ash_cpe

K-A, have you tried a price comparison? I found that I would pay at least $4000 more for the 535xi the way I have my E 350 4matic.... However I have Pano and MBtex so I substitute that with a Dakota Leather on the BMW...

Dema

You can get Napa. Yes, BMW is noticeable more expensive, and you will hardly negotiate something lower than sticker, when you can take E35 below invoice. So true market difference will be about $12K for equal equipped cars. At least I pass on 535

jbean114

Great stuff K-A! Thanks for putting the pictures and write up together.

I can also vouch for the e-bay seller (good quality and fast shipping). I replaced my orange eye-sores with smoked ones to get closer to the Euro-spec bumper style.

Funny story about the de-badge… I knew I wanted to de-badge my E550 because I prefer the “clean” look. I also love to roll away from a stop light next to someone who thinks I have 6 under the hood, but then hears the growl of an 8 when I leave them in the dust! Anyway, I left the badging on for the first week because I didn’t have time to take it off. One day a guy approached me and made the usual “nice car” comments. When he got to the back, he says, “is it a real 550?” I said yes… and then asked him if people re-badge a 350 with a 550. He said “all the time.” I laughed and assured him it was the genuine article by popping the hood and the drove off.

Strange, huh? If I were going to go to the trouble of false advertising, I’d go to the top (AMG)… not a mid-step.

K-A

Thanks!

LOL, man, re-badging is something that annoys me to no end. Yeah, I like the clean look with no badges back there either, except for the Star badge. When you get used to that, it kinds of throws the "equilibrium" off when you see the cars with a badge on one side I guess.

Definitely no E550 badge going on my car, and DEFINITELY won't be saying my car is anything other than it is, if someone asks.

I agree, if you're gonna pose, then go all the way! I guess they figure they can really pass as a "550" since it's almost impossible to tell a difference, if you get the right Options on the E350.

LaicepsYdobon

Good write up and nice pix ! Another thing that I like is how MB has the turn indicators lights integrated into the side view mirrors and BMW doesn't. Yeah its more expensive if they get damaged but I like them better being there.

petee1997

Personally, I think you are being a little bit of a poseur trying to create a false impression.. It's one thing to debadge an E63 but not a E350. One look at the interior with MB Tex tells the whole story.
You are losing all your credibility with all your contradictions.
You have compromised your whole belief system ie: cheap interior,plastic materials to cut costs, leasing the car,poor body design, poor residual value due to new engine coming soon,pano roof not safe, cheap hockey stick running lights, and much more.

You should have changed your handle name for the W212 and kept your present handle for the W211. Go back 12 months and read all your stuff to the present. It will make you blush. I don't mean to be offensive but I find it hard to take you seriously. Hopefully, I am in the minority with this opinion.

bushburninc63

I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not.

Ninjaryder

I actually miss the "anti W212" posts by KA. It always seemed as if he were defending his w211 vs. truly be subjective. I guess having a "villian" on a thread gives it more life.

akp550

K.A: First off Congratulations on the W212!!! i have been following your posts for months and i cant believe YOU of all pppl bought a 212! hahaha.
Saw the pics, looks great! i love the blacked out rear lights and sidemarkers. I just picked up a E550 2 weeks ago as well, and i wanted to get a few tips from you regarding the smoked side markers and rear lights. did you buy them and do it yourself or did the dealership do it for you??

K-A

Well, well, well. If it isn't my old friend Petee.

Impressions to others aren't my concern with the badging situation. If anything, I thought that in an "impress others" sort of way, I'm doing myself a disservice by debadging the back. It'll be a year or 2 before "common folk" get used to the new W212 as the "$60K Benz/E-Class". Right now, by having no badges, they probably think I'm driving a Hyundai Sonata with Tints on the back, and a Star tacked on in middle of the trunk. Believe me, this is exactly what my Girlfriend said when she first saw my car, the "E350" helped her figure out what it was (before I debadged it).

I'm a little bit of a detail freak, so with the debadge, the Tints, and even going as far as to get a license plate frame with NO "Mercedes" written on it, just a blank chrome space at the bottom, I like my cars rear, and that my friend, is all that matters.

I agree. This place is a bore fest without a villain! Indeed, like Petee said, go back months and months ago, the only life here was me bashing the W212, lol. I dunno if it's the Economic conditions (probably is), but it seems the "Enthusiast" level on the W212 Forums isn't as exciting as many of the models that have come before it? Launching in 2009 certainly must be the culprit.

ipp

Very true, this forum is extremely boring... Most posts are misplaced W211 posts...

I'm comparing this forum to the E60.net forum were I used to hang out and it's completely dead.

K-A

Thank you akp500!!

Yeah, I always think of what I would think if the past me was able to see the Forum posts from the future me, and see a big W212 sitting in my Signature.

I'd probably shake my head and say "Yeah, figures". Lol.

It's been a long and slowly changing world for me in regards to E-Class/Car land, and there are some long Thread posts by me documenting it. I'm glad you enjoyed reading them.

I actually got them done at a Tint Shop, when I got my windows done. It was technically a Sticker Shop that did the tails/makers actually. The shop usually has SLR's and such sitting there getting full Vinyl wraps, so I figured they were cut out to tint my little tails and markers, lol.

