C350 cdi Brabus D6s performance upgrade

[wilsodg]

The big issue is to do with warranty. You have a UK car, covered by a warranty from MB UK. MB UK also provide/underwrite the Brabus warranty. Basically, by fitting this kit you invalidate the standard warranty on the drivetrain, so as part of fitting the kit [quote from the installation certificate] - ".. DaimlerChrysler UK Limited guarantee .... In event the installation of Brabus Performance kit causing consequential damage to drive train of the respective car within the Warranty period, DC UK Ltd shall rectify such damage at no cost to the customer.." plus a lot of small print.

So they have increased the price by £1000 - the only justification can be that they have either seen a lot of damaged drivetrains requiring more provision for warranty claims, or are just being greedy.

If you have the box fitted in Belgium or France, then it will not come with a UK warranty, and you are in a warranty hole.

I really would speak to GAD who seem to have developed a superb remap for this drivetrain and who have warranty cover of their own. There is also a chance that MBUK would not need to know you have had the remap.

I have no affiliation to GAD, but if I had my time again, I'd probably go that route. Be aware though that iirc, they can push the torque output above the design point of the 7G+ box.

If of interest, I'll see if I can somehow upload the PDF of the warranty certificate.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

If you have the box fitted in Belgium or France, then it will not come with a UK warranty, and you are in a warranty hole.

Errr...Don't think so...He'd be covered under EU law...

 

[MonkeyJug]

What if i buy the kit from that german seller on ebay? What do you reckon then?

If i then present that kit to an MB dealer in the uk to fit, it's still the same part, just bought through a third party...?

Surely the warranty will still be intact...

So many hypothetical questions, im sorry!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

What if i buy the kit from that german seller on ebay? What do you reckon then?

If i then present that kit to an MB dealer in the uk to fit, it's still the same part, just bought through a third party...?

Surely the warranty will still be intact...

So many hypothetical questions, im sorry!

For 100% piece of mind, your best bet is to go to a main dealer over here and get one fitted (maybe set it up by dealing with Brabus who will then ship it to whichever dealer?)

Otherwise simply do your own legwork, buy a box from wherever you can find is cheapest and then fit it yourself. I've got the fitting instructions somewhere (it's an absolute doddle)

 

[flango]

Errr...Don't think so...He'd be covered under EU law...

SPX is correct on this and his other comment of a doddle to fit both spot on

 

[Anders]

For 100% piece of mind, your best bet is to go to a main dealer over here and get one fitted (maybe set it up by dealing with Brabus who will then ship it to whichever dealer?)

Otherwise simply do your own legwork, buy a box from wherever you can find is cheapest and then fit it yourself. I've got the fitting instructions somewhere (it's an absolute doddle)

Brabus Germany is in Bottrop, very close to the Dutch border and would fit the box for 110 euro, as mentioned earlier. Factory fit would be my choice, if you could make it across.

Otherwise fitting is reasonably easy, I fitted the D3 kit on my previous C220 and was not too daunting.

 

[wilsodg]

hmm. I agree on the doddle to fit. But the MB warranty would be invalidated (so far as the drive train is concerned) because the car has been modified and MB could easily claim that fitting the box caused an issue.
EU law would cover him for the box, but not the consequential loss/harm to the car as a result of fitting the box because Brabus clearly state that the box has to be fitted by an authorised reseller.

This is where the additional (limited) warranty comes in which is provided by DCUK (not Brabus) for any issue with the drive train after fitting the box. So the OP needs to look at the warranty wording which comes when the box is fitted by a dealer on mainland Europe. I believe that in the event of a warranty issue on the drivetrain, the OP would have to pay the UK dealer and then claim from DCBE or whoever fitted it. If he fits it himself, he is on his own and has no warranty for the drivetrain - only for the box.

I figure Brabus factory fit is best option if you go this route, but ask them for the warranty paperwork first.

 

[developer]

In the UK there's an installation certificate supplied by the dealer that fits the kit.

In my case, when mine went back to Brabus, they wouldn't do anything without the certificate being produced first.

It will be to validate the fitment by an authorised dealer.

This was some time ago, but worth keeping in mind.

 

[flango]

Most warranties aren't worth the paper they are written on anyway. By fitting the Brabus box you are buying peace of mind and maintaining your warranty and if thats what floats your boat then fine.

