Got an 06 S350 LWB that I am upgrading however way possible.

1- Double glazing and door insulation - half way through about to complete it.

2- HK speakers (with the bog down amplifier). Working out the circuitry at each panel to have it match the expected 4 Ohms load (HK are 2 Ohms per channel). Need to cut into the door panel wood (it’s already traced from factory) for the midrange speaker, although just noticed that the speaker cover isn’t corrugated at that location 😩.

3- Mirrors to auto dimming (needed to upgrade the rear view mirror, which I did from the ol flip’up n down, got one with garage buttons but alas they aren’t working. Dimming is working fine. Just discovered that the SAMs in the doors lack the pins for the dimming feature only after blowing $ on a new genuine driver side mirror glass - which as it turns out doesn’t have the circuitry.

4- Switches in all door panels to the facelift design (not sure if it’s plug n play?). Seat adjustments don’t even have memory buttons atm!

5- Front and rear windscreens to IR/heat reflective (front will be ordered and installed through the dealer, rear used).


6- Front seats to dynamic seats (with heating/cooling) - sourcing a pair atm.

7- Rear camera (new loom, cam/sam used).

8- Keyless Go (not a fan, but if it’s doable for a bargain, why not?). Already have one door with the handle/sensor etc.

9- Hydraulic radiator upgraded to the small Canadian one, with a power steering rack and all new hoses to follow in the near future.

10- Adding auxiliary transmission radiator - located a used one off a S550, worth the effort? I’m dyi myself, having just done a major service including new intake manifold (Pierberg), throttle body, complete PCV system renewed (all hose etc), ditto for vacuum system, new secondary airpump, waterpump, radiator, expansion tank, hot water valve, thermostat, water temp sensor, hot water pump, all hoses, all pulleys including harmoniser, refurbished injectors, oil cooler/filter assembly, and replaced all the bolts/screws with brand new ones, needed to helicoil the tensioner pulley as well. Also new mudguards - all front 4.

11- Headlight washers - already got the switch, water tank, pump, waiting on hoses and jets.

12- By next summer, AC condenser, compressor and receiver dryer (and the hose connecting the compressor to the condenser). RN it’s working but I have my doubts.

13- Complete suspension overhaul -soon there will be the new front struts, wishbone and lower control arm. This lot cost a small fortune.


14- Will be servicing the differential next week. With Flexi discs plus the two bearings to be replaced around new year’s.

15- New 18 inch wheels and tyres (scored a genuine set from a dealer who was closing down). Tyres Yokohamas Advan Apex V601 done fee weeks ago.

The list goes on, many more bits and pieces done along the way since July

Photo taken after the new tyres, before the major service, when I started tinkering. Mileage is 157k km, am the third owner.

 

see red

 

Thanks for the notes! Got external antenna with the panoramic roof, not sure what antennas you’re referring to?

It’s difficult to find a good pair of seats tbh, it has to be perfect (mine are in very good condition given it’s nearly 20 yr old), the nagging bits are the squeaky plastics, the failed lumbar massage feature, and the passenger occupy sensor. They have the fire extinguisher and first aid kit enclosures. But on the driver side, the bolt holding the wire for the seatbelt height adjuster is missing (and the wire snapped when I was trying to untangle it from the mess it was in (someone thought wrapping it tight around a sticking bolt was a good idea).

Once the car is nearly complete, planning a 8000km round road trip to the EU and back.

 

the roof antenna module is a minefield - loads of different spec amps to boost the signals....

my IR tint rear screen also holds the antenna for TV - note merc antennas are all are utter junk

broken massage seats and fans fallen off is a std feature after 2 years on a w221 - so wind forward 18 years I would never bother...

on the mirrors - wasn't aware Merc did it that way - but not surprised - many brands of cars made get modules for high spec cars, and others for lesser spec with pins missing off circuit boards and lesser software - then as the parts holding is rationalized the high spec ones usually become the ones they sell as (on many brands) can be coded for any spec car

and for all you are trying I expect you'll need looms too... plus a minefield on software and coding

 

What a tally of long list of upgrades .
Best of luck and I hope you would not regret tackling this massive job

 

Your take on my retrofit list was broadly similar.

