ML 350 (W166) so far

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As some of you may recall I purchased a 2012 ML 350 approx 18 months ago IIRC, having had the usual wasted trips and run around looking at the 'fully loaded, minters' that were being advertised.
Was chuffed to bits with the car and the spec, but felt it lacked a little in the looks dept so wanted to tweak it a bit.

Here it is when bought....


As I am not a big fan of chrome, it went off to be 'dechromed' by having the chrome wrapped in gloss black (this included bumper inserts, window trims, grill, DRL surrounds)


Then off for a professional detail
:URL

 

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duplicate

 

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So I was happy with the detail and 'paint correction' and also the running and comfort side of things of the car. For a large car with the aero dynamics of a brick, its not too slouchy but felt it could do with some visual tweaks.
Without wanting to look like it had been ram raided (do they still do that nowadays) through Halfrauds, I set about sourcing & collecting compatible parts from a ML 63.

 

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Front and rear diffuser aswell as DRL surrounds

Rear Bumper

It is OEM and the right colour, with a few light marks to it, it was the perfect candidate!

 

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Front bumper was in a different colour (almost bronze/brown), but most importantly was in mint condition, no fixing tabs broken or repairs needed. Most used ones I found had some sort of damage which needed repairing or had sustained damage and now required repairing. What I would have saved in the cost of buying a used damaged one and then paying more in bodyshop repair costs to get it right, I paid a little more (but not as much as stealership prices) and got a mint one requiring just a colour change.

 

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Then it was off to buy all the parts to make the bumpers complete such as missing grills, reflectors etc. These were from the local stealers.
Soe part numbers

 

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At this point, I was really struggling to source a set of ML 63 front wings as they are like rocking horse droppings!
In the end I bit the bullet, sold my child and the proceeds went to the subsequent purchase of the wings from MB Germany.

 

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I then opted to mute down the bright silver rear diffuser, drl surrounds, front lower lip spoiler, so sent the nits off to have hydrodipped in carbon.

 

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Then off it went into a bodyshop to have the parts sprayed & fitted

 

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Whilst it was away, I continued my search to find the ML 63 exhaust tips, or finishers as MB like to call them. Circa £800 a set from the stealer!!
Yes you guessed it, rarer than hens teeth, plenty of all other models but not the ML!
Finally found a set which had been removed after doing about 1k miles due to the owner having a Brabus system fitted.
So a little bit of polish to put on them to keep them looking good and more importantly easier to clean, I dropped them off at the body shop.

 

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Got it back from the body shop about a week later.
Sneaky pic.....

 

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The car was almost complete. The bodyshop had informed me there were lit bits and pieces to finish it, as despite believing I had everything I needed, I was still missing small items like tow eye cover from the front grill, another small insert of the grill, headlamp nozzle bumper covers (as the front bumper didn't have any and I couldn't use my existing ones, as although the profile looked the same, they are infact different! They would snuggly fit, but not rise or lower), so off to the stealers again!
As the parts were ordered and back to the body shop it went, I looked for some replacement wheels (although recently having the OEM 21" wheels refurbed to gunmetal grey)

 

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Didn't want to much off a fussy design and something to clean easily, I opted for a set of aftermarket wheels, in the shape of Kahn RSR 22" wheels, which are a classic 5 spoke.
Again a few coats of polish (namely poorboys wheel paste)

 

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Trial fitting of the wheels
So there it was, out with the old..
In with the new...

 

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Still waiting for the exhaust fabricators to fit me in, so I can fill these gaps.

 

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Had to go to the stealer to get numberplate fixing which are inset into the boot lid recess (sort of like rawl plugs but square). Got the plate surround fitted and rear plate on, yes I am aware of the spacing
Off it finally went to the exhaust fabricators to have the original modified to accept the 'finishers' only to be told I was missing some form of mounting kit, which I needed. So off to the stealers I went (theres a theme developing!)
Having been fleeced yet again, oops I mean having been served I walked out of the stealers with said brackets!
Contact the exhaust fabricators to be told they cannot fit me in for another week! So I decide to have a go myself, having figured out the brackets just bolt onto the body the finishers bolt onto the bracket. 30 mins later...

 

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Then I looked at little things like key grommets/blanks to finish it off, it all having gone quite smoothly, apart from the fact the newly fitted DRLS would constantly flicker during normal operation if they were 'on' by themselves but in all other aspects would function correctly. The 63 versions are fitted with 7 leds and my 350 fitted with 5 leds.
After much research on how to resolve this issue (which MB Teeside, MB Sunderland and 2 indy's couldn't), I had to find the time to travel to see the guys at comandonline.
I will report my experience shortly.

 

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Whilst I appreciate it may not be to everyones taste or the fact that I have 'replicated' a 63 and I should be chastised because of it, I don't care!
On a serious note, I wanted to customise my (wifes) car but keep it looking OEM but not trying to make out it is something it isn't. I chose the 63 bits as there was very little else out there for styling the ML W166 (wald bison etc other wide kits I found garish) and started out only wishing to add the front bumper spoiler and rear bits, but once I bought them, found I couldn't fit them without other bits like wings etc, so I decided to go for it as I was too far in!
So although the project grew arms and legs and costs spiralled quickly (wings finishers and DRLS being the most costly) , I am very pleased with the result, but would I do it again? honestly given the cost implications, I would have to say no.
Unfortunately am not in a position to buy my wife a 63 as a daily, so this suits her needs perfectly.
Feedback welcome, either way as always