gorillajin

Hi,

I just saw this and since the bottom of my front bumper has 6 inch wide big hole and cracked, I might order this.
It looks like there are fog lights....where can I get those fog lights? Are they easy to install?

Has anyone installed the kit on your MB?

Saijin_Naib

Hrm, the Duraflex AMG Gen I kit. Looks good in those pics, but all I can say about Duraflex is that the kit my friend got for his g35 didn't even fit on the car and required about 100hr of fitment and work to make it look nice. So, be wary. Get some kind of guarantee from them first :\

The fog lights I believe can be used from the C32/C36. They are sometimes on ebay.

gorillajin

Thank you for the advice.
**** I thought I found a good deal, but if it's PIA, forget about it.
Hum.....I need to fix the bottom front bumper.........since I need to fix it...I want to put somethig different....
Do you know any front lip that I can put??

Saijin_Naib

Maybe these kits are better. His kit was a pretty radical departure from the stock body (wide body kit with vented fenders). I'd suggest you find someone who has purchased one of these kits to make sure the fitment and quality is okay.

gorillajin

Which kit are you talking about??

YNVDIZW124

I have some gen 1 side skirts from race-on/extreme dimensions and they just need some block sanding. The quality is not terrible but don't expect to just primer them and paint them. I would actually recommend VIS if you want a kit. I bought a from bumper for an slk and it was pretty good thick fiberglass.

Saijin_Naib

The Duraflex branded AMG Gen I kit. I think there are others that may have marginally better fitment, but really, any kit except OEM is going to be a pain in the *****.

fal50

And that is based on what experience ?
When the W126, W124, W201, C202's were the new cars, we at Carat Duchatelet build and sold spoiler sets made of PU-RIM for these models.
I was the importer for the USA and we installed many of these kits.

They were just as easy to install as the factory OEM because of the perfect fitment.
The same can be said for the original Lorinser and AMG sets.

Because of the perfect fit of the Carat parts, we were also recognised by MB Stuttgart and in several markets you could order the Carat sets by the MB dealers.

There are a few mbworld forum members that bought the original Carat parts from me at the time.
None of them had ever any complaint about fit.

Best,
Fredd

pifcat2

Quality manufacture and use of original parts for the mold is the deciding factor. If the plug is a replica and not on good jigs or if they rushed the curing time, it will be warped, shrunk, and therefore cost more body work to make it fit. I'm also curious if the Duraflex is a quality part because it's reasonably priced and appears to have similar flexibility to the polyurethane AMG bumpers.

BTW, you can also buy a lower fiberglass copy of later bumpers that cover that damaged area. I personally don't like the look of them on early W124's but it's about a $250 solution. Your other option is to buy an OEM replacement cover for about $250. Either way, you'll need to paint them...

Saijin_Naib

Well Fredd, your company as well as Lorinser/AMG and possibly Zender are the exception. Duraflex/RaceonUSA/EuroTek are likely not in the same league. They tend to market more towards JDM cars rather than the rather obscure (for tuning at least) w124.

If you have any of the quality kits available, please let me know. I'd love to give my coupe a more aggressive look but I am afraid of a 3,500$ fitment bill on top of the cost of the kit.

Pifcat2, the kit is pretty flexible and very light. There was no spidering or cracks and seemed to have been packed/shipped very well. There was much warping and waves in the mold but the worst part of the fitment issue was that the shapes (light cut out, edge along hood) were wrong as well as not having tabs to mount to the body. The front bumper was even about 2" wider than the stock bumper which caused some fun to have the shop fit it.

Again, is this issue across their whole inventory? I don't know. But based upon my friend's experience with this kit I would be wary of anything from Duraflex.

gorillajin

HUm....Thank you for the replies.
Yeah, the front bumper definately needs to be fixed. Either get oem bumper from a junk yard or get an after market one....
I gotta fix other stuff first and next is the bumper. I kind of want to get the amg one, but the fitment issue makes me worry.
What other choice do I have for after market bumpers? Any pictures?

Pifcat2, where can I find OEM replacement cover for $250?

fal50

Thank you

This statyemnent is more correct as your first general one.

There are no longer availlable, and I'm also looking for a set to put on my wife's 400E.
The current owners of carat Duchatelet in Belgium are no longer interested in accessories, so a new run can not be expected.

The mold is where it all begins.
We made our first models always from clay, the very same system as car manufacturers use.
Yes it makes it more time consuming = expensive, but you end up with perfect parts.

RHW

Fred,
You wrote:
"This statement is more correct as your first general one."
and:
"There are no longer available"

My only familiarity with Carat Duchatelet is recognition of high quality.

But I am certain that you misread this comment:

"any kit except OEM is going to be a pain"

Because unless you offer a kit right now, today, that won't be a pain to install,
--then Saijin_Naib has given accurate advice to anyone shopping for a kit, now, today.

Since you are looking for a kit and have not bolted one up, is it because you have not found the quality you seek? (If so, you are in agreement with Saijin_Naib's meaning)