-
Hi Guest !
Welcome to the 500Eboard forum.
Since its founding in late 2008, 500Eboard has become the leading resource on the Internet for all things related to the Mercedes-Benz 500E and E500. In recent years, we have also expanded to include the 400E and E420 models, which are directly related to the 500E/E500.
We invite you to browse and take advantage of the information and resources here on the site. If you find helpful information, please register for full membership, and you'll find even more resources available. Feel free to ask questions, and make liberal use of the "Search" function to find answers.
We hope you will become an active contributor to the community!
Sincerely,
500Eboard Management
Leather quality (Replacing seat leather)
- Thread starter alexis
- Start date
Re: Leather quality
As far as I know, the gray leather is the same across the production run of the 036 (unlike some other colors that did change moderately, such as cream beige/mushroom/champignon/parchment).
The only thing you'd have to worry about would be variations in the color and texture of used leather if it was exposed to elements such as sunlight and use-related wear.
Generally speaking, yes the leather in the 036 is of similar thickness and quality as that of the later W126 models. Obviously it's a different design of seat, but the leather is comparable. There is a noticeable difference between my 1994 E500 black leather, and the black leather (again different design of seat) in my 1995 E320 wagon. The 036 leather is thicker and much more like the OE leather in my 560SEC and 560SEL, which is quite thick.
Cheers,
Gerry
As far as I know, the gray leather is the same across the production run of the 036 (unlike some other colors that did change moderately, such as cream beige/mushroom/champignon/parchment).
The only thing you'd have to worry about would be variations in the color and texture of used leather if it was exposed to elements such as sunlight and use-related wear.
Generally speaking, yes the leather in the 036 is of similar thickness and quality as that of the later W126 models. Obviously it's a different design of seat, but the leather is comparable. There is a noticeable difference between my 1994 E500 black leather, and the black leather (again different design of seat) in my 1995 E320 wagon. The 036 leather is thicker and much more like the OE leather in my 560SEC and 560SEL, which is quite thick.
Cheers,
Gerry
Re: Leather quality
From Wikipedia:
"Nappa leather or Napa leather is a full-grain leather, typically dyed, made from unsplit kid-, lamb- or sheep-skin by tanning with salts of chromium or aluminium sulfate, and noted for softness and durability. It is often used in high-quality leather products such as high-end furniture and vehicles."
So is most replacement leather not Nappa Leather?
From Wikipedia:
"Nappa leather or Napa leather is a full-grain leather, typically dyed, made from unsplit kid-, lamb- or sheep-skin by tanning with salts of chromium or aluminium sulfate, and noted for softness and durability. It is often used in high-quality leather products such as high-end furniture and vehicles."
So is most replacement leather not Nappa Leather?
Re: Leather quality
I don't think MB leather is Nappa leather. It is made from cowhides, not sheep. And traditionally, (including the 036) MB leather has NOT been "soft" but actually rather firm, unlike Japanese and Italian cars traditionally have been.
I was under the impression that 036 leather (and definitely E500 Limited leather) was Roser leather, and there's information about Roser if you do the search function. Roser was a very old-line German leather company that actually went out of business (largely due to environmental regulations that affected its tanning processes) in .... 1994 !!
Cheers,
Gerry
I don't think MB leather is Nappa leather. It is made from cowhides, not sheep. And traditionally, (including the 036) MB leather has NOT been "soft" but actually rather firm, unlike Japanese and Italian cars traditionally have been.
I was under the impression that 036 leather (and definitely E500 Limited leather) was Roser leather, and there's information about Roser if you do the search function. Roser was a very old-line German leather company that actually went out of business (largely due to environmental regulations that affected its tanning processes) in .... 1994 !!
Cheers,
Gerry
Re: Leather quality
Gerry, Nappa leather can come from sheep, veal (calf) or goat. It is just the post treatment that makes it Nappa, the main difference with what we call over here "cuir plongé".
That said, when our driver seat bolster is going to go, how are we going to restore it ? With modern quality leather ? With a slightly approaching color sewed on the seat ? Well...
The problem with our cars is going to be the lack of matching quality and color leather in the future. That is why I'd rather stock some leather of that era to be able to restore my leather seats when needed.
Alex
Gerry, Nappa leather can come from sheep, veal (calf) or goat. It is just the post treatment that makes it Nappa, the main difference with what we call over here "cuir plongé".
