Hi, I have a new to me E53 with wear on the piano black console. I've researched polishing it up, considered covering with Alcantara or replacing with another set of console trim. It's a sad feature in a car of this quality.

I'm curious what others have done, would polishing and sealing with ceramic or other be an option? I've come to the point where I can't make a bunch of sense out of dissembling the console to clean it up if it will have scratches fiften minutes into the next drive.

I'm not a good on interiors, I don't scratch and beat things up in questionable ways, but there's no hope for the softer than raw cheese piano black in the W213's.

 

I have an overlay on mine, because I couldn’t stand the piano black console. Not sure what MB was thinking on this

Carbon fiber look alike console overlay
one

 

Problem is I have the authentic carbon trim on the doors and dash. I'm doubting it will match.

 

That makes sense, so get a replacement authentic carbon fiber and all will match. Probably pretty expensive but would well worth it in my opinion.

 

That looks great!!! May I ask where you can get something like this?

 

Check eBay, pretty reasonable priced as well. It’s been on for many years now and I don’t have to worry about fingerprints or minor scratches.

 

Get a detailer to polish it and then apply PPF.

 

You can also wrap it.

OP, since you have the CF package, for some reason the centre console is in gloss piano which I don't understand why MB decided that was a good idea (across multiple models), at least with wood you get that part in wood as well.

 

I agree with you regarding mixing carbon fibre and piano black. The only thing I can work out is that the E63's look to have carbon fibre everywhere...perhaps they just wanted to short the e53 somehow.

I've entertained wrapping it, I'm not so sure that it's possible to do a good enough job around the thin chrome trim. Anything less than a perfect job could feel pretty ghetto.

I have an hvlp sprayer that's appropriate for lacquer, I'm leaning toward pulling it apart, polishing the scratches out and lacquering. That would be a much more durable surface. It is insane to me that they went through the process of painting it and put something this soft on. If it's the case that it was painted that is intentional.

 

I guess, I can see why it could also be something that might trigger someone's OCD.

Hmmm, that might be a way.

 

If you are concerned about the edges (I would be too) of vinyl wrapping, I suggest taking it to a shop that specializes in car vinyl wraps and let them do it right (hopefully). If it's worth the expense to you, the best way to go IMO is to replace it with a OEM carbon fiber console... it looks really good with the carbon fiber dash and door trim.

I'm not certain why some cars with the carbon trim option have the Piano Black console, it's strange. I have a 2018 E43 with option code "H73 TRIM PIECES - CARBON HIGH GLOSS" and my center console is also carbon fiber. But I've seen 2017 E43s with the carbon fiber trim but have the Piano Black console. So I'm not sure why or how that happens.

Like on mine, I would think the carbon fiber center console should have its own option code if it could also be had in Piano Black. It doesn't quite make sense.

 

In MY 17 &18 all center console trims were piano black with NO alternate options. IIRC that changed in MY 19 or 20.

 

This may be true for some W213 models but not all. I have a 2018 W213 and my console is not Piano Black.

 

Is there like an extended carbon fibre package or something?

 

Yeah, I remember hearing something like that previously too. But I only have that one option code "H73", so IDK.

 

Aha! Sorry, I was mistaken. I must have missed this in my options, I actually do have a separate option for the center console.

"732 CENTER CONSOLE IN CARBON GLOSSY AMG"

So it appears it was an additional option after all.

 

Indeed, it is a bit OCD. The previous owner was obviously a tall guy and rested his right knee, presumably with jeans on the console, so despite the car having 28,000km it has a nice wear mark in it to look at.

I really don't want to do anything that doesn't wear well or looks too far off factory, when it comes to resale it would be undesirable...but not as undesirable as paying full retail for the matching console trim...

Y, so now I'm just being cheap and OCD.

 

Did you buy it new? A lot of the early W213 models had the console changed because the piano black showed too much scratching and wear.

 

nah, I understand you.

 

I see.

 

Interesting, thank you.

 

Nope, is new to me. What was it replaced with? Same thing or something else?

 

I replaced mine with matching burl walnut same as steering wheel and dashboard. I purchased the part from MB and installed it myself.

 

I tried replacing center console to match my burl walnut as well. However 2 dealers later, the replacement center console just didn’t match the rest of the car. I so wanted burl walnut steering wheel as well as heated steering wheel. The only 2 options I wanted that my car didn’t have. The deal was too good to pass up on, had I custom ordered as I initially planned, then I would have gotten that

 

I'm not the first owner but the car was stock and unmodified when I bought it as far as I can see. I do have the Carbon console option listed under my VIN:



So there seems like there are some exceptions but I'm not sure of the exact pattern or reason. I've seen some 2018 E43's with the Black Ash Wood Trim with a Black Ash Wood console and I've also seen them with the Metal Weave Trim option ($600) with the Piano Black console, so it's a bit confusing.

Out of my own curiosity, I was looking at the Monroney label for my car, and under Standard Interior Equipment is listed "Interior Trim -inc: Piano Black/Metal-Look Console Insert".

And under my Installed Options is listed "H73 Amg Carbon Fiber Trim" but not "732 Center Console in Carbon Glossy AMG", but which I know my car has by the VIN equipment information and my eyeballs.



Since some cars have the Carbon Fiber Trim (H73) with a Piano Black console (without the 732 option), it seems like the Carbon Fiber console (732) had to be specifically selected beyond the Carbon Fiber Trim when ordering and it looks like it was a no-additional-cost option. I'm not entirely sure how it happens on some and not others though.