Having retrofitted what I have to my S500, it's critical to collect the right wiring, switches, trims and modules to get it to fit and function correctly. Just researching the parts takes days of time, let alone source. Facelift parts will be a waste of time on a preface lift vehicle, not least because of any wiring differences. Even with a complete body harness from a breaker, and 6 brand new genuine harnesses for various items, I still had to make the looms for the rear multicontour seats and controls.

Op is trying to add a whole extra level of kit to a base model. It stands to reason that the modules won't be correctly pinned... For example, the front and rear door modules might look the same, but they're not. Rears don't have the pins for the lock/unlock harness.

My tuppence worth:

Keyless go is a stupid idea. Get it wrong and you'll brick the security system... This includes the engine, trans and ISM.
Identify, source and fit only what is applicable to the build year of your car. This will maximise your chance of success. Match the trims or budget for a complete donor car.

Programming is straightforward enough using Xentry, but everything needs to be spot on first or it won't work.

It will cost more in time and money than you think.Don't cut any corners. You simply won't be happy with the results.

It's too easy to say "buy a better specced car" and whilst that's a bit unfair, starting with an unoptioned S350 isn't the best foundation. You're going to need alot of wiring just to be able to get things close to functioning. In your position I would have, and did, buy an S500 in the first place... The balance shaft issue of the M272 being the big factor in this and ABC being a secondary consideration along with SWB. That said, it's not always possible to find a car optioned as you want... Mine was purchased on condition over spec, and that's how it started... When done, I will have added approximately £12,000 in factory options. Pano roof, ABC, keyless go and rear seat entertainment are the only options I won't be adding. My car is now uniquely specced and even if I could buy something close, it would have basically been a fully optioned S600 (LWB, ABC) and as such not the basic criteria I wanted, but would have cost nearer £15,000, so by my man maths I am still ahead.

In short, good luck with it, take your time and don't half **** it, but also be realistic about what you have set out to achieve.

 

Thank you for the info. It is very difficult to source a 20 something year old car that hasn’t had its share of tinkerings and mods.

A lot of the cars here are US-sourced, and have come damaged and got repaired to the worst possible standard. S600s was my aim but after they are rare, the local dealer only sold a few and you’d see one on the market every second or third year, but it would almost always be in black.

The one I got was locally ordered and delivered, serviced by the dealer for a couple years before getting hacked by a bunch of noobs in mechanics. It was involved in two minor accidents, repaired shoddily. The previous owner thought it was a great idea to use H7 leds inside the headlights and fog lights which melted the plastic in it. The engine appears to have had the balancer issue fixed probably ten years ago, but RTV silicone was used without any consideration to future service requirements.

To me; this is a learning project that I enjoy. The list I shares has some extras but I am not too fussed about achieving those, e.g., Keyless Go, Dynamic seats.

The engine now runs very smoothly. Case in point, just replaced the serpentine belt twice in the space of 2 weeks because the first new one, INA, got contaminated from old PS fluid on the AC compressor pulley (I thought I did clean it thoroughly, which I did again). The new belt, a German made Continental immediately started making a clicking or light tapping noise everytime the bit it has the printing (assuming where the belt is joined) passed by the idler pulley. I picked up a new belt from MB and a new pulley. Replacing the belt eliminated that issue, but I decided to replace the pulley which is identical to the MB supplied one, German made, INA. They both weigh exactly 106grams, spin as smoothly. The MB one has the A000 part number and a blue cover on the pulley, and is rougher around the edges.

Transmission service has resulted in butter smooth shifts.

The cost of this car was around $9,000 US, with $5,000+ already spent - also did most of things myself (exception suspension components, transmission service, but now I got the tooling to do that as well).

I can’t emphasise enough, not doing this because I am after making profit. I just enjoy tackling challenges.

Below is a vid I took today of the tensioner pulley vibration (notice the mark) after having just replaced the serpentine belt. The noise you hear is due to the proximity of the phone to the engine and the phone amplifying the noises, in reality it’s much quieter.

Also, apparently the correct length for the belt is 2397 not 2404. The part number is A0039937296 - at least for M272s in the W221 from that era

 

three need changing the top idler - on my 3rd after 71k miles - the one to its right and the tensioner

don't forget the cooling stat usually wears out on mercs - and the top two need to come off for that to be done easily

 

I just re-replaced it with genuine MB from the dealer along with the belt. I am puzzled. The noise has gone away now but I am suspecting - based off a neighbour's mechanic who reckons this is normal when the belt catches water when driving in the rain.

