I SHALL DEFEND THE RIGHT OF DUMB-BELLS TO BE DUMB UNTIL MY DYING DAY.

Posted here by request of a member of the SLK forum.<br> ===========================================<br> <br> Well dang me. A couple of months ago I wrote on the SLK forum that I thought that it was a bad idea to mod the SLK. Howcum I done said that? Well, I did ‘cuz I felt that them boys in Stuttgart had spent mucho time and a few bucks, ( I meant marks) designing and testing the car to make sure everything worked together just like a good ‘ol working cattle ranch.<br> <br> Well along comes some shade tree mechanic who figures that he knows better than those soccer winning dudes how to make his car get away from the light faster than the guys driving them bimmers or boxters. Seems like a lil bitty shot of testerone from the local sawbones would have been cheaper than the cost of a Kleeman pulley, installation of the thing and the dyno testing and endless brain wracking to figure out how to make the car work better than it worked when he bought it, and make him a better, more ‘macho-man’ but you all know how it is.<br> <br> At that time I also said that modifying a major engine component could damage the engine, shorten it’s life and if discovered by MBZ, void the car’s warranty. Shure nuff, one of the guys on this forum did modify his engine and discovered that the car was running lean. By the by, an excellent way to lunch the engine. After spending a countless amount of time and quite a few bees doing the mod he was unable to solve the problem of his lean running four banger.<br> <br> Now he has his Kleeman pulley for sale --- to who I do not know. I don’t even know if he told the whole truth about what damage he might have already done to the engine by Kleemanizing it. What danged fool would buy that Kleeman thing from him after his baaad experience?<br> <br> And boy, did I take some stuff from almost everyone who replied to my origninal post. ‘Get out of here and don’t come back, I can mod my car cuz it’s mine, Charlie you’re a jerk’ were some of the things they said and those were the nicer things. The bad stuff I can’t say here cuz there is some gals who read this stuff on this forum and you know Arizonians have a penchant for being polite to the gals.<br> <br> Now don’t you folks on the forum start bad mouthing ole Charlie again. I am all for Mom, the Flag, Apple pie and the US Constitution and I promise that I will defend to the death the right of stupid boobs to throw their good old hard earned cash away.<br> <br> Arizona Charlie<br>

It might be the case that a particular person screwed up their car by doing some mods at home, however, having installed MKB cats, headers and cams, Kleemann Supercharger and shocks and Brembo brakes, I can assure you that the aftermarket tuners for Mercedes can do wonders with a stock Mercedes. My engine breathes better and pushes out 490 hp and 460 lb/ft of torque (it is a 4.3 liter). It also handles infinitely better and brakes like a champ. Not everyone who buys a Mercedes is thrilled with the geriatric setup that most stock MB's come with. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, however your assesment of aftermarket tuning as it pertains to Mercedes seems to be tainted by problems that one individual encountered. I would never try modifying my car at home, however I disagree that the boys in Stuggart know what s best. Given MB's average buyer, I think MB purposely tune their cars conservatively, with much room for improvement. Just my 2 cents.