Purchase assistance please
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 164
Likes: 13
From: NJ
2003 SL55 AMG GT , 2000 BMW 323I coupe
Purchase assistance please
I currently drive a 2015 cls400 4matic with a Weistec stage 1 tune. I am impressed with the added hp after getting that tune. As with most motorheads, I want more power.
I'm thinking of trading in my 400 and jump into the 550. I can only imagine the power that car has if my 6 cylinder cls is quite quick.
My concern is that air-matic suspension. I already experienced headaches with the M-B air/hydraulic suspension when owning an 03 SL55 amg.
Can any forum members share thoughts on this subject?
I'd like to know if the 550 suspension is more reliable than the SL's system of the past. Also, will I feel a substantial increase in power going from my tuned 400 to the 550? Thanks to all who respond
I'm thinking of trading in my 400 and jump into the 550. I can only imagine the power that car has if my 6 cylinder cls is quite quick.
My concern is that air-matic suspension. I already experienced headaches with the M-B air/hydraulic suspension when owning an 03 SL55 amg.
Can any forum members share thoughts on this subject?
I'd like to know if the 550 suspension is more reliable than the SL's system of the past. Also, will I feel a substantial increase in power going from my tuned 400 to the 550? Thanks to all who respond
Member
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 107
Likes: 34
2012 CLS550
Sorry I can't comment much on the difference between the 400 and 550 as I only have the 550 and never had the 400. I went stage 2 and the power difference is huge from stock. This car breezes from 60-130 like it's nothing. As far as the suspension, I have about 50K on the car and it's been holding up well. However the last few months I haven't driven it as much and it now sits like the air is completely gone out of the suspension. When I start it, it lifts and stays normal, but I'm not sure if this in indicative of something failing in the car. I've heard that replacing he air suspension is very expensive, so most just switch over to shocks. Mine is a 2012 so she's definitely older. I use my air suspension quite a bit as well. There are alot of hills where I live and it's lowered on the air suspension as well, so I push the lift button regularly. Hopefully it's holding up. Best of luck to you. I don't think you can go wrong if you switch though. I'd say if you can find one tuned, then see if you can drive it. Otherwise, try to find a stock one at the dealer just so you have a point of reference. Good luck and be sure to keep us posted.
Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 220
Likes: 89
From: Chicagoland
Schwinn
The Airmatic is great, when it works. I have a stock 12 CLS550 4 matic and have been mulling over doing the down pipes with a tune. She is my daily dependable driver and if I did the tune it would be to get rid of the dull throttle response and the shifting so damn soon that I am at 1k RPM's while dong 40mph and then having to nail the throttle to get any kind of reaction to go just a little bit faster. But like I said a tune would get rid of all that.
As for power the 550 does have decent grunt stock. I just had the recall done on my rear axle subframe, and they ended up having to do the air bags, control arms all under warranty, which was very very nice of Benz.
Now I just have to do my front air bags as I hear them clunking on certain potholes, as well as the usual Stabilizer links, and came to find out one of the strut rod control arm in the front is bad,m just replaced it less than a year ago,. But being in the Chicagoland area our roads are total crap.
As far airmatic leaks, benz says normal systems do leak over a certain amount of time, for instance before the rear air bag subframe repairs and air bags, if left alone and didnt drive it for a couple days in the colder months, the rears would sag almost to bottom, now with new air bags, same thing.
Longest I have let it sit and not drove it was a week, and then the fronts bottomed out.
Edit: My car has 120k miles on it
As for power the 550 does have decent grunt stock. I just had the recall done on my rear axle subframe, and they ended up having to do the air bags, control arms all under warranty, which was very very nice of Benz.
Now I just have to do my front air bags as I hear them clunking on certain potholes, as well as the usual Stabilizer links, and came to find out one of the strut rod control arm in the front is bad,m just replaced it less than a year ago,. But being in the Chicagoland area our roads are total crap.
As far airmatic leaks, benz says normal systems do leak over a certain amount of time, for instance before the rear air bag subframe repairs and air bags, if left alone and didnt drive it for a couple days in the colder months, the rears would sag almost to bottom, now with new air bags, same thing.
Longest I have let it sit and not drove it was a week, and then the fronts bottomed out.
Edit: My car has 120k miles on it
