[MEGA]

Originally Posted by JLR1969

And hello to you and Naomi, hope you are both well!

Yes we are fella. She has graduated and is working full time for a design company in the city now. You've probably completely missed me stepping into the 335d as well? Not sure quite how long you've been away. We are both saving for a house deposit together now which means I've calmed down on tinkering with the car a touch but still looking to get to one or two of the meets this year if I can.
Would be good if you can make it along!
(Sorry mr nuts for the threadjack..)

[two,_OH_five]

Glad to hear progress is being made
It certainly does seem to point to a known issue

[peterg1965]

Any update Andrew?

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

Any update Andrew?

Traded-in for a Bugatti

[Palmnuts]

Yes, sorry chaps...had a busy couple of weeks.

I finally pick the car up tomorrow after having the new sub fitted this week. However, both the garage and I are fully aware that it will make no difference, given a couple of facts:

It happens exactly the same in another car

It actually sounds awesome on some songs

However, it's a process AMG instructed them to follow so they replaced it for the sake of it. But, things have moved on anyway.....

1. I have been to that chap Mega recommended, Lee at Platinum In-Car in Coventry. He was good, very good actually. We went through what the system was doing and what I wanted it to do. He was not complimentary of the sound it produced whatsoever, even the bits that I thought sounded really good but he made no attempt to sell me anything that I didn't need. This is despite me basically telling him there was no budget limit to fix the problem, he just needed to fix it! He said that if I can't hear anything wrong with the rest of the system, he only needs to fix the problem I can hear!

So, we're going to Switzerland (my favourite European country, and my first home ) for a week next Friday. We're going in the E-class as we're taking the outlaws so he's getting my SLS to fit a new sub enclosure, subs etc etc....

2. Although the dealer only just replaced the sub this week, Merc have been aware for the last couple of weeks that it's unlikely to perform how I want it to, despite there not actually being a 'fault'. The system actually sounds awesome on some songs, even ones with considerable bass (well, I guess thats a matter of opinion...Lee didn't think it sounded good at all!). This is what I don't get and frustrates the bloody hell out of me ....on some songs, particularly dance and RnB, it sounds awful despite the bass apparently being less than on other songs which sound fantastic All using the same source and all work absolutely fine in other cars.


3. Despite me now accepting it's not a fault, and Mercedes knowing it's not faulty, they have agreed to contribute a considerable amount (i.e most of it!) towards me having the system upgraded independently. I got a quote from Lee and Mercedes have (already!) 'compensated' me! On the obvious condition that if I'm still not happy with the aftermarket solution, it's not their responsibility, which is fair enough. So, it's over to Lee and Platinum In Car and given all the bad press Merc have had on their customer service recently, I think they have dealt with this very well indeed. Is this almost Jaguar levels of service??


4. It doesn't end there!!! At the same time as this was all going on, I dug out my old contact at AMG in Affalterbach (who sorted out my leather dash on the C63) and sent him an email detailing my dissatisfaction, and also B&O's poor response. They have been swift to respond and I've clearly ruffled a few feathers....they have been in contact with Mercedes UK, the dealer and all in all, I don't think they know what to do.

So, on my way back from Switzerland, I've arranged to visit them....for a variety of reasons. Firstly, my (other halfs) family and I are having a tour of the engine facility and design studio (the second time for me, but you can never get enough of that!), then I'm having a meeting with their after sales manager to demonstrate and discuss the problem (in one of their SLS's).

I'm resigned to the fact that they're unlikely to be able to do anything, but, I want them to be accountable directly to me for why it's so shit, and explain how they think they can get away with charging that much for horse meat. After all, I paid for fillet steak! This is all assuming their example demonstrates the same problems, which it will. Hopefully I will return home to pick up my car which will then have been upgraded to sound a lot better (here's hoping!). However, it'll also be interesting to see what AMG directly will do to appease me!


On other SLS-related subjects....

I had my first 'proper' drive of it last weekend on a trip to Sheffield. And I've got to say, I've simply excelled myself this time and just can't imagine that there's any car, at any price, that beats this for all round appeal and daily usability (assuming you don't need rear seats or a big boot!).

