HairyHaggis

I was delighted with my W204 (estate) as despite having only the 220CDi engine it pretty much has every available extra. Unfortunately I just couldnt forgive the steering wheel, which was skinny, hard and unpleasant to use. This was made much worse by the C63 which has a beautiful & tactile steering fitted. After speaking with a friend who works for Merc it was confirmed that to do a swap over properly I would not only need a wheel, but an airbag and an ECU reprogramme as the airbag is different. This was going to make the bill over £1500 which was a little steep to say the least. I therefore embarked on a mission to find an alternative. After much searching, emailing photos etc, I identified a couple of different craftsmen who between them could strip an existing wheel back, thicken & reprofile it to have the same distinct shape of the C63 wheel, then complete with high quality hand stitched leather.

The whole process takes between 3 & 5 weeks so I also acquired a spare steering wheel which they could work so that my car wouldnt be off the road. The final results were outstanding & I have gone to offer this service to others, selling primarily via Ebay. Have a look, see what you think ??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-C...&mfe=none-core

The standard finish is for an automatic car (with paddles) nappa & perforated leather with silver stitching for £350 but I offer a £100 trade in for the return of your old wheel. Simple to fit and doesnt require any airbag alteration, just simply use your existing unit. I normally keep a standard wheel in stock. (typical delivery 3 days)

I can offer special commissions including alcantara, stitching in any colour, etc. But will require up to 5 weeks waiting. There are also pictures of special orders on the ebay listing.

HairyHaggis

vic viper

Looks really weird IMO.

Sunster

That looks great. I agree that the original steering wheel feels just a little too thin and hard.
I went with the C63 AMG conversion and thankfully picked up a steering wheel second hand. I removed the useless flappy paddles to keep the look clean. I'm absolutely delighted with the result and love the sportier feel to the car. Dare I say the drive even feels sportier as there's more grip to the wheel when you turn it.



Anyway I now have the OEM steering wheel for sale if anyone wants it (shameless plug)
https://mbworld.org/forums/interior-...el-airbag.html

HairyHaggis

You are very welcome to your opinion, but having had the wheel on for over a year and sold several to very happy buyers I think it is the best mod (short of getting the actual C63 wheel)

The pictures really dont do it justice and its as much about the feel as the look.

Alcantara is a special order option. The 1st pic is the standard & most popular style.

HairyHaggis

I love the C63 wheel. Its just that bit smaller & the flat bottom looks great. However it is just soooo expensive when you factor in the change of airbag too. Out of interest, I was advised by Merc that you should have your onboard computer reprogrammed for the different airbag. Did you get that done & how much did the whole thing cost ?

Sunster

It was a simple reset with a computer. My wheel with airbag cost 800 and fitting was 80 bucks. Can't imagine any mod more worthwhile besides more power

Sportstick

I've done the wheel.......

http://www.ecklersmbzparts.com/merce...teering+Wheels

And it is a favorite, but this may be tied for first.....

http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/s...=Anti-Roll+Kit

It transformed the feel of the car

HairyHaggis

Hey Sportstick

I am not sure about the wheel. It definitely looks much sportier, but it doesnt appear to be much thicker than the original. One of the main benefits of the upgrade that I do is the thickening, finished with soft leather. It makes it luxurious & tactile to hold.

If I had the C300 sport as you do I would almost certainly do the anti-roll bars and potentially uprated shocks. Unfortunately I have the 220CDi to do high miles on motorways, mostly on cruise control so just wouldn't get the true benefit.

Any plans for further upgrades ?