W202 Sport leather confusion

[Emeye]

I've done some searching and reading, but being a Merc newbie I'm still not clear on the different leather options available to upgrade my 2000 plate w202 C230k Sport to leather. A couple of questions:

Is there a Sport version of the leather interior? Is this just the carbon trim on the doors or are the Sport leather seats more supportive? Ie bigger size bolsters.

When is the facelift crossover? Will a 1997 w202 interior do, or does the facelift start from 1998? I have seen a Sport interior out of a C240 advertised locally but it is a T reg so worried it may be borderline. ie late registered MY1997 car.

How can you tell the difference between pre and post seats if they have already been removed from the donor car?

Are there AMG leather seats?

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to get the right seats!

PS. Anyone selling a suitable leather interior let me know please!

 

[martyz]

T august 98 on,it will be a facelift car,so will fit.

 

[andy27168]

As above 97 was the change year as a general rule of thumb R reg or newer will be facelift.
C43 interior would be the best available but they all had orthopedic function electric movement and were heated as well as folding rear seats.
As well as front seats you want to make sure the rear seats will fit in your car as above there was a folding seat option, which are not interchangable into a car that did,nt have folding rear seats from the factory, and vica versa.

 

[vijilants]

Also be prepared to replace the seat pads on the drivers seat at least if you want some level of comfort. W202 leather seats are not the most comfortable by any standard and putting a new lower seat pad in as flimsy as it is, does make a difference.

They cost approx £60 - 70 from the dealer if I remember rightly when I did mine.

 

[fuzzer]

if you are happy with your current seats , just swap the covers over..?

Its all plastic clips and rods to keep the shape. Its worth replacing the rods once the cover is off as it just makes everything look more defined.

Will take you about 2 hours to do a seat , the rear ones will be easier.

 

[Emeye]

Cheers for the info. Just one thing I'm not clear on, are the Sport leather seats different from the leather seats in other trim levels?

 

[fuzzer]

Cheers for the info. Just one thing I'm not clear on, are the Sport leather seats different from the leather seats in other trim levels?

The seats on the classic , esprit and elegance are the same. The sport and amg seats are different. Larger side bolsters and different base too from memory.

 

[Emeye]

Thanks.

 

[salesac1]

if you are happy with your current seats , just swap the covers over..?

Its all plastic clips and rods to keep the shape. Its worth replacing the rods once the cover is off as it just makes everything look more defined.

Will take you about 2 hours to do a seat , the rear ones will be easier.

I wouldn't recommend that unless you are prepared for a few hours of fruitless endeavour. The front seat bases are do-able, however for the seat backs no-one could answer when I asked how to remove the large plastic dial cover for the backrest angle and the two headrest channels from the top of the backrest. You need to get those off to replace the backrest covers.

Pre-facelift seats will fit fine - only the doorcards changed - but the main issue is the occupancy sensor in the front passenger seat base. Unless you get one with the connector to match the one in your car (and the sensor still works ), you'll need to swap the sensor from your existing seat, which means taking the seat base apart. Not too sure, but even a facelift seat may have a different connector to yours, so worth checking before you buy. My MY2000 C200 has a yellow connector with 3 leads but my replacement seat had a red connector with 2 leads.

My leather seats came from a Sport (I believe) - I've noticed the wider bolsters on the backrest [the seat belt needs more help to retract properly now], but the base seems no different to my original cloth Classic seats. The seat pads seem quite sturdy to me, they are not foam but some type of fibre that fits over a metal frame.

 

[fuzzer]

I wouldn't recommend that unless you are prepared for a few hours of fruitless endeavour. The front seat bases are do-able, however for the seat backs no-one could answer when I asked how to remove the large plastic dial cover for the backrest angle and the two headrest channels from the top of the backrest. You need to get those off to replace the backrest covers.

The backrest angle asjusters just pop off with an angled wedge..

The top parts with the headrests come up when you release the popout tag.

Takes 2 seconds to do both.

After doing it a few times , i could replace both the coconut fibre bases and strip and recover a front seat in under an hour.

