Brabus B63 S
07-11-2010, 04:22 AM
#4
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Vath ML63 Brabus C63 SL63 CLK63BS C63BS
Pricing is through the roof! at least it was here in Australia when i bought it over a year ago when our exchange rate was very low vs Euro. I think price is the key obstacle for most people. I don't know what price is in US.
Brabus claim 400kw, or ~540hp, from the upgrade of air filters, hiflow cats and new ECU. I think the hp result is similar to the gains achieved from Kleeman K2 package (which includes headers and i don't know cost) and sits between the level of gains achieved by Renntech pkg 2 (ecu + CF airbox + headers) and pkg 3 (pkg 2+ sound pipe mod>US$13k). So its a little less invasive mechanically i guess. They also supply a handy device that allows you to reflash the ECU yourself through the OBDII port under the dash, should the dealership overwrite your tune. Inexplicably, Brabus do not do headers for C63 so its not even an option.
I had my car dyno'ed and initially achieved 270rwkw (370rwhp)
which is less than you might get from the stock car, not one with a tune! I also got an extreme AFR reading (14!) Dont ask me what went wrong cause i dont have a clue but I thought that result was just inexplicably abnormal and tried another dyno facility and was recommended this one: http://www.tunehouse.com.au/dyno_cell.html . On that dyno i got around 324 rwkw all day long or 438 rwhp and a normal AFR reading. Assuming 20% drivetrain loss gets you 547hp, inline with Brabus' stated gains.
I guess it all comes down to price. For me, i always wanted a Brabus mercedes after seeing one as a little kid and recently i was in the position of being able to finally achieve a bit of dream of mine. It will never be the most cost effective upgrade for your C63 but all i know is that it can handily beat other C63s that i have tangled with off the lights.
and the Brabus always gets a big 
from those in the know! Call me a tool but that makes me feel good.
Brabus claim 400kw, or ~540hp, from the upgrade of air filters, hiflow cats and new ECU. I think the hp result is similar to the gains achieved from Kleeman K2 package (which includes headers and i don't know cost) and sits between the level of gains achieved by Renntech pkg 2 (ecu + CF airbox + headers) and pkg 3 (pkg 2+ sound pipe mod>US$13k). So its a little less invasive mechanically i guess. They also supply a handy device that allows you to reflash the ECU yourself through the OBDII port under the dash, should the dealership overwrite your tune. Inexplicably, Brabus do not do headers for C63 so its not even an option.
I had my car dyno'ed and initially achieved 270rwkw (370rwhp)
which is less than you might get from the stock car, not one with a tune! I also got an extreme AFR reading (14!) Dont ask me what went wrong cause i dont have a clue but I thought that result was just inexplicably abnormal and tried another dyno facility and was recommended this one: http://www.tunehouse.com.au/dyno_cell.html . On that dyno i got around 324 rwkw all day long or 438 rwhp and a normal AFR reading. Assuming 20% drivetrain loss gets you 547hp, inline with Brabus' stated gains.I guess it all comes down to price. For me, i always wanted a Brabus mercedes after seeing one as a little kid and recently i was in the position of being able to finally achieve a bit of dream of mine. It will never be the most cost effective upgrade for your C63 but all i know is that it can handily beat other C63s that i have tangled with off the lights.
and the Brabus always gets a big from those in the know! Call me a tool but that makes me feel good.
Last edited by Maverick1975; 07-11-2010 at 04:24 AM.
07-11-2010, 05:10 AM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
For me, i always wanted a Brabus mercedes after seeing one as a little kid and recently i was in the position of being able to finally achieve a bit of dream of mine. It will never be the most cost effective upgrade for your C63 but all i know is that it can handily beat other C63s that i have tangled with off the lights. and the Brabus always gets a big from those in the know! Call me a tool but that makes me feel good.
and the Brabus always gets a big from those in the know! Call me a tool but that makes me feel good.
07-11-2010, 06:20 AM
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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AMG GT-S & GLE 63S Coupe
I have spent some time deciding which tune to go for on my car but being in the UK, we don't have as many options easily available as those of you in the US have.
I narrowed it down to the Kleeman K1 or the Brabus B63 kit (notice no 'S' - the B63 kit is just the engine management and air filters so is very similar to the K1 in principle).
In the end, maintaining a warranty that can be used in a Mercedes dealer meant I have decided to pay 3x the price and go for the Brabus kit. I know there have been a few threads about warranties and how Brabus does invalidate the MB warranty, but in the UK things are slightly different. MB UK and their dealers will also honour the Brabus warranty so from a customer point of view, you are covered by either one of the warranties at the same place. Also, the Brabus warranty really does cover everything to do with the kit and consequential damage and Brabus tell me that it is this warranty coverage that contributes to the high cost of the kit compared to competitors.
I couldn't justify the cost of the 'S' kit as it was nearly double the price for the cats and the extra 10hp that Brabus quote them to give. As the price of the basic B63 kit is £5,000 (yes, thats GB pounds!!), to spend the same again for the cats and the extra 10hp just didn't sit right with me...but I guess if I had enough money to not think about it, of course I'd have done it!!
Like Maverick1975, I too am really pulled by the kudos of having the Brabus and yes, some people will think it's crazy when you can get the same for a lot less cash. However, in releasing the cheaper B63 option, Brabus may well have opened up a route to their product for a lot more people who, like me wouldn't have been in a position to pay 6x the price of K1 but at 3x the price, it's almost justifiable!
I get the kit fitted in two weeks and I so hope that it is something that I can 'feel' the difference in. I will update as soon as it's done!
I narrowed it down to the Kleeman K1 or the Brabus B63 kit (notice no 'S' - the B63 kit is just the engine management and air filters so is very similar to the K1 in principle).
In the end, maintaining a warranty that can be used in a Mercedes dealer meant I have decided to pay 3x the price and go for the Brabus kit. I know there have been a few threads about warranties and how Brabus does invalidate the MB warranty, but in the UK things are slightly different. MB UK and their dealers will also honour the Brabus warranty so from a customer point of view, you are covered by either one of the warranties at the same place. Also, the Brabus warranty really does cover everything to do with the kit and consequential damage and Brabus tell me that it is this warranty coverage that contributes to the high cost of the kit compared to competitors.
I couldn't justify the cost of the 'S' kit as it was nearly double the price for the cats and the extra 10hp that Brabus quote them to give. As the price of the basic B63 kit is £5,000 (yes, thats GB pounds!!), to spend the same again for the cats and the extra 10hp just didn't sit right with me...but I guess if I had enough money to not think about it, of course I'd have done it!!
Like Maverick1975, I too am really pulled by the kudos of having the Brabus and yes, some people will think it's crazy when you can get the same for a lot less cash. However, in releasing the cheaper B63 option, Brabus may well have opened up a route to their product for a lot more people who, like me wouldn't have been in a position to pay 6x the price of K1 but at 3x the price, it's almost justifiable!
I get the kit fitted in two weeks and I so hope that it is something that I can 'feel' the difference in. I will update as soon as it's done!
Last edited by Palmball; 07-11-2010 at 06:26 AM.