Further update: I replaced the window switches with the facelift model, these are much more ergonomic. It's just a plug and play, no need to worry about the model number. I have also just sourced a full set of interior (dynamic seats/seats/door panels) that's in near new condition from a mid 2013 build (which I take being amongst the last built). Going to the wrecker to check fit/electronics requirements. I am crossing fingers it's from a LWB.

I also managed to upgrade the windows and the door insulation on all doors. The car is whisper quiet, not joking. Especially for doubling up the insulation pads. A friend who has been driving a w222 said mine is quieter than his!

All door speakers have been replaced with the HK. I know for some this is laughable, but I had to make do. In the front I wired the DVC in series in each door, paralleled with them the tweeter, and the mid-range which I capped with 22MF capacitor to protect it. Mind you, my car came with the bog down basic amplified and harness which means only 2 wires per door. On that note, I removed the amplifier, opened it, cleaned it up rather well, including the fan which used to sound like a broken wooden wheel. I applied top quality thermal paste to the heatsink. I used Liqui Moly Electornic Spray for the cleaning and a de-humidifer to have the fan and components air out. I used a tiny dot of silicone paste at the metal cap holding the fan axis, and applied a two-way roller adhesive to glue back the sticker of the fan. It came back as new.

I put off the suspension works until next month. Meanwhile, getting the next batch of brand new parts ordered, including the plastic covers above the tail lights and the boot seal. I discovered that the car had sustained a minor bump in the rear RH corner with a genius electrician tinkering with the rear electrical harness - drawing a negative from the tail light to power that corner's boot light. I replaced the tail light as it had been chipped at the corner. The replacement came from a 2008 German wrecker, in near new condition so am quite pleased with that.

I tried replacing the bracket for the starter battery but quickly discovered, as with most MB parts, the one I got is for the facelift model and lacks the metal plate on which the old harness distributor sits. A thorough search of part numbers resulted in isolating A2216201018 which apparently comes with the long prongs to secure a L03 battery (got a 72Ah AGM there instead of the 35Ah - at the time had no clue). So back to the hunt, go figure what bodies that 1018 came on.

 

Forgot to mention, sourced brand new EU-spec headlights from a dealer in Italy, made by Magneti Marelli, for 1/5th what MB was quoting

 

window switch mod sounds interesting - the early cars have the worst window switches I have ever come across in any vehicle - an utter joke, with no way to know which is up or down - a thoroughly unpleasant activity each time you are forced to touch them

I'm convinced the sound is much better on the baby amp - the bigger one is bigger but worse sounding and even less reliable....
Speaker upgrades could make sense - decent non merc tweeters likely the place to start

stick on heat sinks inside the amp might help - I did 5 on some of the chips in mine - as some run around 80 to 100C - utter insanity - and that baby fan pushing air downwards that pretends to move 0.0000001 cubic ft of nothing per hour, can't even combat the heat that's only ever going uphill, let alone magically move air on to the melting chips 120mm away from that ant fart air stream

 

More info please... how did you do it, what partnumbers did you buy?

 

Agreed regarding the ergonomics, exactly the reason why I changed them.

The HK amplifier still goes for $$$ and doubt I will ever change to that. The standard non-HK amplifier is decent enough, power and distortion wise. The issue is with the awful poor quality speakers that disintegrated within couple years and poor insulation in the doors.

The HK speakers as I connected them to the basic amplifier are powerful enough, sound decent even at high volume. I still have to get the one inside the dashboard replaced (HK uses the same midrange of the front doors with an additional tweeter) together with the one in the rear parcel shelf. Just need some time.

I also agree regarding the placement and orientation of the amplifier, does require a large heatsink and air circulation around it, the ideal technical fix might be one of those large CPU heatsinks like from the old i9 QX series processors or Noctua’s NH-P1. Will definitely look into it.

 

Nice job with the project👍

At risk of being controversial, I actually quite like the early door switches... Dipped part for down and raised part for up... Intuitive and clean compared to the tear out switch buttons on the W164/251 or the W168 switches on the W220.

 

Working my way through the dashboard speaker upgrade, any clue as to how to handle the failing foam? I’d like to replace it not sure if there’s a neat solution.

