drexappeal

So I decided to combine all the threads I started of mods I've done with my car. Thought it would be nice to see the changes over the past few years.

Enjoy, everybody.

drexappeal

And here's more...

drexappeal

drexappeal's ride

boynix

nice. can't wait for mine. how come you don't have an AMG front bumper?

inFiniTE LooP

congrats! car looks great

i totally missed that, but now that i look at it, yea how come!? did you request it this way? or did you just request the sport rims with a sport sedan?

i also noticed you have a blue bulb for your parking lights, are those PIAA? if so, which ones?

drexappeal

2004.5 just had some minor appearance changes (most notably the rims) before the 2005 was released.

The 2005 was the first to get the AMG kit, so that's why mine just has the regular sport package. The 2005 was released in June, I think. I can't remember exactly how much longer after I got my car, but it was fairly soon after I got mine.

Either way, I'm kinda glad I didn't get the '05 because of 2 things, 1) "free" warranty (even though technically, nothing is free when you buy a car) and 2) I didn't want to look like an AMG, even though I like how the AMG kit looks.

It's just my personally feeling about it. If I had an AMG kit, I'd want to have an AMG engine. Kinda like, if I had a 3 Series BMW, I wouldn't want to put on an M3 body kit with M3 exhaust. Just doesn't equate in my eyes.

I REALLY wanted to buy a C32, but couldn't afford that, so I had to settle for the 230k SS. I liked the concept of having a supercharged V6 vs. the V8 C55. Even if I negotiated for a brand new '04 C32, it would've still been out of my budget. I looked into pre-owned C32's, but couldn't find one that met all my needs in terms of what I wanted on the car and the one's that I would've considered were still out of my price range.

drexappeal

Posted the explanation for why I don't have the AMG bumper.

You are correct on the PIAA's for the parking lights, but can't remember which ones I bought. I got them from Super Autobacs. I just tried to get as bright a color as possible and they have the "push-button" displays that you can check to see how it looks.

Actually, I have pictures that I took at night time with my cousin's camera, but I'm still waiting for him to upload those. I took pictures of how the car looks with the lights on. I have PIAA parking lights, NOKYA fog lights (arctic purple) and of course my BIX.

Chedeng_05

BEAUTIFUL, I LOVE THE WAY YOUR CAR LOOKS NOW.

Please don't change your hood emblem to the FLAT one... i personally think that the original ones looks classier.... like i told my wife, it's one of the reasons why we bought a Mercedes to have that old fashioned emblem look to it. I just love seeing the MB logo when I'm driving.

About the AMG body kit, i personally like them...for obvious reasons. It's what attracted me to the C model... it gave it youthful agressive look.

ctC230K

I would love to see what these lights look like. Are they the real W5W lights or are they 194 or whatever? I tried a few 194 lights in there and they were so dim i returned them.

NO_WUR_E

Definitely a to your car! Nice!!!
Where did you get your side markers? Are those factory bulbs? Lastly, does anyone know if it's illegal to change side markers from Orange to Clear?

ctC230K

i've seen those on ebay for about $35. technically it's not DOT legal to change from amber to clear but the cops don't seem to care or notice. if you're worried about it you could always replace the clear bulb with an amber bulb and that would take care of it.

FrankW

i opt to have the marker smoked and then stuff the bulbs inside the bumper, so my marker doesn't even light up.

drexappeal

They're 194's, but definitely come out brighter than the stock halogen yellowish tint Parking lights.

I'll try taking pics with just the parking lights on.

Actually, the fog light bulbs (NOKYA) look good, but just too purple, so they don't match "exactly" with the BIX, but then again, it's very difficult to do that. If I went with the NOKYA Arctic White, I think it would've matched a little better, but either way they still look good.

drexappeal

Got the side markers from eBay. I think the name of the company is F1Sports (no affiliation with F1motorsports in North Hollywood). The bulbs came with the side markers. Factory bulbs are white.

From what I understand, these are not necessarily DOT, but it's true that the cops don't care because both times that I've gotten pulled over since getting my car (front license plate / speeding), the cops didn't even bat an eye at my clear side markers.

I guess, it also has to do with my side markers being amber (which I believe, no matter what, legally have to be amber).

Before, California law used to state that the Maximum amount of lights a car can have were 4 (2 headlights and 2 fogs) with Amber side markers/ corner markers). Since then (that was around 96 because I got pulled over in my MX-6 for having excessive lighting), I believe the ruling has changed.

drexappeal

Totally agree with you! The only thing I'm gonna change in the front is put on the Expression Front Bumper, but the picture that I posted on my "future mods" link happens to have the flat badge and the CL Style grill, which I personally am not big on. I like the hood emblem sticking out of the hood! One of the reasons I've loved Benz for the longest time.

Thanks for your compliments.

FrankW

what!? so you guys don't like this look ?

NO_WUR_E

drexappeal...yes, can't wait to see the night shots of your parking lights. better yet, look forward to your completion of future mods. again, nice car!

everyone else..thanks for the replies on side markers.

drexappeal

Just wanted to take a second to thank everybody for their comments! Hopefully, by the time the end of the summer comes, I'll have my coilovers on, Expression kit and rims!...Although, I'm thinking it'll probably be 1 year away before I do all the stuff (as it is right now).

Regardless, when I first bought the car, I didn't think I'd catch the same "mod" bug that I had when I had a Mazda MX-6, but that changed within the first 2 days (after looking at all the fixed up w203's on this board)...LOL. Take a look at my mx-6 here, to see what I did with that: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/oodrex...aloo/my_photos

Right now, I'm trying to focus on exterior mods until all the performance mods have really been tested and developed (most notably, the Evosport pulley kit), but when I get my Expression Motorsport kit, I'm gonna be doing a custom exhaust, so that's gonna cost an arm and a leg, but I think it'll be worth the $.

Guest0001

Car looks pretty stock to me. You need to lower.

drexappeal

Nah, FrankW, I like how that looks also, but my preference is how it looks with the upright emblem. The one I wouldn't do for sure is the CL style or the "sport" style grill, but that's just cuz I prefer how it looks stock. Just personally what I like.

Actually, I'm debating on replacing the 04 grill with the 05 grill (5 slats vs. 4 slats), but not sure yet. Thinking of putting that $100 towards upgrading the swaybars, but...at the same time, I probably won't do swaybars before I get the TEIN coilovers (whenever they come out of development!).

drexappeal

Yup, pretty much is stock!...LOL...And I definitely agree that it needs a drop, but still waiting on the TEIN coilovers to come out of development before making a suspension choice. Right now, if I were to do it, I'd probably go with the Bilstein PSS9's...but, no use in rushing because once I make that choice, I don't want to have to switch later on...Just lazy like that...hahaha.

ctC230K

That's a really good idea, I never even thought of that.

I like that look, it's something different. But when everyone else is going for that look it looses it's appeal. If everyone is changing out the stock emblem for the flat emblem I'd rather have the stock emblem. Just like the CL grill, although the idea of getting the one with the 6.5 inch star is growing on me.
Am I the only one that likes the "Elegance Grill for W203 Sedans"?

LMing

I recently changed my city bulb to blue one also, but it looks pretty purple to me, lol here is the photo~

NO_WUR_E

what's the difference between the elegance grille and "prestige" sports grille as seen on formymercedes.
i only see 3 slats vs. 4 slats in the middle. imo, i like them both. it has the stock grille look, but with a small star. it seems other disagree though.

ctC230K

smaller star, i think it looks pretty good and it's unique