MB Tex or Leather? what do you have?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 515
Likes: 99
From: Hudson Valley, NY
2012 E350
MB Tex or Leather? what do you have?
I'll start-
MB Tex
No regrets, and no passenger not knowledgable in all things MB has ever suspected it is anything but leather.
MB Tex
No regrets, and no passenger not knowledgable in all things MB has ever suspected it is anything but leather.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
Likes: 394
From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
Leather but that's because it is standard on the E550. My coworker has the tex on his E350 and it's fine to me except for no vented seats. Those are a must for me in FL. With the humidity, you need every advantage you can get.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 489
Likes: 9
2010 E550 4MATIC RENNtech Tune
Leather here. Many people have experienced the seams of their seats tearing with MB-Tex it seems. I always thought that vinyl is more receptive to wear and tear than real leather.
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Super Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 584
Likes: 147
From: Bay Area, CA
2010 E550
2010 E550 P2
On my "Vehicle Master Inquiry" it says: Upholstery 201-Black Leather
I thought for a long time it was MB-Tex since there was no smell and it isn't supple at all. But I guess it's leather.
On my "Vehicle Master Inquiry" it says: Upholstery 201-Black Leather
I thought for a long time it was MB-Tex since there was no smell and it isn't supple at all. But I guess it's leather.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,616
Likes: 160
From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
MB Tex and after almost six years is in great shape it. Love it compared to previous cars with leather.
Incidentally, there will be a fire storm over this thread.
I do use Vinylex by Lexol 2-3 times per year on it and all other plastic/vinyl surfaces.
Incidentally, there will be a fire storm over this thread.
I do use Vinylex by Lexol 2-3 times per year on it and all other plastic/vinyl surfaces.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 23
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From: SAN DIEGO CA
2016 E400 COUPE
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
Likes: 394
From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
I find the tex a little softer by comparison to my 'regular' leather. I'd be fine with that if they had it with the vented seats.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 73
Likes: 2
2014 Mercedes E550
Leather which is standard on E550. After hearing about the tearing issue and went to look at a car but couldn't test drive it, because it was sent to the dealer to get the mx tex fit for tearing, it really turned me off of it. But I am also kind of old school and just prefer real leather anyway so I am bias there.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 292
2019 E300
I hear that a lot, but most of our passengers suspect its not leather the first time they sat on it, although most of them say it is high quality vinyl. Even my wife who is not really into cars can the tell the difference.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,616
Likes: 160
From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Everyone who has ever riden in my car believes it is leather until I tell them differently. This includes "car guys" who have cars with lether.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 85
From: New Jersey
2010 E550 P2 w/AMG Sport Package + Pano, 2015 Nissan Pathfinder
I use my vented seats every day of the summer. It's essential to me even though I wish it was a tad bit strong.
Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 238
Likes: 24
2016 volkswagen beetle
Usually if I get into a car that has an upholstery that looks like real leather or is real leather, unless I smell leather, I assume it's vinyl. I've been looking at cars the past couple months and there were a few brands that claimed their seats were genuine leather but I couldn't smell it. Audi, no leather smell, just new car, BMW, no leather smell, new car again, Cadillac, no leather smell, new car smell, Jaguar, no leather smell, new car smell, volvo, no leather smell. Only brands where I could smell the leather were Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Infiniti.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 292
2019 E300
Usually if I get into a car that has an upholstery that looks like real leather or is real leather, unless I smell leather, I assume it's vinyl. I've been looking at cars the past couple months and there were a few brands that claimed their seats were genuine leather but I couldn't smell it. Audi, no leather smell, just new car, BMW, no leather smell, new car again, Cadillac, no leather smell, new car smell, Jaguar, no leather smell, new car smell, volvo, no leather smell. Only brands where I could smell the leather were Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Infiniti.
Most car manufacturers are shifting to interior materials that has low VOC, less smell. The new car smell might be a thing of the pass pretty soon. Most of the time, the grain of the material is a dead give away. On high end leather, it easy to tell the difference because the high end leather is much softer. On low end leather, it a bit harder to tell the difference.
Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 238
Likes: 24
2016 volkswagen beetle
Most car manufacturers are shifting to interior materials that has low VOC, less smell. The new car smell might be a thing of the pass pretty soon. Most of the time, the grain of the material is a dead give away. On high end leather, it easy to tell the difference because the high end leather is much softer. On low end leather, it a bit harder to tell the difference.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
Likes: 2
From: Orange County, CA
2016 E-Class
I’ve had my ’16 E350 for about a month. This is the first car without leather seats I’ve had in about a decade. I find the black MB Tex to be sticky and uncomfortable to be honest. It hasn’t helped that So Cal has been on a bit of a heat wave. I’m hoping it get’s better in cooler weather.
Still very much love the car though.
Still very much love the car though.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 300
Likes: 13
From: GA, USA
Current: '19 E450 Cabriolet - Past: '19 C300 Coupe, '12 SLK350, '16 E350, '14 C250 (x2), '09 CLK350
Tan MB-tex in 2016 E350. No quality issues, no stickiness (I live in Atlanta, super hot and gross all the time) and one of the best cars I've ever owned. Fall in love every time I get in.