That includes replacing the stiffening rods etc.


Ive got a spare airbag sensor in my parts bin if you have issues.

When it comes to W202 seats , ive been there and done it...

 

[Emeye]

Tbh I would rather just swap the seats and door panels over than try changing the covers. I plan to upgrade the speakers so will do that at the same time as changing the door covers. Just need to source myself a decent interior.

 

[salesac1]

The backrest angle asjusters just pop off with an angled wedge..

The top parts with the headrests come up when you release the popout tag.

Takes 2 seconds to do both.

After doing it a few times , i could replace both the coconut fibre bases and strip and recover a front seat in under an hour.

That includes replacing the stiffening rods etc.


Ive got a spare airbag sensor in my parts bin if you have issues.

When it comes to W202 seats , ive been there and done it...

OK, good to know. Tried everything I could think of to get those things off .

If you mean you have a seat sensor pad in working condition and it has 3 leads with a yellow connector, then yes that would be of interest and please PM me - thanks.
Andrew

 

[Emeye]

Is the airbag sensor connector easy enough to get to without taking the seats out? Thinking I could have a look in my car before buying a set.

 

[salesac1]

Yes, it's easy to see what connector you've got. Look under the passenger front seat for a lead coming out of the floor and going under the seat.

Pics in this thread.

 

[salesac1]

Just need to source myself a decent interior.

Decent ones are getting more difficult to come by. My car has split-folding rear seats which limited my choice even more. In March I bought a set of 'VGC' black seats with the right configuration on eBay and realised while driving back with them loaded up that they stunk of stale smoke. There were also small sections missing from the front 'seam' on two of the seat bases. Cue googling for how to get rid of the smell and the failed idea to swap the covers onto my existing frames; followed by the thought to buy another non-smoky set and just use the rear seat backs from the first set, then sell the leftovers....so, my second 'VGC' set couriered to me with a confirmed 'no damage requiring professional repair' turned out to have a 2-inch cut on the rear seat back as well as being incredibly dirty . Not to mention the seat sensor issue . BTW you also need the right Torx wrench attachment to unbolt the front seats from the floor.

Ended up buying the Gliptone Scuffmaster kit as, apart from paying for a professional service, that seemed to be the only way to restore the set I kept to the level I wanted to have in my car.

Hence I've spent the last few months buying, selling, stripping, un-stripping, cleaning, cleaning again, conditioning and now dyeing, to get a decent set installed. So be warned and don't always believe those who say they can change their interiors in 30 minutes while reading the paper . Light at the end of the tunnel at last now though

 

[Emeye]

Thanks for the encouraging words!

 

[salesac1]

Thanks for the encouraging words!

My pleasure . The other option you might consider is ordering a set of custom-fit leatherette seat covers, that fit over the existing cloth. Helpful guy called Lucio there - they can supply them for W202s with fixed rear seats, but not split-folding ones, otherwise I might have gone that route.

BTW I meant to say - good luck with your search!

 

[fuzzer]

The covers wash well in the washing machine once they are off

Come up a treat and smelling lovely

OK, good to know. Tried everything I could think of to get those things off .

If you mean you have a seat sensor pad in working condition and it has 3 leads with a yellow connector, then yes that would be of interest and please PM me - thanks.
Andrew

Ill double check , but im sure i do. Ill PM you later.

 

[Emeye]

My pleasure . The other option you might consider is ordering a set of custom-fit leatherette seat covers, that fit over the existing cloth. Helpful guy called Lucio there - they can supply them for W202s with fixed rear seats, but not split-folding ones, otherwise I might have gone that route.

BTW I meant to say - good luck with your search!

I've never been convinced by aftermarket seat covers - and leatherette doesn't really appeal...

The next post is going to tell me that the Mercedes seats are not all leather, isn't it?

 

[fuzzer]

I've never been convinced by aftermarket seat covers - and leatherette doesn't really appeal...

The next post is going to tell me that the Mercedes seats are not all leather, isn't it?

The sports seats only come in leather or cloth.