abqhudson

IMHO - The prettiest C300 in the country.

Great taste and work.

Keith66

Wow, that's a massive compliment.

I'm getting there, still much to do. I may agree with you once it's "done". There are a lot of beautiful W205s in the Pictures thread here also: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...re-thread.html

Thank you!

azzed27

Hi Keith66
You did a very nice job ! Congrats.
I've tried to install a carbon fiber rear diffuser on my C400, but it's failed not because it doesn't fit but I lost too many feature. Regarding this, I'm now checking for a non carbon fiber one. So I wanted to know if you have experienced any issue when installing your after market diffuser ? And do you still happy with the quality ?
I checked with CKS company, but it's too much expensive. Thanks in advance for your reply.

Keith66

Thank you azzed!

No issues at all and I'm very happy with the particular diffuser I bought. Fit and finish is excellent and it's holding up very well. Still looks as good as it was when new. I can happily recommend the seller I purchased from.

I see your thread about your diffuser and I will comment there also.

Good luck!

azzed27

Hi Keith66,
I contacted the company in Taiwan, but the shipping to Canada is costing 320$ USD(DHL) and 180$ USD (Sea transport - 2 months to get it), how much they charged you ?
Regards

Keith66

Yeah, the shipping is not cheap... but the way I looked at it is; even with shipping, I was still saving money over an OEM or some other aftermarket diffusers. You do what's best for you.

I paid $170 for shipping (about 8 months ago) and had it within a week. I would assume shipping costs will vary depending on your location and current fuel prices. I live near a major international shipping port (Miami), so I think the rates here may be less expensive and transit times may be shorter.

Keith66

REAR SPOILER

A reminder of what I’m starting with, an AMG-style lip spoiler:

BEFORE:



I ordered a PSM Style Gloss Black spoiler to replace it; $117.14 shipped.


AFTER:










The Part:

NINTE PSM Style Gloss Black Rear Trunk Wing: $109.99 + $7.15 tax (free shipping).


Total Cost: $117.14


Basic Summary of Work:

Getting all the foam tape and glue off the trunk from the original spoiler is no fun. I've seen many people recommend using a hair dryer or similar device to heat-up the tape to make it easier to remove. In my case, I found the opposite to be true. When heated, the tape rips apart easily and the glue gets too gummy/messy. I found it worked better for me at ambient temperature (was around 80 degrees at the time). I used pressure from my thumbs horizontally to press hard and roll the tape (and most of the glue) up, then finished cleaning up the glue residue with Goo Gone. Yes, my thumbs are sore, lol.


Notes:

• Measure, look, check - measure, look, check. Put masking tape everywhere to mark the alignment and placement. Then check it again before sticking it down
• I'm not sure I'm completely happy... I like the flare-up portion and profile of the spoiler, but the outer ends (left and right) are a bit chunky/tall. I'd be happier if the ends tapered down to a thin edge. The tall ends make it look like it's just sitting on the trunk, instead of being part of the trunk. I'm not totally hating it, and I think it'll grow on me because I really like the high kick part. :p

Keith66

I'm hoping to get my new front bumper on the car this weekend (hopefully I get the time, I'm tired of waiting!)

Kush Desai

Couple things regarding the Spoiler.. So I went through the process few times and I will say you absolutely NEED the following:
1) Goo Gone
2) Strong Fishing line/wire
3) Eraser Wheel (Whizzy Wheel)

These 3 things were an absolute life saver and help cut the overall time this usually takes.


As for the installed spoiler itself, to me, it looks like its put on just a tad bit higher than it should be. With the 2 spoilers I've previously installed, they usually sit perfectly where the bend of the trunk is (on top of the emblem).



Overall though, I really like the look of this!! Looks nice af.

Also, Idk if its just me, but what would you say about wrapping that chrome piece on the trunk gloss black!? Personally, I think it would enhance the look of the car!!!

Keith66

Thanks for the tips man, I always appreciate that!

Agreed, I expected it to go behind the first rear drop of the trunk like you described and how my AMG lip spoiler did, but this design is different. The bottom of the spoiler is flat front-to-back, so it can't go behind the drop without teetering. So even though it looks high, that's where this one is supposed to be... still not sure if I'm going to live with this spoiler long-term. We'll see.

I like the design of the RW Carbon GTX Carbon Fiber Trunk Spoiler, but I'm not a fan of exposed carbon fiber and not crazy about spending a premium for exposed carbon fiber only to have it painted. :p

Dude, you're reading my mind... I've been contemplating blacking-out that trim for some time, but I photoshopped it and it made the bright window trim stand out and looked unbalanced, so I'm still on the fence with that. I'd almost have to go full night package to make it work and that's not the direction I want to go. I like the chrome accents on the car, especially at night.

Thanks dude!

Keith66

Cat litter is so versatile!

Keith66

The new front bumper is on the car!

I'm posting right away in case someone else is contemplating purchasing a C63-style front bumper. The factory mounting points are the same, so all good there... but just about every other component requires some form of customization to fit correctly.

A heads-up, this is quite an undertaking, so if you're not up for a challenge, you may want to pass on doing this. I had many issues and it took me 9 hours to assemble all the components and get the bumper mounted. Argh.

It's on there solid and proper now. I still have to add the trim, adjust the hood gap and figure out/make some custom grilles for the left & right "intakes", but that's tomorrow.

It may be some time before I do a write-up (whenever I'm "finished"), but here's a teaser pic.

Keith66

Adjusted all the panel gaps and got the trim on.

Looks like sanding the coating off my headlights and respraying a clear coat on them is next. :p

Keith66

I won't have the time to do a write-up about the front bumper for a couple of weeks (work & travel), but I'm so happy and excited with this change, I just have to share a before and after pic, lol.