But for one third of the price of the Brabus box you can have a box that will perform exactly the same but won't give you a warranty (although some will)

Now I know the warranty is not with MB and is with a third party I don't see the advantage in fitting a Brabus box you may as well fit a high end box with warranty from another manufacturer for less than half the price.

But I wouldn't even mess like this I'd remap via the OBD from a handheld device and then put it back on its standard map when I wanted anything doing.

 

[MonkeyJug]

regardless of how easy it is to fit, that's a non-starter for me. obviously, on a brand new car, the warranty is part of the appeal and to jeopardise that isn't an option.

my only real dilemma is whether or not there will be a potential warranty issue if i buy the kit from an ebay seller. i guess i'll have to speak to someone at mb to clarify that...

cheers everyone for their input!

 

[Anders]

But I wouldn't even mess like this I'd remap via the OBD from a handheld device and then put it back on its standard map when I wanted anything doing.

Which device would this be? Bluefin?

 

[flango]

Which device would this be? Bluefin?

The bluefin type yes but there are now many good makes on the market.

 

[Medz003]

I've just purchased a D6s from eBay (Germany) for my 2012 c350 cdi. I will have to wait for it arrive before I check with Brabus if it has the latest firmware. (Although I gave them my VIN before I bought it and they confirmed it was the right one. This is a risky approach but with a high reward - a saving of £1200!! My local MB garage has also told me that they will install it with a 2hr labour charge, update the data card, and maintain the warranty.
If it does read a firmware update, then I have read somewhere that Brabus will upgrade it if it's sent to them.

 

[developer]

I've just purchased a D6s from eBay (Germany) for my 2012 c350 cdi. I will have to wait for it arrive before I check with Brabus if it has the latest firmware. (Although I gave them my VIN before I bought it and they confirmed it was the right one. This is a risky approach but with a high reward - a saving of £1200!! My local MB garage has also told me that they will install it with a 2hr labour charge, update the data card, and maintain the warranty.
If it does read a firmware update, then I have read somewhere that Brabus will upgrade it if it's sent to them.

Get the cert off the dealer - they should know all about this part of the process.

 

[Medz003]

Will do. Thanks

 

[MonkeyJug]

I've just purchased a D6s from eBay (Germany) for my 2012 c350 cdi. I will have to wait for it arrive before I check with Brabus if it has the latest firmware. (Although I gave them my VIN before I bought it and they confirmed it was the right one. This is a risky approach but with a high reward - a saving of £1200!! My local MB garage has also told me that they will install it with a 2hr labour charge, update the data card, and maintain the warranty.
If it does read a firmware update, then I have read somewhere that Brabus will upgrade it if it's sent to them.

if the seller is called schadeundsohn, then i think you will be ok.

i've been chatting to him via email over the last day or two and he doesn't physically have the kits in stock. Brabus send him the kits directly upon someone buying it on ebay, so i would expect it to have the latest firmware.

i just heard back from Milton Keynes MB, and they quoted me:

Parts £1705 + VAT
Fitting £168 + VAT

(i'm now waiting to hear back if it's negotiable)


failing that, i think i will order from our ebay friend...

just our of interest Medz003 - who is the dealer that agreed to fit yours and maintain the warranty?

 

[MonkeyJug]

here's a quote from part of my email exchange with MB of milton keynes regarding buying the kit from germany:

The MB warranty that is offered on BRABUS products is only for the UK market this is not offered from MB Germany as this has only been approved in the UK.

If the product is not purchased via a UK dealer then they will not validate the warranty for this item even if this is fitted by a UK MB dealer.





what do you make of that?

 

[BlackC55]

Why don't you just re-map it?

 

[Anders]

I just received the fitting instructions for the D5 (V) for my C300, which are identical to the D6 box and I realised that it is more involved than previously thought with the CANBUS connection necessitating routing a cable to the interior and soldering it in OBD cables.

Also got the following information about warranty:

The coverage of the Brabus warranty is depending on when the kit was fitted and at which mileage.


Assembly at 0 km before first registration of the car: 3 years Brabus warranty

Assembly at a mileage up to 10000km and up to an age of 0,5 years: 2 years Brabus warranty

Assembly at a mileage up to 30000km and up to an age of 1 year: Three years Brabus warranty

Cars older than one year and more than 30000km: No warranty.

The warranty is valid for all EC-countries.

---

I am now leaning towards a remap, ideally via a handheld device (BlackC55: PM if you can help).

 

[MonkeyJug]

so who exactly is the warranty with when we get one of these kits installed? mb or brabus?