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Has Anyone Tried Sunguard UV Protectant on Wood Trim?
Has anyone tried this UV Protectant spray on their Wood Trim pieces to keep it from fading? It looks like this might work well, and might be worth a shot.
With all the complaints about sun-faded wood trim pieces, one might think this product would prompt some discussion. You can't rely on Mercedes-Benz to warranty wood replacements if you keep your car for the long term (well beyond the warranty period). And I can't believe I'm the first to stumble across this product.
Give it a go and see what happens. Wood trim was a issue on 2010-2012 E Classes but I am not sure about the newer ones.
You're in Florida and know all about the sun. My 2016 E350 spent its first two years in Miami, and the renter there didn't know or care about the fading wood. The UV protection in the window tinting on the side windows helps, as the rear door wood looked perfect. But the entire dash and the first 3-4 inches of the front door trim took a beating through the windshield with the sun more vertical overhead....
I'm sure some people passed on this lease return car here in Dallas due to the faded wood trim. The car was probably priced a bit lower because of it... to my benefit That's where reading these forums helps, cause I knew this was an accepted problem, and I could request replacement wood under warranty. The new wood looks pristine. I just want to keep it that way.
BTW, the wood trim in my 17 year-old C320 looks perfect to this day. MB must have lowered their standards with their wood supplier, knowing that most Benzes (at least in America) are rented for 2-3 years when new... no real need for product longevity on vehicles people keep only a short time. Very short-sighted for a quality reputation, IMO -- an attitude I expect from GM, Chrysler or Ford -- but not from Mercedes-Benz at it's price point. Oh well...
Anyway, for those of you buying these used W212s to keep for the longer term, I thought this product might help. Just wanted to know if anyone had tried it yet.
Very true.
Another economical option is applying a vinyl overlay. On the surface it may sound kind of tacky (no pun intended lol), but the modern materials truly cover any look you want.
I did all of my exterior trim and grille in 3M brushed titanium wrap and was really impressed w material quality and final look. I know several members here have done their interior wood in wraps and they look great.
You're in Florida and know all about the sun. My 2016 E350 spent its first two years in Miami, and the renter there didn't know or care about the fading wood. The UV protection in the window tinting on the side windows helps, as the rear door wood looked perfect. But the entire dash and the first 3-4 inches of the front door trim took a beating through the windshield with the sun more vertical overhead....
I'm sure some people passed on this lease return car here in Dallas due to the faded wood trim. The car was probably priced a bit lower because of it... to my benefit That's where reading these forums helps, cause I knew this was an accepted problem, and I could request replacement wood under warranty. The new wood looks pristine. I just want to keep it that way.
BTW, the wood trim in my 17 year-old C320 looks perfect to this day. MB must have lowered their standards with their wood supplier, knowing that most Benzes (at least in America) are rented for 2-3 years when new... no real need for product longevity on vehicles people keep only a short time. Very short-sighted for a quality reputation, IMO -- an attitude I expect from GM, Chrysler or Ford -- but not from Mercedes-Benz at it's price point. Oh well...
Anyway, for those of you buying these used W212s to keep for the longer term, I thought this product might help. Just wanted to know if anyone had tried it yet.
My W212 stays in NY 99% of the time. Also, in a garage. But I do know what you mean. My cars in Florida all have tinted windows so that helps and keeping them indoors as well. With the W212 it does not matter. It is just one of those annoying things. Too bad because my W212 is a 2012 and has only had one issue(Blower Motor) fixed under warranty. These are overall very solid cars but I do agree the quality of the wood is not good at all.
I just purchased my w212 (2013 E350 wagon) and joined here for info and ideas. The 303 protectant posted about above is all I've used on my vehicles for the past 5 years. It's great stuff, and I use it liberally. I intend to use it on the trim, and have no doubts about its effectiveness. My 2013 was very well kept by its previous Florida owner, so I intend to do the same. I also have a minty 83 240D that unfortunately doesn't get garaged, but between the 303 and the tint, its still in amazing shape. Go for the 303. I dont think you will be disappointed.
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Has Anyone Tried Sunguard UV Protectant on Wood Trim?