That said, when our driver seat bolster is going to go, how are we going to restore it ? With modern quality leather ? With a slightly approaching color sewed on the seat ? Well...
The problem with our cars is going to be the lack of matching quality and color leather in the future. That is why I'd rather stock some leather of that era to be able to restore my leather seats when needed.
Alex
Last edited:
Re: Leather quality
It's easy to get good quality leather here in the original colors from GAHH. It's not as thick as the original leather but it's durable, of the correct design/pattern and looks/wears excellent. I've had a replacement cream beige/mushroom driver's seat on my 560SEC for 10 years now from GAHH (I bought it when I purchased the car) and it's still like new, although it shows a bit of wear and dirt (which I clean using Leatherique every few years). I would not hesitate to install GAHH seat leather on my E500 if it is ever needed.
Cheers,
Gerry
It's easy to get good quality leather here in the original colors from GAHH. It's not as thick as the original leather but it's durable, of the correct design/pattern and looks/wears excellent. I've had a replacement cream beige/mushroom driver's seat on my 560SEC for 10 years now from GAHH (I bought it when I purchased the car) and it's still like new, although it shows a bit of wear and dirt (which I clean using Leatherique every few years). I would not hesitate to install GAHH seat leather on my E500 if it is ever needed.
Cheers,
Gerry
Re: Leather quality
+1 for GAHH. I went and met the owner at the GAHH shop and made it my point to discuss the quality of the leather on my car and what GAHH can offer. Their example is almost dead on to the original leather, the thickness of the leather they offer is only very slightly thinner and they do have a choice of many other leather options, if one wants thinner leather. The design pattern is almost dead on as well and since they are a manufacturer, they have the means to perforate the leather in house and to the exact OEM design. The only downside (or not) is the price.
+1 for GAHH. I went and met the owner at the GAHH shop and made it my point to discuss the quality of the leather on my car and what GAHH can offer. Their example is almost dead on to the original leather, the thickness of the leather they offer is only very slightly thinner and they do have a choice of many other leather options, if one wants thinner leather. The design pattern is almost dead on as well and since they are a manufacturer, they have the means to perforate the leather in house and to the exact OEM design. The only downside (or not) is the price.
Re: Leather quality
So, if you guys were to list three leather manufacturers that you would use in your 500e's, if it ever came to the point of restoration, which three would you list as the top three?
So, if you guys were to list three leather manufacturers that you would use in your 500e's, if it ever came to the point of restoration, which three would you list as the top three?
Re: Leather quality
Hmm, not sure about World Upholstery. I got a sample of their leather offered for the .036 and compared to GAHH, the quality from WU is not as good. The leather is not as thick and the pattern is off, but they are cheaper than GAHH. I even found a leather shop that sells leather by the mile and have been selling leather for older Mercedes cars for 30+ years and what they can get is what WU can offer, but not the better quality that GAHH can offer.
Hmm, not sure about World Upholstery. I got a sample of their leather offered for the .036 and compared to GAHH, the quality from WU is not as good. The leather is not as thick and the pattern is off, but they are cheaper than GAHH. I even found a leather shop that sells leather by the mile and have been selling leather for older Mercedes cars for 30+ years and what they can get is what WU can offer, but not the better quality that GAHH can offer.
Re: Leather quality
Just curious, how about G.A.T. (German Auto Tops) which is almost down the street from GAAH...?
GAHH:
http://www.gahh.com/store.php?cPath=51_3438_253_2252
Price: $1,733 for both 500E front seats, bottom cushion & backrest only. Add $184 for a pair of headrest covers.
GAT:
http://www.germanautotops.com/merce...r-seat-covers-available-in-all-factory-colors
Price: $795 for both 500E front seats, bottom cushion & backrest only. Add $??? for a pair of headrest covers.
Here are two photos I received years ago from GAT showing their work on a 500E seat:
Just curious, how about G.A.T. (German Auto Tops) which is almost down the street from GAAH...?
GAHH:
http://www.gahh.com/store.php?cPath=51_3438_253_2252
Price: $1,733 for both 500E front seats, bottom cushion & backrest only. Add $184 for a pair of headrest covers.
GAT:
http://www.germanautotops.com/merce...r-seat-covers-available-in-all-factory-colors
Price: $795 for both 500E front seats, bottom cushion & backrest only. Add $??? for a pair of headrest covers.
