Leather vs MB Tex for a new 2015 450 Gl
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Bentonville, Arkansas
2016 S 550 ; 2015 450GL
Leather vs MB Tex for a new 2015 450 Gl
Can anyone share with me there own experience and opinion of choosing one over the other; MB Tex or Leather. What will last both?
I usually keep my cars for at least 10 years and am quite meticulous. However i do have children 9 and 11 and a wife who isn't.
Thanks.
I usually keep my cars for at least 10 years and am quite meticulous. However i do have children 9 and 11 and a wife who isn't.
Thanks.
Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 116
Likes: 1
From: Franklin,TN
2008 GL320cdi
Tan Leather in my 2008 GL with 180,000 miles looks great. I am meticulous also and clean/condition it regularly. I want seats that breathe. I have also heard that new denim jeans will stain MB Tex.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Bentonville, Arkansas
2016 S 550 ; 2015 450GL
Wow a 180,000 miles, nice. What kind of regime have you kept up with to maintain the leather? how often and with what do you recommend for cleaning and conditioning. Are the seats showing signs of cracking and wear? Do you have light colored seats, beige/ tan? I still wonder if the blue die from jeans and the purple from my scrubs will stain the seats. I saw a few pictures of other cars where it appears the leather has stretched out and pillowed on the door and seats. Maybe they were very old models or not the quality of leather now. If i decide to go with it, it will not be the designer series. I have boys, I don't want to kill them if they damage the leather.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,882
Likes: 1,214
From: In my garage
E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350
If you are worried about wear, get the MB Tex. Leather can't even come close to the durability. The only way leather can look like new at 180k miles is if the person driving is very light and wears clothes that are very soft. Even then, it still won't look as good as the MB Tex.
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Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 85
Likes: 7
X164 GL550, F10 535 6MT
Have had MB Tex and BMW Leatherette - both look like leather, require little to no maintenance, no worries (damp kids' bathing suits), durable and in the end, everyone thinks it's leather anyway.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 814
Likes: 9
15 GL550
I had mbtex on my 09 GL and loved it. Looked better than it did when it was new when I traded it in at 70k+ miles. Having said that, my 14 GL has the multicontour seats with leather and ventilation. There is no comparison with respect to looks to the X166 with MB tex. The seats look softer and of a higher grade than the ones with mb tex. The multicontour seats are also significantly more comfortable than the standard seats. If you can stomach the extra money, buy the leather/multicontour seats on the x166.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 437
Likes: 84
From: Espoo, Finland
2012 GL 350
I've never owned a vehicle that didn't have leather and I've never had any issues with leather, but I take very good care of my vehicles. I'm sure MB Tex is a nice product as it has been around forever, but I like the look, feel, breathability and hell, the smell of leather.
I use Lexol products, but Leatherique is also well regarded. Lexol has a cleaner (orange bottle) and a conditioner (brown bottle.) I get a big bucket of clean water and a micro-fiber cloth and wet it in the bucket. Then I spray the cloth with the cleaner and clean each leather surface (seats, door cards, dash, grab handles) thoroughly. Then I rinse the cloth in the bucket and go over the surface again (I do these one at a time) to get the cleaner off. After I do everything, I get a clean bucket of water and go over everything again.
Once it dries, I get a new cloth and spray the conditioner on it, and go pretty heavy with it. I prefer to let it sit for 30 minutes, or preferably, overnight. If I only let it sit 30 minutes, I wipe it down again, but if I let it sit a lot longer it's not necessary. My leather is butter soft. When I sold my 1996 M3 last year, the leather looked new and it was a daily driver for 13 years and spent 2 years as a track car.
I use Lexol products, but Leatherique is also well regarded. Lexol has a cleaner (orange bottle) and a conditioner (brown bottle.) I get a big bucket of clean water and a micro-fiber cloth and wet it in the bucket. Then I spray the cloth with the cleaner and clean each leather surface (seats, door cards, dash, grab handles) thoroughly. Then I rinse the cloth in the bucket and go over the surface again (I do these one at a time) to get the cleaner off. After I do everything, I get a clean bucket of water and go over everything again.
Once it dries, I get a new cloth and spray the conditioner on it, and go pretty heavy with it. I prefer to let it sit for 30 minutes, or preferably, overnight. If I only let it sit 30 minutes, I wipe it down again, but if I let it sit a lot longer it's not necessary. My leather is butter soft. When I sold my 1996 M3 last year, the leather looked new and it was a daily driver for 13 years and spent 2 years as a track car.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
Likes: 628
From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
I love the MB Tex on my E (It is perforated), and I like it on the GL (Non-perforated).
Both have over 100K and look almost new without maintenance.
Our Range Rovers had excellent leather, but required care to stay as nice looking as the MB Tex and eventually showed some creases and some color wear through.
Both have over 100K and look almost new without maintenance.
Our Range Rovers had excellent leather, but required care to stay as nice looking as the MB Tex and eventually showed some creases and some color wear through.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 814
Likes: 9
15 GL550
I recently rented an X166 with MBtex that had about 35k miles on it. I was very surprised in the appearance of the MBtex. It had a shiny fake look to it. In my X164, the MBtex became more indistinguishable from leather the older it got. Perhaps Hertz uses some sort of terrible cleaning agent on the seats or perhaps the MBtex is different in the X166 compared to the X164.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Bentonville, Arkansas
2016 S 550 ; 2015 450GL
I had mbtex on my 09 GL and loved it. Looked better than it did when it was new when I traded it in at 70k+ miles. Having said that, my 14 GL has the multicontour seats with leather and ventilation. There is no comparison with respect to looks to the X166 with MB tex. The seats look softer and of a higher grade than the ones with mb tex. The multicontour seats are also significantly more comfortable than the standard seats. If you can stomach the extra money, buy the leather/multicontour seats on the x166.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 814
Likes: 9
15 GL550
This is just where I am at in making my decision. I will be getting the multicontoured seats/ but I keep going back and forth with getting the leather and the ventilated seats or the Mb Tex. I have two boys, but are quite considerate. I don't know . The other rub is that OI prefer the Walnut Burl wood trim and the only way to get it is with a leather package. Advise. How many miles is on your 2014?
