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  #1  
Old 11-14-2003, 03:39 PM
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vynil or leather: how to tell

1992 300D.

I want to clean my interior and want to correct cleaning agent or wipe.

I need to know whther my seats are leather or vynil. If mixed, which part of the seat is leather?

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  #2  
Old 11-17-2003, 09:34 PM
ThrillBilly
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i would guess that it is "MB-Tex", not leather.
tex was/is usually perforated, leather usually is not.

a leather product would not hurt tex, but
i would advise using only dedicated products on leather.
lexol makes very good products for both.

can you post a pic? or describe it better?
it could have been equiped with either, but most likely tex.
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  #3  
Old 11-19-2003, 12:49 PM
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Some part is perforated.
But no go through hole. It looks like hole.

Let me say about the driver seat pan.
The horizontal (in the sense of left-ritght) part is perforated. The angled part that hold the thigh from the outer sides is not perforated.

If the side in contact with the human is leather, is the back part of the seat also leather?

Last edited by ktlimq; 11-19-2003 at 12:57 PM.
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  #4  
Old 12-09-2003, 10:48 AM
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The easiest way to tell is this: If the upholstery has channels that are about 1 1/2 wide and run the entire length of the seat, ie. from the back of the seat bottom to the front of the seat, you have MB Tex. If the upholstery is sewn in rectangular panels that are perforated and the border around those panels is not preforated, you have leather.

It sounds by your description, you have leather seats. Leather was an option on diesels. Yes, on Mercedes, EVERYTHING is leather, seat sides and back. That's another way to check. Look inside the map pockets behind the driver's seat. If you see a surface that looks like suede, you have leather.
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  #5  
Old 12-09-2003, 01:30 PM
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If you contact MB at 1-800 222-0100 and supply them with the vin # of you car they can send you a copy of your original window sticker "at no charge"which will tell you if you have leather. I can usually tell the difference by just looking at the graining.
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  #6  
Old 12-12-2003, 02:17 AM
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Talking leather or MBtex?

I agree with rdanz that looking at the grain on the surface you can usually tell if its leather or not. The pattern is not the same on every spot in say a 4 inch square. If the pattern repeats itself more likely its MBtex or vinyl with a standard imprinted pattern. Leather has natural pores, very small and hard to see. MBtex has small holes to allow air to circulate if I am not wrong. Smell it and leather has a kind of animal smell whereas MBtex has none or should not have any except a more chemical type. Very good leather is soft and cushiony while MBtex is quite hard or feels too thin. My 2cents worth.
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  #7  
Old 12-16-2003, 05:23 AM
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I have also tried the finger test. Leather wrinkles whereas Tex doesn't. Try it sometime on your seats. It actually works and holds for all cars, not just MBenz. The only issue with MBs is that the Tex is normally so good that many unintiated think it's leather.
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  #8  
Old 12-16-2003, 11:51 PM
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You can also check either your Data Card or your Data Plate. It will show a 3 digit interior code. If the first digit is a "1" you have MB-tex; if a "2" you have leather; if a "3" it's velour.
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  #9  
Old 12-23-2003, 08:30 AM
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Thanks to all.

I called MB. They said that MB-tex was installed at the factory.

I guess it is still original, because it looks old.

At the back of the maintenance book, there are engine number , tranny number, and bunch of three digit numbers. One of them may be interior code.
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  #10  
Old 01-04-2004, 02:33 PM
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I had someone think that the MB-Tex in my 20 yr old TD was leather. This stuff will last longer than the car. Leather eventually stretches, cracks and then tears. Give your interior a "bath" of Vinylex, let it sit a bit, then wipe it off. You a clean light colored towel and you will see all the dirt that comes off.

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