Vinyl interiors on new E Class
08-12-09, 01:04 PM
#16
Lexus Test Driver
lexus leather is soft but doesnt wear well. German standard leather is rougher but wears much better than Lexus. To someone who really knows leather, my father was in the leather business for a while, the MB-TEX feels like rubber.
08-12-09, 01:06 PM
#17
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I'll take the leather. Much nicer to sit on.
08-12-09, 01:10 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
It was an issue for us....that we actually got MBTex and NOT true leather. With a large dog and eventually small kids, I could not be bothered to try and maintain true leather. You could clearly see significant wear and tear on our previous RX and it's even worse in our X5. We actually have had multiple comments on how nice the "leather" feels in our ML and have to point out that it's not "true" leather.
Sure I take leather, my car is for people not animals or people that behave like animals.My point regarding non-issue is the fact that Mercedes makes MB-tex standard.
But the fact that Mercedes and BMW give the customer a choice can certainly be viewed as a plus.
As I said, it's not killing any sales. I know because I quizzed a veteran Mercedes salesman with 25+ years Mercedes experience that I've known for years on this subject.
08-12-09, 01:16 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
Leather DOES hold up if you treat it with any kind of care at all.
M-B Tex is just an excuse (and a poor one at that) for cost-cutting...........and 50-60K cars should not be in the buisness of cost-cutting. With M-B, it seems you have to move up to the AMG cars to get standard SMOOTH leather.
Audi and BMW have a similiar problem......to a lesser extent. They put rough, grainy leather on their lower and mid-line cars...but at least it's not synthetic or vinyl stuff. High-line BMWs and Audis seem to get nicer, smoother leather.
This never used to happen. Not long ago, ALL leather used in cars, regardless of price or brand, was smooth and slick.....though, of course, Jaguar and Lexus generally had the best. Then the bean-counters came along. And, some people also complained that the smooth leather made them slide around in the seats too much on sharp corners....but that problem was addressed by side bolstering in the seat.
That doesn't mean I'm a leather junkie. Far from it. Personally, for a number of reasons, I'd rather have cloth. But my feeling is, if you are going to do leather, do it right. Vinyl belongs back in the 1960's....and on cheaper cars at that.
Last edited by mmarshall; 08-12-09 at 01:21 PM.
08-12-09, 01:20 PM
#20
Lexus Champion
No dogs or cats allowed in my cars. Sure I take leather, my car is for people not animals or people that behave like animals.
My point regarding non-issue is the fact that Mercedes makes MB-tex standard.
But the fact that Mercedes and BMW give the customer a choice can certainly be viewed as a plus.
As I said, it's not killing any sales. I know because I quizzed a veteran Mercedes salesman with 25+ years Mercedes experience that I've known for years on this subject.
Sure I take leather, my car is for people not animals or people that behave like animals.My point regarding non-issue is the fact that Mercedes makes MB-tex standard.
But the fact that Mercedes and BMW give the customer a choice can certainly be viewed as a plus.
As I said, it's not killing any sales. I know because I quizzed a veteran Mercedes salesman with 25+ years Mercedes experience that I've known for years on this subject.
The MB salesmen that we dealt with actually recommended that we not go with true leather as we actually use the "utility" of our SUV's.
08-12-09, 01:22 PM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
Cool, he actually took into account your usage. Customer satisfaction via choice, even if it means slightly lower margin/commission.
08-12-09, 01:26 PM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by IS-SV
But the fact that Mercedes and BMW give the customer a choice can certainly be viewed as a plus.
08-12-09, 01:36 PM
#23
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, true to some extent, but, at Mercedes and BMW prices, one should not have to pay extra for leather (it should be a no-cost option).....or, in some cases, be told it is not available. And, IMO, the leather that IS offered should not look and feel like a Braille patch.
I like leather too (like you) and have it in my Lexus and previous Jags and Porsches. I have both seat materials in both of my cars currently for long-term comparison.
IMO, cloth is the cheeziest of materials of the 3 and that's what I have in my snow/rain vehicle, a 2002 Jeep.
08-12-09, 01:39 PM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
when i test drove the 2007 E class, the MB tex felt nicer than the regular MB leather, which had a rough texture.
MB tex still can't touch lexus leather in feel though
08-12-09, 01:43 PM
#25
Lexus Fanatic
As usual, Philip is right on.
Leather DOES hold up if you treat it with any kind of care at all.
