p010sp0rt8

I don't know about everyone else in here but i was quite sad to see people shooting down idea's on someone else's car. I know mercedes is a very classy high end car. I too don't agree with some of the crazy crap people put on their cars, but it is "their" car and if something new and different comes along you just gotta go with it. Take a look at clear corners, before tons of people thought cars look like $#!T with it. but now even mercedes have nearly all clear lenses. When Xenon lights came out and everyone got fakies for their civics people hated them. But now look almost every major car company has a xenon light kit available on their cars. Some things may sound crazy and flat out disturbing but to put someone down because they have a new idea is just stupid. mercedes did decide to make a 28000 sport coupe which isn't too far off the price range for a lot of young teens. I'm afraid to say but many of the "old timer" benz fans will be unhappy to see the 230's "riced" out. Personally, i think everything i've seen done of benzes so far have been quite tasteful and add different effects to your car. no one has gone out and put a kinex spoiler on it, or a coffee can muffler but i'm sure it'll happen one day. I wouldn't do it but hey, look at the IS300's there's some pretty nice looking ones out there and i'd hope to see an expansion of aftermarket parts for all of the benz models.

Just my opinion....

Rick

This coming from someone that types his name like: ThIs....gO FiGuRe

While I don't disagree with the owners right to customize a car, or make it unique, I vehemently disdain the 'spoiled, slammed and canned' look that some have suggested. I have yet to see a factory option on a Mercedes for wiper lights, clear lenses or lights, strobes, undercar light kits or substantial changes to their intensive R&D for the set up of suspensions and chassis functions. Mercedes Benz spends more DM(EuroDollars?) per car than ANY car company to develop a safe, stabile, reliable platform and model line. Why change something that doesn't need it? Why mess with the warranty?
Why, why, WHY?

Frankly, my first 'road trip' in my new car brought horror to my eyes as I saw an Alabaster C230 coupe lowered, beer fart exhaust, with 19" rims, black stickers diagonaly messing up the otherwise beautiful body lines and a rear spoiler that could only resemble a double decker park bench. The car obviously didn't have all that was advertised by the stickers and Japanese characters, and spoilers of that nature have no aerodynamic downforce effect until the driver hits 92mph(engineering fact).

It's sort of like ordering Filet Mignon with cheese.....and extra pickles. You want fries with that?

PUH-Leeeeeeeeeeeease

Call me a purist, but even classic cars are worth more in original condition.

benzomonterey

Another personal attack go figure.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

greg230

k, rick i see your point about maintaining an elegant, tastful finish on a car, keeping it stock to maintain warrantyies etc etc.

But no matter how much money mercedes spends designing each model, they cut corners. They trim details to get to price points.... now those price points may be 128k cl 600 or a 28k c230. but concessions are made on ALL PRODUCTION CARS. SOME PEOPLE like to take THEIR hard earned money and use it to modify THEIR own car.

do i eventually plan to upgrade to vented crossdrilled breaks? yes, they have better stopping power.... why didint mercedes put them on stock.... COST

do i eventually plan to get a new pully, and chip upgrade? yes, why didnt mercedes put them on stock..... COST/ FUEL EFFICIENCY

will i change my amber corners to clear, with amber bulbs? yes, i think it matches the side mirror lights better that way.

will i change to lighter 18" wheels and lower my car about an inch? yes, cause of the performance increase with lighter wheels and a lower driving stance.

these are my decisions for my car paid for by me.

if you dont agree with em, fine, but dont attack ME. just say you disagree and move along...... or dont even read this response!

BUT PLEASE BE CIVIL TO YOUR FELLOW BENZ PEOPLE!
no more personal attacks

greg

ps.... rick and i live fairly close..... we are gonna have some heated debates if we ever go out and get a beer together
i will order fries with mayo and he will flip out on me or something!!!

tommy

Now, that's just wrong! Ketchup and hot sauce forever!

F&F isn't the #1 dvd for no reason. People like modding their cars. You can either say it's wrong, or just loosen up a little and look at what some people are doing. You might not respect their choices, but you have to be amazed at what some people do with their time and money, and some mods are just way out there.

Coming from a crx, I've pretty much seen everything. Went to a meet at Niagra Falls where 140 crxes were there. Some of the crap there was just butt ugly, but you'd talk to them, and they guys had poured so much into their cars that you just had respect their work.

geistmeister

I think it's OK to chuckle at ricers, but not to attack or condemn them. It's their life, their car, their choice, etc.

