Need help with choosing interior dash trim please
 

Hi all,
I am planning to purchase my first Mercedes by getting a 2019 E300. At first I thought that I liked the Black Piano Lacquer dash trim, but am now having second thoughts thanks to a site member on here that posted a picture of the brown ash trim.

I figured that the piano lacquer trim might show a lot of dust and grime and the brown Ashwood might hide it better. Now, I am also wondering what the 2019 Burl Walnut will look like since you can get the console in that color as well.

If you have a chance I would appreciate any feedback that you have on the below 2 selections though.

Thanks so much!!!

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https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...3df204b960.jpg

Of the two choices, I would go with the Brown Ashwood. Many people have regretted getting the Piano Black Center Console. It is a finger print magnet and can show scratches too easily. I've moved away from highly polished woods these days to the Natural Open Pore woods. But that's me personally. I've had highly polished woods on several Mercedes over the Years and have been very happy with it.

I have the burl walnut with the matching steering wheel. I love it. I don't have any issues with dust where I live.

I was underwhelmed when I saw the Black Piano Lacquer dash trim in person; its a very expensive option, and a magnet for finger prints, but I did consider it at the start, because it looks fantastic in photos. Ended up with Natural Grain Black Ashwood because I could get this on the center console as well. Avoid the piano black center console at all costs, because it scratches easily, and shows finger prints like crazy. If I could do over I would have got Brown Ash Wood in high gloss, but in 2018 this was not available for the center console; I think that's changed for 2019 in US.

Do not get the high gloss black - it scratches like anything - and i changed mine to the open pore black ash wood

I posted the pic (the second one above) and i actually saw it in the flesh yesterday on the CLS (the 2nd pic above is the CLS) and it's not that impressive - it looks a bit dead actually next to the black leather. Maybe with another colour it might look good.

I haven't regretted going with the open pore wood - it doesn't reflect anything from the sun and it's easy to dust and feels great to touch.

Thanks so much everybody that is a huge help. Now I definitely think I will save the $1300 and not do the black piano lacquer. Maybe I will try to be patient and check the brown Ashwood and burl walnuts in person now to see what they look like with the console. You all have been a huge help.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...9396564739.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...815ec4fb70.jpg
You need to go with the black ash, i just picked up my E300 and pics don't do it justice.

That's a possibility too. My test drive was actually with an E with Black Ashwood. It is nice as well

What I really wanted, but didn't get was Nut Brown Leather with Natural Brown Ash wood. Like the photo above, I wound up with Black Leather and Natural Black Ash. The car I just traded had Natural Black Ash and I have to tell you that after 3 years, it looked as nice as the day I picked up the car. Not that I'm tough on the interior of my car, but this stuff seems bullet proof, doesn't show finger prints and isn't a dust magnet like highly polished woods are.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...5390678ab0.jpg

for me it's no choice:
although the black piano does indeed scratch easily and you see everything on it, i really do not like the wooden trims at all.
in my w212 i had brushed steel; now THAT was really nice.

I'm around these cars all day, my vote would be the open pore black ash. Black Piano Lacquer can get grimy quick.

It seems I'm in the minority. We have a 2014 CLS with designo porcelain/black interior. The dash is black leather with high gloss piano black trim and looks tremendously sharp. It doesn't get grimy, but it does need to be dusted frequently, just as a black exterior shows dust sooner. We use the cleaning cloth that comes with your eyeglasses, or a smooth microfiber cloth, with or without the eyeglass cleaning spray - just keep it in the glove box. No scratches after 4 years. Or you can use, not surprisingly, the wiping cloth and spray that's made for a high gloss piano.

Its just a personal opinion but for me if everything else in the cabin is black then brown wood trim doesn't seem to fit in. Too bad Mercedes only offers the high gloss with flowing lines and not the plain version in the E series, as its $500 less without the flowing lines. $1300 is a big step up for trim.

Any thoughts on carbon fiber trim. Does that hold up well against scratches etc?

go for the E400.

Why? He already said he's going for an E300 and there's nothing wrong with that. Plus his question was not about engine, it was about interior finishes and for 2019, there isn't an E400. It is replaced by the E450.

I've got a 2010 with the Burl Wood and it is looks great. Course MB had to replace it three years ago due to the manufacturing defect, but no problems since then. To me, it looks like real wood whereas the other two look like plastic.
Also, depending on seat color, think about how much contrast you want.

Well, I got to check out the Burl Walnut trim in a 2019 now and today when I flew to Fort Lauderdale and the dealership right near the airport had the Brown Ashwood in which I didn't think I n was going to see in person. It didn't look the same as the one posted above though. My choice is down to these 2. What do you think?
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...2bbdb0bf45.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...cdb5422b9e.jpg

Thanks for the feedback. I am getting black interior as well. The bottom one is Brown Ashwood, but it's tough to see the grain in the picture.

Instead of worrying about a polished wood finish, I switched to the natural grain wood in my last car and got it in my current car. The natural grain wood to me is bullet proof and stands the test of time.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...61150d6557.jpg

Between those two pictures you posted, I would get the one on the bottom, with the darker wood trim. The burl walnut (Im guessing?) in the top photo looks very old and dated.

Same here.