Satin Ash Wood
 

Hello, I will be ordering my ML in a week or so. I know many of you like the bown satin ash "open pore" wood trim, but don't like the matching wood wheel as it is a bit more glossy. Does anyone out there have this combination and actually like it? Photos are welcome...thanks. I will be ordering the Designo interior with Auburn Brown (as many of you know).

I have the brown satin ash trim with the leather wheel, so no problem with different wood grains. I really like the look of the satin ash, and had decided that for my use the leather wrapped wheel was really more comfortable.

Mike, so you opted for a leather wheel for comfort reasons. I have wondered if the all leather wheel may be a bit more comfortable than the inconsistency of cold wood and leather. Anyone know what the Designo leather wheel looks like?

Thw wood leather Satin Ash wheel looks a bit darker, and since it's a wheels its more smoothly finished... I wouldn't say "glossy" since its still a matt look, but since it's a hweel its not the same "open grain" look of the flat trim.

That said, it's quite a nice wheel, complements the cabin wheel... and that added look of the wood/leather wheel is my favorite over "standard" all-leather wheels. The exception for me are the leather "sport wheels" which also complement cabin look well.

Keep the beat !

The "sport wheel" does look nice but it's not an option with a Designo interior...right? It only comes with the sport interior?

I think you may be overboard with Designo for a BT, loading up Designo in a ML550 would make more sense - and if Auburn, personally the Auburn leather non-Designo is a much better look.

Designo black, awesome, especially matched with added Designo Piano Lacquer trim.. - Designo Porcelain and Designo Auburn not so much my thing at all...

I love the ML350BT - great vehicle - but all the other goodies should come 1st before adding Designo - and if Auburn is the color you want, then frankly Designo Auburn "crowds" the cabin..

Yes, The wood leather wheel looks nice, but I really like the feel of the all leather wheel, and it tends to be more comfortable in temperature extremes. Personal preference, but I'm happy with the all leather wheel.

I agree. Non-Designo with leather wheel would be just fine.

I must say I have been second guessing myself on the Designo for awhile now, maybe that's why I asked so many questions. The Designo in brown does seem to crowd the cabin with the two tone look.

I am going to order the 350 in Palladium silver. So maybe I should just get a non-designo grey leather interior (or auburn brown, but now I am waivering on that color even with a normal interior). Should I get the Sport interior or just the normal interior? Do the seats look the same with sport vs normal interior?

Would multi-contour benefit someone 5'8" tall at 165lbs?

I know I'm a bit off topic but I could be going in the right direction now.

Sport interior
 

The Sport seats (different design and more bolstering), wheel and pedals are great, but be aware you are limited to black premium leather (or black MBTex/Dinamica inserts). Here is mine in black leather:

http://greg-w.smugmug.com/Cars/2008-...SC_3511-XL.jpg

headliner
 

I that the DINAMICA headliner ?

No, just the optional black fabric.

thanks
 

Perfect - (the Arctic White is wicked) :y

I have the satin ash as the other trims glare in the afternoon sun.
I also have all leather wheel which is great.
And I have the two tone grey on black which looks stunning. This also comes with the black headliner. And it suits the Palladium silver.

Getting into my car after it's been parked in the hot summer sun (here in Georgia) cured me of wanting the wood wheel! It looks really nice, but with my current 2013 ML550, I went with the all leather wheel.

Wood wheels
 

Wood wheels should be relegated to vintage cars. A Nardi on a pre-80s Merc would fit, but not on today's cars. JMHO.

We went to the dealer to inspect the OPBA trim and wood steering wheel.

I found both highly objectionable.

The wood is so heavily grained that it formed a distraction.
The steering wheel is so slick that it could be problematic during normal driving maneuvers. Beyond the slick wood, the wheel has no "nubs" on the rear surface to improve grip.



The trim above the glove box was significantly more grained than any of the door trim.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...dc5154075f.jpg


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...93477d0144.jpg

If you like your MB looking like the side of an oak coffin or a Louisville Slugger baseball bat, their Open Pore Brown Ash is just what your doctor ordered.

Every tree is different..therefore every vehicle will have a different grain and likely appearance...this is how MB wanted it to look otherwise they would have filled it more..

Satin Ash trim
 

As Nanook says, it's a natural material so grain will vary. Don't know if MB has changed it in the last couple years, but I think it is quite attractive in my car (see post #10 photo). Anything is better than the typical gloss plastic-coated wood, IMO.

Everyone compliments my satin ash. Even a couple of S-Class drivers.

I don't think anybody has sat in my truck without commenting on the interior (auburn designo /satin ash.) The service people at the dealership have even commented. Over 2 years old and it looks brand new and that's with 2 kids and a golden retriever.

People climb in my 2010 ML with gloss trim and just ride along. When they climb in my 2014 I get all kinds of good comments about the satin trim. People love it. Looks real nice, especially with the wrapped dash. Throw in the ambient lighting and NightView and it just wows people during the evening rides.

FYI, the NightView works, but it's just not that useful. Would be much better if it was projected on windshield where it would be easier to watch