MB Medic Mercedes-Benz Repair Guides, Service, How To DIY
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In this guide (16 sections)
- Air Vent Ring Trim
- Performance Tuning Chip
- Coilover Kit
- Door Speaker Covers
- Diamond Style Front Grille
- LED Illuminated Star
- Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
- Carbon Fiber Roof Spoiler
- Carbon Fiber Trunk Spoiler
- Carlsson Alloy Wheels
- LED Door Sill Plates
- Center Console Speaker Cover
- Red Front Lip
- Chrome AC Control Trim
- Ashtray Cover
- What to check after an electrical upgrade
The Mercedes-Benz C117 CLA-Class was created as a more youthful alternative to the C-Class. It comes standard with a very good-looking center console and front profile. This article will look at the 15 most popular modifications to the C117. Applicable Models: CLA180, CLA200, CLA250, CLA45. For ideas that are not tied to this chassis, see our wider list of Mercedes upgrades and mods.
Applicable Models: CLA180, CLA200, CLA250, CLA45
Years: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Air Vent Ring Trim
Air Vent Outlet Ring Cover Trim
The first thing you will notice about the interior of the C117 is all the air vents. The car comes standard with 5 very bold-looking vents. That makes them a great place to start your modifications. We have found a set that covers the inner and outer rings. Depending on your preferred color scheme, this set is available in red and blue.
Performance Tuning Chip
See the Performance Tuning Chip on eBay (eBay link)
A quick way to get extra performance from your standard C117 is with a performance box. A performance box will allow you to get the maximum power available from your engine. This one is specifically tuned for the C117. It is claimed to give up to 20% more power and 10% more fuel economy. The performance box will reduce turbo lag and increase the pedal response.
Coilover Kit
V3 Coil-Over Kit for Mercedes-Benz CLA
Another great way to increase the car’s performance is with a racing coil-over. These BR racing coilovers are perfectly suited to the W116. They will give the car stability around sharp corners and a much better steering feel. Coilovers have been a staple of performance modifications for many years. So get yourself a pair and get ready for much quicker lap times.
Door Speaker Covers
See the Door Speaker Covers on eBay (eBay link)
Chrome speaker cars look very nice on the doors of the W116. We have found a pair that fits very nicely and does not interfere with the sound of the original speakers. The standard speaker’s covers weren’t bad, but they weren’t great. Upgrading to this set of chrome covers makes the interior look much better. The chrome covers have the added effect of making the speakers look more luxurious.
Diamond Style Front Grille
See the Diamond Style Front Grille on eBay (eBay link)
Much like on the W205, the front grill on the C117 is the most prominent part of the car. Even more so on the C117, as the nose is designed to poke out further than the C-Class. We have found an amazing-looking diamond design grill. The diamond grill looks very nice on the C117 and is easy to install. The diamond design will set your car apart from all other CLAs.
LED Illuminated Star
LED Illuminated Star Kit
A very popular upgrade is the LED-illuminated front emblem. The shining light on the star logo makes the car a guaranteed head-turner at night. It is another easy install that shouldn’t take too long to fit onto your C117. This kit will pair very well with the previously mentioned diamond grill. The two together will make for a very expensive-looking car.
Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
Rear diffusers are the most popular modifications to the C117. As usual, the most preferred option is the carbon trim. The carbon trim is favored for its lightweight and strong durability. It also gives the car a very sporty rear profile. This set features all the parts necessary to complete the AMG look.
Carbon Fiber Roof Spoiler
Carbon Fiber Roof Spoiler for Mercedes CLA
A carbon fiber roof spoiler looks perfect on the C117. The sweep at the sides of the spoiler gives the car a very sleek look. The roof spoiler also ties in very well with the standard rear spoiler. The carbon accent looks very nice on a white or red CLA. If you want to give the rear end the full carbon treatment, I would also suggest pairing it with a carbon trunk spoiler.
Carbon Fiber Trunk Spoiler
Carbon Fiber Trunk Spoiler
As I suggested before, adding a carbon trunk spoiler is an important part of giving your C117 the full carbon look. The trunk on the C117 stands out because the rear lights draw your attention to the rear profile of the CLA. The standard trunk pokes out a little already, so adding a trunk spoiler will make it stand out even more. This modification is very popular with people considering replicating the AMG model. This spoiler, matched with a carbon diffuser, makes the C117 look cool.
Carlsson Alloy Wheels
See the Carlsson Alloy Wheels on eBay (eBay link)
The AMG style rims are usually the most popular on a Mercedes, but on the C117, these Carlsson 18” Graphite rims are the best. Just something about how they sit on the car makes the side profile pop. They look like lovely 5-spoke rims from afar, but take a closer look, and you will see another 5 behind them. The clever color contrast sets these rims apart. They aren’t cheap, but they make the C117 look awesome!
LED Door Sill Plates
See the LED Door Sill Plates on eBay (eBay link)
The long sweep of the C117 lends itself perfectly to a pair of LED scuff plates. The lovely glow whenever you open the door will add a very nice light to the car’s interior. This is a fast install, so you shouldn’t be intimidated when purchasing. They come in 3 different colors to match the most popular interior accents. LED cuff plates are a great way to liven up the inside of your Mercedes-Benz.
Center Console Speaker Cover
See the Center Console Speaker Cover on eBay (eBay link)
The standard console speaker on the C117 looks very dull. The bland black cover sticks out like a sore thumb on an otherwise sleek-looking dash. But fear not; we have found a way to make that speaker look amazing. This chrome finish speaker cover transforms that ugly speaker cover into a work of art. The speaker cover is simple to install and doesn’t mess with the original sound.
Red Front Lip
Red Front Lip
Adding a red accent to the front spoiler is always a good idea. It looks especially nice on the W117. The front lip spoiler will look very nice on a carbon or white bumper. The ease of installation makes it a very popular modification. The C117’s front profile will look amazing paired with a diamond grill.
Chrome AC Control Trim
See the Chrome AC Control Trim on eBay (eBay link)
Ashtray Cover
See the Ashtray Cover on eBay (eBay link)
We have found a nice pair of chrome ashtray covers for the C117. The standard covers don’t have the same feel as these chrome covers. This particular set of covers has the Mercedes-Benz Logo, which I think is a cool touch. Overall, I think the chrome ashtray cover is an excellent addition to the interior of the C117. These covers will give the center console a very lovely finish.
What to check after an electrical upgrade
A good share of this list is electrical rather than cosmetic. An illuminated star kit, LED door sill plates, a tuning chip and anything else that taps a lighting circuit all sit on wiring the car keeps an eye on. The usual result of a cheap part is a bulb out warning that will not clear, an interior light that behaves oddly, or a module that stops answering.
Those faults get stored in the body and lighting modules rather than the engine, so a basic code reader reports a clean bill of health and tells you nothing useful. Reading every control unit is what shows which upgrade the car is objecting to, and the YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro is one example of that class of tool. The tuning chip is worth singling out, since it changes what the engine is asked to do rather than how the car looks, and a scan before and after tells you whether the car is happy about it. If there are other complaints, our rundown of the most common Mercedes-Benz problems is a good place to begin.
Before you buy parts, scan every control module, not just the engine. It shows the root fault behind the warning lights and tells you whether the problem is still active. See how to do a full health check.
