Why leather

[camerafodder]

Can you dial up a temp and the thing will keep itself in the set temp range, or is this Luke Skywalker stuff.......?

No it's pretty basic really, 3 levels of heat and three levels of ventilation.

I suppose one might call it progress that to counter the genuine shortcomings of leather of being too cold in winter and too hot in summer that you heat the seats in winter and cool them in summer, at the price of making the leather look like aertex, adding a lot of expense and weight, and even more of a bugger to clean....

Ah yes, cleaning is a real pain. I also made the mistake of liberally applying leather cream to part of the seat squab to re-juvenate it. It took me ages to get the cream out of the holes with a cocktail stick!

 

[verytalldave]

If you have a "large frame" - or to put it another way - overweight - then cloth can wear badly on the doorside edges of the drivers seat. The rubbing of the frame of a large person getting into - and out of a car with cloth covered seats can wear through relatively quickly. Leather, on the other hand has a smoother surface and tends to not wear like cloth. And bearing in mind many MB drivers do tend to be 'generous' in their build, perhaps this is a consideration ? ? No ? ?

 

[camerafodder]

What are you trying to say VTD?

 

[verytalldave]

I am not 'trying' to say anything.........................

I am saying that some MB owner/drivers do tend be on the plus side of average in their stature.

Or to be slightly clearer........................

F*T.

 

[bingo999]

My first car had velour seats and although was a fiesta they were a good fabric second was all fabric, on the corsa i went for what is called the design spec. this came with half "leather" seats (i believe its vinyl) then obviously with the S class its leather or nothing. personal preference is the half leather but the S has the benefit of remote cooling of the drivers seat so i press the keyfob on a warm day and the seat pre cools.. dont think it pre heats in winter tho

 

[Charles Morgan]

If you have a "large frame" - or to put it another way - overweight - then cloth can wear badly on the doorside edges of the drivers seat. The rubbing of the frame of a large person getting into - and out of a car with cloth covered seats can wear through relatively quickly. Leather, on the other hand has a smoother surface and tends to not wear like cloth. And bearing in mind many MB drivers do tend to be 'generous' in their build, perhaps this is a consideration ? ? No ? ?

I would say big boned, but oddly the bone is soft and hangs around my stomach...

The W124 driver bolster always wears, leather or no, and leather scratches worse. I think it is six of one, half a dozen of the other.....

 

[artyman]

At least we don't get deckchair material like Citreon 2CV's

 

[st13phil]

I would say big boned, but oddly the bone is soft and hangs around my stomach...

Classic!!!

 

[Deadhead]

My last two cars have had Artico. Before I tried it I imagined that it would be some kind of sweaty vinyl-type deal. But its very comfortable whatever the temperature and very hard-wearing and, in practice, what's not to like?

 

[Stratman]

I've had Jags and a Daimler with leather and two MBs with cloth. I much prefer the cloth, like others have said it's not freezing in the winter, neither does it necessitate a trip to the burns unit in the summer. I also like not sliding around on the seat when going round corners.

 

[voy2age]

they look good on my C220, but i don't have seat warmers, so they are bloody cold on the "behind" in the winter.. may sound like a silly question...does anyone know if the heaters are already in the seat, for example..i'v found on some vehicles the heated mirrors are there but not connected.. just a thought

 

[verytalldave]

they look good on my C220, but i don't have seat warmers, so they are bloody cold on the "behind" in the winter.. may sound like a silly question...does anyone know if the heaters are already in the seat, for example..i'v found on some vehicles the heated mirrors are there but not connected.. just a thought

As a PS to the above comment, but unrelated to MB.......
On my sons car (which is a MK2 Clio), only the offside rear light unit has a foglight - along with many other 'budget' cars. However, upon investigation, all you need to do is fit another 21 watt bulb into the nearside lamp unit and hey presto - two working rear fog lights. Its already wired and there is an empty bulb holder ready. Not to fit 2 bulbs is really cost-cutting in extreme.

 

[corned]

UK lighting regs state o/s fog only. Therefore the manufacturer is only doing what is easiest/cheapest for market compatibility, without having to resort to different looms for different markets.

There was a good discussion in here not that long ago about it...

 

[Palfrem]

Leather seats make it easier for my 83 year old, hip replacemented, somewhat frail Mother to slide in and out on.

Pensioner-Tex crimpelene and fabric seats seems to have a velcro like grip on the elderly posterior.

 

[st4]

I have the artico and before had the cloth/half leather.

I prefered the later, never too hot in the summer or cold in the winter, more comfortable to sit on and held you in place in the seat better.

The 204 with the half leather/cloth is ideal and probably what I will go for next, whenever I decide to get rid of "the shed".

Its a real pitty MB did not offer the 211 sport in half leather/cloth

 

[Dieselman]

As a PS to the above comment, but unrelated to MB.......
On my sons car (which is a MK2 Clio), only the offside rear light unit has a foglight - along with many other 'budget' cars.

Just like a Mercedes then.

 

[Privatedoc]

At least we don't get deckchair material like Citreon 2CV's

Actually, my first car (as a poor medical student) was a citroen Dyane and it had rather trendy bri-nylon mock velour cream/brown upholstery....it was f'in awful!........when you got out, the static was so great you could discharge a big blue spark from your finger...ouch!

 

[gIzzE]

I had alcantara and cloth on Fionas 3 series touring and that was great, so would seriously consider the similar option on the E Class sport.

 

[D-18]

I'm definitely in the camp that wouldn't even look at a Merc without leather. Resale considerations aside, I just find leather seats more comfortable.

 

[neilrr]

I've always preferred cloth.