BlackC280

Help! Do I have the correct part? I ordered from expresparts off ebay. The description said...

W124/W203/W204/W208/W209/W210/W211/W215/W219/W220/W221/R170/R171, etc. Basically, most Mercedes cars out. This is an original hood badge, not like other aftermarket replacement badges on eBay

The badge is larger than the original base on my C280. See pic. If I install this it will not be flush in the round groove on my hood.

AND... it's made out of plastic... Is this original OEM? The plastic bag is labeled with a tag from MB.

glocati

Hi BlackC280... No worries, it is the right one. I tripped out on that too. Once you pull the Star hood ornament, you will actually fill the whole with the part that the flat badge presses into. Essentially, the flat badge has two male prongs that press into two plastic sleeves that press into the base (that fills the hole where the ornament was.) Much like a BMW Roundel if you have ever messed with one of those. The badge is actually a bit bigger than the base of the old ornament and completely covers the indent.

glocati

Another item of note...Some sellers sell just the badge and if that is all you have, you will need to sniff out the rest of it. Which is as i note above, a base that fills the hole. The base is secured by a nut from underneath. The badge then presses into this base. . Good luck on it, Greg

Benzben

Yes, it's an authentic OEM part. You can get those from a hundred different places and sellers online/Ebay. That part will simply set on the outside of your hood and cover over the recess where the hood star base sits. Some people don't like the look of these badges and/or the possible damage that they feel can be done to the paint where the badge will rub on the hood.

To my knowledge, there are only two sources for "flat badges" that actually sit in the hood recess. First, the "White Star" badges made by DFWDude and sold via the sticky thread at the top of the W203 page (and he has apparently got less than 8 left). Second, there is a seller on Ebay called MKM Customs. (I've attached a picture of that one.) They both start with the OEM hood star base part (that fits in the recess), and then fill in the center portion where the star assembly sits with a flat, Mercedes star.

These latter two are all metal construction with custom work done to fill in the center, so they are generally a lot more expensive than the plastic OEM sits-over-the-recess badge.

Benzben

Forgot to attach the picture of the MKM Customs badge. I actually have one of these I'm getting ready to put on the classifieds page if you're interested.

BlackC280

so today I was able to take some time and try and install my flat badge.. Took out the original MB medalion. Slapped on the base of the flat badge and bolted it tight underneath. my new problem is the sleeves that the two prongs push into. The two white plastic sleeves are too large to fit into the base.
Do I slide the sleeves on the prongs of the badge and push the whole thing down? OR do I try my darnest and push in the sleeves into the base and then push in the badge? I'm afraid i'll brake off the two plastic prongs.

kOMPRESSEDc230

I would put the base in, then the sleeves and then push the badge on carefully.

glocati

I had the same problem. I really had to work it to the push the the sleeves into the badge base. I actually heated them up under hot water, and they finally went in. the badge then actually pressed down firmly but did go in.

BlackC280

Finally got the flat badge on... Boiling the little sleeves didn't work. I had to take a blade and taper off the sleeves from the bottom and they finally slid in.

Thanks for all the help guys.

kOMPRESSEDc230

Pics?

BlackC280

I'll post as soon as I get a chance to wash the car. It's been raining here in SoCal.. It's pretty horrible look'n specially that it's black.

BlackC280

finally got a chance to wash the car and take pics of the flat badge.. Looks 100x better than the old one.

Looking to get the windows tinted this weekend..

glocati

looks good !

BlackC280

haha.. thanks.. it was a pain in the @$$. not sure of the purpose of those sleeves.. I guess you call that German Engineering??!!??