Here are two photos I received years ago from GAT showing their work on a 500E seat:
Attachments
Re: Leather quality
I wonder what the price point is for the GAHH leather by the yard? Wonder how much leather it takes to completely redo 500e front and rear seats?
I wonder what the price point is for the GAHH leather by the yard? Wonder how much leather it takes to completely redo 500e front and rear seats?
Re: Leather quality
If, as Gerry pointed it, the leather of the W126 is about the same as the 036 and almost as good, the good deal might be to buy seats from a parted W126 and keep the leather for later restoration.
Of course the best would be to find leather from a parted 036.
My seats are grey and in very good condition. But, I think it is more difficult to find matching leather when it's not black.
So, I want to plan...
Alex
If, as Gerry pointed it, the leather of the W126 is about the same as the 036 and almost as good, the good deal might be to buy seats from a parted W126 and keep the leather for later restoration.
Of course the best would be to find leather from a parted 036.
My seats are grey and in very good condition. But, I think it is more difficult to find matching leather when it's not black.
So, I want to plan...
Alex
Re: Leather quality
Not as good as GAHH, more like what World Upholstery can offer and they are cheaper as well.
Re: Leather quality
I went dreaming/tire kicking at my local MB dealer. Started asking about the leather used in the cars. It seems most of the cars (except the upper end line) use MBtex on there seats. Apparently they don't dry out or crack as quickly as the leater seats. The material looks really nice. Long story short, I think I am sold on the stuff. What do you guys think?
On the subject of leather. I have noticed that the leather used in older 126 cars (sec's to be exact) doesn't seem to be as good of quality as the w124 leather. I noticed that in the 1989-1991'ish sel's, they use the same seats and leather as the W124's. The seat color of the most inferior leather on the sec was palomino.
The leather in S420, s500 cars seams of the same quality as the w124 leather.
I went dreaming/tire kicking at my local MB dealer. Started asking about the leather used in the cars. It seems most of the cars (except the upper end line) use MBtex on there seats. Apparently they don't dry out or crack as quickly as the leater seats. The material looks really nice. Long story short, I think I am sold on the stuff. What do you guys think?
On the subject of leather. I have noticed that the leather used in older 126 cars (sec's to be exact) doesn't seem to be as good of quality as the w124 leather. I noticed that in the 1989-1991'ish sel's, they use the same seats and leather as the W124's. The seat color of the most inferior leather on the sec was palomino.
The leather in S420, s500 cars seams of the same quality as the w124 leather.
Last edited:
MB leather got cheaper over the years, and there is a BIG difference in the leather from the 1960s and 1990s, let alone today.
I would put 126 leather up against any 124 leather.
Too, MB changed their philosophy on leather. It used to be rather hard and thick. It's now thinner and softer. That said, the 036 leather is just as good as any original 1980s leather, including from my 1989 and 1990 126s, and my former 1987 560SL and 1977 450SEL 6.9.
PERSONAL RANT: I go to 2 Houston-area MB dealers -- MB Houston North for occasional liquids/fluids and MB Greenway near downtown, for MBCA club board meetings.
I NEVER dream and/or kick tires when I am at those dealerships. Nothing in them that I want to see, and the people working in them are complete, clueless idiots. In fact when I take my E500 in for an alignment soon, I actually plan to drive it to the best MB dealership in the Houston area (from a service department perspective) -- MB of Sugarland.
I would put 126 leather up against any 124 leather.
Too, MB changed their philosophy on leather. It used to be rather hard and thick. It's now thinner and softer. That said, the 036 leather is just as good as any original 1980s leather, including from my 1989 and 1990 126s, and my former 1987 560SL and 1977 450SEL 6.9.
PERSONAL RANT: I go to 2 Houston-area MB dealers -- MB Houston North for occasional liquids/fluids and MB Greenway near downtown, for MBCA club board meetings.
I NEVER dream and/or kick tires when I am at those dealerships. Nothing in them that I want to see, and the people working in them are complete, clueless idiots. In fact when I take my E500 in for an alignment soon, I actually plan to drive it to the best MB dealership in the Houston area (from a service department perspective) -- MB of Sugarland.
Re: Leather quality
The biggest difference between old and new MB leather is the dye process. The older cars like my W109 and W114 had leather that was painted and not dyed. You can tell that this was the method used because you'll see the natural color of the leather shows through the perforations. Because it had an extra layer of paint over the leather, it looked thicker and had the appearance that was similar to shoe leather. This method is no longer used and replacement seat covers use leather that's been vat dyed. This is why new leather covers look a little thinner, softer and have less of a sheen.