Further below are the connectors for the COMAND unit. The one I have came from a w216 - this is going to be replaced shortly, but then I noticed a coax connector that wasn’t connected to anything, what is this for?!

Thinking of adding an external android unit (inputed into comand) for nav/carplay, but these seem to go for $250 and appear bulky. Any advice on that front?

As for the display, mine doesn’t rotate so that will be replaced as well - it got me thinking of whether anyone attempted to replace the actual lcd inside with something that’s better quality than the rubbish MB used. I don’t want to change the aesthetics in any way, just the lcd panel inside.

 

not following what you are saying... however

Blue fakra is the Nav antenna - should link to roof shark fin - but can be a bodge on under the dashboard
display rotation not behaving can be very old early software bug - circa 2007 NTG3.0 - later Sept 2009 build date onwards are NTG 3.5
if NTG 3.0 clock / time date issues is a late 2021 update you can do yourself via a CD (official merc adopted update disc) was really from a chap on this forum and his IT mates - it has a flaw where a number of headunit models where mistyped and thus these cars fail to load the update - I fixed it for two common model numbers one for Europe and the other for USA cars (mostly affecting 2008 MY units) in the "promising clock fix ....." post

 

I picked up an 07 mfd display with Bosch warranty stickers from the wrecker this afternoon, worked like a charm. That’s after trying to get the old display to work- fully dismantled it. I got it to rotate but it stopped displaying anything, the flat display connector inside has degraded ends, those were getting bent from the slightest pressure.

While at the wrecker I got some foam insulation bits off a 2010 (the one on the main vents are direct replacements). I also checked out the comand units and boy had stacks of them (pun intended), he offered that I take 2-3 to try out as some had been sitting on the shelve for a decade if not more. Hopefully this Saturday will do that.

I meant to add an android setup box via video input to comand to get carplay/google maps without affecting the oem functionality and look.

 

NTG3.5 units die all day long, the removable harddrive (via a caddy on the front) somehow fails at much higher rate ( I guess they ensured it did following a round of "improvements" to make it overheat)

the software in the NTG 3.0 comand needs to be running the big update from late 2008 or you miss traffic messages in USA, bird's eye 3D map option, and time of arrival - plus half a million nasty bug fixes
clock went mad in April 2019 as the satellites did a 19 year cycle WNRO event - 2021 update to fix time / date being scrambled
Swapping Comand from one car to another needs the MOST ring checked updated for available modules (TV, DAB, SIRUIS, etc.). Plus coding for massage seats, dynamic seats, heater button coding etc. as required
Updating Comand turns of the AC system coz Merc are mental - need to re-enable after doing the 2008 fix - many cars were never updated as Dealers didn't give a **** - no longer a dealer fix (as don't give a ****) - see BenzNinja

 

Mine luckily is bog down ntg 3 EU spec standard, no linguatronic, nav, tv, dab. I’m surprised at the coax cable being for navigation which according to the order card was deprived of it. Having removed the dashboard and seen the 2010 wreck today, one can tell MB did a whole lot more behind the dash than facelift and ntg 3.5, padding added to minimise the creaks, the heater core box redesigned. Clearly though and unfortunately design for dismantling/servicing was not among the requirements, and probably had: single time use req somewhere to maximise revenue from part sales.

Having tinkered with a Toyota before which was a breeze, a pleasure to work with, MB is horrid. The most thing I hate are the electrical clutches - pure torture, especially how they want to make sure the contact pin doesn’t simply slide out and hold it with a plastic notch that’s designed to break.

 

Rather than simply ripping it apart, get hold of WIS and learn how it goes together. They're not that difficult to work on, but people assume its complicated because it cost €50-100k new.

There's instructions for removing/fitting near enough everything on the car. Follow them and you'll find it easier.

 

Can confirm that this mod works. Excellent.
The partnumber is also the same for RHD and LHD. When the doorcard is off, the leather piece that holds the switches is held in my 3 T20 screws, 1 of which can be accessed from the back of the doorcard and 2 from the front.

@ezzat How did you attach the second layer of "doubling up the door insulation pads" to the doorcards?

 

Glue gun. Applied about the same amount and on the same spots I noted when removing the other layers from the wrecked car.