I think it's stupid to put $2K headlights on an $8K car but hundreds of people in my city think it's a grand idea--make that a two grand idea.

At the same time, there are thousands of people who think I'm stupid for paying $30K for an econobox that, from behind, looks like it was separated at birth from a Dodge Neon.

Thank God we don't all agree--if we did, we'd be living in some Henry Ford Utopia and all driving identical cars.

Pete

You speak of members "shooting down" other members' opinions. Well, in almost every post where this happens, the person who was "shot down" asked for other members' opinions. If you can't take an opinion without getting your feelings hurt, maybe you shouldn't ask for said opinion, in the first place.

And now, I'll voice my opinion(s)...

I think that "riced-out" cars look ridiculous, and cars that attempt to be OEM-riced-out (Lexus IS300) are even worse. I laugh out-loud whenever I see a 6.5" exhaust tip, fake xenons, a "Powered by Nissan" sticker... on a Nissan (which is obvious to the point idiocy), as well as the other cliches. Do I really care if you do this to your car? Nope. Will I tell you that I think it's ridiculous, if you ask? Sure. Will I cringe, because you're doing it to a Mercedes-Benz? Nope, because...

I've see the words "elegant," "classy," "high-end," and even "filet mignon" tossed around this forum, as if they are relevant. Coupe owners: Have you noticed that your car is a hatchback, with a 4-cylinder engine - qualities that scream "economy car"? Don't get me wrong; I have one, and I like my car, but I don't think that it necessarily has the cachet that some of you seem to think that it does, merely because it has a three-pointed star, on the front grill. Give me break. It's not a CL600, so get off your collective high horse.

By the way, F&F is a terrible movie, and the fact that it's "the #1 dvd" (if that's even true) is simply a testament to the sad state of the film industry, today. And I'm only 23 years old, so don't label me as an "old person" shaking my fist, at the youth of today.

benzomonterey

AMEN (sorry about the religious reference )

vadim

I'm with you 100%, Rick!

vadim

Does it REALLY look like a rebadged Dodge Neon (or some such) to you?

young

well, if someone asks whether a wheel looks good or not? or lowering the car - is it going to look good or not? or adding neon? etc. these are asking for opinions. give your opinion, that's fine. just leave out the - 'btw, your stupid, lame, pathetic' parts.

let me put it a different way. someone says i need to get a trunk liner to protect the carpet. you say, i like the macneils b/c their tough and look good. btw, you're a very handsome/smart guy. what the heck does the last part have to do w/ anything?

bluec230

Oh quit with all the politically correct "everybody is inherently equal" garbage. When I see every other cheap Honda econobox with a trash can exhaust, hideous ground effects, and one hundred decals filled with a skinny ugly Chinese kid with a backwards hat, I will not only laugh, I'll regard it and the owner as the trash that they are. And if you do the above with a Mercedes, you deserve two times the condemnation. You can talk about hatchback infinitum, but a Mercedes hatchback, though it isn't a CL600, also isn't the same as the rice rockets youd like to turn them into. In your typical oversimplification of the C230, you say 4 cylinder, then you say hatchback, then you say typical economy car. Oh, but you forget supercharged engine, 8 airbags, ESP, ABS, components shared from other Mercedes' models. This isn't a typical economy hatchback. Let's get into reality here. Oh, we must all be nice and understanding towards the tasteless people who make their cars uglier? No, I will judge them and will continue.

RedC230K

I agree with blue. Even "gold packages" are asinine, IMHO. Am I supposed to believe that you have SOLID gold badges on your car?? Or should I look at the $35 worth of cheap plating and marvel at how bad it's looks or is going to look after just a few months.
I am a 20-something and a first-time Benz owner. My C-coupe might not be a CL600, but it has more in common with a CL600 than it does a riced Civic.

young

blue, you are a very handsome guy.

- edit - never mind... its not worth it.

benzomonterey

Unfortunately due to racial ignorance of the above user. This post was reported to the moderator.

Mr. Xristo

All in all, people are entitled to their own opinion... But, if you ask someone for their opinion, and do not like the response, then I suggest you suck it up buttercup.. You asked for it...

As far as bashing someone for ordering a Filet Mignon with cheese, who cares? It may not be the way you do things, but it is their food, and money.

I don't comment on someone's wife because they are fat, lazy, and out of shape, do I? Why? Because I do not care. It is the same thing, no matter how you look at it..

There are those here, making comments who remind me of some of the nouveau-riche, "Boca-ites" (i.e., some of those in Boca Raton who think they are it), who think your views of class, taste, etc. are the standard..

