mbarrad

Didn't think adding an 05 grill to my 03 C230 SS would make a difference, but this mod really made the car look updated. I know I have frosted headlamps, but these are OEM Xenons which I refuse to part with.

Below are some before and after pics. Enjoy!

Before:


After:

kevblah

yeah, unbelievable how much of a difference it makes, too bad non-mb enthusiasts would never notice

mbarrad

Very true.

WaveyKat

looks great i got mines of ebay for $20

you need some BI-XENON

kevblah

wow thats amazing..

he has bi-xenon, just the frosted ones

SlvrC230SS

wow, looks good.

WaveyKat

well thats just XENON

kevblah

right right, my bad

mbarrad

I wish I could afford OEM Bi-Xenons. These do just fine for me.

yeuchau

i want to get grill for just 20 as well
anyone want to sell me one for 20??

perdikoula888

you should have bought the updated silver one, not the black one. It looks much better

white_w203

i second that

mbarrad

Did not know there was a silver one. Got a picture?

kevblah

yeah i wasnt aware of a updated '05 grille? arent all the oem grilles chrome and the black ones aftermarket?

rlee02135

looks nice!

mbarrad

Thanks! Couldn't be happier with the grill.

PhilipM1

that grill looks so classy. Nice up-grade

pmb600

He might be referring to the grille slats...on 2005+ models the grill has black slats for sport and silver/grey for luxury models, I have the silver/grey since my car is a lux sedan, but I actually was thinking of switching to black I like it better. I will post of a pic of mine later.

kevblah

wow i had no idea, i wonder which one i have LOL

edit: just reviewed some pics, it appears as though i have the luxury grille, which is nice...it flows better with a silver car

themerc

Looks nice! Good pics for the comparison.
I agree with your decision about the OEM Xenons; it makes a lot of sense.

KleanC

You can hardly tell. . i dont think its worth the time and money for teh new grill... but maybe it just looks tahtw ay in the pics..


you should have colored your old grill. .

splinter

Cool upgrade. Instant results! Looks good with your flat hood badge.

Did you retrofit your headlamps? I’ve heard that if the #612 xenon headlamp option was specified, they required the #600 headlamp washers, as well. Another one of MB’s “mandatory options?” Maybe our dealer was just double dipping. Mine was built with the frosty xenons. Best lights I’ve ever driven behind. Alas, they shout “dated” when compared with the more recent issue bi-xenons. Just another item on my wish list from Steve at MBenzNL. Maybe I can rationalize them under the guise of safety.

How are you getting along with your sport springs installation? I have the #203 589 00 07 00 retaining nut tool if you care to borrow it.

mbarrad

For me, I could tell instantly. The new grill cleans up the front end a bunch. The old grill looked taller and complex. Not everyone will see things from my perspective, which is ok. I like it!

mbarrad

John, thanks for the compliment! The combo packages are definately a way for the dealerships to make a few more bucks. The Xenon headlamps I am using were purchased from a fellow board member. Since these were OEM Xenons, all I had to do was install them and have the dealership change the code to Xenon=Present. I love these lights! I wish I could afford BIX, but other things of importance seem to get in the way. The frosty headlamps IMHO really fit well to the silver colored cars for some reason. I don't think they look dated until you move them to a different color.

I will install the springs in June when I have some extra time on my hands. I do appreciate the offer for the nut tool, but I have already purchased one. Thank you anyway. I will post a big write up when I do the springs with pics. The springs are sitting right next to me waiting patiently for me to install them.

powa

wow i almost didn't notice the difference since im a coupe owner, but Bi-xenon or projector headlight is definiately a must, or at least do teh Depo projector so u can keep ur Xenon light