South Ocean1

Did anyone succumb to the dealer add on of the interior protection package for around $600 (Permaplate Leather Guard in this case)? It involves the application of some type of leather/fabric sealant (probably $25 in materials cost plus the labor to apply). But what you are really paying for is the insurance in the event you pick up a stain in the interior that you cannot get out. In theory, Permaplate would repair or replace the stained leather/fabric.

I have never thought those dealer add ons were a good idea (actually think they are as close to a pure money maker for the dealer as you can get) but am wrestling a bit with the interior protection. The Designo Leather seems particularly soft and absorbent and really unlike the leather (even the Standard Nappa Leather in my E63) I have had in my other cars which have been relatively easy to keep clean. With three kids in the fold, I am wondering whether the package, particularly the insurance, is worth it from a piece of mind perspective.

Permaplate appears to have been around for 30 plus years but insurance is only as good as the company behind it - and I am sure they are thinly capitalized.

I would appreciate any thoughts you may have on this. If you have not gone with the interior protection package, has anyone had their leather "sealed" or protected using a different product???

For perspective, I normally have my interiors professionally detailed (shampoo and conditioner) once per year and that has seemed to do the trick - again with leather that has seemed "tougher" than the designo. Maybe that alone would be sufficient to keep the Designo leather looking fine over time.

Many thanks in advance.

Ntuck

I did go for the protection plan on the leather. My husband thought it was a good idea if anything should happen. I have 2 boys, and both are young. Things happen in the car and it might end up being a waste, but then again you never know. I will say that my 6 year old got car sick the other day coming back from vacation (thankfully he hadn't eaten anything yet for the morning so it wasn't a lot) but, I was able to wipe off the seat with no problem. On my Suburban there are black marks on the back of the seat where the car seat has rubbed and I can't get it off. I'm sure there is something out there, but haven't found it yet.

I guess I figure if the seats get trashed etc...that this will help? It actually just got the protectant put on today. It also includes the exterior paint protection as well and it was $899. 5 year Warranty.

sam9187

I passed on this as it seemed overly priced and did not see a benefit.

cincy8

Does the paint protection include any dealer added sealant? I was planning to opti-coat mine and the 3rd party does leather protection as part of the package. But there's no warranty (I don't think).

blittle

Yes..... I had the leather protection package on my 2011 and it paid off as I snagged the top part of the driver's seat with the rough edge of a 2x4 and the package paid for the repair ( which was 100% invisible!) As a result I opted for the same on my 2013.

sraza

overpriced and probably not really that good- as they warranty it and say they can remove the stain if ita happens- its the same as the house carpet cleaners- the 'protectant guard' that apparently lasts for months/year is gone in 3months due to 'heavy traffic' area-- heck thats what the seat is for...

in any case i prefer doing it myself..

blittle

If thats all it was I would agree and would have said NO but the "damage repair" part of the plan is worth the whole cost as is there is no way I could ever repair a hole in the leather.

South Ocean1

Thanks all vey much for your comments. After doing more research, I think I am going to pass on the interior protection package. What I learned with respect to the leather protection is that it is simply a silicon based leather conditioner. Permaplate expects the owner to then condition the leather every 6 months or so thereafter by applying their conditioner. That is reasonable if you are thinking of this as strictly a conditioner - leather definitely needs periodic conditioning to remain supple. If you are thinking about it as some form of "Scotch Guard" for leather, then you would be disappointed as it is not that.

So to ensure my interior leather looks good year after year even with the interior protection package, I think I would still need to pay to have the interior cleaned and the leather conditioned each year. The cleaning and reconditioning would be the same process the Permaplate tech would use to remove a stain if you can't get it out on your own using soap and (a little) water (which is what they recommend you try first). I suspect Permaplate knows that 90 plus percent of all stains will be removed that way so they rarely ever have to actually replace the leather. So I think I am getting to the same end spot by detailing the interior each year going forward without getting the protection package. I appreciate I am giving up the insurance component and that has some value. Unfortunately, unlike Blittle's positive experience, the contract now explicitly excludes rips and tears from replacement - only reconditioning will be attempted. I am also going to have my leather conditioned now by an auto detailer (using an oil based product which may be better than Silicon) to get some additional protective coating from the start (mostly helps against UV damage and possibly light stains between full cleaning and conditioning visits). Several of the professional detailer sites I checked recommend conditioning the leather even on new cars for those reasons). That initial work may eat up about $75 out of the $600 saved on forgoing the package.