Get over yourselves, and enjoy whatever car you have, and quit worrying about what other people around you are driving, or eating.. But hey, this is a free country..

Rick

Who played the 'racial trump card'? Nothing I typed was in any way derogatory to any generic or specific race, color, creed or religion...directly or implied.

As far as the filet mignon with cheese...that was a reference point of extreme proportions...on both sides of the fence.

Finally...a one word suggestion for those of you that seem to take everything to a level of personal attack....

DECAFF!

tommy

I would assume that the "racial trump card" is the term "skinny ugly Chinese kid" comment, insomuch as the writer doesn't know the nationality of the kid in question, ie, Chinese as a term for all Asians. At least, that would be my guess.

Rick, don't you know the power of cheese?

Rick

I wish people had controls like TV sets.....then I could adjust the brightness, intensity and level of contrast when necessary.(shrug - walks away laughing)

shtatc

Hello everyone....

I was not going to reply to this post and another similar one...re: rooms....but with all this controversy....I will....I am an Asian(American/Japanese)..yes I am American first with Japanese family background...and yes...I had my share of Honda Civics...Toyota Corrollas/Celicas..etc...etc....and to the term "ricers"...that is what I have a problem with....is it racially motivated or negative...maybe...is it ignorance?...maybe...but debatable....are we racially ignorant? maybe we all are to a point....the "chinese" comment....stereotypical...sure...but we do all do share 1st Ammendment rights....what you say may tick someone else off....that is the system we created....and in that system...if someone want to "fix" up their car..then let it be....hey..they have been modifying cars in Japan long before it was "hip" here in the states....probably long before alot of us were even born...that is part of the racing sub-culture there....probably the same in Europe with their cars....I guess, in the end, the only thing I have a problem is ... is with the term "ricer"....not a term a would accept....call it what you wish..it is a free country..but if I criticize you...dont get ticked off at me for the same reason I will let you say your peace....
sorry...i will get off my soap box now....but thanks for the time

Pete

bluec230,

> You can talk about hatchback infinitum, but a
> Mercedes hatchback, though it isn't a CL600,
> also isn't the same as the rice rockets youd
> like to turn them into. In your typical
> oversimplification of the C230, you say 4
> cylinder, then you say hatchback, then you say
> typical economy car.

It would be "ad infinitum," but anyway...

I was merely pointing out that some people perceive the car that way. I, myself, do not consider it to be an economy car, but that's not the point. To some people this isn't the Holy Grail that you make it out to be, so drop the "holier than thou" attitude. You drive a $30k car. So do I.

If my "oversimplification" of the car is "typical," as you say, then you agree with me, that it is "typically" perceived that way. So, don't overcompensate for the inadequacies that you feel are perceived by others by taking it out on people in this forum. By that, I mean that it seems like you're more disturbed by the fact that someone would "rice-out" this car than a Civic, for instance, because you feel that it'll lessen the perceived image even more.

And if you "judge" people, as you've said, by the way that they alter their vehicles, you have more problems to contend with than I have the time to enumerate.

As per your comment about the C230K not being "the same as the rice rockets youd like to turn them into," since your whole post seemed to be addressed to me, I'll assume that you meant the "you" to refer to me. Maybe you should read my post again. I'll re-iterate the fact that I don't like "riced-out" cars, and I think that they look ridiculous, but I certainly won't dispute someone's right to do it, nor will I feel that it lessens the "image" of Mercedes-Benz or more specifically, my car.

By the way, did someone in a "rice-rocket" steal your girlfriend or something?

Pete

shtatc,

I don't particularly like the term "ricer," either (that's why I put it in quotes), but I believe that it refers to the fact that this trend began primarily with Japanese cars and doesn't reflect anything about the ethnicity of the driver (positive or negative). I hesitate to use it, only because it's perceived by some to be a racially-denigrating term, even though I don't think that it was intended to be such.

I think that the people in this forum use the term, because it's a convenient (and succinct) way to describe what they're talking about. I, at least, haven't heard another term for it.

young

unfortuneately, blue's ignorant remarks make it worse. i agree that most people do not use it in a RACIST manner but i still shudder when people just throw the word around. i personally use ROCKET BOY or BOY RACER in substitute.

benzomonterey

Even being Caucasion I took great offense to Ugly Chinese Trash. That didn't sit well either.

vadim

Benzo, Blue didn't say "Ugly Chinese Trash", YOU just did . Read his post carefully.