How to mod a Mercedes -the good and bad bits!

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R2D2

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 23, 2004
Messages
6,957
Car
C350
A long time ago in a galaxy far away (Well Caterham!) was a nice nearly new W203 C Class for sale. The deal was done and then the fun started. This is the story of a few of my mods and the successes and perhaps as importantly the failures of my modding!

First of all a couple of photos of my unmolested C Class.






The first mod had to be wheels. OEM is best and I discovered why even the C32 AMG "only" has 17 inch wheels. You can only fit upto 225 tyres on the front of a W203. I chose AMG IV s and ordered them from Germany and after a months nervous wait they eventually arrived.



The side view of the car showed that the car looked too high and this set me on the way to starting suspension mods. Oh dear!


I decided that I needed to lower the car and fortunately a set of C32 AMG springs came available. I got a local garage to fit them for £40, however I wasnt happy as the car had uneven ride height. I went to a friendly MB friend who diagnosed badly seated springs. Off they came and were refitted and the handling was fantastic, however, whilst the rear of the car was sitting nicely, I still thought the front too high.


Eventually my friendly MB man rebuilt the front suspension with Sport Edition springs and new standard shocks. The end result with C32 rear and Sport edition front springs succeeded in getting the drop I wanted whilst retaining a good ride. I'm now happy with the wheels and suspension!




After sorting the wheels and suspension I felt that the standard downturned exhaust pipes were lacking in visual appeal! First of all I tried some custom make chrome pipes which were horrible, then I fitted the Diesel Sport Edition Chrome pipes which looked nice until one fell off. Next I tried an AMG system but my wife thought it too loud. Next came the best looking system, The Brabus one! Sadly it was still too deep sounding for our likely so off it came. (My exhaust fitter loved me!). Then I had a great bit of fortune, a friend tipped me off to a new MB sport pack full system going for a song I bought it and because it was made for my car it sounded right and fitted perfectly....there is a lesson here!






Having sorted the exhaust I became trouble by the look of my brakes through my lovely AMG iv's!! I found a firm who made crossdrilled brakes of standard size and had them fitted and the calipers painted black. I like them and they are wearing very well...



Having sorted the exterior I wanted to do some more amg stuff to go with my wheels and suspension. The F1 Medical wheel was the wheel that was used on C32 AMG F1 cars and is also featured in the car in the MB Stuttgart museum. It feels lovely and add about 20bhp;)





Having completed the Big mods I started attending to minor mods. First of all I had active cornering lights enabled. Later I had them turned off again as a waste of time-everyone just thought one of your foglights was broken
 
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Chapter Two to follow...

Cluster Mods, things you can have enabled, deleted kph and replaced with outside temp on the status line, enable folding mirrors, enable parking assist to dip mirror...























 
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If you want the new key just grit your teeth and give your debit card to the MB man!


interior mods followed, lux climate control, comand, Smartnav, Parrot Bluetooth wired to steering wheel controls, rear power supply, customer parking sensors to fit inside the proper parktronic roof mounted light,

















The last two I contemplated but never fitted. Tudu did the Kleeman header and a chap in the US made and fitted the Carbon ramair. Lots of fun lots of mistakes and trial and error:)
 
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Actually it hasn't cost too much, good buys and mostly good labour. I did comand and lux climate myself to keep cost down. Comand I achieved for £300 all in:)

92,000 miles on the clock now:)
 
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Great write up. Once bitten the modding bug can cost and keep on costing. What you have achieved is cost effectiveness in a clean car moulded around your likes. Well done.
 
Come on Tudu add your mods as well. Between us we must have done most w203 mods!:)
 
I will sort out the pics for both the Kleemann 'stealth' and C55 (think all the mods for C55 are posted in members gallery). Stand by.....................
 
Great mods R2! Inspiration for us all!

Sad to say that I've had my car for a month and the list of mods is the length of my arm. Doubt any of them will happen anytime soon though, these days most of my mods are done to the house.
wow looks good but sounds expensive
It's not that expensive really but personalising your car tends to run a fine-line, cost-wise with just trading in and buying a car with the stuff you want on it!
 
