Hi,

My 83 300D has a hole on the lower outside part of the seatback. It is a hole that is about a 3 inch high oval. The MB-TEX is blue, and I want to get it fixed, because the white cloth behind it is quite noticable. I like the surfaces, and all the others are great. It might look a bit goofy to have a cover on one of the seats, so I am thinking that I would like to just repair the vinyl. I saw a permatex kit at the auto store, but it only has a 2x3 inch cloth backing in it, which isnt big enough to repair the hole.

Has anyone tried to fix this? I dont knwo how well it would work to buy two or three kits and attach two of the pieces in the hole and adhere them, so there is only a small "tear" formed bby the two new pieces, and then fix that with a third filler piece to get it to be ok. I dont knwo if that would work, and Id bet there is a better way to fix it, Im just unsure. I dont really know what the cloth in the permatex kit that you use to fill holes is really made of or how thick, etc. it is, so I dont know if its something that I could go to a fabric shop and get more of.
If you got it done, what kind of place did you take it?
Any reccomendations on how to fix the hole would be most appreciated... Im almost tempted to use a bit of blue duct tape, but the blues clash too much and it would look almost as bad, if not worse to do that.
Thanks for your help

JMH

I've repaired a tear in my rear seat with the Permatex kit and it has worn extremely well. The only problem is that I found the color almost impossible to match so although the texture/surface is perfect, it looks like there is a spot on the seat. My interior is Palomino and maybe blue is easier, also you probably have a better eye for color than I do. As to the size I'm not sure what will happen if you try to double up on the kits. My tear was small, about 1-2 inches, but sealed up very neatly and I think a larger hole wouldn't be vastly different. I'd probably give it a go since it sounds like you don't have much to loose. You might want to try to duct tape the back of the two backing pieces together before you slide it in behind your tear. Also, if you can't get complete access to properly heat cure the new material then you might want to consider removing the seat. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

__________________
LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

For JMH:

MB-Tex wears like iron, as you probably already know, and therein
lies the challenges of a repair. I've owned 15 mercedes of which
about half had MB-Tex, the others leather, and experience has
taught me to go to a salvage yard when ever a serious upholstry
issue is confronted. Yes, one needs to be careful but the final
analysis has demonstrated that the most cost effective remedy
along with asthetics with pleasing appearances has been to find
an exact seat in a yard and replace the whole thing. If you take
the math out over the alternatives, both dealer vs aftermarket
vs homemade vs boutique auto upholsterer, the salvage yard
will win.

The last C123 seat cost was $15., and the last W126 seat for
a 560SEL was $100. I do not believe that I was just "lucky."
You might have to will to look long enuf to find exactly what you
do need, though. I have to concede that point.

I may be looking at the same issue when I get around to fixing my 1984 300SD's seats. I have a couple small holes where the springs started popping up through. It seems that when I get the new spring frame and horsehair cushion that would be the time to fix the torn MB-Tex.

It looks like the price of the seat frames are up to $212 at partshop (and this is without a cushion or repairing the vinyl), so I may procrastinate a bit longer...a good replacement from a junk yard sounds like a good option. Especially if I can find one for around $100. I do realize that the junk yard seat is probably sagging like mine, but I'd be happy to find a good short wheelbase 126 with navy interior. I'm sure I'd rob several bits from it.

__________________
Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

I have a 85 300D Does anyone know if you can change out the passenger seat with the drivers seat, in other words are they interchangeable.??

Gary

__________________
Gary
85 300D Ivory, 202,000
Beatus exsisto Jesu, verus et Deus verus Vir

This very subject came up about 3 weeks ago,can't remember who posted it try a search.Apparently the frames are the same but the armrest has to be moved.Bear

__________________
W123 '82 300D red 202,000 miles

G460 '83 280 GE LWB 69,000 miles

Mercedes-Benz Club member
http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/

S Klasse Club Deutschland
http://www.s-klasse-club.de/

robert: definately look at the salvage yards. I got two great condition LEATHER seats for my SD for 100 bucks a peice, complete with the memory computer(which i couldnt use but i sold them later). So essentially i got two seats for 150 bucks.
Ryan

__________________
83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Hi Gary

bases are the same and 123 and 126 have the same mb part no. and they are easy to swap over 8mm socket and philips driver.
I posted instructions on another thread, 'changing front seat'
my replacement passengers seat vgc cost me £15 (ukp) from a breakers