xaveon

Hey Everybody,

I just got an SLK55 today. I must say that it is a monster! I'm looking for the AMG Illuminated door sills but can't seem to find them. Does anyone know where I can find it?

I'm also looking for the Brabus door lights (the ones that turn on and illuminate the ground on the side of the car so you can see where to step). Does anyone have them, if so what do you guys think? How much did it cost or parts and labor?

Thanks,

Beleriand

I am having BRABUS put the illuminated doorsill kickplates on my car for around $1,100. The dealer can install the AMG illuminated doorsill kickplates for around the same price. The entrance lights come as part of a body modification that includes exterior sills. I don't know the price for those.

Are you getting any other BRABUS stuff?

xaveon

I was thinking about getting some Brabus upgrades but they seem so overpriceds and the AMG kit looks so good already. I feel like right now it'd be a better investment (well not really an "investment") for me to get the MHI phone system, Satellite Radio, iPod integration and maybe plexiglass windscreen. I'm thinking about the windscreen.

Does anyone here have one, if so how well does it work?

Beleriand

Everyone says this about BRABUS and it may very well be true. But I have had a good experience with them so far. Granted, I am here in Newport Beach where they have their North American Headquarters so I am dealing with the best BRABUS people around. Many things we purchase in life cost more than other things that perform the same function. Look at your watch. Does it tell time? So does a watch that costs much less. But I bet you didn't think about that when you bought that Rolex eh? Go check BRABUS out (and Kleemann, Rentech, Carlson, etc.) and make a decision based on some first-hand experience. Don't just parrot what others are saying on this forum. The dirty little secret about forums like this is that some of the loudest posters don't even have a Mercedes in the first place. They post based on what they "would do if they had one." Sad.

The main reason you might go to BRABUS (or any tuning or mod company) is to make your SLK55 stand out in a crowd. Granted, this is already a very rare car. I live in the exotic car capital of the world and see other SLK55 - and every other car you can imagine - on the road every day. I want my car to stand out from the others. There is absolutely nothing practical about doing BRABUS upgrades. It is frivolous, over-the-top and unpractical. That's why I love it.

I think those are good "investments" in your SLK55. I have the iPod integration and SIRIUS and love them both a lot. The windscreen looks great. I have not ordered one and am a bit put off by how much the dealer wants for one ($700 for the screen and labor is extra - labor on this item takes about 20 seconds and a monkey could do it). But what really killed it for me was they told me I had to wait 5 weeks for the part to come from Germany. For all that hassle I figured I would just do it myself and save the labor. If you go over to benzworld.org, there is a great thread over there that discusses how to get one straight from Germany but it can also take several weeks to get it. Try this link:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/foru...osts=95&fid=27

Good luck with your upgrades. When it comes to this car, I find it is fun to just say "what the f*uck" and get what floats your boat. If you were thrifty, you would have bought an Explorer.

Take care.

xaveon

Hey Beleriand,

Thanks for the advice. I live in LA, maybe we'll meet up at a meet sometime. Thanks for the info regarding the screen. I'm thinking of getting it but the of maintenance cleaing it is a drawback. Do you have one, if so, do you like it? Does it really block all the flowing air?

WiglafSLK55

do you want this ?

the first or the second one ?

reallife

The first photo is a knock-off available on eBay for a few hundred max. The second photo is of the actual AMG door sill available from MBUSA for $1100 MSRP.

I decide to spring for the authentic AMG illumuinated door sills. Yes, I know it is a lot of money. Please don't tell my wife what they cost!

MBenzNL

...we sell those (the genuine mercedes AMG illuminated sills) for a lot less then 1100USD...and the quality definitely IS a lot better then the quality of those ebay knock offs

greetingz,

WiglafSLK55

great!!

AMG&AMG

the second one , in a heart beat!

any product number?

xaveon

Hey Steve,

How much is a lot less than $1100? Maybe I can get it done next time you're in town.

MBenzNL

...somewhere close to 700USD excl shipping & excl. installation...so that will end up somewhere close to 800USD incl. shipping per FedEx IP (2-3 days transit time) or 1000USD installed (which requires removal of both seats and all trunkpanels...quite a lot of work).

greetingz,

reallife

The only problem I can foresee is that the MB dealer isn't going to install the wiring or the doorsills unless you purchase them from the dealer. Also, since I had the doorsills installed on delivery, they are covered on the original warranty, as is my Ipod integration kit.

The service rep let me into the garage to watch as much as I wanted and after seeing the amount of dismantling and reassembling that went into these two projects, there is no way I would attempt these installs on my own. Good luck to anyone who thinks the self-install would be easy or even possible.

Easy-SLK

You must be completly planked to spend $1100 on those.

Just MHO of course

xaveon

Hey Steve,

Can I get pricing for the MHI phone kit (installed) without the phone. So just the kit itself? The parts guy at my dealer said somewhere between $1400-$1600.

MBenzNL

email us at info@MBenzNL.com

greetingz,

reallife

Oh no doubt! My thinking was that I was buying an $75,000 car and what is another couple thousand for upgrades that make it more unique. I'm planning to keep it a long time. I've kept most of my cars for 10-12 years and I might keep the 55 for a few decades.

Easy-SLK

Planked = Crazy, laid out.

I can understand buying accessories that perform a function, I guess you'll have neon lighting underneath the car too ?
Each to their own, its a free world !!

zaint10

Real life,
With all due respect. I like your door sill! They are pricey but really nice.... I guess some people just can't appreciate it.

xaveon

Well, it all comes down to your means. If you making $1 million a year then $1100 for AMG door sills don't seem like much. So if you're purchasing a $75-$80k car, you're probably making pretty good money.

reallife

It's not just about present income, my friend. I keep all my cars for a good many years and maintain them very well. Since I really really like this car, I will undoubtably keep it for 10-20 years, maybe forever. So the cost to drive it year after year becomes relatively minor over enough time. I read somewhere a few years ago that 80% of all Mercedes ever made are still in existance, still driveable. Same for Porsches.

Look at it this way. I could drive a piece of crap, new US car every three or four years; or I could drive a really, really nice German sports car, do a few minor mods to make it my own, pay for it over a few years, and keep it forever. I'll bet if someone did the numbers, I'll come out on top financially with the SLK 55 over 20 years vs. 5-6 new American cars over the same 20 years. The depreciation on 5 or 6 new US cars would be incredible, not to mention the pain of sitting in a piece of future scrap metal for all those miles.

Did I mention that I love my SLK 55?