S-Class (W220) 1999-2006: S 320 CDI, S 320, S430, S 500, S 600

W220 Instrument Cluster Options

Old Mar 15, 2009 | 12:42 PM
  #1  
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Question W220 Instrument Cluster Options

I'm swapping out my IC for either the US or the EURO version of the S65 AMG cluster, 99% sure that I'm going with the Euro version because I like how it says "V12 Biturbo" on the tachometer without the AMG logo... plus I think the ridiculous amount of numbers makes it look great.

Here's a comparison...

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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 01:05 PM
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Just don't lose the old cluster in case you ever have to sell the car or need to make it legal again.

I think the Euro cluster looks like a prototype. The two font sizes for the speeds, because it's so cluttered, is very inelegant. Compressing the scale earlier in the US cluster (at 100 MPH instead of 280 KPH) makes a much nicer looking speedometer in my opinion. Considering you are unlikely to spend much time about 280 (175 MPH) it's a lot of readability to give up because you like the AMG logo front and center. I assume they moved it to the tach to make the central area, where you spend more time looking, less busy.

Also note that vertical in the US cluster is 80 MPH and about 100 MPH in the Euro cluster, meaning that for normal speeds you're losing precision.

But people do all kinds of weird things to their cars because there's no accounting for taste, and this wouldn't be the worst by far.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 01:27 PM
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Whoover, very interesting points and I appreciate your opinion.

I never noticed that the font alternates as it gets closer to 360kph, which is a little odd.. and does make it look prototypish.

My stock cluster will be in a very safe and secure place because this could be a disaster when trying to sell the car.

I'm a bit biased, but I am still strongly leaning towards the European cluster because for one it's a unique thing to see in a US W220 and I have have never seen anyone do something like that.

The closest thing I've seen was a CL600 on eBay with a full on CL55 AMG cluster with the AMG V8 Kompressor logos...
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 02:09 PM
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why in gods name would you want to have kilometers in your IP. Are you gonna roll around with the digital MPH in the display?

Plus that bunching down at the right looks awful.

If anything, get the US spec cluster.

That euro one is kind of a disaster, and AMG is still prominently displayed.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 03:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Oliverk
why in gods name would you want to have kilometers in your IP. Are you gonna roll around with the digital MPH in the display?

That euro one is kind of a disaster, and AMG is still prominently displayed.
Yes, either learn the MPH equivalents or roll around with the digit speedometer in the MFD.

Yes, AMG is there, but being in the center I feel that it designates the cluster as an AMG cluster, not the engine itself.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 03:26 PM
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Dude whats the point? Just for THE v12 BitTurbo? and Do you plan to drive above 160 how frequently? lol

I Understand if you would get the US version ok then..

But The euro version is one big mess and you need to learn Kilometers...

You can open it and put that sticker(V12 BiTurbo) inside yourself.

Last edited by Gondon; Mar 15, 2009 at 03:28 PM.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Gondon
Dude whats the point? Just for THE v12 BitTurbo? and Do you plan to drive above 160 how frequently? lol

I Understand if you would get the US version ok then..

But The euro version is one big mess and you need to learn Kilometers...

You can open it and put that sticker(V12 BiTurbo) inside yourself.
Sounds like you like the Euro version also! Thanks! I'll order 2 - one for me one for you.
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Oxygen
Sounds like you like the Euro version also! Thanks! I'll order 2 - one for me one for you.
HUH?
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Gondon
Dude whats the point? Just for THE v12 BitTurbo? and Do you plan to drive above 160 how frequently? lol

I Understand if you would get the US version ok then..

But The euro version is one big mess and you need to learn Kilometers...

You can open it and put that sticker(V12 BiTurbo) inside yourself.
I think the Euro cluster is kind of a mess also, but I don't see the big deal about it being in km/h and not mph. Is it really that hard to convert it in your head?
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Old Mar 15, 2009 | 07:37 PM
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No, it isn't.

That said, IPs are not built for math tests.

The last thing I want to do after a triple digit blast, is start calculating what speed I should be at when I pass that cop in 100 feet

The 1.6 multiplication is very handy, but thats more math than I want to do when just driving along.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 01:59 AM
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Not to hate, but I wouldn't stick an AMG badged cluster in a S600. Besides, the 430/500/600 cluster is the cleanest.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 02:50 PM
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If I can open the cluster and hide the AMG logo somehow I will, if not, I'll live with it.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 03:16 PM
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Unless its free , I'm sure that cluster is big $$ I don't see the logic behind it.

imho money can be better spent on the car or elsewhere.