I'm obviously very biased but that last point is an important part of this....how many cars of this ilk can be used all day everyday? Now the seat creak has been fixed and the bussing noises eliminated, the build quality and solidity are out of this world. If you've never been in an SLS, you won't believe just how stiff it is, both structurally (which I have never felt to this extreme) and in ride. It's not GT-R stiff (it at least settles down on the motorway), but it's the firmest car I've had and the relative lack of rattles and creaks really highlights how solidly built it is

It feels special all the time, it sounds rude all the time and it likes a drink....all the time (no matter how carefully you drive, and I've tried, it will not do more than 22mpg. It's averaging 17).

[rogerxp]

Andrew, when I start my own super-car manufacturer, would you remind me to never sell you a fucking car

[davyk31]

Sounds like they gave you some money to make you go away. So long as the independent sorts it then its all good.

[briers]

If I start my own super car business I would employee him to do my quality control. Whatever it takes to get him away from selling mobile phone covers

Glad your enjoying it a bit more now. Sounds like a fix is on the horizon and this platinum guy sounds like the sort anal enough to get the job done even if its not sub related.

[m@rk]

Originally Posted by Palmnuts

given all the bad press Merc have had on their customer service recently, I think they have dealt with this very well indeed. Is this almost Jaguar levels of service??

I get the impression that the higher up the model list you go, the better you get treated.

I always thought when I was going through a world of pain with Mercedes on my C Class that they would not have dared say some of the things they did had I been driving an S Class

So with my current car (which is quite high on the Audi model list) a recent problem has seen a "can't do enough to fix it" attitude and because it resulted in my car being off the road for 5 weeks because of a parts availability problem, upon collection and without prompting the dealer offered up a VERY generous apology that I have since found out was part funded by Audi UK even though they made sure I was in a very nice loaner whilst it was in so I wasn't really inconvenienced.

Again I suspect that has I been driving an A3, it would have been a very different conversation.

So it sounds like you are going to end up with a sound system that sounds amazing. Of course after this, all other factory fit sound systems are going to sound rubbish which means you are going to get bitten by the very expensive car audio upgrade bug on all future cars

Time to start upgrading the bit rates on all your music I think to get the most of it.

Enjoy

[MEGA]

Andrew

Im over the moon that lee was given you the kind of service you have had and hope you are totally happy with the eventual result once all said and done. I don't recommend people lightly but given the way he dealt with me and my requirements was happy to drop his name even given the value of your car and my full expectation of just how meticulous you are when it comes to cars. I hope the end result lives up to expectation. Will have to give him a call and have a chat about you as I need stage 2 of my own setup sorted soon in Any case

Look forward to seeing and hearing the result at the next proper e90post meet fella

Dave

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by m@rk

I get the impression that the higher up the model list you go, the better you get treated.

I always thought when I was going through a world of pain with Mercedes on my C Class that they would not have dared say some of the things they did had I been driving an S Class

So with my current car (which is quite high on the Audi model list) a recent problem has seen a "can't do enough to fix it" attitude and because it resulted in my car being off the road for 5 weeks because of a parts availability problem, upon collection and without prompting the dealer offered up a VERY generous apology that I have since found out was part funded by Audi UK even though they made sure I was in a very nice loaner whilst it was in so I wasn't really inconvenienced.

Again I suspect that has I been driving an A3, it would have been a very different conversation.

So it sounds like you are going to end up with a sound system that sounds amazing. Of course after this, all other factory fit sound systems are going to sound rubbish which means you are going to get bitten by the very expensive car audio upgrade bug on all future cars

Time to start upgrading the bit rates on all your music I think to get the most of it.

Enjoy

Oh Mate I know this one all too well. Since getting my very first car fitted out the pedigree I expect from a car audio system has just gone up and up to the point I'm spending far too much now...

