Mod List Mk Two

[portzy]

After this afternoons carry on here goes, again. A selection of possible ideas which I fancy, for your delectation. Some are 1/, MB option based, some are, 2/ from www.mercedesperformance.co.uk. As you can see I have an 03 C200K Sports Coupe. It is Brilliant Silver has an S.E. pack and a Sports Evolution pack with Panorama roof and it's automatic, thats it. It is 11 months old and the more I drive it the more I want it to be a long term partnership. I am, all in all, happy with performance so, just at this moment mind you, a chip or compressor upgrade is not part of my list. I dont have a lease company to keep onside but do have an MB warranty to consider. This little lot is in no particular order of preference, who am I kidding!


New stainless steel twin pipe exhaust or back box culminating in twin pipe exit along with a Lorinser?/Brabus? rear apron to accomodate the twin exit. Different style exhaust trims to the present one, it looks like a cheapo bolt on jobby and, if i'm honest, it reeeealy bugs me, trouble is if I remove it i'm left with what looks like a sawn off 12 bore shotgun. All sourced from 2/.

New alloys similar to the present style (i cant describe exactly, they are 7 spoke 17" evolution pack type) preferably 18" or, maybe 19"(would 19" be outrageous?) with luck and if possible. Need 225 front and at least 245 rear. Will take your advice on sourcing.

COMAND.Does it or can it play DVDs? Is it worthwhile or is it to big an investment when compared to other mods i.e. more bangs for your bucks sort of thing. From 1/ or Braybrooks?. Anyone used them? Do they come to you or do you need a mini break from home? Failing that an in-dash radio/DVD with motorised screen?. Nearly forgot to add in there, speaker upgrade, again possibly Braybrooks.

Clear headlights/xenons/bi-xenons?/chrome surrounds. From 1/ or 2/ or, would welcome suggestions on sourcing.

A hatch lip. Mmnnn... wondering what I mean? If there is one minor niggle I have about my car its from a rear 45 deg view. Something is needed to break the curve from where the glass roof ends and the glass hatch starts. Lorinser do what they call "Roof wing with GPS ant..." which I rather like and think would be easy on the eye. See my picture post on P5 "Sticky Vinyl..." if you cast your view north you will see the area I mean. Scoured from 2/.

Puddle lights and illuminated door well strips. There are already M...B... strips as part of one of the packages but they dont light up. From 1/ or 2/

Chrome grille inserts/strips from 2/

Chrome trims for rear lights from 2/

Instrument and radio backlighting from orange to blue. From where? I hav'nt a clue, help needed on this one.

I'm happy with the standard sills and front skirt and dont need a telephone install (my wife and my boss, two separate people mind!, are always glad to see the back of me so they would never ring any way)

For the moment thats it unless any seasoned modders can add any suggestions. I understand, from a newish member point of view, that I now down a large one and let you all loose on my ideas. Thats EXACLY what I want. It wont, in any shape or fashion, be an all at once operation, my bank balance is on the right side of sleepless nights but not limitless. I did ask, honest, how long I could rattle on on here but ther you go! My sourcing could possibly appear naive/nyeeve/niave, jeeez! amateurish then, but its early days. I have deliberately left out smilies on this occasion as an act of self flagelation for my earlier attempt at this. Some of you will know what I mean, some maybe wont, I feel half the free world probably does.

 

[portzy]

Re Mods

Something I said or didnt I really need your help here folks before I make a pigs ear of this . Seasoned moders or otherwise please give this thread a go, dont worry as right between the eyes is where I prefer it.

 

[sym]

Everybody's priorities are different . . . but if it were me, I would say that COMAND is probably a better investment from a resale point of view than any of the other mods you have mentioned.

Go easy with the chrome trims on the exterior - depending on what sort of look you want to achieve.

The backlighting should be relatively simple, although there are bound to be one or two bulbs that are a right pain to get to, and so it will spoil your effect.

Brabus / similar bodykit / wheels will always enhance the look of the car . . . but they are not cheap !

What's your budget ?

S.

 

[portzy]

Thanks for that sym. From what you are saying I get the idea that permanent, with a capital P, mods are better for being exactly like or very close to original option menu items. Hear what you say about the chrome bits, probably just stick to the grille as that is reversible.

This side of 05 I have about 3 to 4k to play with and more than likely a similar amount next year so could view the Comand as a single item with what I have now and treat the wheels/bodywork next spring the same, fitting in some of the physically smaller items in between. I take it Comand isnt a DIY proposition. Did you use Braybrooks?, will it or can it play DVDs?, where does the aerial go?. I think I could manage the rest myself.

 

[sym]

COMAND 2.0 for your car will not play DVDs. If DVD is what you really want, then you could still fit COMAND, and get a TV Tuner for the extra video inputs.

The aerial should be a hideaway job beneath the dash, or you can get a body mount one.

Not really a DIY job unless you are confident in what you are doing as there will more than likely be some additional connections to make apart from the ISO plugs and the GPS antenna.

S.

 

[SilverSaloon]

Not really a DIY job unless you are confident in what you are doing as there will more than likely be some additional connections to make apart from the ISO plugs and the GPS antenna.

S.

comand was pretty easy to retrofit into my CLK. As long as you have the speed sensor wire on pin1 of your radio ISO plug then its just plug & play. hide the gps aerial up inside the dash behind the passenger airbag.

 

[miro]

COMAND is the easiest of all mods. But it does require the correct tools and immaculate (original OEM) instructions, which are online anyway.

Colour change from Amber to Blue ..... KA CHING ..... for one thing no dealer will touch the car afterwards since they cant get those parts. Can you imagine a mix of colours.

Mind you ...... the officlal MB Options list is a lot wilder than your list. Why not see that as a guide.

Rather than messing around with LED's .... get some ultra-performance parts.

 

[portzy]

Cheers sym, Silver Saloon and miro. I think this side of Christmas I will go with Comand and the TV tuner as the main upgrade which, if i'm honest, might just be beyond my capabilities on the DIY front (I'm right in thinking that a plug in and play DVD is what goes into Comands inputs?) I've retro-fitted a few humbuckers into Fender Strats over the years but never anything like this . From the MB options list I think I can manage exit lights and dimming rear view mirror both financially and practically and still have something left for my missus' stocking at Christmas, Terrys Chocolate Orange perhaps . One last ask, miro, what do you mean by performace parts? I'll leave you alone for now and do some research then pester you all again in a few days time.

Regards, David.

 

[miro]

Cheers sym, Silver Saloon and miro. I think this side of Christmas I will go with Comand and the TV tuner as the main upgrade which, if i'm honest, might just be beyond my capabilities on the DIY front (I'm right in thinking that a plug in and play DVD is what goes into Comands inputs?) I've retro-fitted a few humbuckers into Fender Strats over the years but never anything like this . From the MB options list I think I can manage exit lights and dimming rear view mirror both financially and practically and still have something left for my missus' stocking at Christmas, Terrys Chocolate Orange perhaps . One last ask, miro, what do you mean by performace parts? I'll leave you alone for now and do some research then pester you all again in a few days time.

Regards, David.

Read this PDF file(s) and then evaluate the difficulty.

http://www.mbnz.org/publications/pub.asp?id=201
http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/COMAND 2.0.htm

CD stacker + COMAND is dead easy. TV tuner ....... at least 4 hours work.