But if it makes you happy its money well spent.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 04:02 PM
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euro one looks good....also the cdn spec cars have an option through the steering buttons to switch over to miles...so when i go south of the border i just hit the setting and the cluster becomes miles..with the top speed of 260 mph instead of km/h
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by ssonss1
euro one looks good....also the cdn spec cars have an option through the steering buttons to switch over to miles...so when i go south of the border i just hit the setting and the cluster becomes miles..with the top speed of 260 mph instead of km/h
That's pretty neat! I don't think the US Benzes have this feature. At least my S500 doesn't.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 10:27 PM
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Actually, I think US Benzes do have this feature. You access it through the convenience settings where you choose the language options for the readouts. They may be through Comand rather than the steering wheel settings, but I'm about 85% sure you can set the speedo, odometer, and trip odometer to read in Kph if you like. I'm too lazy to pull up the owner's manual and look, but that's what my memory tells me.
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Old Mar 16, 2009 | 10:58 PM
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Originally Posted by DrJfrmLA
Actually, I think US Benzes do have this feature. You access it through the convenience settings where you choose the language options for the readouts. They may be through Comand rather than the steering wheel settings, but I'm about 85% sure you can set the speedo, odometer, and trip odometer to read in Kph if you like. I'm too lazy to pull up the owner's manual and look, but that's what my memory tells me.
Yep. Instrument Cluster submenu of Settings menu in MFD. Also, US speedometer has KPH scale inside MPH scale.
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Old Mar 17, 2009 | 12:02 AM
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The Canadian Benzes apparently have an option that when on, when the needle is on 60 km/h, it's really 60 mph. I don't think we have that in the US since the speedo has km/h on the inside. We do have an option for the electronic read-out though.

DrJ and whoover, you're saying we have what I described above?
If so, I've never noticed that before. I'll have to check it out tomorrow.
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Old Mar 17, 2009 | 12:13 AM
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Originally Posted by QuadBenz
DrJ and whoover, you're saying we have what I described above?
If so, I've never noticed that before. I'll have to check it out tomorrow.
My 2006 has it. You can change F/C temperature display, MPH/KPH speed display and PSI/bar TPMS display. All with the SETTINGS menu, navigated with the steering wheel buttons.
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Old Mar 17, 2009 | 12:28 AM
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Originally Posted by whoover
My 2006 has it. You can change F/C temperature display, MPH/KPH speed display and PSI/bar TPMS display. All with the SETTINGS menu, navigated with the steering wheel buttons.
I don't think we're understanding each other. I'm fully aware of the things you mentioned above. The setting for the MPH/KPH speed display is only the electronic display right?

From what I can pick up, ssonss1 is saying that they have a different setting than us that switches their actual speedo from KPH to MPH. They don't have the MPH on their speedo like we have KPH. They have KPH only. The setting he's talking about makes the numbers MPH without physically changing anything. Get it? So they have a MPH top speed of 260 MPH.
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Old Mar 17, 2009 | 12:43 AM
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Originally Posted by QuadBenz
I don't think we're understanding each other. I'm fully aware of the things you mentioned above. The setting for the MPH/KPH speed display is only the electronic display right?

From what I can pick up, ssonss1 is saying that they have a different setting than us that switches their actual speedo from KPH to MPH. They don't have the MPH on their speedo like we have KPH. They have KPH only. The setting he's talking about makes the numbers MPH without physically changing anything. Get it? So they have a MPH top speed of 260 MPH.
Ah so. Quite correct. US clusters don't do that. They have two scales instead.
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Old Mar 17, 2009 | 12:45 AM
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Okay. I'm glad we're on the same page now, lol.

FWIW- Oxygen, I like the US AMG cluster more than the Euro cluster.
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Old Mar 17, 2009 | 08:46 AM
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The US AMG Cluster is the best looking one its cleaner. I know you're anti poser so just black out the AMG and you're not posing
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Old Mar 25, 2009 | 04:04 PM
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Alright well here it is... thanks to Steve for all the help and the overnight shipping from The Netherlands...





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Old Mar 25, 2009 | 05:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Oxygen
Alright well here it is... thanks to Steve for all the help and the overnight shipping from The Netherlands...
In germany we get the very most parts days within 2 days latest (in this case then from Stuttgart main depot) but discounts are compared to the US very little.

The cluster is around 700€ which is 950 $

I wonder why it makes sense to order spare parts from Steve in NL.
Is the pricing so attractive, or can't MBUSA deliver?

Cheers,

Frank

Last edited by Frank_S500; Mar 25, 2009 at 05:48 PM.
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