Interior wood trim touch up
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 445
Likes: 11
From: Washington, DC Metro Area
Currently: 2019 E450 AWD, Previous: 2002 CLK55 Cab
Interior wood trim touch up
several edges show similar wear
Hi guys, some of you may remember me from the AMG sub-forums as my last MBZ was a CLK 55. Sold it because I had a long term overseas work assignment and those cars do not like to sit. Fast forward I just picked up a 2019 E 450 so I'll be hanging here with you folks for a while. I love the car drives great on the highway, dealer maintained for its entire life. PPI cam back super clean. All of that said, the Ash Black/Grey interior wood trim is showing some signs of edge wear that Id like to get after., not much mind just the edges in two 6-8" sections which would be pretty easy for me to very lightly sand with my Dremel tool and then stain. My question is where are people sourcing the factory stain? I've searched the forum with no direct results so I turn to the owners to get your collective experience. Thanks in advance.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 445
Likes: 11
From: Washington, DC Metro Area
Currently: 2019 E450 AWD, Previous: 2002 CLK55 Cab
Not yet. So far the only solution anyone has proffered is to order new wood and trim and have MBZ install it. While not completely out of the question, pretty spendy. The other was to take the glove box door or some other removable part with the trim on it out of the car and into home depot for a computer color match of the stain. That's very doable but in my case I'd have to take a car door off or something. Still no one has offered up the MBZ color code for their black Ash trim. Neither has anyone saved the home depot paint code. Now I could take a chance and take a picture with my phone of the trim and take that to home depot but I'm just not that sure that I'd get the lighting, detail and focus just right so that tge picture would be good enough.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 445
Likes: 11
From: Washington, DC Metro Area
Currently: 2019 E450 AWD, Previous: 2002 CLK55 Cab
It's actual, natural wood,not anything synthetic. The sun is the chief culprit, add hot and cold seasonal temp swings and, over time you get color fade and cracking. As you'd expect, the extent of the fade or cracking will vary with where the car has lived life. The one's always parked in a garage have done better. Those parked in the driveway or a parking lot in direct summer, Fla or desert SW sun, have done less well. Same story on temps, if it's lived outdoors in a place with big seasonal temp swings it tends to have fared less well in this regard than the garage queens. Again if we can just get that stain code from somewhere or someone, we'll be off to the races.
Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 185
Likes: 51
From: Toronto area, Canada
2018 E400 Coupe C238
Thanks, and yes all environmental considerations for natural woods. In the pic looks like wear marks from continuous rubbing which is why I was asking.
I don't think you can colour match a transparent stain at the big box store. You would have to pick from the sample board. Happy to be corrected with many new products available these days.
You could use powder based dye by mixing yourself to a desired tone. Because it's stain, your in control of the application so, if very light passes with a clean soft cotton cloth (read not soaked or dripping) you can apply light coats repeatably till the desired colour depth is achieved. Stain is difficult to master but shows reality of grain when lightly applied in layers to blemished areas. The sheen & finish match are more challenging... It's a weirdly in between semi-flat and semi-satin. Perhaps an application of beeswax or similar to match the sheen of the current finish. Minwax have combo stain in Classic Black which maybe worth a look. I used this stuff on my DYI headphone amp and maybe with some futzing could be a solution.
I don't think you can colour match a transparent stain at the big box store. You would have to pick from the sample board. Happy to be corrected with many new products available these days.
You could use powder based dye by mixing yourself to a desired tone. Because it's stain, your in control of the application so, if very light passes with a clean soft cotton cloth (read not soaked or dripping) you can apply light coats repeatably till the desired colour depth is achieved. Stain is difficult to master but shows reality of grain when lightly applied in layers to blemished areas. The sheen & finish match are more challenging... It's a weirdly in between semi-flat and semi-satin. Perhaps an application of beeswax or similar to match the sheen of the current finish. Minwax have combo stain in Classic Black which maybe worth a look. I used this stuff on my DYI headphone amp and maybe with some futzing could be a solution.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 445
Likes: 11
From: Washington, DC Metro Area
Currently: 2019 E450 AWD, Previous: 2002 CLK55 Cab
Thanks, and yes all environmental considerations for natural woods. In the pic looks like wear marks from continuous rubbing which is why I was asking.
I don't think you can colour match a transparent stain at the big box store. You would have to pick from the sample board. Happy to be corrected with many new products available these days.
You could use powder based dye by mixing yourself to a desired tone. Because it's stain, your in control of the application so, if very light passes with a clean soft cotton cloth (read not soaked or dripping) you can apply light coats repeatably till the desired colour depth is achieved. Stain is difficult to master but shows reality of grain when lightly applied in layers to blemished areas. The sheen & finish match are more challenging... It's a weirdly in between semi-flat and semi-satin. Perhaps an application of beeswax or similar to match the sheen of the current finish. Minwax have combo stain in Classic Black which maybe worth a look. I used this stuff on my DYI headphone amp and maybe with some futzing could be a solution.
I don't think you can colour match a transparent stain at the big box store. You would have to pick from the sample board. Happy to be corrected with many new products available these days.
You could use powder based dye by mixing yourself to a desired tone. Because it's stain, your in control of the application so, if very light passes with a clean soft cotton cloth (read not soaked or dripping) you can apply light coats repeatably till the desired colour depth is achieved. Stain is difficult to master but shows reality of grain when lightly applied in layers to blemished areas. The sheen & finish match are more challenging... It's a weirdly in between semi-flat and semi-satin. Perhaps an application of beeswax or similar to match the sheen of the current finish. Minwax have combo stain in Classic Black which maybe worth a look. I used this stuff on my DYI headphone amp and maybe with some futzing could be a solution.
Last edited by City Rat; Aug 31, 2024 at 11:46 AM.
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Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 23
Likes: 12
From: USA Mid Atlantic
2011 e350 4matic wagon, '18 e400 vert, '18 BMW x3 m40i, '18 Mini Countryman S, '25 Ford Mach-E GT
I had a similar issue when I took ownership of a '18 CPO. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-c...requested.html
Ultimately the dealer replaced most of the pieces that has the wear n tear.
Unfortunately 2 parts that were not replaced have started to flake or show wear.
I'll watch for any other input in regards to repairs, maintenance.
Ultimately the dealer replaced most of the pieces that has the wear n tear.
Unfortunately 2 parts that were not replaced have started to flake or show wear.
I'll watch for any other input in regards to repairs, maintenance.
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