BenzE350

I think it's availabe in the S Class PETA version.

pwidjaja

, I find it entertaining when someone choose vinyl over leather. I wonder what they choose if both being offered for free.

steelgrey

Frankly...who the hell cares!!!!

pwidjaja

Obviously, PETA team will

K-A

In the cars homeland, it indeed does, and it also comes with CLOTH if you want it with that too.

Honestly, I had a Leather optioned W212 I was choosing against my car, and that car was gonna be priced even a bit cheaper than mine (didn't have P2 or Pano though), and after "testing" the Leather, I chose the M-B Tex car. Not only did the Tex feel about as good, but if I'm gonna sit on Cow hide, it better feel and smell rich. The W212's Leather option does not unfortunately.

220S

I had leather in my E350. The leather is kind of weird in that it's coarse and even smells kinda odd (faint strange chemical smell.) The Napa leather in my E63 is what I expected in leather: good quality, smooth, soft, and smells good. I think if I were to ever get another non-AMG E Class then I'd opt for the MBTex unless they change their leather to something better. They should make the Napa leather an option (at the very least in the E550.)

wireless200

Our salesman told us Merc uses lower quality leather in the C and E. He said it is not the same leather at all as the AMGs and S class. In fact, he said, you could barely call it leather. I wanted leather but my wife prefers MB-Tex. You'd think for $1,600, Mercedes could put some decent leather in. The leather option must be almost pure profit for them!

K-A

Agreed. I prefer the M-B Tex to the E-Class Optional Leather. Just too close in feel, and the Tex has way more benefits IMO. Nappa is a whole different story, the AMG seats feel and smell incredible. I still like the ease of care on Tex seats though, as it takes away one aspect of OCD car-care for me.

I think the way the pre-facelift W211 had it pretty good: Tex everywhere but on the front seat inserts (where you sit). Great combo and kind of best of both worlds (although, for those who do not want any Leather, that poses a problem.... Although the steering wheel is Leather anyway).

220S

btw, here's a factoid with a California connection

"Nappa leather or Napa leather is a full-grain leather, typically dyed, made from unsplit kid-, lamb- or sheep-skin by tanning with salts of chromium or aluminium sulfate, and noted for softness and durability. It is often used in high-quality leather products such as high-end furniture and accessories. One example would be interiors of luxury vehicles.

The tanning process which produces Napa leather was invented by Emanuel Manasse in 1875 while working for the Sawyer Tanning Company in Napa, California."

pwidjaja

Interesting, can you show me the link? but why not in the US? apparently a lot of people loving MBtex.

Personally, I'll choose 'normal' leather over napa due to their durability. But if napa doesn't come with additional price, I"ll take it anytime.

BenzE350

True. The quality of leather is different throughout the line.

The quality of leather also greatly differs from manufacturer to manafacturer. In the lower lines, MB and BMW use a very hard and coarse - but durable leather. BMW has an optional napa leather that is the real deal - soft, supple and an olfactory treat to the senses.

My Acura has leather seats that are much softer than the base E leather, but it does not wear very well. Unfortunately it costs a lot of money to put high end quality leather in a car. The reality is, most people expect leather in a "luxury" car and the brochure and window sticker need to have leather or many people will not consider buying the car. So cheap leather is the norm - soft but non-durable in the Acura, hard but durable in the E class.

I find it funny that so many folks defend the MB-Tex as being better than the non-leather seats in the BMWs. Hey, our plastic seats are better than their plastic seats! If Mercedes never went the MB-Tex route, and Lexus or Infiniti originated Lex-Tex or Infi-Tex people on this board would be laughing at them.

El Cid

Have a friend with an Acura and the leather developed problems after a couple of years. My experience is that leather needs more maintenance and even then may not wear well.
One factor is that many leather seats are actually covered with a clear vinyl like product to add durability. This may eventually wear off.
Have two vehicles with cloth seats and personally I prefer the feel of cloth and think they may even be more comfortable.
At one time, cloth was the upscale seat covering and then vinyl.

ImInPA

Benz E350, MB-Tex has been available as long as I can remeber.

Tjdehya

Compared to cloth my experience has been the exact opposite. I have never tried MB-tex, but leather is much more durable than cloth.

scfishnman

My first Mercedes had MB-Tex and I liked it. It looked the same as real leather.

All of my Cadillacs and GM SUV's had leather -- and GM leather is trash. It develops cracks very fast. On my first Cadillac the dealer replaced two of the panels on the driver's seat under warranty but refused to replace the others claiming the cracks on them were fair wear and tear Looked the same as the ones they replaced at the same time.

I have not kept any of the last three Mercedes (all with leather) over two years but so far the leather has held up well. However, I would be just as pleased with MB-Tex.

