emmgee

This was discussed tangentially in another thread but I would like to directly solicit opinions: Are the "High Gloss Burl Walnut Wood Inlays" real wood or plastic? I say plastic.

To my eye, it looks like plastic so I just assumed it was. There are two more substantive reasons that strengthen that assumption. First, there are a few places where you would expect to see end grain of real wood and I just don't see it. Check out the inlay in the back seat. Open the door and look at the end facing the hinge. There is about a half inch of what should be end grain – it looks just like the rest of the material to me.

Tap on each of the inlays. The sound is kind of higher pitched, not a deeper sound of a dense material. It sounds like what tapping plastic sounds like.

My wife has a new Lexus ES 350. Traditionally the Lexus has had a wood steering wheel. When I tap that, it sounds like you're tapping on real wood. It has inlays as well that are supposedly wood and they have the same plastic characteristics that I note in my A4. To my eye, the steering wheel looks like wood and the inlays look like plastic.

The Audi web site, window sticker, and brochures that I've found on the web say "wood". I suppose I should take their word for it. If it is real wood, it seems like they've gone to a lot of trouble to make it look like plastic.

bob m

I believe it's real wood, but it is so very heavily coated with a high gloss product (polyurethane, plastic resin?????) that it looks plastic like.

adg44

They are actual wood.

emmgee

How do you know for sure?

adg44

Let me clarify. They aren't solid wood, but a layer of wood over a backing material. Then they are coated (unless they are a natural finish).

You won't find solid wood inlays unless you are looking at a Rolls Royce or a Bentley.

bob m

Makes sense - wood veneers.