wildcard011

Hi,
Does anyone have any experience with this item. Are they good quality pins ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-...ayphotohosting


I did get the aluminum pins with the surrounds from formymercedes.com but am looking to try the chrome ones as well. The Aluminum pins are good however there is an issue with the surrounds. They will fit but are not flush with the door. Reason for this I guess is because they were made for W203 and not W204. The W204 surrounds need to be at a slight angle to fit flush. I did speak to Jerry at fomymercedes.com and he advised that the chromes he has right now are really plastic with chrome coating.

I ended up just using the pins without the surrounds. Very easy to install like everyone has already said here. Just screw old pins out and screw new pins in. Did the front doors only.

So if anyone has ordered the chrome ones above let me know.

Thanks

AkaSigFreak

They look the same as the ones from formymercedes.com. I wonder if they are chrome plated plastic too?

Oh Cool

Pins with the surrounds $13.99 good price. But $15 shipping is unbelievable.

hijacko

Yeah.. I installed the Chrome pins and surrounds from formymercedes.com and the same issue with the surrounds. The surrounds are also flat and not at an angle. Ditto the above -- they do look exact the same as the ones listed on ebay. Even though they are plastic -- they do have a good feel to them, still better than the black plastic OEM ones.

Aggressive

The $15 shipping is outragous. They are making more money on shipping than the cost of the door pins. Ebayer do this because they do not need to pay for ebay fees on shipping costs. So, ebay makes less on the item by the seller charging less for the item and jacking up the price of shipping makes up the profit difference.

micropower99

Yea thats what I was worried about. (The surroundings not fitting) Damnit, the chrome ones are plated only? How are the ebay ones? I think the cost on ebay would be worth it if it was actually chrome and not plastic.

trial0r

someone needs to gave and order the $5,000 ones from brabus

Oh Cool

$5000 ones? What are they Gold?

micropower99

I think he was being sarcastic, since the damn brabus ones are always over priced :p

AkaSigFreak

From what CEC told me- Brabus made an error and listed the W203 pins in the W204 catalog. I was all set to order them and drive to Miami to have them installed when they called me back and said they don't fit. I got tired of waiting for an update.

Ron Jr

Brabus ones at my AD were $120.00 a set no surrounds.

wildcard011

OK, I bought the above ones. Should have them in next week. Will try them out and give an update here.

As for the surrounds, I guess there is no hope for now.

Ron Jr

I have the ones from E-bay they just came in yesterday. Yes they are metal as are the surrounds. As mentioned they don't sit flat but from most angles it isn't to bad. The pin s sit flush when locked, now all I have to do is figure a way to fit the back ones.

micropower99

Hey, which ebay ones do you have? Can you post the link?

Ron Jr

They are the same as these.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...WDVWQQtcZphoto

micropower99

Thanks for the link. And their not just chrome plated, their actually metal?

Ron Jr

They are metal what type of metal is anyones guees. I would hazard most likely a base metal (brass, low grade steel, etc) that's been chromed.

micropower99

Thanks

AkaSigFreak

BTW don't use the surrounds. I installed the aluminum pins and surrounds and I just ordered replacement oem surrounds. No one has mentioned the "finger nail on chalkboard" sound the metal ones make when the doors lock and unlock. OMG It makes my skin crawl everytime. The chrome might not be as bad as the aluminum but I don't know if I'd take the chance. Besides- the oem surrounds are angled to match the contour of the door and the aftermarket ones are flat. They kinda fit but not perfect. I think I'm going to polish mine now (I'm bored)

wildcard011

Hi I just got the chrome pins and surrounds from ebay. They are acutally quite decent. However one big issue has come up, the chromes don't go all the way in like the aluminum pins. They stick out and are not flush.

so here is the issue
aluminum - fit perfectly, go all the way down and flush with the door when locked. but don't looks as good
chorome - match the interior perfectly. much better i think but they don't go down all the way which is a big no no, since I like to rest my hand on the door while driving and these are in the way.

is there no solution to this madness.. is there no hope! Can someone just offer me a better solution..

BTW, I also want to get the oem surrounds. Can you please tell me where you got them from and the part number.

thanks

wildcard011

Hi Ron,
Are you sure the pins sit flush. The ones I have stick out. Did we get the same ones ? I've posted the link to the one i go a few messages above.

thanks

Ron Jr

Mine look the same and came from the same seller. I'll take pics when I get home I am using the supplied surrounds and not the OEM which would make a difference. Anyone change the rears yet, if so what did you use? Gorilla glue or epoxy? And did they sit flush or did they need to be shimed or drilled deeper?

AkaSigFreak

The aluminum pins do fit great and look even better now that I polished them with Mother's metal polish and my Dremel tool. Nice and shiney like a mirror.
As far as the oem surrounds- You already have them (MB does make a metal surround). I liked my surrounds at first but prefer the plastic the more I look at it.

wildcard011

Yeah but I messed mine up when taking it out to put the new surrounds. And want to re-order. Do u know if its available anywhere but the dealership.

Thanks

Azn_C300

lets see some updated pics