My comments apply only to the leather portion of the interior protection package. There may be better science behind the paint protection and fabric guard that makes it a better value. And for those that decided in favor of the protection, my sense is that Permaplate would work to fix the stain and not leave you stranded.

Again, thanks for your comments. I hope my post provides some helpful insights to others considering this (interior) package.

Kind regards

doctorG

Well, we opted to get this on our 2014 GL with porcelain designo leather (and two young sons). I am still wondering if it was the right decision. I agree the paint and fabric "protection" seems silly, but the damage/stain repair seems worth it with the white leather and young children.

Another thing I was told is that they will replace the floor mats annually if you just call and state they are stained. This is what the finance person who sold it to us said. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Has anyone tried calling Perma Plate and asking for new mats?

Has anyone had a claim with them other than blittle?

Thanks!

cookstar

what's silly about paint protection? Would you rather bay $300+ a year for detailing? I have paint protection and have used the warranty already twice and plan to use it twice every year for the duration of the 5 year warranty. Plus if they screw up you deal directory with MB not a detail shop which will get you nowhere if damage it done to the vehicle.

doctorG

Sorry, I didn't mean anything by saying it was silly...

How should I go about having the dealer agree to reapply the paint protection twice a year?

cookstar

Depends on the colour of your vehicle but any and all vehicles will get rail dust on them, just find the rail dust or any other imperfection in the paint and take it in, they will clay bar the vehicle and reapply the paint protection i.e wax.

doctorG

We have diamond white metallic which from my reading here tells me we will definitely have rail dust....

Does the dealer's body shop do it or do I need to contact the PermaPlate company?

We have a small scratch in our porcelain designo seat and the dealer told me to call PermaPlate directly. Is it the same with the paint waxing etc?

cookstar

I have Diamond white as well, my dealer applies the coating themselves but the warranty paper I got is no MB, its some third party name. I take mine to the dealership I got it from and I dont think I can take it to any other dealership. Your situation seems different as it seems to be third party.

doctorG

Right. Our dealer applies it themselves and a third party warranties it. I'll ask them.

sarasetp17

doctorG,

I am considering a GL with the Porcelain diamond stiched seats, which look great. But I too have kids and wonder whether the seats will stain over time. I don't mind cleaning the seats and protecting them every 3 months, but I am wondering if I can get them to look like new with care.

What have you done to keep them clean, if you have been successful?

Ntuck

Hi There,

I have 2 boys and have the tan leather seats. I usually (and I realize this isn't the best, but it works) just wipe them down with a Seventh Generation wipe that kills 99% and is all natural. As for having a stain, I did have my blue jeans transfer dye to the drivers seat and I inquired about having them clean it. I told them I have the protection package. One person told me it wasn't covered, and then I asked them to research further. They did, and cleaned it right up and got it all removed. I would like to inquire more on here about the paint part, as my husband scratched up the sides by going through some awful bushes on the beach in Nantucket.

Ntuck

Hi Cookstar -

I have many scratches on the sides of my car from my husband going through back areas on the beach in Nantucket and scraping them from some bushes. I have a black paint and you can visibly see the scratches. Since I have the paint protection, would I just tell them my issue and they should put another layer of protection on it to help disguise? Just thought I would get your thoughts since you said you have done it before. Thanks!

luv2sleep

The dealer threw in the leather protectant as part of the deal and it's completely useless. We have the beige interior and my wife's jeans still leave a nice blue stain. I wouldn't pay for it. There are other better options or just get down and dirty yourself, and treat the seating surface with a high quality leather protectant. As for the paint protection, that's another hoax. I've purchased it once on a different car and all I can say is that it was a complete waste of money. A better option would be the clear bra. It's more expensive but you get what you pay for. I got my S6 "wrapped" and it's awesome!

netienne

For those that did get the interior protection plan (PermaPlate appearance protection - leatherguard), can you please provide examples of claims you submitted that were honored (i.e. what kind of damage was covered under the plan)?

And if any one has examples of damage that was not covered under the interior protection plan it would be helpful if you could advise on those as well.

Just looking for real-world examples of claims that were honored, not just what they list on their agreement.

Will Barton

I got talked into it. I feel bad it’s way over priced from what i have found In my research after. The leather feels like plastic now and it’s incredibly toxic. I feel they completely ruined the interior of the car. Really pissed about it!