Carpet- what to plan for 280se?

[dnaspazz]

ive cracked most of my 280se mechanical issues and I'm starting to look at everything else including the carpet and interior. Looking at everyone's interior, I'm feeling too much envy to not start improving.

The Tobacco/dark brown velours is in good  shape for a  40yo car but is green/faded in areas and the parcel shelf carpet is horrible . A new carpet and interior would make a huge difference. I'm don't know if i can install the  GAHH carpet and get a great result. I'm also not sure what else I should  tackle if I go for it

Things I know that should be done while I'm pulling out the seats and old carpet:
1) replace rear speakers ( any suggestions?, I plan on keeping the Becker radio but want to have a better Bluetooth system)
2) re-dye center console
3) pull and repair heater core ( currently by passed)

What else do I need to plan for? I've read through the archives but I don't understand how people have dealt with carpet pads ( current carpet has pad attached) and sound insulation. Also, does GAHH come with parcel shelf carpet or is that a custom item to be made? I


I am also going to need to have the front and rear seats recushioned  (the horsehair is falling apart rapidly) but I'm struggling a bit with how much money to put in and what to spend it on.  I got one quote from an auto upholster for redoing carpets, seats, etc and at 7K it convinced me I should try to understand more of what it takes to be done right ( and what I could do well).

[ptashek]

As for rear speakers, this is how I have done it and subjectively consider it the best way of getting good sound, without any modification to the chassis at all, and something that looks right at home on the rear shelf.

https://forum.w116.org/mechanicals/the-(semi)-non-destructive-rear-speaker-installation

[rumb]

cabrio.de has carpet, new seat pads, material for package shelf, contoured pads that attach to carpet floor pads as well as leather seat covers and more.  Just these items will be @7K. installation extra. I would probably have a shop install the front seat covers but everything else is quite doable.

Many install modern noise damping material on floors. Dyeing the console vinyl is easy. cabrio may have your color or letherique.com can make any color you want. Their product is very good.

[UTn_boy]

Changing speakers has noting to do with adding bluetooth.  If you're wanting better sound then follow Lucas's advice or buy new OEM speakers from Konigs Classic.  https://www.koenigs-klassik-radios.de/en/loudspeaker/full-range-loudspeaker-13-cms-3014_31104_1575.  Paper coned speakers will always have superior sound over foam or plastic coned speakers.  Unless you can find someone local to you to recone your original paper speakers then we haven't much alternative. 

While the interior is out go ahead and renew the front and rear glass seals, and while the roof rail panels are out go ahead and renew the head liner.  (you'd be surprised how badly they yellow over time).  The carpeting on the center console is glued extremely well to the substrate.  Great care must be taken to remove the old carpeting.  In addition, the top edges (where the carpet tucks under the vinyl of the center console) have a strip of black butyl adhering to the carpet to the under side of the vinyl lip.  You have to be careful when removing this, as well, but it also has to be re-installed so the vinyl lip won't lift or curl up. 

If you remove the dash to address the heater core issue make sure your windshield is removed.  While it is possible to remove the dash with the windshield installed I don't recommend doing so, as the dash will have to be bent and twisted far too much causing it to crack/break apart.  If the front glass is out minimal to no bending is required.  Then again, if the dash is going to be out you may want to put a new one in.  If so remove however you want.  And if the dash is out you might as well go ahead and have your wood refinished, too.  (See how this can all snow ball really fast?)

Regarding your seats, you're simply going to have to fork out the dough to buy new excelsior pads (horsehair).  They're available on from GAHH.  Many a man has tried to re -pad the seats with other materials, and it always ends in disappointment.  So do it right, and one time only.  On the rear seats, since the excelsior pads are not available from anywhere, we have no choice but to use alternative materials.  Thankfully, the rear seat can be made to look really nice since it's a big straight bench.  However, it'll never be comfortable for any passengers on a long trip.  Likewise, not using correct excelsior pads on the front seats will also cause discomfort. 