It's very much the case that once you've had a proper system you simply cannot go back to what most manufacturers consider good enough for the average joe.... Evidently this even being the case when you are spending proper money as Andrew has

[Hoops]

Andrew, you are a GIT and I seriously hate you with a passion!

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by m@rk

I get the impression that the higher up the model list you go, the better you get treated.

Quite possibly, and I definitely get the impression that they will go the extra mile for SLS customers. See update below on what AMG in Germany did!

Originally Posted by Hoops

Andrew, you are a GIT and I seriously hate you with a passion!

Ooooh....I love you too

[Palmnuts]

Right then, update on the audio system and all things.....AMG!

I have to extend a thank you to Dave, who is simply MEGA! Your recommendation for Lee at Platinum In Car was spot on and was even relatively local and convenient for me. He was good on the phone, he was even better when I went to see him (and as said before, he never attempted to sell me anything that I didn't need to just fix the distorting subs). Now he's done the work on sorting my distorting subwoofer, he is outrageously good in practice. You my friend are owed a slap up meal so go and enjoy one at Tony's and tell him to send me the bill (T&C's apply ...PM me )

The attention to detail from Lee was also really impressive - as an example, he even painted the top of the subs black to ensure the logo on them couldn't be spotted behind the grills. He's going to send me the pics of the work which I'll pop up on here shortly.

OK, so the audio system in my car still probably won't whet the appetite of a proper audiophile because, when Lee was demonstrating his work to me and I was jumping up and down with excitement that he'd made it sound awesome, he was less than impressed. Whilst he was happy that he'd eradicated the distortion, he still wasn't impressed with the overall sound and just wanted to rip out the whole system and start again

Apparently there are too many speakers, most are in the wrong place, they create phasing issues etc etc.....honestly, I can't tell and reckon I now have the best sounding audio system in any car I've owned (whether its better than the Meridan system in the latest Jaguar XJ is debatable, but it's fair to say that the surrounding car is a more solid base in the SLS!). It always had potential with nice mids and highs (with the ability to go very loud without too much brightness) - all it needed was solid, punchy and undistorted bass that you can 'feel'. I now have this just as I want, and to my ears all distortion has gone - Flo Rida and JayZ have never sounded so good

Finally, hats off to Mercedes who paid a large chunk of the cost to have this aftermarket upgrade - it may well have been just to get rid of me (I agreed to relieve them of all responsibility), but as there was no actual fault, this wasn't somehting they had to do yet they genuinely seemed to want me to be happy.


More AMG updates.....

We've just come back from a weeks tour of Switzerland (my favourite Eurpean country and my first home ). As we took the outlaws who are also very interested in cars and take genuine interest in my antics, I arranged to stop off in Stuttgart on the way home where I booked us all in for a factory and AMG Design Studio tour (the department that did the customisation work on my C63). They loved it and although I'd done it previously three years ago, they've added some new features to their tour. An example is the ability to hold various engine components so you can feel the differences between the forged parts in an SLS (and C63 PPP) engine, compared to the normal parts in a standard '63 engine. I also met and shook hands with my engine builder who, bless him, didn't really know what to do with himself Seeing them crank up an engine on their hot test bench until the components glow orange (they even dim the lights to enhance the effect) is always good fun too!



We didn't only go there for the tour though. Before we left the UK, I tried to arrange a meeting with someone at AMG who would talk to me about my audio system. Whilst I knew I was sorting the issue myself, I wanted someone there to justify to me why such an expensive audio system could be so poor.

I was expecting to have some customer service person plonked in front of me so, imagine my surprise and delight when they wheeled out the two actual engineers who are responsible for all B&O audio systems in Mercedes! Yes, the actual guys responsible were prepared to speak directly to a customer who was unhappy with their product. This deserves special credit as how many businesses the size of Mercedes would entertain accountability to this level??