The biggest difference between old and new MB leather is the dye process. The older cars like my W109 and W114 had leather that was painted and not dyed. You can tell that this was the method used because you'll see the natural color of the leather shows through the perforations. Because it had an extra layer of paint over the leather, it looked thicker and had the appearance that was similar to shoe leather. This method is no longer used and replacement seat covers use leather that's been vat dyed. This is why new leather covers look a little thinner, softer and have less of a sheen.
Re: Leather quality
try steering wheels of Dallas. Google them. They do great work and turn around quickly, too.
Re: Leather quality
Thanx, just called them and got a quote at $390 including shipping, is it a good price for the steering wheel ? never had a chance to mess with the steering wheels...
I also called GAT and they give me a good deal for the backrest only at $200 which is really fair price , I might want to do that sometime cuz I got little wear on the left panel of the driver side.
For now I want to figure out the steering wheel recover for reasonalbe $$
Actually it is nice thread
Thanx, just called them and got a quote at $390 including shipping, is it a good price for the steering wheel ? never had a chance to mess with the steering wheels...
I also called GAT and they give me a good deal for the backrest only at $200 which is really fair price , I might want to do that sometime cuz I got little wear on the left panel of the driver side.
For now I want to figure out the steering wheel recover for reasonalbe $$
Actually it is nice thread
Re: Leather quality
Sooo, I went over to GAT this past Saturday and met with the owner John and his son Armen and we had a good talk.
The leather thickness they can offer is actually only 3/4mm thinner than what GAHH can offer and after speaking with John, he told me that leather that is too thick is more prone to cracking and he’s right about that. My mom used to work in retail and design for over 35 years and she told me the same thing about very thick leather. GAT can get the same leather from GAHH and in the same thickness, if I want, but after speaking with John and Armen the very thick leather looks to be a bad idea.
The cost for what I want to do is $3.5K from GAT vs. $6.2K from GAHH and they had a set of front seats already done for an 036 owner who managed to total his car before getting the new front seats done and judging by the work I held in my hands, I wouldn't hesitate to have GAT do my car. The leather they used is almost as thick as OEM and feels very strong. The leather pattern is almost dead on and they can get additional patterns as well. I asked what it would cost to make new leather for front and rear seats (no installation, just the hide for the seats, headrests and arm rests) and the quote I got was $1.7K.
I will try GAT at end of the summer and have them redo my whole car.
Sooo, I went over to GAT this past Saturday and met with the owner John and his son Armen and we had a good talk.
The leather thickness they can offer is actually only 3/4mm thinner than what GAHH can offer and after speaking with John, he told me that leather that is too thick is more prone to cracking and he’s right about that. My mom used to work in retail and design for over 35 years and she told me the same thing about very thick leather. GAT can get the same leather from GAHH and in the same thickness, if I want, but after speaking with John and Armen the very thick leather looks to be a bad idea.
The cost for what I want to do is $3.5K from GAT vs. $6.2K from GAHH and they had a set of front seats already done for an 036 owner who managed to total his car before getting the new front seats done and judging by the work I held in my hands, I wouldn't hesitate to have GAT do my car. The leather they used is almost as thick as OEM and feels very strong. The leather pattern is almost dead on and they can get additional patterns as well. I asked what it would cost to make new leather for front and rear seats (no installation, just the hide for the seats, headrests and arm rests) and the quote I got was $1.7K.
I will try GAT at end of the summer and have them redo my whole car.
Last edited:
Re: Leather quality
Hi Jerry, actually the tire kicking and dreaming was really an afterthought. I originally went to get a vehicle maintenance history report on one of my MB's. The service department was closed so I walked around the show room. As far as body styles, nothing really inmpressed me. Even the new Gullwing didn't do much for me as far as body styling is concerned-cause it's been done before.
However, I did like some of the interiors. I personally like the brushed nickel look incorporated into the steering wheel, door cards, console, etc. I also really like the seats, the safetly belt loops on the shoulder of the seats (no seat belt extenders).
Hi Jerry, actually the tire kicking and dreaming was really an afterthought. I originally went to get a vehicle maintenance history report on one of my MB's. The service department was closed so I walked around the show room. As far as body styles, nothing really inmpressed me. Even the new Gullwing didn't do much for me as far as body styling is concerned-cause it's been done before.
