V DuBb

Does anyone here recommend any certain mods, or should I say what mods are actually out there. I know you are all gonna say for performance I should have got a 500,550,55,or63 but i do know we arent too far from the 500. In anycase im not looking for HIGH PERFORMANCE but just a little more boost maybe hit the high 5 range for 0-60 because I believe stock is 6.3 (C&D times)

Thanks

V DuBb

bump?

Vik888

sprintbooster

emilner

The sprint booster will not make the car any faster.

I would start with reprogrammed ECU such as Renntech...

Vik888

He just wants to improve his 0-60 time. I don't think he plans on driving faster than the limited 130mph. At least according to his post.

AndrewAZ

Change your final gear ratio. Will cost about $1k-2k but will improve your low down acceleration. You might want to check and see if anyone with an E63 AMG has done this. Stock is a 3.07 so I think a 3.90 or 4.10 would get you into the high 5's.


Also lighter rims and better tires will help out.. I know at the drag strip I always had trouble getting grip off the line and had a crappy 60 foot time and a crappy 1/4 mile time but a high trap speed.

V DuBb

would it be better to go with a company such as rentech or a custom tune?

AndrewAZ

Personally I would just be happy with how it is.. Your going to end up spending a pretty penny for such a little gain.. But rennetech would be fine but your going to pay for the name. But again I personally wouldnt waste any money on trying to make a V6 fast or even an E550 faster. Really the only car I would spend money to make it faster would be a supercharged or turbo car since you get the most bang for the buck tuning them and get big improvements.

emilner

I would sell your car and walk to work...

I don't think he needs your opinion on whether he should or shouldn't mod, he was asking on how he would start to mod his car. I for one would certainly retune my 550 if the price was a little lower.

If he starts a new thread asking if he should or shouldn't mod then you can chime in...

AndrewAZ

He asked how to make his car faster.. I told him the easiest way but also explained NA tuning is very expensive and you wont get a lot out of it.. This car is not a performance vehicle.

Your noob comment isnt helpful to anyone. And so far my comment about changing the gearing is the cheapest and most feasible way to attain what he wants and I doubt you know very much about tuning cars. And for one thing tuning a NA car again is tricky and expensive.

JRAMGV8

Only thing I can think of is an upgrade on ECU and Headers.... but it will cost ya..

I plan to do just a powerchip and a high performance filter on the E350 so it can bump up to around 290HP or so. I'd go that route if you ask me.

emilner

I'm sorry, who had the noob comment? He asked which engine mapping program to go with and you said leave it stock, it is not worth modding.

I agree with your earlier comment about gears, they are great bang for the buck when it comes to acceleration.

As far as my knowledge about tuning cars, I have been doing it for years on everything from Hondas to boats to you name it. Plenty a nights I spent on Sunday fixing what was broke at the track so I could get to work the next day. I actually formed a corporation building custom made turbo systems for GM full size trucks. My '03 Av was putting down over 600lbs of tq on the 5.3L before I went to a 6.0L (nuked the 5.3 seeing how much boost she would handle ). I would still be doing it except for the majors blowing my doors off cost wise, I could not commit the time and money needed to compete, as it was a hobby more than a career. All in all I had a blast and now I save my time for my kids. Am I done tuning? Hell no, I am just redirecting time and funds elsewhere, one year ago I would have not thought twice about buying a Renntech tune for my car.

As far as tuning goes on N/A cars, your comment is ridiculous. The methods are clear and simple. For quick gains people go with the staples- ECU/exhaust/intake/headers/gears etc. Combining those will yield noticable gains. To make big differences you can tear down the motor or add forced air to it. As far as blown vehicles go, yes you can get huge cheap HP, granted, but first you have to pay ALOT more to buy that car and you are also going to grenade alot faster since those cars are not made to handle such huge improvements.

None of this comes cheap, but then again MB's don't come cheap or gas for that matter, this is a question of what to do, not is the cost worth it.

Hell, in his original question he basically says don't tell me to buy another car, which in effect you told him to do.


Back on topic, I would recommend the Renntech, I have seen many happy posts about it, I personally don't trust local tuners as much with such a complicated car. Gears/intake/headers, you decide how deep you want to go...

AndrewAZ

I assume this is your first Mercedes..

Anyways, lets break this down

ECU/exhaust/intake/headers/gears

ECU= $1,200
exhaust=$2,000
Intake= $800
Headers=$1,200
Gears $2,000+

Heck just for pulleys an an ECU upgrade its $3,000 on an AMG and another $3,000 to add headers. Check out evo sport I can assure you renntech and brabus will charge double that sine you are paying for the name.

Again I assume you are new to Mercedes but any reputable mercedes tuning company wont bother messing with an intake unless its changed to carbon fiber to reduce weight. The intake on Mercedes is very efficient than compared to a honda or a chevy.

So your going to end up spending $6-8k to move up about 30-40 hp even then it wont be much faster, price difference on the E350 vs the E550 is $9k. Better off trading the car in or buying a supercharger and doing nothing more. I forgot what company it is maybe its brabus but you can get a supercharger for around $10-12k.


Turbo and supercharged cars from the factory are running low boost to be very conservative. You can get cheap turbo cars and easily double and triple the boost with no ill effect. Heck probably the best luxury car to buy now is the BMW 335i since you can tune it to almost 400 hp for under $2k.

emilner

I agree 100% Tuning a Benz is expensive, but at the end of the day it's like complaining that gas is too much money for your MB. Like I said from the beginning, tuning is a great bang for the buck...

I don't know what you mean about it being my first MB...

V DuBb

kids stop fighting

NewMrBenz

Have you done the Powerchip tune yet? How is it? At $690 it is a much better price for the max hp & tq!

Mike

V DuBb

why not just get a custom tune to the ecu?

JRAMGV8

Nope have not done it yet.. but I will soon. A friend of mine I know did updated his E350 and he said if feels like driving the E500. For $690.. hmmm who knows...

V DuBb

did he compare it to a e500? side by side

JRAMGV8

That I dont know to be honest but I have been looking at his videos. He has posted a cool video of his E350 with a Plymouth Prowler on youtube. Those Prowlers run but it all says it here: For all you E350 owners these videos are surprising....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6w80zh3cDI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPx-9B4Oy44

igolfchip

Circling back on this - did anyone ever get the Powerchip flash? How did it turn out from a performance and gas mileage perspective?

Green E-300 DT

No need to do any modifications to the car, for if he keeps going that fast and racing
on city streets in traffic, he'll either crash and kill himself or some innocent motorist!

The Prowler had let off in both videos. He was the wiser of the two racers.
(If you can call racing at those speeds on city streets wise?)

AMGTestDriverNJ

I wish more people were interested in modding the M272. 3.5 V6 is a good platform for performance mods.

xr650rguy

Nothing to compare it against, but I hear the duration of that engine noise and think my E500 would be going about 90 at that point. Those cars seem slower than that.

E350's are pretty quick once you get the revs up, but they really lack the torque to roast the meats off the line.

gaazmon

AMG, your right, I also think the 350 is a good platform.

To the OP, honestly some things you can look at are chip, headers, exhaust, and maybe camshafts. Intake, is not really worth it, since the intake it comes with is a very good one. Chip wise, I've heard good things about powerchip. Exhaust wise a lot to look at, but too expensive for any real gains IMO opinion, so I wouldn't do it. Kleemann makes headers and camshafts so you should check them out as they are my personal favorite.

One guy in the W215 CL forum got the powerchip flash and he loves it (he has a CL500).

Hey, if he wants to spend the money, let him do it.