It cost me about $150 or so for both. I dunno where you live, but try and Google check for some reputable Tint and/or decal/wrap/sticker Shops and it should be a cinch.

Oh and btw, there's a little "point" in the side of the 212's tails, which M-B designed for cross-wind stability. If a shop tells you they can't Tint it due to that, or tries to charge you more, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!! Someone told me that, I went to a pro shop, and they did it no problem.

akp550

OHHH ! i get it! im in a Boston Suburb and i actually had some nice nano ceramic Tints (Huuper OPtiks) put on my car from a reputable Tint Shop. Very close to my house. I know where ima be this saturday!!!!!!
Thanx

K-A

Yeah, I noticed this back when I was a "W212 hater", but figured if (or when) I mentioned it, it would just be chalked up to hating.

But seriously, if you look at the W221 Board when it first came out, or the W211 Board, people were posting Pics on the Pic Section (I gotta do that actually), modding the cars, seemingly having more fun. Seems there's a lack of "enthusiasm" here, but again, 2003-2006 were times when Americans were showering in Crystal.

It's slowly coming around though. I just credit it to the Economy perhaps, younger enthusiasts can't really afford the car now, and most people you see in W212's are the "E-Class Housewives".

At least it's not like the W204 Forum.... Maybe a biit too "enthusiastic" there, lol.

K-A

NICE! Post pics when they're done!

We can all see how the same setup will look with a nice "E 550" badge.

K-A

Wow, actually I noticed your car probably looks almost exactly the same as mine! With the P2, Pano, Arctic White, etc.

Would love to see the turnout with the rear Lip. That's the ONLY thing I'm thinking of getting. I like what I've done to the rear so far, but if it doesn't hold up after a while, the Lip will be "the one" that finally does it for me, I know.

So far, I kind of like it how it is, but we'll see.

LaicepsYdobon

Down with the W212 long live the W211 !!!

Happy ?!

akp550

I love the rear lip!! first i was thinking of doing it aftermarket, but im not good at that aftermarket stuff so i found a car that actually had the trunk as well as the rear deck spoiler!!!!!! $600 from factory

K-A

Hahh, that's more like it!

Nice! Yeah, the rear Lip is almost necessary on the W212 I think.

That was the only thing I wanted that my car didn't have. It had everything else setup the way I wanted, so I figured what the hell.

That must be a sweet looking ride.

akp550

Oh i Love it!! thanx! will post pics in a couple of days!

petee1997

[quote=K-A;4124167]Well, well, well. If it isn't my old friend Petee.

Impressions to others aren't my concern with the badging situation. If anything, I thought that in an "impress others" sort of way, I'm doing myself a disservice by debadging the back. It'll be a year or 2 before "common folk" get used to the new W212 as the "$60K Benz/E-Class". Right now, by having no badges, they probably think I'm driving a Hyundai Sonata with Tints on the back, and a Star tacked on in middle of the trunk. Believe me, this is exactly what my Girlfriend said when she first saw my car, the "E350" helped her figure out what it was (before I debadged it).





Do you really think that we are that gullible K-A? The "common folk" see right through you. I'm sorry to say K-A, you are an illusionist. I'm too polite to use the word phony.

cyberjak

I did not mean to take this thread off topic or for it to turn into bashing KA for de-badging his car. I simply brought it up only because KA went from hating W212 to being a cheerleader for W212. I personally like the new E-Class much better than old W211, it is much more masculine and sportier look. I think the new E-Class Coupes and Convertibles are much nicer looking than old CLK they replaced for the same reason, especially the 550 variants with the AMG body kits. I think MB did the right thing on the Coupes and Convertibles that only offering the AMG body kits on the 550 models so posers can not de-badge their 350 and try to pass them off as 550 the differences are night and day.

Personally I would have thought KA would have left the badges on his car as he was cheerleading the car so much and be proud of the what he bought.

K-A

I agree about the AMG Kit on the Coupe being only on the 550. If they did that with the Sedan, I would have been forced to get a 550. One of my biggest beefs with the W212 is how M-B puts the AMG Kit on all of them, makes them all look identical, and ruins the prestige/uniqueness of an AMG Kit.

You have your thoughts on badging, I have mine. I jump on people for putting AMG badges on their cars, or rebadging it as something it's not, so I guess you guys feel the same way about debadging, bfd. I'm not looking for an approval on it.

BTW, expressing enthusiasm for the car I drive makes me a "cheerleader" of it? Should I cater to the bore-fest of this Forum, and not express anything emotionally toward the car? I also don't recall myself taking back many of my criticisms toward it.

I'm sure my Photo's and Reviews, detailed Safety break-downs, etc., and my detailed write-up of the worlds biggest W212 hater becoming an Owner, was of more interest to some readers here than anything contributed by the new fellow harping on my badging situation, or my good Canadian friend.

PGT

meh, ignore the guy. debadging a car almost always is a plus. Let the car's styling make the statement, not the trim level or 'badge' recognition.

K-A

Werd^^.

I know the E350 is the "lowest level" of E, but the "E" name still holds a strong recognition, and is enough of a prestigious "statement" if somebody cared in that sense, regardless of engine designation.

Thanks for the Reply. Enjoy that 550.