My C32amg story is probably a little unique. I first started going on
C32life.com website in 2002. They had videos up (the same they do
today) and mind you this was before the days of youtube, so it was
really something to see footage of an AMG. I was in college at the
time broke as joke, student loans etc. I would go on to live in the
New York City area where every other car is a mercedes/bmw and one of
the few locations in the country where you will routinely see AMG's of
all kinds. Big S and E class AMG's everywhere, CLK AMG's. It seemed as
though the C32, during the years of angry owners and confused Mercedes
techs had been overshadowed, upstaged and forgotten by a wave of
incredibly strong, expensive and luxurious vehicles. I myself kind of
forgot about the car because I couldn't afford it. Then in 2008, I
started seeing them in the high teens. I put in an off for 14,000 and
didn't get the car. Couldn't afford it then either. Then, I decided to
check the C32 prices again 2 months ago and found out I could get one
for 12,000 and I did just that. I did it all over the internet, no
test drive, I didn't even ask a single question. It wasn't until after
I had wired the money and I was looking on some stupid Mercedes Benz
forums about C32 amg car maintenance that I discovered that I might
lose my gamble. I had not done any due diligence on the model. I had
ignored everything I learned about how buy a car, and I didn't give a
sht because there's only one Mercedes, there's only one AMG, the price
was so right and the W203 bodies look so good still especially with
the new Benz models today with such sharp pointy features that are
just too much. The car arrives via Fedex (sweet bill). Brilliant shiny
silver, beautiful all black interior, shiny new tires and all. I had
been been waiting my whole life for this car, but I realized that this
was going to be a project.

OK, the power seat module was F'd, the stepper motor
was F'd, got the jerk and even a little tranny slippage!! Awesome!!!
Thanks to the internet, these forums and all the pain and suffering of
previous C32 owners, I was able to recognize all of these problems on
the spot. Valeo Radiator was in there, looked like the stock Bosch I/C
pump was as well. It was a leased vehicle and it didn't look as though
any of these issues had been addressed.

I'm not even going to bother to test for glycol, even if it came back
positive, all I would do is change the transmission fluid which what
I'm doing this week anyways (Please god, no metal shavings). The car
went 7 years and 96,000 miles with the stock Valeo, then I replaced it
with a BEHR right when I got the car. The occasional jerk and tranny
slip isn't that bad. Anyways I'm about to put as much money into this car
as I spent to buy it. Just bought a new IC pump, Evosport Pulley/Performance package, performancce plugs, wires and filters, and SL55 amg intake. I guess I'll get the Eurocharged heat exchanger too.... great products, but Eurocharged has some rip offs so watch out.

Here's where I get creative. I'm thinking about picking up the OBX headers for $300 and spending another $300 at the electropater to coat it with ceramic, and perhaps coat the inside with some anti corrosive stuff, I really think it will work just as well as the others who charge 1300+ for them.

My other idea is to address the clicking, annoying stepper motor flap by ripping the whole goddamn AC/Heat out. I honeslty never use the heat anyways, I don't like the dust, and I'm very cheap on gas consumption, so I rarely use the AC. So why should i have this thing taking up space, adding weight, mildew smells and the most annoying sound in the world?? If this is even possible, I hope to rip it out, move the cd player to the glove box and run the carbon fiber right up the middle. I'm hoping I can free up space to do something with the engine. Intercooler reservoir and fan anyone??

Anyways, I want to thank you guys for the help, I would be so screwed
without these forums.

 

You could strip it down airbags, and all for weight reduction... I'm unaware of anyone who has done a major weight reduction on the C32 AMG. It's not a light vehicle. Me personally, I would rather have the safety, and I do like my A/C-Heater. Delete the A/C compressor, and power steering pump for some extra power. Get rid of rack and pinion, and add steering box... Eurcharged rip offs, as in what? You should have went with the Eurocharged 185MM instead of the Evosport package. Not only does it cost less, it adds more power. We had a discussion recently on the OBX headers, and it wasn't a good one to say the least. They are very poor quality...

 

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll definately look into that GT4AWD!

I plan on being the first C32 with a full AC delete (at least according to these message boards). The C32 can be a gas guzzler, but if you put in a combination of mods, take off substantial weight and don't drive too crazy, it has potential for OK gas mileage.

I will serve as the guinea pig for the OBX headers project. Hopefully I will proove myself right through a series of photographs showing the modification, installation and condition of them over time. I totally know it is a bootleg product, i'm crossing my fingers on this one.

Eurocharged torque converter for a grand? It looks just like the 600 dollar ones.

 

I am with you on this. I am a type of people that not afraid of trying something new or something that even when people say you can't. I would try the OBX headers with no affraid if I didn't have my LET headers on already. From the design, I even "think" it would gain better than my LET one. I don't care if they copy someone. it will be better if they copy someone) because that way we know for sure it will work

Good luck and let us know the outcome (or pm me if other don't care )

 

Where do you live where you dont want AC?

 

I'm in upstate NY, cold/cool most of the year. Occasional heat waves in the summer will absolutely suck, but the cost benefit makes a lot of sense in my situation, considering these will just be days on the year. Think about all the energy being saved for all the different reasons.

