AMGSC

After getting hit with a $2400 bill just for debugging some CELS and changing the alternator, I realized it's time to quit modfiying.

The joy and intrique is gone for good. All I'm doing is giving every shop I deal with the opportunity to ream me.

Time to move on to a different hobby. I'll still visit every now and then but I've had it.

Word of advice to all. LEAVE YOUR CAR ALONE! Don't f*ck with it. Lessoned learned. All I did was line the pockets of everyone who touched my car while they were laughing all the way to the bank. The more I let them work on the car the problems they come up with to blame on the last tuner so I can fork out more dough.

Save your money and just trade in your car. That's the best advice I can give anyone who ever contemplates screwing with their brand new car.

My next car will be brand new and left stock!

TemjinX2

yeah i understand your frustration. You were a pioneer, unfortunately for pioneers. They have to pay for everyone's R & D cost. If you want cheap power, just mod a japanese car.

mikekuriger

That's one of the main reasons I do my own work wherever possible.

JonMBZ

I am sorry to see this happen and I understand. I really wish you would have given dynocomp a shot. What are your plans for this car now? Maybe next time in the future you could stick to safe modding like Alumar and just go with what is known to work rather than trying to create something innovative. If there is anything else I could help you with let me know I could have gotten that taken care of at a fraction of the cost. Where is your vehicle at this point? Is it still in drivable conditions? Best of luck

Havoc

Sorry to hear this bro..

Better luck next time!

King320

I agree with you. All it takes is for me to think back to when i was 19 and wanted to spend $5000 to supercharge my Audi A4 2.8. Still wouldnt have made as much power as an M3 or S4 and would have killed its reliability and any hope of resale. I'll do little mods here and there, but you really are better off getting a completely new car.

Only thing I would disagree with is buying a car brand new. Unless you are blessed enough to be able to pay cash and not notice taking a massive depreciation hit, I can't justify losing so much value so quickly. Its always been interesting to me that if someone invested 60K and lost 15K in a year that they'd be depressed and want to sue someone, but we dont notice that same hit if it comes on four wheels.

I'll always buy used and let someone else take that hit for me, or get more car for the same amount of money. Best of luck to you.

02C32guy

I don't believe you. Modding is a harder habit to kick than heroin. Especially for someone who isn't afraid to do things as extreme as you have. Take my word for it, you'll be back... Maybe just stick to some smaller projects in the future.

blackbenzz

Seriously? Come on man you have been doing this build forever. I wish you would have just sent your car out here in the beginning and I would have handed you back a 10s car for less than you have already put into the car! I am debating what my next step will be, there are alot of risks involved in being a pioneer. I may just stop modding this car at this point as well. The farther you go, the more risk you take on. It's unfortunate but it is a reality.

mikekuriger

It will be sad if one of the fastest and most impressive C55's get's retired!

DrewZ9266

I completely agree with him. I love cars and always have, but having a nice car in general gets old. No matter how nice you try to keep your car, it will get messed up and it will drive you crazy. My Nissan i tried as hard as i could, and it would just get dings and dents out of nowhere. Same with the ML. I found a foot long crease in it yesterday and was like WTF?

I'll turn the C32 into a "rat rod" one day after its all beat up.. which it will happen over time lol.

As far as modding. Little things here and there are fine, but it does get to a point of $$$$ and reliability and seems not worth it over time.

I'm one of those guys who babies there cars and is always careful with them.. but i always get ****ed.

whereas i have buddies who give there cars hell 24/7 and NOTHING happens to them.

no sense in getting stressed out over cars, but i can't help it.

Oh and this use to happen to my dad as well. He bought a brand new E class a while back, kept it in great shape, low miles.. and dents just appeared on it. Drove him crazy so he sold it. After all the nice cars he had, he just bought POS's after that.

400+ HPC32 AMG

Modding is just like doing drugs. It can be fun, dangerous and most certainly addictive and destructive. I believe that as long as it is done in moderation, one can benefit. What it comes down to is knowing limits and obeying them, for if you do not, you may OD.

***Full Disclosure*** I'm not a druggie, and if I didn't get drug tested at work, I'd probably just smoke weed....in the C32! And look like:

TemjinX2

the c55 just lost two of there biggest pioneers last few months. Both amgsc and hooleyboy.

AMGSC

Although the engine was replaced and is in perfect condition as measured by Evosport with a full compression test and leak down, the electrical system is another story. I may need to replace the entire wire harness and here's why.

When Vadim installed my Kleemann SC, he somehow snapped the fuel rail while trying to bend it so instead of replacing it he decided it would be cheaper/faster to just use high pressure hose.

When he put the car on the dyno at Powertrain Dynamics (next door to Evosport), the fuel line burst (due to the loose clamps) at over 100psi and set the engine bay on fire. The dyno owner/operator told me the flames hit the celing of his shop. He tried putting the fire out with his fire extinguisher but the fire was so stubborn and violent that the techs at Evosport heard the noise and ran over to help. They brought over more extinguisers and finally put the fire out. Steve was so pissed off at Vadim for almost burning down his shop and vowed never to dyno Vadim's car again and pushed my car out of his shop.

Vadim later mentioned to me that he needed me to pay for a new set of fuel rails and that the hoses he used did not work. I asked him why and he finally told me that there was a small fuel leak caused by hose. He never replaced or repaired anything caused by the fire so when I picked up the car I was shocked to see the scorched engine bay. He said he would take care of it which we all know he never did.