However, I did like some of the interiors. I personally like the brushed nickel look incorporated into the steering wheel, door cards, console, etc. I also really like the seats, the safetly belt loops on the shoulder of the seats (no seat belt extenders).
Re: Leather quality
Alex,
It would be nice to find good vendors here in Europe too, and I guess they are hidden around somewhere. It seems like Ulrich Baldeweg is doing great restorations, and Limited leather as well; http://www.baldesign.de/index.php But I've never seen the leather quality he is using.
Also Lena Shop restoring and selling the great Recaro C looks fine: http://www.lena-shop.net/
Alex,
It would be nice to find good vendors here in Europe too, and I guess they are hidden around somewhere. It seems like Ulrich Baldeweg is doing great restorations, and Limited leather as well; http://www.baldesign.de/index.php But I've never seen the leather quality he is using.
Also Lena Shop restoring and selling the great Recaro C looks fine: http://www.lena-shop.net/
Replacing front seat leather
As I'm sure many of you also experience this, the driver's front bolster has come undone to the point where its down right embarrassing and needs to be fixed. I searched on eBay and someone is actually selling seats (identical to mine) for a decent price, except as you may have guessed it - the driver's bolster has significant wear - as expected on any 20 + yr old seat...
So, what are the options to fix it? I've gotten countless estimates just to repair that one side from interior shops, but then it would not match the rest of the seat and you still would have to make the passenger one match as well (which is in perfect shape, actually)... I've been putting this off long enough and need your help to source out the replacement and/or guide me to what worked for you. There's a vendor in eBay that will sell regular w124 leather replacement seat covers for $275 but never got back to me after 2-3 tries, and then there's the $795 one - any compromises? My interior is light gray but no pics of the bad tear:
As I'm sure many of you also experience this, the driver's front bolster has come undone to the point where its down right embarrassing and needs to be fixed. I searched on eBay and someone is actually selling seats (identical to mine) for a decent price, except as you may have guessed it - the driver's bolster has significant wear - as expected on any 20 + yr old seat...
So, what are the options to fix it? I've gotten countless estimates just to repair that one side from interior shops, but then it would not match the rest of the seat and you still would have to make the passenger one match as well (which is in perfect shape, actually)... I've been putting this off long enough and need your help to source out the replacement and/or guide me to what worked for you. There's a vendor in eBay that will sell regular w124 leather replacement seat covers for $275 but never got back to me after 2-3 tries, and then there's the $795 one - any compromises? My interior is light gray but no pics of the bad tear:
Attachments
Gerry - I looked in to the GAHH leather in LA. Sounds like that's the ticket. What's the program, purchase all the parts and do it myself - ie, horse hair, bolsters, and leather? Or will GAHH do it all for me? Or get all the bits and take it to a quality guy in the Bay Area?
Thanks,
Steve
Thanks,
Steve
Re: Leather quality
Gerry - I looked in to the GAHH leather in LA. Sounds like that's the ticket. What's the program, purchase all the parts and do it myself - ie, horse hair, bolsters, and leather? Or will GAHH do it all for me? Or get all the bits and take it to a quality guy in the Bay Area?
Thanks,
Steve
Gerry - I looked in to the GAHH leather in LA. Sounds like that's the ticket. What's the program, purchase all the parts and do it myself - ie, horse hair, bolsters, and leather? Or will GAHH do it all for me? Or get all the bits and take it to a quality guy in the Bay Area?
Thanks,
Steve
I have purchased new GAHH seat covers for my sec. they fabricate them and they fit perfect. My installer used existing pads, added some additional batting for structure, repaired springs and installed the covers. GAHH only provides the covers for you, you must provide originals to use the seat heaters.
Re: Leather quality
Steve,
If you are in the bay area, You can get GAHH through Mike Jay @ Val's Upholstery in San Francisco. As well, Mike's shop will install the GAHH covers for you, repair any spring issues, etc. The only the you need to buy are the horsehair pads from Mercedes Benz.
Note that the hh pads for the backs of the seats are NLA, but the bottom cushion HH pads are still avail.
I just had my seats done by Mike this pas Nov/Dec --- you can see the results in my owner's thread.