 

I must say I'm glad somebody plans on trying the OBX. What I've read online about their products for other cars is just too much for me to be the test dummy. But hey, maybe they'll work out great and you'll open the door for the rest of us looking for good affordable headers.

 

I can sympathize with you on the condition of your car on arrival. I bought mine on Ebay sight unseen. I saw it and drove it and everything seemed ok. As soon as I got home I had to change the IC pump (no big deal) and when I went to drop some K&N's in, the paper filters were so used and dirty that there were holes in them. I think they may have been the original filters. The fact that people could go that long without changing a filter freaked me out about the upkeep of the car, but everything has been good since then and I've put about 30K on the odometer so far.

Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the forum. Hope the car is all that you have hoped for.

 

welcome to the forums. If you are on a quest for 400+ hp you have one hell of a long road ahead of you....

 

You situation is not uncommon. I bought mine used from a private owner, he said he always took it to the dealership for scheduled maintenance and the Carfax report reflected that. It was in for service about 2000 miles before I purchased.

Yeah my air filters looked like complete garbage when I took them out for some K&Ns. Bugs and rocks and sticks and all kinds of stuff caked between the folds of the filters. There was no, and I mean no windshield washer fluid in the reservoir. I did an oil change on my own and what came out looked like molasses. Im asking myself what kind of services is this dealership doing?

I/C pump died a few months later but no biggy they go all the time. I did the fix on the seat controllers myself this last winter to stop a battery drain. Still have the valeo radiator but my next project is to replace with a behr and flush coolant/tranny fluids.

Has it been an "unreliable" car? not really... If I could go back in time would I purchase it again? Absolutely. Well maybe no, if I knew then what I know now maybe would have saved up for an E55 instead.

 

I only have one car without AC these days and it is the only one I will not drive in the rain for this reason. Going back to the stone ages when you use the back of your hand to clear the windshield from the fogged up interior. Nice to have AC for this reason.

 

+1 I would have to say if you go the route to completely rip out the HVAC system, you are officially an OWNER. I don't think you could give the car away. How many people would buy a Mercedes Benz without heat and AC? None is the answer that comes to mind in a hurry.

 

Sold the fastest C32 on dragtimes, and moved up in the world to the E55




Oh Shut up Jake, we know, we know

 

let me see if i got this rite. you couldnt afford to get a properly maintained c32 so you bought a c32 with a boatload of problems. then without ever seeing any of their products you bash one of the best contributors (eurocharged) to the c32 modding family. to top it off one of the first things you want to do if put some garbage mild steel headers on your car. and you want 400 hp?
good luck just keeping it on the road!

 

I am wondering if you have ever seen their OBX C32 product? I am not saying it's a good product but how do you know if it's "some garbage mild steel headers"?

This is just like when code3 pulley was first introduced. People tried to blast it even they didn't know anything about it. It turned out Code3 pulley was a good one and "made from USA"

Why don't you just let him try it especially when he is willing to try it and let us know the outcome if you don't want to try it?

I would appreciate very much whoever tries it and lets me know the result.

 

Yeah dudes, I'm gonna do the full delete and yes I will have 400hp. Dreamer, calm yourself.

 

now by 400hp, are you referring to the WHEELS, or at the crank?

 

to the wheels.......lol I think there were only 2 in history that ever accomplished that feat.....

and spent more then what you bought the car to do so.....

 

haha fact.....if i get some race gas, do a race tune, and hop on a dynojet, i'm confident i'll break 400whp

i think now on a dynojet i would be close-ish

 

This thread is going wrong again I quit

 

I always wanted a C32 while I was in college. A few years after I got out of school I started making some good money. I bought a 2004 model in late 2006 with 33k miles. I never test drove the car, just found a late model with command package and a rare color (capri blue). Still love it.

 

I still love mine even though I feel at this point it should be driven off a cliff!

What exactly do you mean by full delete? A/C system, correct?

 

What exactly do you mean by full delete? A/C system, correct?[/quote]


Yes, removing the entire AC unit. Just ordered the $300.00 OBX headers for the C32.

 

Honestly, if its the stepper sound thats making you remove the ac. I would just pull the AC fuse. That way you have no stepper sound and you can put back the fuse back later during the summer.

If your doing it from a power stand point, i really doubt you would get much power by removing it. Most modern AC systems disengages when the cars full throttle.

Good luck on the obx. I had a pretty good deal on the EC's or i would be thinking of them too.

There pretty much a hit or miss brand. I know the obx headers on hondas are pretty good but then the obx lsd is a POS since it self destructs after a few months.

I'm interested in see the results on the obx though..good luck.

 

These new guys crack me up. One thing your not going to see on the forums is when you start getting close to your goal of 400whp/wtq, the car will do something unplesent to ya. Its gonna cost a lot to get around that little hickup. (and this isnt the only one)

This is what I like to call the BS factor. Many say they have broken the magic number, but when questioned about the hickup look at you like your nutz.

Best of luck in your endevor. Its going to be a very long and expensive journey when you are adding 100+ hp to an older engine with 100k on it.

TemjinX2 is right about the AC, she shuts off at full throttle.

The OBX headers, wish I could say they are decent. Only time will tell. From everything we were hearing about them the material was sub par and extreme heat was causing holes toward the flanges.