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Paint/Interior questions re: '03 SLK 32AMG

4K views 27 replies 0 participants last post by  RickH 
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#1 ·
Ready to order. Have 320 SLK in Silver/Charcoal.<br>
Leaning toward Obsidian Black and believe it is slightly easier to keep clean than regular black. (I know my 'Black Pearl' MB a few years ago wasn't bad in this regard.)I'm just 'silvered out'.<br>
As for the interior,my dealer--very upfront and honest--says that the black/Alpaca interior does not hold up well over time. Says Alpaca trim shows wear quickly. He says black is best. Red/Black, no problem, but small interior space of SLK can lead to 'red fatigue' over time.<br>
While color choices are a matter of taste, I'd like to get comments about how different combos hold up over time and just how difficult the Obsidian finish is to keep clean. I am not obsessive about detailing my car. Any Obsidian owners here?<br>
 
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#2 ·
How does he know, its (alpaca) has been out less than a year...

plus on the 32 the alpaca part constitutes only seat trim and the leather door panel. Its more of a highlight than the two tone interior on regular SLKs. All the chipable plastic is colored black.
 
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#4 ·
Obsidian Black

You have to dust it regularly and it shows every water spot and paint swirl. Of course it is nice to know when your car is dirty so you can get out the wash and wax before the blemishes become permanent. Not worth the extra cost over regular black (it was free as part of a 'value added' package on my SLK), but I love the elegant look of polished black cars. Black also goes well with the seams in the roof and of course the tires. Of course some people like the heat reflective qualities of white or silver. I bet that every interior other than Charcoal will not 'wear' well.
 
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#5 ·
Before you order that 32...

I ahve a 32 and 'was' very pleased, however, color or not you order the b32 because of its awsome power... mine no longer has that spirit and eventhough the dealer acknowledges it's not as fast they offered no solution. Currently I'm putting more miles on the car to see if something shows up (I have ONLY 7,000 miles). So before you pay an extra $20,000 for a bit better handleing and a whole lot more power, seriously think about this situation... if Mercedes does not stand up (and so far they haven't) on a power loss which can happen to any of you... what good is the extra price?
 
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#7 ·
Paint/Interior:

This is the ops mgr of one of the country's largest MB/BMW/Porche stores. He sees a ton of product in a year. Other MB models apparently have had Alpaca for sometime. (I think he might also be referring not just to Alpaca but Oyster too.)<br>
So, am I to understand that Alpaca/Oyster interiors hold up just as well as the others?<br>
My wife really likes the black/Alpaca. As for the Obsidian Black--except for the additional cost--any comments here? Sometimes other people's perspectives can be helpful.
 
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#8 ·
I have the regular old black and absolutely love it, but

I can't imagine any derivative of black that is worthy of the name that would not be impossible to keep clean. I wash mine two (ok, sometimes three) times a week and use a cover in my garage, but within minutes of drying you can see dust on the car. Now, i live in Atlanta and we are on the tail end of pollen season, but if perfection is what you are seeking (perceived or otherwise) don't bother with black.<br> <br> But, if you just love the look of black, coupled with tinted windows and the silver trim like I do, the additional cleaning is WELL worth the effort. Also, NO color looks better wet than black!<br> <br> I have charcoal interior and am glad I didnt two tone it. Looks good just the way it is and no worries about wear or chipping.
 
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#10 ·
get what you like, you olny live once

I have black/oyster, and haven't noticed that the interior is any harder to keep than any other color. If you have kids, or are especially hard on the interior it might make a difference. I just wipe down with a good leather/interior cleaner each time i wash it, and that seems to do just fine.
 
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