If you want to see what it would look like, go to the E350 configurator and plug it in. It will show the combo you speak of... I just tried it.

Dartman

I am sorry to hear about that (although it would probably look great in walnut too). If you must have the black ash, here is a potential (long shot) solution:

I have over a month in between the sale of my old car (last week) and the expected arrival of my new car (late Nov.). My salesperson arranged for me to borrow a vehicle from the lot for the whole time I am without a car. There is no charge other than the gas I use and the fact that my insurance covers it. It is an E-class with over 100,000 miles, but it is free. I have purchased other vehicles from them in the past, but it was obviously still extremely generous of them.

Perhaps your dealer can do something similar under your unique circumstances???

stanatl

The Natural Beige leather could only be ordered with the Black Ashwood. Go to the build a vehicle link on the MBUSA website and when you select the Natural Beige seats it will only let you select Black Ashwood trim. That is until they run out of Black Ashwood trim.

What I don't understand is how a major car company like MB could run out of a trim this soon after launch of the model.

stanatl

Thanks for the thought. Actually, my dealer was going to let me drive one of their loaners for about 3 weeks since my BMW lease is up on December 7 and the car was not supposed to be here until the end of December. I'm not sure they'll go for 2 - 2 1/2 months.

In any event, it's more complicated than that. The car is a company car and I need it for exactly 39 months from the end of December (hopefully retiring at the end of my contract) so I got a 39 month lease and the price was right. If I wait until February then a 39 month lease doesn't work and the 36 month lease is more expensive.

stanatl

I tried it on the E350 configurator and it wouldn't let me select Natural Beige leather with Burl Walnut. The only option was Black Ashwood. Don't know what I could be doing wrong. Tried it multiple times.

MichaelB.

Hold on here... You 1st wrote:

"... just found out from my salesman that MB has run out of Black Ashwood trim and if I want the E550 sport that I ordered I have to get it with Burl Walnut trim. If I want to wait until February (my car will be available late December). My 550i lease is up in December so I really don't want to wait. I ordered the car with Obsidien Black/Natural Beige/Black Ashwood...."

Now you say that you want Walnut?

Man, what do you want? Black or Brown? I thought you wanted black... And wanted to see a photo of black when you wrote... "...I can't even see how it looks..." So I showed you how to see either color by going to the E350 photos... Whats left to want to see? I see black wood with beige, and I can see brown wood w/ beige. What other choice do you need to see?

stanatl

What I said was that I ordered the car with Natural Beige seats and Black Ashwood trim. MB said that the Black Ashwood was not available and that I had to get the car with Burl Walnut. I then said that I couldn't see what it looked like because the E550 build a vehicle didn't let you do the combination of Natural Beige with the Walnut. By the way, neither does the E350 build a vehicle.

You can look at the ALMOND BEIGE with the Walnut but not the NATURAL BEIGE. Maybe that is where the confusion lies.

To make it crystal clear, I want what I ordered which is the NATURAL BEIGE with the Black Ashwood but I at least want to see what the NATURAL BEIGE looks like with the Walnut before I turn the car down or agree to compromise.

amdeutsch

So who is paying for the car? You or your company? Do you own the company?

stanatl

It's a company car - it's being leased and the company is paying for it. I don't own the company but I do run it. We're owned by a group based in Europe.

RJC

Loved the black birds eye trim I had in my E55 and previos CLK's; walnut trim is more of a pure luxury touch where black wood can be either sporty and elegant.

stanatl

It's obviously personal taste but I agree with you. I have the BMW version of the black wood trim and really like it. I'm sure the walnut woudl look good but it would be a totally different look than what I had wanted.

Obviously MB agrees as well because the Natural Beige can only be ordered with the "sport" version of the E550 and the only trim that is available with the Natural Beige seats is the Black Ashwood.

stanatl

Just heard from my sales guy that MB has agreed to build the car with the Ashwood trim as I ordered it. They must have found one set lying around. Don't know what changed but I am not asking questions.

In any event, things are back on track and the car is due in the end of December.

pmb600

Glad to hear your problem was solved! I thought you guys might appreciate some real pictures, the colors in build your own can be slightly off. First are some pictures that show a Natural Beige interior with Burl Walnut and then some with Black Ash for comparison. It looks really nice either way--I think either would be a good match with this leather color.

Natural Beige with Burl Walnut Wood:






Natural Beige with Black Ash:

K-A

All about the Burl wood to me. Adds a richer, warmer and more interesting look to the interior. Was very happy when I knew the AMG Sport W211's came with Burl.

I also personally think the burl on those 212's pictures looks nicer, however the interior design on the 212 seems to flow better with the black wood a bit better. It's a bit of a toss up.

stanatl

Thanks for the pictures. It does look good with the Burl Walnut and I agree that the look is a richer one. I'm happy with the Black Ashwood - I think the look is sportier which is what I was looking for. I guess I'm fighting against the reality of how old I am.

Just out of curiosity, where did you get the pictures of the Natural Beige with the Burl Walnut? I thought they weren't offering that combination. The Natural Beige was only available with the sport option and the only trim available when I ordered it was Black Ashwood. Did they offer the other combination when the car was launched?

tomi.omni

Hi,

I have almond nappa with back ash wood, got my car 2 weeks ago.

Tomi

stanatl

Congratulations on the car. Any pictures?

tomi.omni

take some tomorrow if you want....

RJC

We want

stogie1020

Speaking of light tan and natural interior colors, does either the MBTex or the actual leather have any problems (like other manufacturers) with dye transfer from black belts to the lower areas of the side bolsters on the driver's seat?

All my honda/acura vehicles have/had a light tan leather or sim-leather and I get a black dye transfer (over time) from my belts...

Hoping not to have this when I switch to MB, although I am contemplating the black interior so it may not be an issue...

pmb600

Don't switch to black! Natural Beige is such a unique and impressive looking interior...I haven't had any problems with dye transfer from seat belts in my E with the Sahara Beige leather (seat belt material isn't really the type to transfer color). You do get a little from jeans on the outside part of the seat cushion on lighter colors interiors, but that is a given in any car, with any seating material. It cleans off pretty easily though. Some MB Interior Care for the Tex or good leather cleaner/conditioner for the leather should clean it up nicely.

As for the pictures with the Burl Walnut. I got the first two off of Car & Driver who did a review of an E350 Sport. Second two pictures came from Jalopnik: http://jalopnik.com/5245680/2010-mer...an-first-drive

I know that Burl Walnut was never offered with Natural Beige, I suspect these cars were early cars, maybe even pre-production cars that had the wrong wood. From what I understand from a dealer friend, things like this happen from time to time--if they are having problems with the supply of Black Ash like you said, maybe these cars were affected.

pmb600

Sorry to hear that, but glad they were able to replace it for you. I've had mine since the mid summer and I wear jeans a lot and have only had the most minimal of dye transfer on the edge of the seat. Certainly not a reflection on the leather, but rather the nature of the jeans.

RJC

It took alot of discussion to get it replaced...I think it was at about 2000 miles or so