Rumb brings up a very valid point.  Just the materials alone will cost you north of 7k.  If someone is quoting you 7k for everything then I can promise you it'll be poor workmanship with inferior materials.  With you living in CA I'd set aside 10k-12k if you're going to have a qualified shop do the work. 

If you have leather in your car, or if you'll be putting leather in as replacement over vinyl, you may want to consider spending a little more money (approximately $1,000 more) on the leather to get the correct surface dyed leather instead of what places like GAHH, Cabrio, World Upholstery, etc., currently offer.  What those places currently offer is rather off putting. 

When it comes to recovering the parcel shelf, you may want to consider deleting the first aid box and lid, as replicating the original with any degree of originality is something that has yet to happen.  Granted, there are many that have had shops make one by sewing a seam/vinyl stripping in, but it looks just ok....if not odd.  Also, bear in mind that the parcel shelf, all carpeted under dash panels, and front floor area kick panels are all covered in BACKLESS velour.  If you use regular velour it will not work.  It's too thick.  Be certain to ask for 2-3 yards of the backless velour to recover these pieces.  And no, the parcel shelf isn't included in a carpet kit.  Though, they may have changed that since last year so be sure to ask.  If the kit does come with parcel shelf carpeting make sure that piece is backless velour.  Alternatively, if the first aid box will be deleted you can use the regular velour. 

Be sure to also buy a few years of vinyl to recover the rear ledge of the parcel shelf, "B" pillars, and the corner pieces of the front seat back rests. 

The floor mat carpets can be separated from the insulation mats if you're careful.  It's not easy, and chunks of the foam can come out with the carpet.  You just have to make sure that those voids are filled back in.

As you can see, there is a great deal to address that can't be gotten to when everything else is put back together. I mentioned above how badly this job now balls.  For example, lets say you only renew the carpet and seat covers.  After re-installing the carpet and seats the rest of the interior looks very sad and tired.  Then again, you may be ok with that, or maybe you're ok with living with it until you eventually get around to doing the rest......but it'll involve removing a lot of the thing you've already done.  It's catch 22!  haha 

[ptashek]

As for cabrio.de prices, which is where I got my carpets and seat pads see below. Taxes + shipping would be on top of that.

I'm very pleased with their product, and it's holding up very well so far (coming on 4 years, 15k+ miles on the road). If I had to complain about something, it would probably be the edging/piping material, which could be stronger/thicker.

Seat cushion / pad: 198EUR/piece (perfect fit)
https://cabrio.de/en/interiors-khm/padding-panels/mercedes-benz-1/116/seat-cushion-116-detail

Pre-made rear parcel shelf base: 63EUR (wasn't available a couple years back)
https://cabrio.de/en/interiors-khm/padding-panels/mercedes-benz-1/116/Back-panel-116-hardboard-detail

Trunk carpet set: from 176EUR (also a new thing, I had to buy raw material from them and have these made)
https://cabrio.de/en/carpets/car-models-prices/mercedes-benz-2013-11-05/280-560-116,-126-sedan-coup%C3%A9/luggage-compartment-w116-detail

Interior carpet set, including parcel shelf and centre console side panels: from 407EUR (also perfect fit)
https://cabrio.de/en/carpets/car-models-prices/mercedes-benz-2013-11-05/280-560-116,-126-sedan-coup%C3%A9/carpet-set-w116-126-fine-velours-detail

Carpet pads, set of four: 198EUR (also a new thing)
https://cabrio.de/en/carpets/car-models-prices/mercedes-benz-2013-11-05/280-560-116,-126-sedan-coup%C3%A9/profiled-pads-front-and-rear-db-116-sedan-set-4-pcs-detail

Here's a comparison of an original moss green passenger side carpet, and the driver side from cabrio.de
Yes, the colour varies wildly and should really be olive green, but as I was replacing all carpets I didn't care one bit.



This is what their parcel shelf carpet looks like. Yes, the edging around the first aid box ain't the real deal but, frankly, who cares (other than concourse judges). Looks good enough for me.



