I saw an older SLK with the vanilla interior and decided take a peek inside. YIKES! The area around the center console and armrest looked horrible. All the vanilla color had rubbed off to expose black. It looked really bad.

I had heard that the color of our interiors were paint (not sure if the base color is dark slate or black) but I'm now concerned about high traffic places like the armrests (doors and console) and around the parking brake (where I place my cell).

Someone on the boards had mentioned they had problems with Armor-all removing the color.




Dallas

 

I've read this on message boards. Good thing we have a long warranty I don't use armor all and leased the car. No worries to me =)

 

Mine still looks brand new and I've got 8,500 miles on it and got it Oct. 3, 2003. The only thing I use to clean mine is a damp cotton terry-cloth towel when I'm drying the car after a wash..... It works great.

 

Not to be a stickler for details ...but doesn't it say in the manual not to use anything like ArmorAll on the interior ?? :-)
I only used it once on a vehicle of mine and was so ticked off by all the refractions and reflections that I a have never used it again anywhere.

I stick with the damp cloth like WMichaels ....is real good last long time ;-)

 

Got mine last Sept, have 13.5k miles. I wash ( the car ) once a week, dry after every wash, wipe down the inside with a damp microfiber cloth and condition the leather seats. She still looks like new (on the inside ), a few road nicks on the front and windshield from the the everyday use.

 

I wouldn't let anyone (let alone ME) get close to my Crossfire with Armor-All.

 

Hi...

I understand at least some (maybe most/all) auto leather appointments have the coloring finish applied to it's surface... the leather is not dyed... so it can wear off...

With the Xfire... I'm goin' by the owner's manual... clean with water/soap (damp) only... no finishes... no leather/vinyl preservatives either...


Dave...

 

Just started to notice the paint flaking off, dealer is ordering a new console and lid.

12,500 miles in 6 months, hope they found a fix.

 

Historically, the better European mfgs. (Merc., BMW) have died their leather while the Asians have top coated theirs. Hopefully, ours are died. Even when the leather cracks as it ages, the color separation is not as noticable.

 

my painted interior surfaces look fine so far. i even put a couple coats of cleaner/wax on the center console lid to remove a small scratch.

even though the manual says all you have to do is wipe down the seats with a damp cloth, i still treat mine with a leather conditioner. leather needs conditioning, especially if exposed to moisture and extreme temperatures. if left untreated, and it does dry and crack in 5 years or 10 years you have no recourse since it would fall under wear and tear. using a pH balanced leather treatment won't have any affect on your warranty, and you may be rewarded with much better looking seats years from now.

 

I'm almost positive ours are painted. I've got the cedar interior, and there are places near the floor where some of the paint has gotten onto places it's not supposed to be. I've got one longish red smear in the passenger's side footwell, for example.

If the leather had been dyed, I'd assume that wouldn't rub off when it was installed. Paint, on the other hand, might.

 

you are correct...the leather is NOT dyed...it's painted/sprayed pigment. for dyed hides one needs to step up to a rolls royce, bentley or like vehicle. even bmw and m/b leathers are not dyed.

 

Just to be clear, my original post is not about the leather seats. The places I saw alot of chipping was on the center console (not our silver trim) where the light grey or cedar colors are. The same materials as the lower dash and armrests.



Dallas

 

Yes, I've started to notice a few places on the console and door where my slate interior paint has rubbed off to reveal a grey interior. The weird thing is that it doesn't seem to be on wear points (like where I rest my arm) but more on the face of the door as if I may have scuffed it getting out of the car. It's not very noticeable...but I'll definitely let the dealer know before the warranty is up. I only noticed after someone else on the forum talked about the bad console paint a while back.

I have the car washed at a hand-wash place, and I don't believe they use anything but a cloth to wipe down the interior.

 

Crossfire just had one year birthday. Was dusting the interior this weekend, and to my SURPRISE, I noticed several spots on the center console and also on the driver side (where your right knee rests) where the gray color is flaking off to reveal black. Looks bad!!!! Going to dealer today.

 

Did some research over at benzworld.org and it seems that many if not most SLK owners have seen these problems.

hhhmmmmm. Not good. Especially since Mercedes never tried to correct the problem during the whole run.

Alot of owners are having the panels replaced just before their warranty is up.



Dallas

 

LEXOL is proably the very best cleaner/conditioner and Leather preservative on the market today. It is sold by most MB dealers and is a bit expensive but works extremely well. They have a seperate cleaner/conditioner and a seperate dressing. Use both in the proper method and your seats will be fine for years to come. I work for a Chrysler dealer here in Maryland. I have been in the automotive dealer business for 44 years. Lexol is by far the very best product I have ever seen or used. It is all I will trust to my beloved Crossfire

 

It will almost be two months since the dealer ordered the new console, still not in.

 

Again,......this is NOT about the seats.