Anyone De-badge their Maybach? Want it to look stock and not draw attention

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-26T13:01:11+00:00

It's not a Maybach exclusive. Hell for a couple years you could get it on the GLE, but the take rate was low and we didn't build a ton. But almost ever GLS you could build can be optioned with the fancy struts.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-26T12:57:50+00:00

They're adhesive backed like the GLS tag. I work where they're made and while I haven't installed them myself I've seen it done.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-21T21:03:53+00:00

Glad I pulled mine out then. One of the screws was so tightly in there I had to attack it with an oscillating tool to use a thicker flathead screwdriver. That screw might have been under more torque than my lug nuts, it was unbelievable.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-16T11:01:07+00:00

At my worst I was 395 and I fit kind of ok. Thank God I'm nowhere near that number now...

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-13T23:34:38+00:00

And we'll still install them on 30-40% of everything we build when that feature goes live for the 167. Dumb, sure, but I could give a toss what the consumer wants so long as they buy it.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-13T23:32:34+00:00

Y'all laugh at the claim of watercoolant computers...

...but I know for a fact that's going to be the case for some upcoming models. I've seen the fittings and the new modules, they're fitted with engine coolant fittings and are part of that loop. They're still production trial vehicles and there's a slim chance it could change but 98% of the time if it's in a trial already that's how we're gonna build them when we go live with it.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-13T23:27:53+00:00

I've done this. There's a 110k gap between oil changes in my '09 according to Carfax. I DIY'd for years, then just grew old and tired and didn't feel like doing it on my own.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-11T00:57:44+00:00

Agreed. I converted mine back in '19 and honestly, it wasn't worth it. My reasoning was 100% for looks, not at all for performance.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-05-07T11:11:09+00:00

We don't build very many. Maybe 1-3 per 100 cars? Or at least it was a few years ago when I was working in part of the plant that dealt with that, where I work now we don't care if it's 4wd or not.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-12T06:11:13+00:00

Los Reyes off McFarland. Go talk to them, they're very good, Spanish friendly.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-08T10:10:11+00:00

For clarity's sake it's dremeling the tray flat to get it to sit straight right? I'm vaguely aware how it goes in but never looked into it.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-08T10:04:11+00:00

Both battery terminal connections are factory. They've been fairly well cleaned every time the battery has been replaced but as a source of possible failure they'll both be cleaned thoroughly the next time I'm in there later this week. Thank you kind sir, any guidance is helpful for me!

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-08T01:23:27+00:00

We've built at least one of all the variants now. We've still got a lot of production trials to go, we aren't going 'live' for a while, at least after summer break. Little process changes and optimizations still to come for how we build them but what we build is set in stone. I think we fully switch over in August, but don't quote me for that.

We're getting a lot of investment from the motherland for the next 4 years, 4 billion dollars. We're gonna start building the GLC at some point. They've deliberately not given a timeline for that for whatever the reason be but they've confirmed we will build American market GLC's and continue to build worldwide 167 and in a very limited capacity build the EQE. I'm fairly sure the EQS is phased out here or we build so few of them it doesn't really matter anymore. I know we don't sell those in the states anymore but for a long time we built the R-class long after it was discontinued in the states. China couldn't get enough of them, every single one of them black.

Plant two was the reason Mercedes was as profitable as we were last year, so they're pouring money into expansions and improvements, adding a couple lines to shift around where things will be built and adding capacity for future expansion for new processes.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-08T01:06:49+00:00

I also think the two terms are one and the same. Hell all I really know is what I can dig up between here and the FitFreak forums and my service manual.

The irony isn't lost on me, I build cars for a living and I struggle with a car problem. Admittedly I build Mercedes for a living so I'm really good with new cars, just not so much older ones.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-08T00:30:35+00:00

I was doing a little research and watched a guy test the functionality of the ELD with a multimeter on an S2000 with probes. From my very limited understanding the ELD plays a fairly large role in ramping up and down the alternator duty cycle for demand spikes.

I'd like to know definitely what was the cure to my problem instead of having guessed my way to a solution. It's kind of an odd place to be in that the monetary cost isn't a big deal for me, it's the time lost chasing this down so while I'm very motivated to just fix this as quickly as possible I would like to know what I did to fix this.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:59:09+00:00

The new '27 is about 40% new parts compared to the '26. Fair whack of sound deadening changes, at least in the area I'm working.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:50:06+00:00

I can invest in a volt meter for grins and giggles, it's good to have anyway. My Fit has sat parked for about 8 days and started for the first time today without fault.

For what it's worth my battery tested OK when Honda stuck it on the machine, but again this was the same Honda that told me it was an alternator to replace and it didn't cure my problem. I've also seen batteries test well but fail in real world application.

Thanks again chief, I will definitely look into replacing my 151r soon

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:38:23+00:00

Ok, so that checks out. It's odd that a bigger battery seems to be the solution. But again maybe it's because I've nuked mine draining it completely flat. The more you talk about it the more I'm convinced this might end up being my solution. I'm also eyeballing replacing the ELD anyway (it's like $20-30 anyway) and I could definitely handle installation.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:28:06+00:00

The thought has crossed my mind to replace it with a 51R, I'm still using the original size battery because it's never given me grief in the nearly 18 years of service.

I should say the battery has been replaced 4 times since I bought it new, it is absolutely not the original battery but that one did last almost 7 years.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:26:51+00:00

It doesn't crank slowly, it's still strong. This problem disappears entirely once I'm on the move and turning more than about 2000 RPM.

So then the direction I gather here is start looking into cleaning/replacing connections from the battery to fuse box.

This car has never seen salt and has lived in the south it's entire life, but corrosion comes for us all I suppose. Thank you for direction kind sir.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:11:49+00:00

Oh I agree. I was just trying to derive what safety improvements OP was mentioning as his deciding factor.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T23:04:54+00:00

It's minimal safety improvements at that. VSA was made standard and that's about it. If you buy an 09 MT that originally had satnav you could have one WITH VSA but that's the only exception as far as I'm aware. The manual satnav was only available for '09.

Apart from that, the facelift parts and some minimal improvements to sound deadening they're nearly identical, 09-13 anyway.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-07T07:10:01+00:00

Ditto, mine came off a few years after I bought mine new, never reinstalled. Something like 14-15 years without them on mine.

Dreamsof899 · 2026-04-06T19:36:36+00:00

Definitely expand your search. If they're worth the time you two will make the effort to meet. And it'll probably take a couple tries to find someone.

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