And this is what the carpets look like installed.

[ptashek]

Maybe that's just US pricing, but 7k USD for the entire interior lands on the cheap side.
I know it's apples v oranges, but for the sake of comparison - I was recently quoted 7k GBP (~9k USD) just for the seats (2 + 1, 4x headrest and 2x arm rest), in original MB leather, with two-year warranty, by these guys in the UK: https://www.dclass.co.uk/

[dnaspazz]

I'm still digesting all of the things that I should do.  Not a small drop in the bucket, but also want to do it right.  Some of the shops have told me that all  GAHH and WUH do group buys on carpet. I'm trying to get some samples - my car had a tobacco interior with darker brown carpets. The sample I saw today was way darker than the original.
Has anybody in the US actually bought from cabrio?   I contacted them but they kinda blew my questions off. Anyhow, thanks for all of the input. Gotta figure out where to draw the line...

[orientrot]

Here's a comparison of an original moss green passenger side carpet, and the driver side from cabrio.de
Yes, the colour varies wildly and should really be olive green, but as I was replacing all carpets I didn't care one bit.



This is what their parcel shelf carpet looks like. Yes, the edging around the first aid box ain't the real deal but, frankly, who cares (other than concourse judges). Looks good enough for me.

Your new set looks lovely installed and makes me less worried about mine. From your pictures, the velour material cabrio.de looks near identical to the material used for the world upholstery set I just got (except for the color obviously), minus the parcel shelf which looks much more like the original carpet. Did you try and find new mounting grommets/snaps or did you just go without?

I will credit the world upholstery kit I've posted some complaints about and say that the piping does at least feel strong and thick and the heel pad looks a little more substantial than the cabrio.de one here even if it's not color matched.

[UTn_boy]

I'm still digesting all of the things that I should do.  Not a small drop in the bucket, but also want to do it right.  Some of the shops have told me that all  GAHH and WUH do group buys on carpet. I'm trying to get some samples - my car had a tobacco interior with darker brown carpets. The sample I saw today was way darker than the original.
Has anybody in the US actually bought from cabrio?   I contacted them but they kinda blew my questions off. Anyhow, thanks for all of the input. Gotta figure out where to draw the line...

Don't forget that original carpeting will have faded quite a bit. 

[floyd111]

I heard: "rear seat pads"
Are they back? Since when? How much? Where?

[floyd111]

..About the front speaker.. Koenig 's a good one, but there are options. If you look at the total price of the car+ fixing it properly, audio really comes cheap. For 100 bucks more than the "1943 Koenigs Design" there is "2015 Focals Design" of the same size, but with a lot more oomph. Plus, I'm an antique myself by now, and I'm sure there's high-end options I haven't even heard of. Closed compartment-high pressure speakers are a thing for sure. Just got a soundbar-set from Artcoustic, and they use these speakers wherever they can. Tiny cones! 40- 50hrtz pounding like a living room sized 3-way speaker. Yes, you'll always be short on 25-40hrtz with any speaker that wasn't purely designed for bass and tiny speakers have no chance. For now we have to accept those laws of physics. But, these little speakers are the dog's bollocks, for shizzle.
I'm just saying.. with the right skills (that I lack), effort, a bit of luck and maybe 500 bucks, I can imagine 2 high-pressure speakers in the front. And that said.. the size of those speakers may even allow for an application elsewhere in the car, non-evasive, less-invasive, or at least invisible. 4 or 6 of them would be really nice. I plan to find out one day and if it works there'll be a discounted yet-uninstalled Focals up for sale.

[dnaspazz]

GAHH has horsehair rear seat pads. I only found out because I called, but I can't remember the price.

[floyd111]

That's good news indeed. I remember a long dry spell causing quite a bit of panic here and there. I got 2 when they were just about running out, years ago. i would suggest to some of us here ordering a unit before they run out again, even if your rear seat hasn't deflated yet. It's an uncomfortable, visible, car-value-killing issue to be having..