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Rank the non-AMG tuners...
- Thread starter Chappy
- Start date
Hmm, tough one for us in the USA, as we didn't get alot in the way of tuned MB options here.
I will through in my .02 though.
Brabus - Body kits crappy. Engine mods pushed the limits of the motors. By increasing displacement past the safe limits, they compromised longevity. This may not apply to everything they have done, but it does apply to M103 and M104 motors.
Lorinser - Not much experience here, but my CLK had most all the available Lorinser parts for the W208. Body kits, crappy fiberglass. Pedals, over priced for what they are. Exhaust, overpriced for what it is. Wheels, good quality but extremely expensive and they went the cheap route in their design. They don't have specific fitaments, they have a generic fitament and then sell you spacers to adapt the wheel to your car. Some tire centers won't do any work on your car/wheels if you run spacers. I found this out the hard way
Kleemann - My clk had a Kleemann SC on it. It is extremely expensive and the HP numbers Kleemann claim are extremely exagerated. There were also reliability issues, plastic impellers in their external water pump liked to explod causing major motor damage. Believe this issue was fixed on later model designs by going to metal impellers. I won't be buying any Kleemann parts in the near future.
Renntech - Have used a few of their products. No complaints except for maybe the price. Waaaay over priced is more like it.
Have no experience with the other tuners, so can't comment.
I will through in my .02 though.
Brabus - Body kits crappy. Engine mods pushed the limits of the motors. By increasing displacement past the safe limits, they compromised longevity. This may not apply to everything they have done, but it does apply to M103 and M104 motors.
Lorinser - Not much experience here, but my CLK had most all the available Lorinser parts for the W208. Body kits, crappy fiberglass. Pedals, over priced for what they are. Exhaust, overpriced for what it is. Wheels, good quality but extremely expensive and they went the cheap route in their design. They don't have specific fitaments, they have a generic fitament and then sell you spacers to adapt the wheel to your car. Some tire centers won't do any work on your car/wheels if you run spacers. I found this out the hard way
Kleemann - My clk had a Kleemann SC on it. It is extremely expensive and the HP numbers Kleemann claim are extremely exagerated. There were also reliability issues, plastic impellers in their external water pump liked to explod causing major motor damage. Believe this issue was fixed on later model designs by going to metal impellers. I won't be buying any Kleemann parts in the near future.
Renntech - Have used a few of their products. No complaints except for maybe the price. Waaaay over priced is more like it.
Have no experience with the other tuners, so can't comment.
You also forgot Väth (http://www.vaeth.com)
I have had a period-correct set of Lorinser RS90 "deep-dish" wheels on my 560SEC (made for the car) ET11, since I first bought it in 2002, and they are of excellent quality. I don't have a lot of experience with other tuners' parts on any of my cars. The common denominator for most if not all of them, is that they are overpriced. But, that's how they stay in business. Low volume, but high prices.
Obviously some tuners specialize in different things -- Lorinser is most heavy into cosmetics and wheels, and less heavy in engine and mechanical mods. I think RENNtech is heavier into mechanical & suspension mods and less into cosmetics than some of the others.
Overall from my observations, I think RENNtech stuff seems to be pretty solid as far as tuner stuff goes. The big plus also for RENNtech is that it is most accessible for folks here in the US.
I am also impressed with the stuff that Väth and Carlsson put out. I've been to both of their facilities in Germany so I guess I might be biased. But AMG trusts Väth to do their "vintage" (a la M119, M117, etc.) engine modifications when a customer asks for them today, so that IMHO is a large vote of confidence in their work. Väth also has the capability to work on anything from as far back as a 300SEL 6.3 to the newest Benzes today. They tend to be a bit heavier on mechanical work but do offer some body mods and wheels -- not as extensive an array as Lorinser, Brabus and Carlsson though.
Cheers,
Gerry
P.S. Here are some photos from my visits to Carlsson and Väth.
I have had a period-correct set of Lorinser RS90 "deep-dish" wheels on my 560SEC (made for the car) ET11, since I first bought it in 2002, and they are of excellent quality. I don't have a lot of experience with other tuners' parts on any of my cars. The common denominator for most if not all of them, is that they are overpriced. But, that's how they stay in business. Low volume, but high prices.
Obviously some tuners specialize in different things -- Lorinser is most heavy into cosmetics and wheels, and less heavy in engine and mechanical mods. I think RENNtech is heavier into mechanical & suspension mods and less into cosmetics than some of the others.
Overall from my observations, I think RENNtech stuff seems to be pretty solid as far as tuner stuff goes. The big plus also for RENNtech is that it is most accessible for folks here in the US.
I am also impressed with the stuff that Väth and Carlsson put out. I've been to both of their facilities in Germany so I guess I might be biased. But AMG trusts Väth to do their "vintage" (a la M119, M117, etc.) engine modifications when a customer asks for them today, so that IMHO is a large vote of confidence in their work. Väth also has the capability to work on anything from as far back as a 300SEL 6.3 to the newest Benzes today. They tend to be a bit heavier on mechanical work but do offer some body mods and wheels -- not as extensive an array as Lorinser, Brabus and Carlsson though.
Cheers,
Gerry
P.S. Here are some photos from my visits to Carlsson and Väth.
Attachments
They are all competitive, and as said earlier concentrate on different aspect of tuning.
- Brabus for power, King of the tuning houses. the engine displacement work.
- Lorinser for styling, though not as big as they used to be in the 80's 90's.
- MKB for track performance, visited them last year, they are the Drift Kings of Europe.
- Carlsson is not as active as before.
- Vaeth i'd like to visit, they work on cooling systems.
- Kleemann, supercharging, not really fond of their work.
- Renntech, never saw one as mostly US customers deal with them. can't say.
I do like the smaller companies now, they are more dedicated and give a better value product. Plus they are more exclusive.
I am not into any of their body kit or wheels much, standard MB look with plenty of spares at the dealer and BBS or OZ for wheels.
- Brabus for power, King of the tuning houses. the engine displacement work.
- Lorinser for styling, though not as big as they used to be in the 80's 90's.
- MKB for track performance, visited them last year, they are the Drift Kings of Europe.
- Carlsson is not as active as before.
- Vaeth i'd like to visit, they work on cooling systems.
- Kleemann, supercharging, not really fond of their work.
- Renntech, never saw one as mostly US customers deal with them. can't say.
I do like the smaller companies now, they are more dedicated and give a better value product. Plus they are more exclusive.
I am not into any of their body kit or wheels much, standard MB look with plenty of spares at the dealer and BBS or OZ for wheels.
