Modify to Night Edition

[mapleleaf]

Hi All
Had my 2022 GLC 300 prem +in silver just over a week. It was from stock at a good price so I couldn't specify the night pack, which I would have preferred.

Is there a cost effective way to retrofit / replace the chrome bits so it looks like a night edition? Does anyone have a list of parts & part numbers that I’d need? Eg.
Roof bars
Mirror covers
Front valence
Rear valence
Oh & the genuine mb amg panamerican grill .

I’m sure it will be too expensive for all mb parts so would painting or vinyl wrap be a good option? Or is there an aftermarket kit?

I’ve been pointed to a grill supplier so far.

Tia

 

[Spider10]

My c63 has the black window surrounds dirrect from MB and the cost is eye-watering (over£1k +vat) you can't buy the rear boot trim genuine

 

[Jobsworth]

I did the same job on my C63 estate. 12 pieces of black trim cost me around £675+vat at trade price. I had them professionally dechromed by a wrap guy when I first bought the car. It was £300, but it wasn’t as nice looking as the correct finish

 

[mapleleaf]

At those window trim prices It may end up being a pipe dream but you never know.

Has anyone bought trim from a breakers?

 

[Jibbajabba]

My c63 has the black window surrounds dirrect from MB and the cost is eye-watering (over£1k +vat) you can't buy the rear boot trim genuine

Wow - in comparison, when I had my E63S estate PPFd I asked to dechrome as well



1800 seems expensive, but reasonable compared to your OEM strips .. Those blackouts are done painted so not just wrapped. And that was Topaz so I can assure you a smaller independent would be cheaper than that. As part of a wrap job probably even more so.

 

[Jibbajabba]

At those window trim prices It may end up being a pipe dream but you never know.

Has anyone bought trim from a breakers?

Problem is - unless you know how to take em off - you likely to bend them.

You can see here on left one that is 'bent' ever so slightly on mine. right the perfectly fine one



So yea - either way - the only sure fire way to get perfectly aligned ones are OEM. Otherwise go with either wrap or paint (I'd paint).

 

[mapleleaf]

So for a paint finish, is this done insitu or do the trims have to come off?

 

[Jibbajabba]

Trims came off. Those are just clipped in.

 

[NotAnumber]

£1800 + Vat for blacking out trim. You have to laugh.
Think how many Ukranian refugees that would feed and house.

 

[SmartAmg]

£1800 + Vat for blacking out trim. You have to laugh.

That's silly money, they obviously don't want to do it, but if you where very gullible and said yes, they'd be laughing.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

That's silly money, they obviously don't want to do it, but if you where very gullible and said yes, they'd be laughing.

Topaz are very very good, but very very expensive. It’s a huge amount of money to paint trim but probably not out out of step with their pricing for other services like detailing and PPF - it’s all eye wateringly expensive, and they have plenty of repeat business so people are prepared to pay.

 

[Jibbajabba]

Topaz are very very good, but very very expensive. It’s a huge amount of money to paint trim but probably not out out of step with their pricing for other services like detailing and PPF - it’s all eye wateringly expensive, and they have plenty of repeat business so people are prepared to pay.

They are great and I cannot stop drooling when I look at a freshly cleaned satin black e63s estate (had stealth PPF added to metallic black).

But I gotta be honest. I wouldn’t go back. I had a lot of things done because of ‘while I am there’ but I don’t see the benefits (anymore).

And whilst PPF is great, I might go wrap next.

I asked for a quote for Topaz Skin and that was like 23k for my car.

 

[SmartAmg]

I asked for a quote for Topaz Skin and that was like 23k for my car.

£23,000 for a Wrap! Jesus!

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[Bobby Dazzler]

£23,000 for a Wrap! Jesus!

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No Topaz skin is a peelable paint. Same paint, same quality as regular paint but applied to a peelable membrane so it can be completely removed. Looks like real paint because it is real paint, and is indistinguishable from a traditionally repainted car.

 

[SmartAmg]

No Topaz skin is a peelable paint. Same paint, same quality as regular paint but applied to a peelable membrane so it can be completely removed. Looks like real paint because it is real paint, and is indistinguishable from a traditionally repainted car.

Ah, right, but still £23,000

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Ah, right, but still £23,000

I agree, everything Topaz do is eye wateringly expensive but top quality.

 

[SmartAmg]

I agree, everything Topaz do is eye wateringly expensive but top quality.

And s'pose you pay for the best, and I'm saying "Jesus" from my perspective, but if you've got it and you want it, then why the hell not.

 

[Jibbajabba]

And s'pose you pay for the best, and I'm saying "Jesus" from my perspective, but if you've got it and you want it, then why the hell not.

OBVIOUSLY I didn’t go for it. But satin PPF is sexy on black metallic and they did a stunning job

 

[chic0821]

No Topaz skin is a peelable paint. Same paint, same quality as regular paint but applied to a peelable membrane so it can be completely removed. Looks like real paint because it is real paint, and is indistinguishable from a traditionally repainted car.

After spending £23000, why would you want to peel it off. Just a thought, why not buy the car with the colour you want in the first place

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

After spending £23000, why would you want to peel it off. Just a thought, why not buy the car with the colour you want in the first place

You don’t have to peel it off, but you can if you want to. It preserves the originality (and therefore value) of the car, and on rare or appreciating (rather than depreciating) cars then that can be very attractive. It protects the original paintwork too, again preserving originality.

If the car in question is already in excellent condition then there is no retained value in a permanent colour change, in fact it would more likely devalue the car, so peeling away the £23,000 makes more sense as the original value is unhamred.

It’s not always possible, but if you can buy the car in the colour you really want then it makes sense to order it from the factory that way and PPF it to protect the paintwork. Although sometimes people change their preferences on colour but want to keep their car.