The guys spent a good hour with me talking about how they developed the system, how it works, what makes it special and different to other factory-fit in-car systems and they were also really open and honest with the limitations they faced. These were mainly around two areas - firstly, they had such a tight space in which to fit the system and, secondly, they were apparently very tightly constrained on the weight they could add to the car (so no big heavy subs or enclosures then!). They freely admitted that in their other cars with the B&O system (S-class, SL, CLS etc), they don't have these weight constraints so don't have to compromise, hence they sound a lot better. Although they wouldn't specifically admit that the system was compromised but in the end, I felt a little sorry for the chaps as they came across very genuine and a bit frustrated, a bit like they knew it could be better.

Whilst they couldn't offer any 'official' solution, I was just delighted to be able to have my say, to be able to understand the reasons from their perspective and, most interestingly, they actually suggested a very similar solution to what I've ended up having done and even offered their contact details for my installer to contact them for any further information! Again, full kudos to AMG for allowing this to happen


That wasn't the end of my trip to AMG though! You don't think I could go there and not see what trinkets they have available do you?

With the imminent release of the new SLS GT, which has ride control suspension, a few extra BHP and, most importantly, revised gearbox software to rid the car of it's one dynamic flaw (a super-fast gearchange spoilt by lethargic electronics), I really wanted AMG to offer the 'box upgrades to owners of the lowly standard SLS. It's the same 'box as in the Ferrari 458 but it's well documented how Mercs electronic programming creates a noticeable lag, for whatever reason. It's also been well documented in recent road tests of the GT that they have now 100% fixed the issue and I fully expected a request to have the new software in my car politely declined (after all, they would want me to buy the GT wouldn't they?).

So, surprise number two of the day was that they will fit the new software to my car Also, they would do this for little more than the cost of an aftermarket remap so, price-wise, it's extremely reasonable. All I have to do is take the car to them as a dealer could not do this (it requires a new ECU and updating of Mercedes systems to ensure that it forms part of the official specification of the car for future updates). This will not be a problem and I just need to get it booked in

Of course, whilst the car is there it'd be rude not to have my door kick-plates in leather/carbon fibre which will match my centre console nicely or the new design of (AMG-embossed) gear lever. All of the above is absolutely mandatory and I'm now planning when I can take it over there

[briers]

wow what a result!! And a new brain and coding for the gearbox; you have some great experiences with Merc and the factory tour sounds like a toy chest to a petrol-head.

Glad your sound issues are sorted and top bloke paying for Dave's nosh.

Bet your week away from your baby was hard.

[rogerxp]

Fook me, I'm going to write to Datsun tomorrow and ask for the GTR engine/running gear to be installing into my Zed, surely they'll oblige???

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by briers

Bet your week away from your baby was hard.

I don't know....wringing the E350 out to 158mph on the autobahn and up and down a few Alps wasn't too shabby a way to spend some time! Smacked against it's limiter too so had plenty left in it. All four-up and full of luggage too - and I even managed a 38mpg average over the 2250 miles

Originally Posted by rogerxp

......I'm going to write to Datsun.....

And herein lies your problem

To be fair, it's not like I'm trying to fit the engine from the Merc F1 car into my SLS

That reminds me - the Performance Studio is where they were doing all the final preps for the the new F1 safety an medic cars. No pictures allowed unfortunately

[MEGA]

Andrew, I'm not sure I could accept a paid for meal from you just for providing a contact!

I knew he'd be good (I'd not DARE recommend someone to YOU of ALL PEOPLE without being DAMN sure they were good ) but that's not the point. I didn't really do anything.


If you insist; Buy me a drink next time we meet up fella and we'll call it a day

I'm really glad to hear that you've gotten things sorted to your satisfaction. I can't wait to hear how it's all set up now!

Dave

[peterg1965]

Wow, what an outcome Andrew. Just goes to show that persistence really does pay. Not sure I have a clue who JayZ and Flo Rida are though!

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

Wow, what an outcome Andrew. Just goes to show that persistence really does pay. Not sure I have a clue who JayZ and Flo Rida are though!

Music for the yoots and ting!

[rogerxp]

Andrew, don't waste the meal-voucher, if Dave it too polite to take it send it over here fella

[MEGA]

^ LOL. If you insist Andrew then I'll take it! I'm definitely not going to see it fall into the hands of that one up there!!!!!