something wrong with my car's suspension?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
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C300 sport
something wrong with my car's suspension?
Hello, i recently got a sport C300 2009... drives fine. i noticed that the front of the car is closer to the ground....more importantly THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TIRED AND THE BODY IS UNIFORMLY EQUAL AT REAR ....BUT THE SPACE IS NOT UNIFORM AROUND THE TIRED AT FRONT.....the car seems to be lower at front and the tire is closer to the body....i have attached the pic....
I checked the pics of latest C300 sport at Mercedes website....the space is equal at both front and rear....anyone else noticed this with their car? I believe all sport models have sport tuned suspension.... (may be wrong)....so if the car on website has equal space....something wrong with my cars front suspension???
I checked the pics of latest C300 sport at Mercedes website....the space is equal at both front and rear....anyone else noticed this with their car? I believe all sport models have sport tuned suspension.... (may be wrong)....so if the car on website has equal space....something wrong with my cars front suspension???
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 252
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From: NOVA
c300 4matic
Hello, i recently got a sport C300 2009... drives fine. i noticed that the front of the car is closer to the ground....more importantly THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TIRED AND THE BODY IS UNIFORMLY EQUAL AT REAR ....BUT THE SPACE IS NOT UNIFORM AROUND THE TIRED AT FRONT.....the car seems to be lower at front and the tire is closer to the body....i have attached the pic....
I checked the pics of latest C300 sport at Mercedes website....the space is equal at both front and rear....anyone else noticed this with their car? I believe all sport models have sport tuned suspension.... (may be wrong)....so if the car on website has equal space....something wrong with my cars front suspension???
I checked the pics of latest C300 sport at Mercedes website....the space is equal at both front and rear....anyone else noticed this with their car? I believe all sport models have sport tuned suspension.... (may be wrong)....so if the car on website has equal space....something wrong with my cars front suspension???
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 16
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C300 sport
i thought so too...but like i said...the sport model pics on website....they are equal at both ends......yes i am under warranty...planning to show it when i get my service done next.....
thanks for the replies
thanks for the replies
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 440
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From: Dix Hills
2011 c300 4matic
my car has 14767. right now with my after market wheels its a 2 finger gap in the front, with my stock amg wheels its a little less. my friend has a c with 40k mies on it and its sits really low, about a finger gap on stock 17s. i think youre fine
Last edited by Thaa kiid Jlee; Apr 22, 2012 at 07:27 PM. Reason: sfg
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Joined: Mar 2012
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From: San Francisco
'08 Mercedes C300
My car has 38,000 miles on it and the gaps are evenly proportioned on fronts and rears. It doesn't hurt to get it checked. Theres no cost to you if its under warranty and if there is nothing wrong with it then you have the peace of mind that a certified tech checked it.
Last edited by Domm; Apr 22, 2012 at 07:40 PM.
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Super Member
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Bakersfield, CA
Mercedes Benz C300 Sport
Did your car came with aftermarket springs when you got it?
How may miles does it have?
You can always jack the car up or bring it to your local tire shop and inspect the shocks if there are any leaks. If none... observe on how it runs on bumps and if it bounces over the bump and then continue to rock up and down for a few hundred feet down the road rather than rebound and stabilize after the road bump then you may need to replace your shocks. If you experience none of these then it's safe to say that your car is fine.
How may miles does it have?
You can always jack the car up or bring it to your local tire shop and inspect the shocks if there are any leaks. If none... observe on how it runs on bumps and if it bounces over the bump and then continue to rock up and down for a few hundred feet down the road rather than rebound and stabilize after the road bump then you may need to replace your shocks. If you experience none of these then it's safe to say that your car is fine.
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W204
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 440
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From: Dix Hills
2011 c300 4matic
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 440
Likes: 1
From: Dix Hills
2011 c300 4matic
lol oh i see, miscommunication LOL. But my friends with w204s some sit high and some sit lower, i guess its just how your suspension settles and how you drive your car maybe? but either way he should just take it to the dealer just incase !
Last edited by Thaa kiid Jlee; Apr 23, 2012 at 09:42 PM. Reason: forgot word
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Atlanta, GA
2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
That is exactly how my 2008 sat and it seems to be pretty normal for the sport model. I actually replaced the 13mm spring pads on the rear with 5mm pads to even out the stance and wheel/tire gap.
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C300 sport
I finally took my car to dealer. first they said its fine. but they cant be sure until they check the ride height, and to do that they need to do alignment. they dd alignment, did not find anything wrong with the height. but when i insisted that it is lower than the other C300s they have parked, he asked me to bring it back and leave it with them for few days so they can look deeper into it.