Here's my Kleeman (Originally C200K Sport)

C55EX1.jpg

C55Ex.jpg

Blackgrille1.jpg

BEMInstalled2.jpg

Badboy4.jpg


Front carbon spoiler
Rear Carbon spoiler
Carbon mirror covers
Carbon Door Sills
Carbon Roof Spoiler
De-chromed and replaced with carbon vinyl
Smoked rear lights
Depo Black front headlights
Black foglights
Comand APS
Kleemann TS 8 Alloy wheels
Kleemann Header and Sports Cat
C55 Exhaust and rear wheel well replaced
BEM Wood interior
Chrome/carbon shift change
SL 55 AMG Steering Wheel and shift change (first W203 in the UK to have shift change added as mod - thanks to Richard and Alfie at Comand)
C55 Front Discs and calipers - EBC Redstuff pads
Black Diamond drilled and grooved rear discs / original caliper
Carbon wrapped front grille

Probably forgotten something - Cost (loads) not worried about not getting price back on it as it's done over 70K so i will just keep running it. That's when my daughter's not using it.
 
Great mods R2! Inspiration for us all!

Sad to say that I've had my car for a month and the list of mods is the length of my arm. Doubt any of them will happen anytime soon though, these days most of my mods are done to the house.

It's not that expensive really but personalising your car tends to run a fine-line, cost-wise with just trading in and buying a car with the stuff you want on it!

You started me off with R2 No1 and R2 No2. Your w202s were great and you did really difficult mods as well. Those were the days eh:) Thanks for your inspiration-guys like you, Graham, Sym and of course Koolvin cost me a fortune but I had lots of fun on the way!!!:bannana:

PS. Lots of fun apart from the day I tested my 202 folding mirror wiring on a cable to the EIS. £600...........:eek:
 
Cheers Tudu- its great! Have you got the K Box still fitted and if so what you think now youve had it a while? Thanks for the photos:) :) :)
 
Cheers Tudu- its great! Have you got the K Box still fitted and if so what you think now youve had it a while? Thanks for the photos:) :) :)

Forgot 1 pic and one more mod - Black rear diffuser.
CFRoof3.jpg
........
 
No took out the KBox and sold the induction kit was getting toooo expensive trying to get the magic 225 BHP - hence, got the C55 which really does meet my needs.
 
Is the k box really worth the £700?
 
Here's my Kleeman (Originally C200K Sport)


Front carbon spoiler
Rear Carbon spoiler
Carbon mirror covers
Carbon Door Sills
Carbon Roof Spoiler
De-chromed and replaced with carbon vinyl
Smoked rear lights
Depo Black front headlights
Black foglights
Comand APS
Kleemann TS 8 Alloy wheels
Kleemann Header and Sports Cat
C55 Exhaust and rear wheel well replaced
BEM Wood interior
Chrome/carbon shift change
SL 55 AMG Steering Wheel and shift change (first W203 in the UK to have shift change added as mod - thanks to Richard and Alfie at Comand)
C55 Front Discs and calipers - EBC Redstuff pads
Black Diamond drilled and grooved rear discs / original caliper
Carbon wrapped front grille

Probably forgotten something - Cost (loads) not worried about not getting price back on it as it's done over 70K so i will just keep running it. That's when my daughter's not using it.

Great looking C55!!

And an impressive list of mods!

Keep up the good work!

.... but what's all this about your daughter using it?!?! :eek::eek:

LOL!


:thumb:
 
In one word - NO. Defo noticed my fuel bill go up. Plus although i would say overall Kleemann products are very good - they do make very exagerated claims. With all the Kleemann kit i fitted to my C200K i should easily have exceeded 250BHP.
 
Great looking C55!!

And an impressive list of mods!

Keep up the good work!

.... but what's all this about your daughter using it?!?! :eek::eek:

LOL!


:thumb:

Thanks. Daughter uses the C200K (Kleemann) Heaven forbid i should let her loose in my C55.
 
Great write up. What engine do you have?

Just a humble c180 K which was mapped but isnt now.
 

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