You can really see all the differences between the Avantgarde and C63-style bumpers. Massive change IMO.

DontShoot-Me-Br

Hey @Keith66 thanks for all your updates after looking at your work done, and another member named @rangy who also did a similar conversion gave me help, I took the the plunge.

I don't have a pic of what my car looked like before, but it was the basic C Class NON AMG trim like yours was.

And this is what I've done so far

C63 bumper on C350e
Changed the base front bumper to an aftermarket C63 bumper.

Next on my list, which I've already ordered, with a lot of digging around, is put an AMG bumper on the rear, the reason it was difficult was because this is a plug in hybrid so needed an AMG bumper with the compartment on the back to plug in the charger.

Luckily I have found one, and even more lucky is that it's already in the same colour as my car and it's in pristine condition.

So I'll post once that's done, probably in the next 2 weeks (haven't received it yet)

One question is, is the side skirts a must? Would the AMG rear bumper look weird with non AMG side skirts as in the body lines won't match I assume.

Lastly I'm contemplating getting a C63 style rear diffuser.

Thanks.

Keith66

You're very welcome man! That's the great thing about car forums... sharing ideas and stuff.

Your car looks freaking awesome!!! Very, very nice job. Plus the color just makes it pop.

How lucky to find a "e" bumper in your color. Wow.

Yes, I think the AMG-style rocker covers are a must, IMO. The lower body line does not match without them. I ran the AMG-style rear bumper with the Base/Avantgarde rocker covers for a while and it was driving me nuts 'cause the lower body line didn't line-up. For some people, this may be okay and they may not even notice. For someone like myself though, it bothered me. Plus the AMG-style rocker covers makes the car look lower overall and a bit more aggressive. Totally worth it.

Keith66

For anyone interested, I'm selling my Vossen's with Pilot Sport AS4's.

https://mbworld.org/forums/market/839677

DontShoot-Me-Br

Hi Keith66, I've finally changed the rear bumper from the standard version to the AMG.




It's from a 2020 c class model. So for reason doesn't have the vents above the diffuser which I think looked better. The new bumper has some scratches on the left hand side which needs either respraying or maybe some t cutting could help.

And with the side skirts, I'm not too sure, they look fine imo but I know for sure AMG side skirts would look 100% better. But side skirts are damn expensive for what they are, seems for both sides they will cost the same as the rear bumper nearly.




Welp that's all for now, I'm happy with my car now EXCEPT for the rims, I NEED bigger wheels, it's what every person I've gotten the car fitted from says aswell. Sure a C63 style diffuser will make it look better too, but if i find a sale or good price then I'll go for it, but rims are a must.

So far this has cost me:

​​​​​​£400 C63 style bumper plus £350 for spray and fitting.

£350 for rear bumper, £120 for fitting.

Thanks 👍

​​​​​​

Keith66

Dude, (DontShoot-Me-Br) that looks fantastic!

Awesome job and even better prices. You got some really good deals! As a contrast, I spent $750 just to get the front bumper sensor holes filled and bumper painted. I'd say your project is a great success.

Hey, your car would look killer with my 19" Vossens on it, wink, lol.

DontShoot-Me-Br

Lol thanks, yep I got lucky with some of the deals I found. haha I saw your post earlier about your rims but unfortunately you're in the US and it will probably cost quite a bit to ship it over 😟

May I ask is there a difference between C63 style and AMG side skirts or are they the same?, The person I bought the rear bumper from is also selling the AMG side skirts in my colour but I've also seen a listing for C63 look side skirts, they seem to look the same

Thanks

Keith66

They are the same. Looks like your luck is still strong!

Keith66

I was just thinking... for those of us wacky enough to replace body parts from other models/trim levels and cause our cars to become visually confusing to those who have knowledge of the brand, places us in a somewhat unique class.

Kind of like being banished to an island of numbskulls, lol.

Something like:

The W205 Bast*rds Club

Not about deception or up-badging, just digging the looks.

c32used

subscribed

Keith66

I still need to do a write-up of the front bumper with more pics. :p

I must say, for my car, the front bumper was the keystone for completing the the overall look I had envisioned. I'm definitely happy with the turnout!

Bigger brakes, wheels and tires are planned.

Keith66

FRONT BUMPER INFO AND PREPARATION

So that it’s clear; I am installing an aftermarket C63-style front bumper which is made to fit any W205 model except an actual C63. The C63 is the only W205 model that has unique front body panel dimensions that were expanded to facilitate a V8 engine (hood, fenders & bumper). So don’t expect C63 hoods, front fenders, front bumpers or most related components to fit anything but a C63.

One of the most visible differentiators between a C63 front bumper and all other W205’s can be seen where the hood meets the bumper. A C63 hood has a flat-faced front edge, whereas all other W205 hood front edges protrude forward on the outer front edges in a “V’ shape, kind of like vampire fangs. This is a quick and easy way to tell a real C63 from imposters.



Also notice the difference in length of the bumper-to-fender seam and the distance from the headlights to the outer edge of the fender in the pic above. This clearly shows how much wider the fenders and bumper cover is on a C63 compared to all other W205’s.

I chose to go with the facelift (2019+) version of the C63-style front bumper that looks like this:


The kit includes the following parts:




I could not find a C63-style front bumper without the sensor holes (my model options don’t have sensors), so in lieu of just putting some butt-ugly plastic plugs in the holes, I brought it to a local body shop to have the sensor holes filled. They used a combination of a fiberglass mesh backing and plastic epoxy to fill the holes.




Here’s the completed bumper cover after body work and paint.




Now… to get it on the car!