smackjack

March production. Obsidian black with black interior. Loaded with just about everything but Distronic, which I didn't want anyway. Love most everything about it with a couple of exceptions. The dual rear DVD screens are cheap-looking and worthless, IMO, and I'm looking into having them removed. Also, the dealer ordered this particular truck with the wood and leather steering wheel, rather then the stock leather wheel. I would much prefer the stock steering wheel, as the wood and leather version is puny, weak and ordinary-looking. I may buy a stock steering wheel myself and have it installed. Has anyone done either of these things?

EX-BEEMER

Congrats Jack! Sounds like my rig. I too was saddled with some things I would not have ordered. The wooden steering wheel is one and the DVD is another. I did get the distronic on my rig and although I never would have ordered it I find that I really like it.

Enjoy your new rig and after a few miles you might consider a sprintbooster. Its a great add on.

Congrats and welcome!

Blue_Monster

Congrats, remove your charcoal filters and Powerchip it. You wont be dissapointed.

smackjack

Thanks for the warm welcome, fellas. I'm a loyal Benz owner (the ML63 is my fourth ML and eighth Benz overall) and AMG junkie. I am privileged to be married to a lady who loves cars as much as I do and who tolerates my expensive "habit." She drives a C55 herself.

I'm just beginning to learn about this amazing truck. It was an impulse purchase (traded my 2005 ML500SE on the spot), and I'm trying to do a bit of problem-solving before I move on to performance mods. More than anything else, I want to get rid of those horrendous-looking DVD screens.

As always, I will do a V1 hard-wire install. In all of my other cars I have been able to tap into the homelink wiring in the overhead console, and I'm assuming that I will be able to do that with the ML63 as well.

Also, in my three previous W163 ML's, I was able to use my MB bike carrier (which mounted in the rear of the truck) for transporting bikes upright on the inside. That carrier was a MB option for the early model ML's, and I've kept it and used it through the years in my later model trucks. Unfortunately, the rack won't mount inside the ML63, and the rear cargo area "headroom" inside the W164's is lower than in the W163's, so transporting bikes inside the truck may be a challenge. I plan to fabricate my own interior bike carrier to mount to the cargo rails inside the rear. Anyone know whether that has been done before?

AVB-AMG

Smackjack:
Congratulations! You have a very nice configuration there. FYI, I have copied a post that I submitted as a new thread on 3/10/07. You may be interested in considering a thicker wood/leather steering wheel from an after-market vendor from Germany. Here is my post on that vendor:

AVB-AMG


ML63 Wood/Leather Steering Wheel - Update

I am interested in getting a very nice matching burl walnut/leather steering wheel for the ML63 that I have on order. I was told by my M-B Dealer that the optional wood steering wheel is the same one that is available on all other M-series vehicles, which happens to not be as thick as the AMG leather wheel. (Which was confirmed by Black&Tan AMG on an earlier post) I don't know if it is available with the rear button (as opposed to paddle), shifters. But in any event, I don't want to sacrifice the greater thickness of the leather AMG wheel or having the rear shifters.

After reading a number of other threads in the E-Series AMG section I have discovered several German aftermarket suppliers of very nice burl walnut wood / leather steering wheels that are as thick as the std. AMG leather wheel. The one that I like is from MP Design & Technik GmbH in Munich, Germany. At this point, I don't know if it has the shifter buttons on the back of the wheel. Also, I don't know the price + shipping costs, or installation by M-B dealer, but judging from what the E-Series wheel costs I think I am looking at almost $1,400., rather pricey to say the least. Here is a web site link to view what it looks like:

http://www.mp-des********

(go to "Mercedes" and then "Parts foir Mercedes M-Class W164)

Does anyone here have a similar interest in this type of "beefed up", nicely crafted wood/leather steering wheel that is a noticable step up from the optional steering wheel version available directly from M-B? Also, have you done any research and, if so what have you found? I am very curious..... Thanks!

AVB-AMG

Smackjack:
Like you, the ML63 that I have on order as an April/May production has all options except for the Distronic. While I like the concept of Distronic I have been told by other M-B Owner's who have it that it is not compatible with their radar detectors, especially those that are concealed behind the front grille. The radar frequencey used by the newer Distronic Plus radar-controlled cruise control that is fitted on all 2007 M-B models uses the Ka band which happens to be the most commonly used band for police radar. For those M-B Owner's who have Distronic Plus as a fitted option on their vehicles will have problems using radar detectors since turning off Distronic does not turn off its radar, thus causing constant false readings from your detector system.

Also, FYI - After having researched (to death...) the various radar/laser detector/defuser systems, I have decided to have the K40 CALIBRE wireless (bluetooth) system installed in my new ML63 once I take delivery of it in late June/early July. As another MBWorld member suggested (CMCJO), where he had the same system installed by his M-B Dealer on his new M-B GL, I will have the K40's blue LED lights mounted behind the translucent directional indicator lights inside the instrument cluster. The directional signals will continue to be usable with the same color as original, but now when the K40 system is on and it detects radar/laser the directional blinkers will blink blue to indicate radar or laser detection, (right blinker for rear radar and left blinker for front), augmented by the audio warning. All of this prevents me from having to have any holes drilled in the instrument cluster, which none of us really wants to do. Good luck with your hardwired V1 install.

AVB-AMG

StealthAuto

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the forum!!!!!!

Please let me know if you have any questions, product related or not.

-Aaron

smackjack

Well, my dealership took care of me on the steering wheel issue, and they swapped out the wood/leather wheel today. The stock AMG leather wheel is s-o-o-o-o much better than the wood and leather option. I will, however, look into the aftermarket options for wood and leather steering wheels, and I'll definitely buy one if it has the right "AMG feel." I don't have anything against wood and leather, but I can't abide a "puny" steering wheel. (Now if I can only get rid of the DVD screens "scabbed" onto the back of the headrests.)

Also, I'm intrigued by the radar detector options. I am a big fan of the whole idea of remote installed radar detectors, but I've just never seen one that I thought was very good. I've tried pretty much everything out there on the market over the years in the way of radar detector options, including a couple of K40's, but I have never seen anything that I personally feel compares to the old standby Valentine One. I've owned five going back to the early models, and they have never let me down. Nonetheless, I am open-minded, and if there is really a good remote-install option, I'll be all over it. Question: what about laser detection on the remote-intalled detectors? I realize that some folks hold that laser detectors are mere placebos and that, once you get a signal, it's too late to take evasive action, but I disagree. My V1 laser detector feature has saved my bacon more than once.

AVB-AMG

Smackjack:
Check out the separate thread in the ML63 forum that I started titled:

"Several Practical Questions for ML63 Owners"

I think this is the correct link to it:

https://mbworld.org/forums/ml55-amg-ml63-amg-w163-w164/184836-several-practical-questions-ml63-owners.html

I believe the last posting date was 3/15/07.
I, along with others discuss the various radar/laser detector/diffuser systems along with their pros/cons, that we have experience with and are or are planning on using. I hope this helps you.

AVB-AMG

terrence

How do you remove them? Any directions you can share?
Who can we call for Powerchip? You have positive experience with them?

Thanks.

Blue_Monster

You can call Stealth Auto for the Powerchip (MBworld Sponsor). They are also in LA..
The charcoal filter removal is on this thread:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c219/187576-new-dyno-results-you-won-t-believe.html

Cops_h8_me!

+1 forget the sprint booster, chip and de-filter that beast