Dr_bypass

Amen to that!

K-A

I find it funny that since you decided to save a few bucks by getting a car over another car (BMW) that you really wanted, you seem to stop at nothing to bash the miserable and lowly E-Class and hold up high the "car that got away".

Fact is, M-B Tex is highly regarded, and the best in the business, by a longshot. Anyone without BMW fanboy blinders, anyone would be able to admit that BMW's Leatherette suucks, and M-B's "Tex" is on another level. It's like Nappa VS E-Class non-Nappa Leather Option.

And you must realize that Plastics can vary GREATLY in quality!

Like I said, initially, I'll choose Leather over M-B Tex, if both cost the same, but after 3 years, when my interior looks immaculate, and the Leather interior looks 10 years old and stinks, I'll be happy I chose "plastic".

For Leasers, this is less of an issue, but in the long term, or if you buy Used, you'll probably be appreciative of M-B using Tex in their cars, as the interiors will look brand new.

Tjdehya

For some reason people hear the word Mercedes and they automatically think $$$
A couple weekends ago I visited a relative in Phoenix.
I pulled in his driveway next to one of his friends white 2010 M5, everyone assumed that my car was more expensive than his and they didn't even know if it was a E350 or E550, I bet if I had pulled up in a C300 they would have thought the same thing.
I am sure that the Hyundai might be a nice car but I am not going to pay $30 for a car and yet still be outclassed by a $15k Honda Civic.

My car does look like money though.

K-A

That is true. Fortunately for M-B and its buyers, the resale value doesn't translate to peoples perceptions of the car. They think Benz, they think $$$$. Especially a nice and shiny Benz, and most don't know or care if it's a 4-Banger or a V12 TT, hell, a C300 can have the same road presence to many as a CL63.

I've seen people in hooptied out W203 C-Classes get the "you've got money" treatment, when they probably bought the car for the low teens, or sub-teens.

220S

I have a 15 year old Porsche and my leather seats look immaculate and don't stink. Neither did a clunker/classic 38 year old BMW 2800 I used to own (just up until a few years ago.) And I don't anticipate the Napa leather in my E63 to stink or look 10 years old in three years from now....

I have a 10 year old leather coat that looks great, too.

K-A

That's why the "Maintenance" aspect comes into play so strongly. Which is what I was saying with M-B Tex taking a load off in that respect.

Most people don't put in the time and effort to keep their Leather up, so they start to look worn out soon. Almost any Used car with nice Leather I look at, always has a crease here or there at the very least. I'm sure since the W212's Leather Option is so harsh (for Leather), maybe it will wear very well, with little maintenance.

BTW, I do keep with my opinion that the W211 pre-facelift had a perfect combo, of genuine Leather inserts, with M-B Tex around them, however, my W211 had ugly "butt prints" in the Leather (from the previous owner), which is certainly something that M-B Tex wouldn't show.

ImInPA

Older vehicles had much finer and more durable leathers. It does not surprise me that an old Porche, BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac, or Lincoln, have nicer leather. I recall a 68 caddy my dad had. The leather whas as thick as saddle leather. It was not as sumptuous as the moder leathers, but, the leathers used for upolstery were much better 30 years ago.

BenzE350

I think I have been pretty fair and objective in regards to things I like and dislike about my E350. I also check the Bimmerfest forum and realize that the F10 also has its share of issues - as do all cars. When I had my E60 I think I was also pretty fair and objective about the pros and cons of that car - as well as the Acura and Mazda that are in my garage.

[/quote]Fact is, M-B Tex is highly regarded, and the best in the business, by a longshot. Anyone without BMW fanboy blinders, anyone would be able to admit that BMW's Leatherette suucks, and M-B's "Tex" is on another level. It's like Nappa VS E-Class non-Nappa Leather Option..[/quote]

MB plastic seats are better than their plastic seats. I just find this funny.


[/quote]Like I said, initially, I'll choose Leather over M-B Tex, if both cost the same, but after 3 years, when my interior looks immaculate, and the Leather interior looks 10 years old and stinks, I'll be happy I chose "plastic". .[/quote]

Quality leather seats will look fantastic in 10 years. Cheap leather seats will look crappy in 3 years.

EDIT: I need help on how to correctly carry over multiple quotes on a reply post?? I would appreciate if someone could explain this to me. Thanks.

BenzE350

Agreed.

Quality leather will look fantastic in 10 years. Cheap leather will look crappy in 3 years.

ImInPA

The problem is that a lot of the leather offerings today are not the plush and durable leathers of 30 years ago. Today, good leather truly is a luxury...good luck finding it under 100K.