The results of that fuel line fire (not the July 4th shop fire) is haunting me to this day as just about every electrical component is dying prematurely. First it was my car alarm, then the cam sensor, MAF sensor, crank sensor and now battery and alternator. I drove the car home today from Evosport after they fixed most of the issues but the CEL came back on and this time the MAP sensor is dying after I scanned the car.

All the wires were either dry, cracked or exposed or shorted out due to coming in contact with each other or grounding on the body of the car. The wires in the ECU box was a complete hornet's nest and caused 3 fuses to pop as exposed wires were touching each other.

Their were also numerous vacuum leaks, air injection leaks, etc...One hose was not tied down and was rubbing against the alternator pulley until it was completely severed causing a massive EGR error. Other hose connections were too loose or JB welded with no professional clamps or ties.

The work done by Vadim's crew was sloppy, careless and quite frankly INexcusable. I talked to Vadim and he thinks Evosport is just running up the bill on me and that the car was running perfectly when I drove out of his garage.
While I admit the car ran fine and I even took it to Renntech/DynoComp in AZ for a dyno which yielded good results, Vadim struggled to get the car to run right unitl he replaced the cam sensor, crank sensor and MAF sensor and even alarm siren. I don't believe all the OTHER electrical problems started creeping up until now such as the battery and alternator dying. Tonight I discover that the MAP (Manifold Pressure Sensor) also died due to the electrical short circuits and damaged wire connections.

In summary, if you EVER choose a shop to work on your car MAKE SURE that they pay attention to detail and are organized. I've been through hell with this car and the companies I've dealt with until Evosport now maybe DynoComp in the future.

400+ HPC32 AMG

HOLY CRAP! The truth comes out, and it's a jaw dropper. Much respect to your work man and it's really unfortunate what happened.

TemjinX2

yeah once you have electrical problems, i would just trade it in. There more of a problem then there worth.

splinter

Trust you’ll wring it out on the dragstrip and at Willow Springs before sending it down the river.

You’re absolutely correct that any modification from OE carries with it an element of risk, often far greater than we’re willing to honestly admit. Few here wouldn’t be discouraged after having been on the receiving end of your HPS debacle, suffering wheels coming adrift on the highway shortly after installation by a “performance” shop, or a mangled engine ostensibly owing to faulty tuning. Unfortunately, the high-end hardware and tuning market is not devoid of its fair share of charlatans and scammers.

AMG, BMW, Porsche and other manufacturers currently offer remarkably potent machines replete with factory warranty. Fast and sexy enough, that is, for 80% of the well heeled motoring public. Once their owners elect to head down the insufferable path of aftermarket improvements, that security blanket is more often than not unceremoniously ripped away, leaving them to make good any problems that may arise by way of the pocketbook - 100% deductable - insurance plan. It’s an undeniable facet of the hobby several know all too well.

I’ve ventilated blocks, melted pistons, and otherwise destroyed drivetrain and chassis components during my former unbridled tomfoolery. Shared many of those foibles with the MBW brothers so that they might avoid similar predicaments. Several members have the ability, tools and inclination to enjoy the DIY aspect of our beloved pastime. A Sunday twisting wrenches in the garage is good therapy for some, although I certainly understand that it’s not for everyone. Nevertheless, being an informed consumer is imperative for those with any inclination toward properly enhancing performance via the aftermarket.

You struck me as an intelligent and educated gent when we’ve had occasion to catch up at Famoso and Tia Juana’s.
Best wishes.

hooleyboy

Wow is all I can say. I happen to have a fuel rail sitting behind my desk at work. You could have had it for free... Thats if it worked with your kleemann app. Trust me, this is just an expensive lesson. Let that guy be gone from your life forever!

Very sad to hear the news. Lets hope this brings some brighter days.

AMGSC

Hey Mike,
It had a new set of fuel rails on it for a while but thanks for the offer. What I need now is the wire harness from a C55. I'm already starting to search for one from the wreck yards. As long as it's in good shape, I don't really want to spend $1500 for a new one.

DrewZ9266

wow, that stuff is crazy. I feel your pain. Once you've been thru all that with a car, you don't even want to look at it anymore. My Nissan has been thru a lot, and i hated looking at the thing. I've sprung a fuel leak in it before, started smoking so i pulled off the road real quick and poured water and threw rags on it. After that, i always had a bad gut feeling about the car. The wiring harness in it is mangled as well. I've worked on that thing in parking lots, had it towed, pushed, and i have beat that thing with my fists lol. Oh the joy of cars.

Hope all goes well. You have a lot of money wrapped up in that car and i hate to hear about that. Goodluck man.

BenzoBoi

Sorry to hear of all your troubles...Good luck in the future...

superstar

Oh boy, just another terrifying story about Vadim. I feel your pain dude!

nlpamg

wow that is crazy.

no offense, but time after time where your modding failed, that's when you should have given it up. good to see you finally threw in the towel and have stopped the hemorrhaging.

MIKESV8

btw mike, what is the fastest c55 you know? i have a friend of mine out of florida with a completely kleemanized c55 with 640hp going to the wheels. i wanted to know if anyone had a faster one.

blackbenzz

What does he have done? I find that very hard to believe without extreme mods

beauphus

i definitely feel your pain. i have been having my car rebuilt for 6 months. seems like im always waiting for parts that never arrive on time, incompetent vendors who over promise and under deliver, fitment issues, etc. my car still doesnt run right. my mod list sounds almost identical to your except in a CLS platform. i am at the end of my rope. even simple cosmetic mods like rims are a disaster nowadays. this week my tie rod bent going over a railroad track. i have an extremely lumpy/surging idle that comes and goes with no real rhyme or reason. the list goes on and on.

meanwhile as i type this my other browser window is researching lip spoilers lol.