Artico to Leather?

[tommytucker]

Does anyone dislike Artico enough to replace it with leather? I've been looking into it recently and so far it's going to cost 1.5k to do the seats,add nappa and a few bits and pieces and I'm up to 2.5k. I realise that if I do it I'll never get the money back should I sell the car,I just wondered what you guys thought?

 

[whitenemesis]

I changed (well, Dave at d:class actually) the standard black leather in my 203 for red nappa. Yes expensive but I loved the look and feeling every time I sat in the car. Priceless!

Do it and enjoy it...

 

[tommytucker]

I saw some pics of it and I have to admit I thought it was done very tastefully.

 

[developer]

There's Tappers up my way Tom - they did the artico repair.

I think it's the material rather than the craftsmanship that failed .

Trimmers, Upholstery, Car Hoods

 

[tommytucker]

Thanks John,I'll give them a call,I was prepared to go to the Wirral and stay overnight so Birmingham's also a possibility if his price is okay.

 

[James]

Does anyone dislike Artico enough to replace it with leather? I've been looking into it recently and so far it's going to cost 1.5k to do the seats,add nappa and a few bits and pieces and I'm up to 2.5k. I realise that if I do it I'll never get the money back should I sell the car,I just wondered what you guys thought?

Definitely do it, but depending if your car is more than 5 years old, try and find a donor leather interior? Otherwise I would maybe just get a standard leather retrim - nappa is probably a lot more expensive albeit it looks and feels nicer

 

[Westbarn1]

My, new to me E350 has Artiko seats, must confess, looking at it, I thought it was leather, this post has got me worried now, whats the answer (apart from not using it) keeping it out of the sun, any treatments?

 

[tommytucker]

Hello Westbarn,I don't know of any treatment for it but mine had a new bolster fitted to the drivers seat and it lasted a little over a year and it's split again.Now I'm no heavyweight,far from it but even if I were I'd expect it to last longer than that,it's just not the same quality as leather.My car will be 7 years old later this year and I'm trying to justify to myself that I should spend 2.5k having it re-trimmed in leather.

 

[KennyN]

Cant you just get a complete leather interior from ebay , or similar , and fit it yourself as there must be a few around.

2007 MERCEDES ESTATE E280 COMPLETE BLACK LEATHER REAR SEAT W211 2002-2009 | eBay

Kenny

 

[tommytucker]

Thanks Kenny,I've been looking for a complete set but do you know if the A/G seats are the same as in the sport?
Tom

 

[BIG_G_1979]

This post has me wondering too, I own an 06 face-lift sport, are my seats not leather? What is this artico? And what is wrong with artico



I have attached my data card can someone confirm for me what I have thanks

 

[whitenemesis]

You have Artico, artificial leather, or more correctly, vinyl seats.

Artico appears to be somewhat less durable than its predecessor, MBTex.

 

[BIG_G_1979]

I have 5" rip/crack on the drivers Base which annoys the hell out of me

 

[KennyN]

Thanks Kenny,I've been looking for a complete set but do you know if the A/G seats are the same as in the sport?

Being a bit of a noob to MB then the short answer is no i dont know for certain but if you mean will the Sports seats physically fit into the A/G then i dont see the factory making different mounts in the floor pan to accomodate different trim levels so i would think they would fit.

Easy to determine if you ,and a Sport owner , could take some sizes to compare them.

Kenny.

 

[James]

This post has me wondering too, I own an 06 face-lift sport, are my seats not leather? What is this artico? And what is wrong with artico

View attachment 48427

I have attached my data card can someone confirm for me what I have thanks

This is the issue with Artico (only Mercedes can dress up vinyl with a name like this). It looks very similar to the standard leather, but is not nearly as desirable. Historically vinyl in the trade was like having a car coloured solid beige. A lot of people are now duped into believing it's leather on the second hand market. Not so much in Mercedes dealerships but definitely on ebay and independent traders

 

[jaymanek]

I have 5" rip/crack on the drivers Base which annoys the hell out of me

Pretty much all MB's with artico suffer with this.. We have the panel replaced by a local trimmer with real leather to stop it happening again.

 

[Westbarn1]

Wish I had seen this posting, before I bought mine

 

[BIG_G_1979]

Can anyone advise me how to remove the bit of the seat u sit on so that I can leave it in to get fixed or do I have to remove the complete seat?

 

[BIG_G_1979]

Wish I had seen this posting, before I bought mine

Me too :-(

 

[tommytucker]

Can anyone advise me how to remove the bit of the seat u sit on so that I can leave it in to get fixed or do I have to remove the complete seat?

I think the only way is to take it to a trimmer,as in post 16.