Audi and BMW have a similiar problem......to a lesser extent. They put rough, grainy leather on their lower and mid-line cars...but at least it's not synthetic or vinyl stuff. High-line BMWs and Audis seem to get nicer, smoother leather.
Leather DOES hold up if you treat it with any kind of care at all.
Audi and BMW have a similiar problem......to a lesser extent. They put rough, grainy leather on their lower and mid-line cars...but at least it's not synthetic or vinyl stuff. High-line BMWs and Audis seem to get nicer, smoother leather.
leather seats are made from a hide base, with a thin vinyl-ish dyed layer on top. can't they make that vinyl layer smoother? or do europeans prefer the rough texture?
08-12-09, 01:44 PM
#26
Guest
Posts: n/a
I thought I bought a luxury car to have luxury features? Maybe I'm wrong.
If Lexus offered this crap as standard and charged people over $1500 for real leather the internetz would be up in arms about how cheap/Toyotaish it is.
Double standard strikes again!!
Well its easy to see how they price is lower than before. Leather is OPTIONAL. I wonder what else, wheels, paint, a steering wheel?
If Lexus offered this crap as standard and charged people over $1500 for real leather the internetz would be up in arms about how cheap/Toyotaish it is.
Double standard strikes again!!
Well its easy to see how they price is lower than before. Leather is OPTIONAL. I wonder what else, wheels, paint, a steering wheel?
08-12-09, 01:46 PM
#27
Lexus Champion
As usual, Philip is right on.
Leather DOES hold up if you treat it with any kind of care at all.
M-B Tex is just an excuse (and a poor one at that) for cost-cutting...........and 50-60K cars should not be in the buisness of cost-cutting. With M-B, it seems you have to move up to the AMG cars to get standard SMOOTH leather.
Audi and BMW have a similiar problem......to a lesser extent. They put rough, grainy leather on their lower and mid-line cars...but at least it's not synthetic or vinyl stuff. High-line BMWs and Audis seem to get nicer, smoother leather.
This never used to happen. Not long ago, ALL leather used in cars, regardless of price or brand, was smooth and slick.....though, of course, Jaguar and Lexus generally had the best. Then the bean-counters came along. And, some people also complained that the smooth leather made them slide around in the seats too much on sharp corners....but that problem was addressed by side bolstering in the seat.
That doesn't mean I'm a leather junkie. Far from it. Personally, for a number of reasons, I'd rather have cloth. But my feeling is, if you are going to do leather, do it right. Vinyl belongs back in the 1960's....and on cheaper cars at that.
Leather DOES hold up if you treat it with any kind of care at all.
M-B Tex is just an excuse (and a poor one at that) for cost-cutting...........and 50-60K cars should not be in the buisness of cost-cutting. With M-B, it seems you have to move up to the AMG cars to get standard SMOOTH leather.
Audi and BMW have a similiar problem......to a lesser extent. They put rough, grainy leather on their lower and mid-line cars...but at least it's not synthetic or vinyl stuff. High-line BMWs and Audis seem to get nicer, smoother leather.
This never used to happen. Not long ago, ALL leather used in cars, regardless of price or brand, was smooth and slick.....though, of course, Jaguar and Lexus generally had the best. Then the bean-counters came along. And, some people also complained that the smooth leather made them slide around in the seats too much on sharp corners....but that problem was addressed by side bolstering in the seat.
That doesn't mean I'm a leather junkie. Far from it. Personally, for a number of reasons, I'd rather have cloth. But my feeling is, if you are going to do leather, do it right. Vinyl belongs back in the 1960's....and on cheaper cars at that.
08-12-09, 01:52 PM
#30
The fact of the matter is the C and E (with MBTex standard) are easily outselling the IS and GS (with standard leather). Your opinion is not the opinion of the typical buyer of these cars, so Mercedes and BMW have taken their own approach based on people that really buy their cars.
I like leather too (like you) and have it in my Lexus and previous Jags and Porsches. I have both seat materials in both of my cars currently for long-term comparison.
IMO, cloth is the cheeziest of materials of the 3 and that's what I have in my snow/rain vehicle, a 2002 Jeep.
I like leather too (like you) and have it in my Lexus and previous Jags and Porsches. I have both seat materials in both of my cars currently for long-term comparison.
IMO, cloth is the cheeziest of materials of the 3 and that's what I have in my snow/rain vehicle, a 2002 Jeep.
in fact while mb-tex is standard, a lot of the mb i have seen (owners or at dealerships) they are with leather upgrade already