MB Tex, was the UK allergic?

[isobars]

Hi All,

I’ve been trying to avoid buying a W123 Coupe for a while; however, I can feel my resolve weakening. My initial objective was to buy a Turbo version from America, firstly for the turbo, and secondly for the lack of rust.

Prices there have gone high – or it seems so since I’ve been looking, but isn’t it always like that – so I thought I’d see if I could find something decent in Europe - forget the Turbo, use the savings on transport and tax to pay the fuel bill. As things are generally cheaper in England than in most places these days, I’ve been ferreting around in GB.

Anyway, I’ve noticed something - I think - during my search. Is it my imagination or did hardly anyone buy a Mercedes in the eighties in Britain with MB Tex? Everything seems to be cloth. It, (the cloth), wears terribly, and although some think the Tex makes you perspire it’s no worse in my experience than leather, and the problem with cloth is that it s(t)inks right in!

I have to say as well that it seems to be the world’s hardiest wearingiest thing. I’ve hardly ever seen a rip in it and certainly never any thinning. I put a set of ladders in my 116, (just). They rested across the parcel shelf and the arm rest on their way to the foot-well. I’d forgotten that my wife, bless her, had added a three inch screw and a lath to stop them slipping apart at the top. Part of the design was to let the lath rest on the screw preventing further problems. I digress. Upshot was that said screw (the head-end, that is) spent 24 hours burying itself into the armrest leaving a half inch indentation. Next morning – GONE!!! I honestly thought we’d had the fix-it fairies in.

So why have I posted this? Well, I’ve forgotten. So, clutching at straws….. as we have the production figures for every model and factory since the year dot somewhere on the internet, does a list exist of every colour painted and every cloth stretched round a seat frame?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[trapperjohn]

Snobby thing for me Paul. I have avoided MB Tex like the plauge - Its just not leather! Too taxi for me.

Thats the truth from me.

 

[219]

I've had several cars with Tex , and I think it's fab !

Hardest wearing material of the lot .

 

[SilverSaloon]

My 124 estate has MB-Tex. its excellent. people always assume its leather.

John; you must take a good look at my interior at the next meet. (if i actually get round to cleaning it out lol).... it will convert you to MB-Tex.

My E300D estate was very well specc'ed with electric steering column, electric seats, auto-dazzle mirror, othopedic seats etc but they also spec'd MB-Tex over leather. I assume they did this not to save money (as they have spent on other less-important extras), but because they deemed it better.

227k miles and the drivers bolster is almost as new:

although i do prefer the "ruffle" of the leather door cards, so i've fitted leather door cards onto mine.

 

[trapperjohn]

I will have a look next time I'm up.
Odd you have "ruffled" door cards. Usually a sign of a leather interior, but no deneying your seats are MB Tex and looking good. (For MB Tex that is) Wish I could locate some ortho seats for my 124. Probably harder to find than AMG kits.

 

[isobars]

Hat's off to you John, you call it how you see it!

 

[grober]

I have a feeling that despite it being man made " pretend" leather it was actually quite an expensive extra in the UK at the time, as was the the "pimp my ride" velour material.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Odd you have "ruffled" door cards. Usually a sign of a leather

my car had the MB-TEX cards in when i got them. So i bought some leather ones and fitted them. i still have the mb-tex ones in the attic incase i swap back for whatever reason one day (but i doubt it).

Original:

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[blondebier]

It does seem like MB-Tex was quite a rare option. I've got it in my W201.

I can't see any wear on it at all and it's so easy to keep clean.

If I could choose between leather and MB-Tex I'd have MB-Tex every time. Leather does not age well in cars and old mercs in particular look really sad if the leather is bad.

Good luck in your search.

I suppose you could always change the interior to MB-Tex in the future if you found a car that you really liked?

 

[bpsorrel]

MB-Tex always reminds me MB taxis in Lisbon and Madrid! But, it's a great hardwearing material and I'm not sure why it's not more popular here. Saying that, I love the smell of my real leather, something I'd miss if my seats were MB-Tex.... (of course, could always buy some Gliptone and spill it under the seats! )

 

[prm]

Spose you wouldn't have leather if you were a veggie?

 

[Smarties]

I have a feeling that despite it being man made " pretend" leather it was actually quite an expensive extra in the UK at the time, as was the the "pimp my ride" velour material.

Tex from memory was quite an inexpensive option in it's day, £200 or so back in the 80's. Tex for me every time!

 

[prm]

I've got Artico..........nice

 

[Deadhead]

I've got Artico..........nice

Me too.

Previously I had thought of Artico purely as a cheap leather-substitute. But it's hardwearing, comfy and doesn't make me perspire. What's not to like.

 

[grober]

Tex from memory was quite an inexpensive option in it's day, £200 or so back in the 80's. Tex for me every time!

I stand corrected just checked the optional factory fit MB-tex price for a w124 saloon in 1990 was a mere £154-13 inc vat. Compared to the £1637-97 for soft leather a real bargain. Guess it must be the "taxis have it" thing then.