Hi guys

So I'm very excited about getting close to having my order completed for my CLS63s, just have to button up a few things with the dealer before it's finalized. I've been researching mods for the car for a while now, but don't know how they actually affect the car's attitude, ride, life, etc... I wanted to get the tuning parts in as soon as possible, but would like to get some feedback from other people who have tuned their CLS before, so that I avoid getting things that don't work in harmony, counteract, or are unnecessary.

As many know Mercedes tuning parts are on the expensive side, so I want to make sure that I get it right the first time and will be able to enjoy my tuned CLS for many years to come. So tunes that won't kill the car's lifespan (stress parts too much) is what I'm looking for.

I've been looking at AMS Performance, Renntech, and Weistec for parts and have compared and contrasted what they have to offer.

Please look over my list of items that I am thinking of getting. Let me know your experience with parts if you've owned them/know a lot about them. Let me know if I have things that aren't necessary or won't work with other parts. I want to hold on to this car for a long time and really enjoy it, so I'm looking for tunes that will enable me to do that.

Here's my performance part list so far:

Renntech Lowering Kit (w/o electric module)
Renntech Toe Link Kit
Renntech Deck Lid Spoiler
Renntech ECU (not the intermediate one)
Weistec Transmission Pan
Weistec Spark Plug Upgrade
Alpha Catless Down Pipes
Alpha Heat Exchange Upgrade
Alpha AUX Heat Exchange Upgrade

Again, if there are things that don't work, aren't necessary, are missing, or available better (reasonably priced) somewhere else, please feel free to let me know!

Thanks guys, looking forward to being a CLS owner too!

*afterthought* I'll probably only get to installing all the engine parts after the initial engine break in period that is recommended. Also if there are warranty issues that you've encountered from your mods, that may be good to know too. Thanks!

 

Seems like I live close to you. Happy to discuss all those options over a beer.

 

Same hometown actually, haha. But unfortunately law school has me in AL, close to the US source of MB cars at least!

Won't be back until March-ish... Wouldn't mind seeing your ride when I'm back, it looks awesome!

 

for the down pipes and heat exchnager u might want to rethink

if ur a 4matic some down pipes are made for the rwd
2ndly the heat exchnager was for the 12 models that did not have the upgraded cooling and split cooling in the 2015 models

 

Thanks for the feedback and update on the reworked cooling system for the 2012+ models, did not know about that.

I just spoke to Larry at AMS (very helpful guy btw, explained everything is great detail. Great customer service!) and he assured me that the only difference in Down Pipes is the location of the brackets. AMS does make sure that it is adapted to your car before shipping, so you as an end user have a simple "plug and play" installation that requires no extra work/cutting/drilling for you.

As far as the Heat Exchanger, they are aware that the "S" model AMGs were updated, but there is still more cooling ability provided by their upgrade, which in hot and humid FL is really beneficial! Their test vehicle for the system is an AMG-S E63, so very similar, and they still see improvements over the stock system.

Thanks again for your reply!

 

I'm curious why you don't plan to stick with one company and get a package deal for most of the performance mods? I'm looking at modifications myself at the moment.

 

Well to put it in simple terms, there isn't 1 company that produces the best of each product. Much like going to a grocery store and picking the pre-bundled oranges vs. picking out each orange yourself from the large table tray and making your own bag. You're going to get some good oranges in the pre-bundled bag, but also some of lesser quality. When you pick out all the oranges yourself you can make sure that each and every one is exactly to the standard you want.

Now in terms of the companies. For example, Renntech does have a cooling kit*, but this kit is a piggy-back system that requires additional mounting and space in an already tight environment. Now compare that to the AMS Alpha cooling kit. It completely replaces the stock cooling system with a simple, flush, plug and play instal of a new cooling system with more capacity. This swaps out the whole stock system with a high performance cooler, instead of just adding a small cooling booster to the original.

*although not currently re-listed on the Renntech relaunched website, which they are still working on, according to a customer rep.

It all comes down to personal preference though. Some people rather just bundle up and get an overall good kit. Others want to piece out the best from each company and make their own kit. In the end both cars will perform better, they'll just be tuned to personal taste and preference. Hope this provided you the insight to my thought process that you inquired about.

Side note. Having called many of the companies and talked to reps, some are still willing to make a deal, just not as much as a bundle, on a multiple part order from them. So that kinda helps saving a little here and there.

 

why would you do the Transmission pan and not the valvebody/TCU upgrade? Benefits of the pan are minimal, and if you are draining fulid to change, bight as well to the valvebody/tcu at the same time.

 

It's something that I'm looking into. There are benefits to getting the new transmission pan, simply because the added reservoir capacity a new design will prevent heat soaking more than the regular pan does. Living in a hot climate, keeping the heat levels lower are a priority for me.

I understand what you're saying with the TCU upgrade and I've talked about it with a rep. I just want to research the matter more before committing to a full 4 day downtime while the unit is being shipped, worked on, and returned. I'll be doing data-logging as I install the all tunes to see the effects and will base my transmission decision off of that. But nonetheless, it is something I'm considering (and am likely to do in all honesty), just need to figure out when.

 

Fair enough. But then how is the AMS downpipe better than the Weistec? The Weistecs are true turbo-back downpipes and the AMS isn't.

 

AMS provides the Downpipe without the Midpipe section for $2,750
Weistec provides the Downpipe and the Midpipe section for $5,995

I can easily get my exhaust guy to build me a custom Midpipe section for way less than $3,000... Unless I can get a really good deal on the Weistec exhaust, I really don't see myself spending an extra 3k for a Midpipe section.

 

Well here is the thing

As stated the true turbo back solution is form weistec and kleeman currently

but the prices are just silly (wesitec). If you have an exhaust guy it will be cheaper making the whole thing.

That how ever is not the issue, the issue to install it you have to kind of drop engine, or be prepared to spend many hours.
The labor cost alone makes it a really expensive mod. To the extent you might as well get a turbo upgrade

 

The shop time is not the problem. That's what friends are for . They are excited about the build as well, as it will just be another example of what their shop can do. I will be doing a lot of the work myself too. They have a lift in the corner for me where I can do my own thing while they tend to other cars and then help me in their free time. So that's not a problem and isn't expensive.

I'm just going to buy the downpipes and get the rest fabricated if I need it, my exhaust guy is next door and can get it done the same day.

And a turbo upgrade is just super expensive (15k - 20k) and super time consuming. Talk about taking the whole engine out... So that won't be happening for a while. Personally, not worth it for what I want out of my car right now. I'm going for a daily driver feel that can still offer a fun dive on the weekends.