Steve,
If you are in the bay area, You can get GAHH through Mike Jay @ Val's Upholstery in San Francisco. As well, Mike's shop will install the GAHH covers for you, repair any spring issues, etc. The only the you need to buy are the horsehair pads from Mercedes Benz.
Note that the hh pads for the backs of the seats are NLA, but the bottom cushion HH pads are still avail.
I just had my seats done by Mike this pas Nov/Dec --- you can see the results in my owner's thread.
Does anybody know if MB used the same leather supplier for the w124 throughout the production years? This may be pure coincidence, but in most of the w124’s I have run across, it’s seems like the leather on earlier pre facelift cars holds up better than the later cars. I don’t know if this applies to the 500e seats since I don’t run across them in the junkyards 
Did they use surface dyed leather all through the production run up to 96 or did they switch to vat dyed at some point?
I’ve read about Roser leather, the long time MB supplier that went out of business in 1994. Is it possible Roser supplied leather for the w124 until they went out of business in 1994? I believe interior leather colors/naming changed at some point as well and I wonder if this correlates with a change in supplier?
Did they use surface dyed leather all through the production run up to 96 or did they switch to vat dyed at some point?
I’ve read about Roser leather, the long time MB supplier that went out of business in 1994. Is it possible Roser supplied leather for the w124 until they went out of business in 1994? I believe interior leather colors/naming changed at some point as well and I wonder if this correlates with a change in supplier?
About Roser leather | Interior Topics
NOTE: This is a cut & past / cross-post from the original post I authored over at 500Ecstasy.com back in March of 2008. The intention of this post is to maintain the information if the 500Ecstasy site ever goes down. I had a long conversation late this afternoon with one M. Gregory Merrick of...
www.500eboard.co
I am just buying seat covers from GAHH. I first oly needed the back cover for the drivers seat as the drivers left side bolster seam has split/ripped.
My car has black interior and the product from GAHH arrived in less than a week and it looks to be of very good craftsmanship! The problem is it doesn't match the 34 year old with 240 thousand miles leather in the car and if I just replace the one seat cover part, the thing will stand out like a sore thumb. So now I am looking at replacing all 4 pcs. on the front seats and maybe the entire backseats too! $$$
The people at GAHH have been helpful (they did offer to let me return the one cover for a refund) and I have asked for the best pricing they can offer for lots more seat covers than I had planned for...
I'll follow up on this post once we have everything worked out.
Boxersix
92 500E, 81 911sc, 91 vanagon
My car has black interior and the product from GAHH arrived in less than a week and it looks to be of very good craftsmanship! The problem is it doesn't match the 34 year old with 240 thousand miles leather in the car and if I just replace the one seat cover part, the thing will stand out like a sore thumb. So now I am looking at replacing all 4 pcs. on the front seats and maybe the entire backseats too! $$$
The people at GAHH have been helpful (they did offer to let me return the one cover for a refund) and I have asked for the best pricing they can offer for lots more seat covers than I had planned for...
I'll follow up on this post once we have everything worked out.
Boxersix
92 500E, 81 911sc, 91 vanagon
Attachments
Maybe it’s just the camera but the seat cover doesn’t even look black. Have you considered using black dye? I have a 95 E420 with black interior and I used black leather dye from the Seat Doctors on both front seats and it matched the original leather perfectly. I also have a 94 E420 with parchment and their dye was perfect on them too. Maybe see if GAHH will send you a swatch of leather to test it on before deciding to use the dye on the seat cover. I’m surprised their color looks so off.
www.seatdoctors.com
Mercedes Benz E Class Leather Dye — Seat Doctors
Mercedes Benz E Class Leather Dye Custom blended leather dye matched to your Mercedes Benz E Class, including the E200, E220, E250, E300, E350, E400 , E550, and others. Instructions for preparation and application will come enclosed with bottle of dye. This Leather and Vinyl Dye can be rubbed on,
www.seatdoctors.com
This difference in appearance / color / texture of the OE seat leather and aftermarket leather has been a perennial problem. Sadly, it's one that isn't easily resolved. The reason is that the original seats were among the last of the "real" leather produced by MB supplier Roser, with their original processes, before they shut down in the 1994 time frame.
The aftermarket seats are made of a different type/style/texture of leather, and of course the dying process for it is also very different than Roser used for the original seats. I will say (and I have visited them in person) that the overall quality of the GAHH leather is good, as well as the fitment, particularly when installed by a competent Mercedes-capable interior shop who knows the ins and outs of MB seat design. Seat cover replacement is one of those jobs that is best left to an expert who knows MB seats, though it CAN be done by yourself.
