Okay, let me tell you about the time I spent getting hands-on with a two-door S-Class. Wasn’t mine, wish it was, but a buddy needed some help giving it a proper once-over inside, plus sorting out a little niggle.
Getting Started
So, this thing rolls up. It’s big, sleek, you know the type. Those long, heavy doors swing open – gotta be careful with those in tight spots. First impression stepping inside? Yeah, it’s plush. Leather everywhere, smells expensive. But it definitely needed some attention. Dust in the vents, smudges on the big screens, the usual stuff that builds up.
My plan was pretty simple: deep clean the interior, treat the leather, and find this annoying little rattle coming from somewhere near the passenger side dash or door. Sounds easy, right?
The Cleaning Grind
Alright, first things first, I pulled out all the floor mats. Gave them a good shake and then hit them with the vacuum and cleaner. Then, tackled the main carpets. You find all sorts of treasures down there, always do. Used a soft brush attachment to get into the nooks and crannies.
Wiping down the dashboard and console took ages. So many buttons, screens, and shiny bits. Used a microfiber cloth, nice and gentle. Those piano black surfaces? Nightmare to keep clean, show every single fingerprint. And the air vents, with all those little fins, took some patience with a soft brush.
Leather Time
The seats were next. Good quality leather, you can feel it. I used a decent leather cleaner first, applying it section by section, then wiped it off. Followed up with a conditioner. Didn’t want to make it shiny, just clean and protected. You gotta work it in gently, let it sit for a bit. Makes a difference, stops it from drying out and cracking down the line.
Hunting the Rattle
Now, the fun part. That rattle. My buddy said it happened over bumps, sounded like plastic vibrating. So, I started tapping around the passenger door panel, the glove box area, the dashboard trim. You know how it is, tap-tap-tap, hoping to recreate the sound.
- Checked the glove box – made sure nothing loose was inside. Nope.
- Tapped the door panel – felt solid mostly, but one corner near the speaker grille seemed a bit suspect.
- Pushed on the dashboard trim pieces – all seemed pretty firm.
Decided to have a closer look at that door panel. Popping off trim on cars like this always makes me nervous. Everything feels expensive, and the clips can be brittle. Found a video online showing roughly how it comes off – always helps. Carefully pried off a section of the upper door trim. And guess what? Found a wiring loom connector that was just slightly loose, probably tapping against the plastic panel when the car moved. Didn’t need any parts, just secured it properly with some foam tape wrapped around it to cushion it. Popped the trim back on, making sure all the clips seated right. Went for a quick drive over some bumpy bits – silence! Felt pretty good about that.
Final Look
Stepped back and looked at the inside. Much better. Carpets clean, leather looking rich, screens clear, no more annoying rattle. It’s satisfying work, bringing something back to its best. Those big coupes, they have a presence, even just sitting there. Working on them reminds you of the quality, but also sometimes the complexity. Simple jobs can take time just because you need to be so careful. Glad it was just a clean and a rattle, not something major!
