2007 Mercedes C280 Sport - Sunroof Shenanigans

[abir246]

12 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Nice! Tin of brake clean and an old toothbrush next time, strip, clean and reassemble and hopefully have no issues again 🤞 

That won't help unfortunately as the issue is a little plastic rod inside the shaft under the controller knob. They just snap in half, taking away scroll access

New part work is in and works well, slid into the centre console easily enough. Didn't have the heart/wasn't bothered to tuck the cable from the controller back into their depths of hell mounting points, they sit quite happy and snug anyways running straight to the connector past the gear selector. Nothing to get caught on there anyways.

[abir246]

Achieved this yesterday

Definitely improves the usability of it all! Was a pain getting the headunit back in as the connector blocks put up a good old fight, but we got there in the end!

The box is tucked in the side of the carpet, does stick out a tad bit but I can live with it, you can't really tell unless you move your head to look right over it

 

 

 

 

[abir246]

Current stage of unmolesting:

The AMG badge on the bootlid went today, was basically held in with nothing and the appropriate C280 badge was instated

Its starting to come together quite well. The badging may be on the piss slightly tho, will figure that out another day.

Was also given the greatest car warming gift ever too 😂

[abir246]

Wow almost a month in, how time flies!

Nothing to report borkage wise, its been quite well behaved! No new squeaks, knocks or rattles to report and it still does humble the odd clapped out hatchback at the lights.

Only thing to really report is I've had the headlights polished

[abir246]

Well today marked the end of the last chapter of the car's physical transformation, the alloys.

The original alloys were painted a dark colour at some point which wasnt terrible but was starting to flake, plus some severe curb damage made me contemplate replacing them for like for likes.

Turns out the time i was looking for them these alloys became the rarest things in the world apparently - either expensive and ruined or expensive just to get one! I got some silly quotes for refurbing the alloys as well so hence I went down the replace route.

By chance last night, I found a decent condition set about 20 minutes away from me, collected them that night

I dumped them with my mate who works at Kwik Fit, and the next afternoon in exchange for lunch...

Fitted and doesn't it look so much sharper!

I'm really pleased with them. The tyres are about the same age and mill of tread as my existing ones were, so result!

[abir246]

Currently on 95,916 miles and still going strong!

Forgot to mention one change though:

The original steering wheel, along with being quite worn, did give off a land yachty vibe, and I didn't gel with it quite well.

Enter this wheel, from a W212 pfl and courtesy of C280 matey (whos car is now in the great garage in the sky and has been replaced with a 2008 523i lci)

Does improve the feel a bit and makes the car feel a tad bit more sporty, but is a straight fit so worked out quite well!

And to top it off, here's a random pic of it I took on a BlackBerry Curve 9360. Crazy to think those were new 15 years ago now...

 

Thanks for viewing!

[abir246]

Interesting few days to say the least.

 

Haven't driven it for a few days, and came to find this

Not really happy as it was quite straight and tidy bodywork wise, but we move on. It could've been a lot worse.

Had a few messages pop up on the dash, telling me I was out of screenwash, a tail light was out and I needed a new numberplate light. Numberplate light would only work with the smack on the bootlid or even popping the boot fsr.

Screenwash and taillight are easy enough (just remember to plug the LED indicator wires in as they love not staying in place) but the numberplate bulb needed some extra steps.

Unlike my last 3 cars, its not just a pop a screwdriver along the side and pop it out, there's two ways in. Through the outside (which apparently can cause several broken tabs and clips and can be a pain) or through the inside, which involves all of the trim on the bootlid to go away.

I didn't want to risk damaging anything, so... 

Boot trim delete it is!

4 screws, quite a many clips.

Not the most inclined when it comes to removing trim, my grand experience extends to removing two Astra J doorcards and punching the 1 Series' one back on when it would pop out after window regulator-gate so was quite nervous throughout.

Had a moment where the holder for the emergency triangle wasn't coming off, and was the only thing holding the carpet on. Managed to slide it off and the trim attacked me as it fell off the bootlid👌

New bulbs fitted

Managed to get it reassembled

Equal lighting restored!

One of the bulb holders is damaged and does light to droop out slightly, will pop a new one in when the times right/am bothered

 

One update I forgot to mention, managed to sell the original grey alloys for more than what I got the silver ones for, result there 🤣👌

 

Thanks for viewing, until the next time!

[mk2_craig]

Looks like proper tungsten filament bulbs rather than LED “upgrades”. Well done! 

[abir246]

1 hour ago, mk2_craig said:

Looks like proper tungsten filament bulbs rather than LED “upgrades”. Well done! 

I must admit the car has some ice white full beam and headlight bulbs to match the colour of the xenons, but they are halogens!

[abir246]

Well yesterday I took the car to one of those fancy automatic car washes, mainly because it looked quite decrepit, cut to towards the end and my passenger tells me he has a wet foot...

Cut to back home, where I popped the car in a place with some space, and had a look

Looking rather majestic today

And here's our culprit, the beloved sunroof drain. This was a test photo i did, that water stayed there and didn't move an inch, drivers side went straight out as soon as it went in.

This brings back such lovely memories, particularly spawned from my mate's old C280

So today it off to the family mechanic to borrow his air machine thingamabob

This horrendous drawing is the best way to describe what I ended up doing. I got the end of the air pressure nozzle and aimed it at one drain hole, blocked the other two with my fingers and then pulled the trigger.

After the first few shots chunks of small mud and other detritus began flying out of the wheel arch, so I knew I was onto something!

Good few rounds later (and the drivers side for good luck) poured some water in and off it ran straight out and clearly!

With that win, the headlights got polished again as they were starting to go quite crap

Just glad we caught it before any serious damage could be done!

[beko1987]

At least you know where to tell a passenger to stamp on the footwell carpet if you do start getting issues 🤞🤞 😂 

 

[abir246]

5 hours ago, beko1987 said:

At least you know where to tell a passenger to stamp on the footwell carpet if you do start getting issues 🤞🤞 😂 

 

Oh I can't wait for that! 🤣 that's what essentially kept the other C280 alive electrically for the last year of matey having it 🤣

[abir246]

Despite the sunroof drama, mechanically nothing to report but the COMAND dial did kill its scrolling function again! I do have the original so left that with the metal "improved" part with a mate to see if he has any luck making it all work together.

It's actually being used as a moving van at the moment

(of all the options this thing has, not selecting folding seats was a serious feck up by owner no.1!)

Helping my mate (of c280 fame) to a lovely house around 20 minutes from where he currently lives (which means he won't be a 4 minute walk from mine anymore, oh well!)

This was load number 3, first two was quite shambolic, still have clothes to go and small appliances...

Anyways cut to later on, and we're heading back from the new house. Key in, wheel moves down screen pops up and all that malarkey, start engine select drive, release parking brake and I feel something shoot into my knee and hear it fall onto the floor.

Pop it back into park, start searching and

I've had vents fall out in the corolla, the light cluster broke on my Astra and the 1 Series doorcard loved popping off.

Never had a pedal cover fly off 🤣 the parking brake is suddenly much more uncomfortable to apply, probably because I had my utterly ragged crocs on. It flew back off as soon as I set off again so it'll have to be a new one soon.