Interior upgrade..differance between MBTex and Leather
What is the differance between MBTex and leather? Did they use MBTex on seating or just trim parts like door panels, dash boards, etc.
I recently upgraded to leather (from velour) but noticed the bolsters have a white fabric backing...now I'm questioning if the seats are leather. The seats are wrapped very snuggly around the frames so it's almost impossible to see the underside. It looks like leather, but it just doesn't seem to have the tell-tale leather smell. The interior came from a car that was reupholstered and is in perfect condition.
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1990 560 SEL, 1991 560 SEC Euro
Birmingham, MI
Very well made vinyl can be hard to distinguish from bad leather, but the original Roser leather MB used is very good quality and it is easy to tell the difference.
The leather does have the white cloth backing you found. This is mostly to help with the assembly process as it makes it much easier to pull the leather covers over the frame and springs.
The easiest place to look for the difference between leather and vinyl are the seat bottoms. The top is leather, but the sides are vinyl. On close inspection you'll notice some color and texture differences between the seating surface and the sides. This is what I found on my car, a 1990 SEC model. Your's may be different.
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Axel
1990 SEC, Arctic White w/gray interior, M119.960 326 Hp. engine from 1992 500 SL, 722.370 transmission from 500E (reinforced clutches), 2:82 Differential, Euro Headlamps, 1st Gear Start module, One-Touch Window module and Keyless Entry module all from BergWerks, Bilstein HD Shocks on front axle, H&R lowering springs front and rear, AMG 3-piece 17" rims, 8.5" in the front and 10" at the rear.
Last edited by AxelWulff : 11-27-2007 at 11:31 AM.
It's very easy for the mind to start playing tricks on you...expecially when its hard to tell the differance between good vinyl and bad leather as you eloquently point out.
I searched an earlier post that suggested that the underside should resemble suede...which is why I got off on a tangent. The white backing that helps in assembly totaly makes sense.
Vehicle: '83 300SD-daily driver '84 300CD-weekend car
Location: central Va
Posts: 989
I can tell I have leather on the top of the back seat, as it has been the worse for wear sitting in the sun. When I get around to it, I'll replace with vinyl.
Don't know when MB started using leather just where you touch the seat, mostly.
The leather smell is added chemically to the leather...even on new cars. The aftermarket folks may well buy unsmelly leather. This little tidbit came from the guy who sells most of the leather to the big three so I hold some credence to it.
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Vehicle: 1985 380SE US Spec | 1983 500SEL EURO Spec | 1998 GMC Sierra 2500 6.5 Turbo Diesel
Location: Central New Jersey
Posts: 1,658
MB TEX is far more durable, I not long ago had my MB TEX seat patched with leather. Here is a picture maybe you can tell the difference. The leather is softer and feels moist-er than the MB TEX. The sides of horizontal part of the seat are now leather but the middle and backing is MB TEX. Hard to tell isn't it?
__________________ 1985 380SE
Done:
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Think of MB Tex as ultra-kick ass vinyl. I'm shocked at how un-vinyl like it is, but the stuff is nearly indestructible. My wife's '81 W123 had it, and even in the Texas sun & heat, the stuff looked nearly new after 15 years of two kids and abuse.
With the newest pseudo-leathers are actually pretty amazing. I'd pick them for feel/look over even moderately-good leather, in many cases. Given how real leather ages, I'd have to say the new fakey leather might be a better fabric for the long-term.
__________________ Kelly B '89 420 SEL, almost bone stock, 142K miles
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'99 Fleetwood Bounder Diesel 39Z diesel pusher motorhome, which has visited 10 Canadian provinces and 49 states under our ownership, 117K miles and many modifications
I agree - MB Tex is bloody amazing stuff.
It needs ZERO maintenance, doesn't fade (over decades!), is neither cold in Winter nor hot in Summer, retains its physical shape really well, provides a secure non-slip surface.... yet is still maligned by the dead animal skin advocates as somehow inferior to leather...go figure?.
Leather is a poor third cousin to MB Tex and MB Velour by my ranking.
Leather is a poor third cousin to MB Tex and MB Velour by my ranking.
Yeah, I've been hearing that quite a bit - at least in regards to velour being preferable over leather. I would agree vinyl is a more durable product, but in my mind its still plastic. In the US we are accustomed to believing leather is better even though it's not rational. I guess maybe I have an aversion to dated looking 80's velour with the signature horizontal stripes whereas the leather still looks current. I like the feel of velour...just not the look in my particular car.
An Alcantra interior would be very cool if it was reasonably priced.
Last edited by graftdesign : 11-28-2007 at 05:54 AM.
MB TEX is far more durable, I not long ago had my MB TEX seat patched with leather. Here is a picture maybe you can tell the difference. The leather is softer and feels moist-er than the MB TEX. The sides of horizontal part of the seat are now leather but the middle and backing is MB TEX. Hard to tell isn't it?
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