I took it back after 2 months. after initial inspection they told me everything seems to be fine, but i told them that my front bumper hits the curb, so they checked it again. told me wrong sized springs were installed. they didn't know how, whether a mistake during manufacturing or someone changed them later. Anyways agreed to replace the springs under warranty. now my car sits an inch and half higher than before. was good i took it to them
I took it back after 2 months. after initial inspection they told me everything seems to be fine, but i told them that my front bumper hits the curb, so they checked it again. told me wrong sized springs were installed. they didn't know how, whether a mistake during manufacturing or someone changed them later. Anyways agreed to replace the springs under warranty. now my car sits an inch and half higher than before. was good i took it to them
Last edited by janathan; Aug 17, 2012 at 01:33 AM.
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Cali
01' c320 (sold) / 03' Ford Focus(sold) :( / 98' C230 / 00' SL500 / 11' C300 Sport RWD w204
I finally took my car to dealer. first they said its fine. but they cant be sure until they check the ride height, and to do that they need to do alignment. they dd alignment, did not find anything wrong with the height. but when i insisted that it is lower than the other C300s they have parked, he asked me to bring it back and leave it with them for few days so they can look deeper into it.
I took it back after 2 months. after initial inspection they told me everything seems to be fine, but i told them that my front bumper hits the curb, so they checked it again. told me wrong sized springs were installed. they didn't know how, whether a mistake during manufacturing or someone changed them later. Anyways agreed to replace the springs under warranty. now my car sits an inch and half higher than before. was good i took it to them
I took it back after 2 months. after initial inspection they told me everything seems to be fine, but i told them that my front bumper hits the curb, so they checked it again. told me wrong sized springs were installed. they didn't know how, whether a mistake during manufacturing or someone changed them later. Anyways agreed to replace the springs under warranty. now my car sits an inch and half higher than before. was good i took it to them
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,331
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From: Delaware
2004 Mazda6, 1993 RX7
I finally took my car to dealer. first they said its fine. but they cant be sure until they check the ride height, and to do that they need to do alignment. they dd alignment, did not find anything wrong with the height. but when i insisted that it is lower than the other C300s they have parked, he asked me to bring it back and leave it with them for few days so they can look deeper into it.
I took it back after 2 months. after initial inspection they told me everything seems to be fine, but i told them that my front bumper hits the curb, so they checked it again. told me wrong sized springs were installed. they didn't know how, whether a mistake during manufacturing or someone changed them later. Anyways agreed to replace the springs under warranty. now my car sits an inch and half higher than before. was good i took it to them
I took it back after 2 months. after initial inspection they told me everything seems to be fine, but i told them that my front bumper hits the curb, so they checked it again. told me wrong sized springs were installed. they didn't know how, whether a mistake during manufacturing or someone changed them later. Anyways agreed to replace the springs under warranty. now my car sits an inch and half higher than before. was good i took it to them
1) What do the tire gaps measure now, front vs rear?
2) Any chance of getting the old springs from the dealer before they get trashed? With 1-1/2" difference, I'd like to try to identify the old short springs.
.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 16
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C300 sport
@ Bringtherain...i know 
you have to have a reason/problem to have something fixed specially under warranty, just a slightly lower suspension was not taking me anywhere
the front bumper has scratches on the bottom, but hopefully with being more careful and a higher suspension....it would be better.
@ kevink2......the tire gaps at front now is approx 1.5 or 1.6 inch approx. before as u can see in pic it was less than half an inch. Still its lower than rear, but i think that's how sport suspension should be.
I do not think i can get the old ones back, cuz when i had the headlight unit replaced a few months ago (under warranty) i was told they have to send the faulty unit back to MB.
he told me that there is a color code on the spring....there are three color dots......(like white white yellow) somewhere on the spring..... that's how they knew that wrong springs were installed. perhaps you can search original Mercedes inventory online and see what color combination your car should have and then compare to the ones you have in your car.
you have to have a reason/problem to have something fixed specially under warranty, just a slightly lower suspension was not taking me anywhere
the front bumper has scratches on the bottom, but hopefully with being more careful and a higher suspension....it would be better.
@ kevink2......the tire gaps at front now is approx 1.5 or 1.6 inch approx. before as u can see in pic it was less than half an inch. Still its lower than rear, but i think that's how sport suspension should be.
I do not think i can get the old ones back, cuz when i had the headlight unit replaced a few months ago (under warranty) i was told they have to send the faulty unit back to MB.
he told me that there is a color code on the spring....there are three color dots......(like white white yellow) somewhere on the spring..... that's how they knew that wrong springs were installed. perhaps you can search original Mercedes inventory online and see what color combination your car should have and then compare to the ones you have in your car.