I agree that your seats are not too far gone so that an excellent interior shop can't repair and restore them, maintaining the original leather and its patina. I would shoot for that avenue first.
If you can't get any joy by that way, then I would purchase both front seats from GAHH and have the leather on BOTH of them replaced (as well as the headrests and armrest, if an early car) at the same time. At least then the front seats are consistent color/texture/look.
I have had GAHH seats installed in my 560SEC (which was done right before I purchased the car in 2002) and also my former 560SL (both front seats), and was happy with the quality of all of them. The SEC seat is going to need to be replaced again (together with the armrest) as it is almost 25 years old now, and has seen a lot of miles under my butt. When I have it done, I will also have the original passenger front seat done at the same time. It has had the typical micro-cracks between perforations that the mushroom-colored
seats eventually suffer from. But I've been very happy with the GAHH seats, although there is a somewhat noticeable difference in the texture and thickness of the GAHH leather vs. the original leather. Color is fairly close overall.
Anyway, my two cents....something to chew on a bit.
If interested, here's a couple of old threads that are interesting for context and knowledge.
The aftermarket seats are made of a different type/style/texture of leather, and of course the dying process for it is also very different than Roser used for the original seats. I will say (and I have visited them in person) that the overall quality of the GAHH leather is good, as well as the fitment, particularly when installed by a competent Mercedes-capable interior shop who knows the ins and outs of MB seat design. Seat cover replacement is one of those jobs that is best left to an expert who knows MB seats, though it CAN be done by yourself.
I agree that your seats are not too far gone so that an excellent interior shop can't repair and restore them, maintaining the original leather and its patina. I would shoot for that avenue first.
If you can't get any joy by that way, then I would purchase both front seats from GAHH and have the leather on BOTH of them replaced (as well as the headrests and armrest, if an early car) at the same time. At least then the front seats are consistent color/texture/look.
I have had GAHH seats installed in my 560SEC (which was done right before I purchased the car in 2002) and also my former 560SL (both front seats), and was happy with the quality of all of them. The SEC seat is going to need to be replaced again (together with the armrest) as it is almost 25 years old now, and has seen a lot of miles under my butt. When I have it done, I will also have the original passenger front seat done at the same time. It has had the typical micro-cracks between perforations that the mushroom-colored
seats eventually suffer from. But I've been very happy with the GAHH seats, although there is a somewhat noticeable difference in the texture and thickness of the GAHH leather vs. the original leather. Color is fairly close overall.Anyway, my two cents....something to chew on a bit.
If interested, here's a couple of old threads that are interesting for context and knowledge.
GAHH can provide examples of any color in question, just need to ask for them and they will send the leather swatches by mail and each swatch will have the identification number GAHH uses. To my knowledge, GAHH has four black colors to choose from. Their “oldtimer” leather is a bit thicker and costs more than non “oldtimer” leather.
Gerry's two cents are my $2000.00. Those original seats could be returned to great condition. Look into "Seat Doctor" products for dye and filler. They match color code from your VIN. Shouldn't cost you more than $50.00. If you decide on the GAHH covers, they are high quality. Make sure to add a bit of foam to the seating surfaces to compensate for miles of compression. I installed a set as a noobee to upholstery and got great results. The seats are very well designed and straightforward to work on, although it's a tedious process.
I wasn't aware of the "oldtimer" leather, but I was very pleased with the leather I received. I would have ordered it!
I wasn't aware of the "oldtimer" leather, but I was very pleased with the leather I received. I would have ordered it!
Similar threads
Who has viewed this thread (Total: 43) View details
- BCLOUDE
- sheward
- pzero
- Seangbadee
- makemann
- NBWineGuy
- Boxersix
- dreaming.haze
- gsxr
- cole67
- Jlaa
- alexwh0
- MK500
- duuder
- szvook
- r44raven
- doolar
- 195910
- Surf Blau
- Efraim
- chicky
- Bogeyman
- emerydc8
- rucraig
- gerryvz
- TerryA
- 1994e500
- Draginev
- geraniumtr
- Alioking
- daantjie
- yevgenievich
- natejgreene9871
- 744Brillantsilber
- Andi
- RHS
- puchak
- dds28
- stfallet
- 3300-500E_JP
- 93500sel
- teke
