Z356

If anyone is interested is seeing how an AMG sport steering with with alumimum shift paddles looks like in an interior of a CL600 in lieu of the standard wood/leather steering wheel that comes standard, please take a look at the link provided. I just install it on my '07 CL600 Black with Black/Cognac interior. It changed the whole tactile feeling of driving this car and it's a modification I would recommend to all, especially those with S600s and S65s. Now I can look straight in the face at WSH and tell him that I am not really a codger even though I now own a CL600. Z356
https://mbworld.org/forums/cl55-amg-cl65-amg-cl63-amg-c215-c216/230145-photos-amg-sport-steering-wheel-aluminum-shift-paddles-07-cl600.html

tanktube67

WSH

Early in '07, when I was being endlessly ridiculed for driving an '07 CL600 "codgermobile" by a 60yo colleague of mine (who was then driving an '07 S65 and now drives CL63 030), my only response to him was that it's more mockable for a guy to drive a $200K AMG w/a codgerly wood steering wheel....my response didn't shut him up (not much does), but certainly tempered his criticism....all meant to be friendly humor best appreciated by those afflicted w/car ADD and/or OCD....

asg

I just ordered the all leather wheel for mine. I am also trying to replace the light gray headliner with the the darker charcoal one from the S65.

Z356

asg: The charcoal/black alcantara headliner in my '07 CL600 is just spectacular and one of the reasons I searched everywhere for that Cognac/Black interior. In fact, one of the few things I didn't like about my other 'choice', the '07 Espresso Edition S600, was that the alcantara headliner in that Designo pkg was beige, not charcoal/black. It makes a huge difference in looks. In all aspects except for price, my CL600 Cognac/Black interior looks and feels like a special edition Designo model. Yet it is a standard 'color' interior combination and comes with that charcoal/black alcantara headliner, both which do not cost a Mercedes CL600 buyer an extra nickel to order. Just simply a wonderful value - if one can use that term for anything related to a vehicle that list for over $150K and depreciates like crazy. So I know what you are talking about. But to replace that headliner in your S600 will cost you a mint! I hope you will be seating down when they give you the cost estimate. By the way, how much did the dealer charged you for the AMG all leather wheel like mine? In any case, good luck with your modifications. Z356

asg

The dealer quoted me $2320 retail for the wheel, but i had my body shop order the parts and saved me 20%.

They wanted $8000.00 for all the parts to do the headliner. I found a way to do it for the fraction of the price.

I can't wait till its done. I wish more of them came with the dark headliner. I had that same problem with my Chevy truck. A light beige headliner with a charcoal interior. It just didn' match.

Z356

asg: Sounds like you will do the work at body shop and not via dealer. Let us know how that goes. Sounds both expensive and complicated. Most of us favor leaving factory fit items like this intact...but to each his own. Send us photos of both steering wheel and new alcantara headliner when you get them installed in your car. Are you going to do the corn-row pattern in center of headliner like all new MY08 S600s? My '07 CL600 has already that look and its a nice touch - especially since it mimics the stitched patterns on the seats. That will not be the case on your '07 S600 seats, which do without. Z356

trumpet1

I would have just ordered the car I wanted, taken the loss, and be done with it. Retrofitting just doesn't appeal to me when it involves ripping out factory detail. Just my opinion.
However, I wish you the best of luck in getting this done and please let us see pictures and how you feel about it once it's completed.

WSH

My prior '07 blk/blk CL600 had a light grey headliner...and lt grey plastic on rear-view mirror....weak color specs by MB IMO.....should have been blk or very dk grey....

As much as I ridicule CL63's lame, coarse-grained leather and plasticky steering wheel, will compliment choice by AMG of, at least on my slvr/blk car, blk/dk grey Alcantara headliner and dk grey-blk rear view mirror....

Agree....have zero tolerance/patience for any dealer/aftermkt work on cars....tomorrow, taking my CL63 in for 10K mi svc and new rear tires (car has 9K+ mis; rears were weak for past 1K+ mis....too busy to head to dealer for replacement sooner....my sloppiness...).....

My new SL63 030 can't arrive soon enough (as much as I enjoy my CL63...hate spending time on even routine svc issues of >6mo cars)....early Apr build, so ?May deliv....have a similarly impatient car nut colleague (who's now driving his second new CL63 030) who's having his early Apr build SL63 030 airshipped into LA, so he can avoid the 3+ wks slow-boat waiting time....always amusing to find similarly time-sensitive car guys in jaded places like SiliconValley who also view any car as a rapidly obsolescent, disposable tech device.....

asg

I ended up ordering ablout half the parts from the dealer, after we took the car apart and realized there was no way to recreate the factory feeling and quality. Some of the parts that can be recovered are being recovered in the alcantara, while the ones that could not be replicated are being ordered.

In hindsight, I should have probably ordered an S65 the way I wanted it. But that is no fun. Plus I didnt feel like taking a bath on trading this one in. The car has been good to me so far.

I cant believe that I actually took the car apart, but wait and see. I will post pictures once it is done. If I put some up now, some of you may get upset.

trumpet1

Ahh post the pictures anyway. I'm a doctor. I have a strong stomach.

I've done some serious mods to cars in my day so I can tell you I know how you feel right about now.

asg

Ok I will be going to the shop today to check on progress. I will take my camera.