9500ci install in SLK

[UK_C200]

Gents - I'm ready to replace my 8500, and looking hard at the 9500ci. I religiously remove the 8500 and secure it top up or down - so I'm thinking a remote model is the way to go.

I'm from a "no front plate state" if that makes a difference on these answers.

Couple of install questions for the experts, if you don't mind!

1] How important is separation on the front laser pods vs height? I can mount higher (in the grill, below the central "wings"), but have less separation - or I can go lower (front air dam) and get more separation.

2] Same with radar antenna, but how important is it to have it centered on the body? I either have to mount it offset, or drop down to the air-dam and center it.

3] Only other option if height is important on the radar antenna, I could try and mount it behind/beside the rear view mirror. This has some obvious downsides - not the least of which is I'm not convinced it will actually fit on top of additional fabrication to make it look decent.


That's basically it - I've got some logistic and aesthetic decisions on the location of the display and control units, but I think I've about got that sorted out.

[Zapple]

If you posted a picture of the front of your car I bet you would get a lot more responses.

[UK_C200]

If you posted a picture of the front of your car I bet you would get a lot more responses.

Was looking for a good front shot - I'm about 5k miles away from my toy at the moment. This is about the best I've got with me!

Headlights are factory BiXenon if that matters as well.

In the second shot, I've marked where I'm thinking of mounting the various bits. Red boxes are my preference for the shifter heads, yellow are possible locations for the radar antenna, and the orange boxes may be possible for the shifters.

[Zapple]

I would say deffinintly put the jammer heads in the orange. And for the radar antenna make sure it's behind nothing, so I would recommend either of the red places.

[YTCD]

Hey, I get to drive a SLK350 often and I picked out the car when we bought it so I know a lot about the car and the Orange boxes where it would be optimal isn't going to work as yours has the secondary grill. May I ask if you got the amg upgraded aero kit? And the red isn't going to either. the middle aero dam is probably going to be the most optimal spot and I think to honestly get great results you may have to play around with it, as you have fog lights too. I'll get back to you tommorow with more details on where to run it and ****.

[UK_C200]

Hey, I get to drive a SLK350 often and I picked out the car when we bought it so I know a lot about the car and the Orange boxes where it would be optimal isn't going to work as yours has the secondary grill. May I ask if you got the amg upgraded aero kit? And the red isn't going to either. the middle aero dam is probably going to be the most optimal spot and I think to honestly get great results you may have to play around with it, as you have fog lights too. I'll get back to you tommorow with more details on where to run it and ****.

Yeah, it's my toy for when I'm stateside, so I enjoy it quite a bit - SLK-350 with a couple of non-standard parts under the hood.

I didn't get the AMG appearance kit - opted for the sports suspension instead. I've fitted a couple of external bits to it - AMG areofins, rear spoiler, and facelifted radio aerial. I'm trying to make this one last for at least another year before I swap to a '55 AMG.

I'm not sure why the orange boxes would not work - I was planning on mounting the laser pods "in between" the secondary grill slats if it would fit, not behind them?

I guess my real question is trying to understand if the height of sensors is more important than the separation between them. Also, why would putting them over the fog lights be bad? I'm not really worried about them working when the fogs are on, as I usually am not speeding when I need to turn them on!

Advice welcome!! I want to do this right the first time if possible rather than having to fart around with it.


Not sure if I can cross-link pics, but...

[YTCD]

Yeah, it's my toy for when I'm stateside, so I enjoy it quite a bit - SLK-350 with a couple of non-standard parts under the hood.

I didn't get the AMG appearance kit - opted for the sports suspension instead. I've fitted a couple of external bits to it - AMG areofins, rear spoiler, and facelifted radio aerial. I'm trying to make this one last for at least another year before I swap to a '55 AMG.

I'm not sure why the orange boxes would not work - I was planning on mounting the laser pods "in between" the secondary grill slats if it would fit, not behind them?

I guess my real question is trying to understand if the height of sensors is more important than the separation between them. Also, why would putting them over the fog lights be bad? I'm not really worried about them working when the fogs are on, as I usually am not speeding when I need to turn them on!

Advice welcome!! I want to do this right the first time if possible rather than having to fart around with it.


Not sure if I can cross-link pics, but...

Awsome, and I your crazy to put any more performance under the hood of that car! I've been 150 in it 3 times, 1 time me driving and 2 other times somebody else, with the top down. The 7 speed is a blessing and kinda annoying in a way because I use the steptronic when I drive, and in automatic like when you reach 25mph you already shifted like 3 gears haha. Accel it helps out a lot though, and the car is increadibly safe and has great handling. I hate traction control though haha!

Let me see a close up of the grill. The fogs I wouldn't suggest as their not optimal.

We ended up being hypocrite and we said we would never get silver or white as their so common but we ended up getting silver anyways as silver and black were the only colors we saw because they first came out and we didn't like the black. We wish we would have gotten the red, and even the escalade white is sick looking too. But I would love that dark silver that came in the limited edition/special package cars out of the three you could choose from. Do you know what Im talking about? The limited color and package special edition cars? Their super nice looking, and yours looks nice when did you get it?

[UK_C200]

Thanks for the kind words - yeah, I looked long and hard for one of the designo models, but was not willing to wait as they were special order only. Regret it now as MB no longer offers them to the US market, which is a real shame.

I've had mine for a couple of years now - was the only one that had all the options I wanted, so I compromised on the color. I actually love the black, it's just a right pain in the arse to keep it clean.