I have a 2011 E550 coupe that I'd like to keep a few more years. A couple shops have told me I need new front struts. Apparently this model has the Damptronic electronic adaptive damping struts. Since the car is not getting any younger, I was hoping to find a lower cost alternative to the Bilstein Damptronic replacement struts, which are ~$750 each. Are there non-electronic alternatives that plug in simply?

I've seen some other threads where people mention doing so with coil-over kits or something similar. But a few quick searches reveals that many of these are even more expensive. Is that because they are for higher performance? My focus is just getting a good suspension with less complexity and cost, if it can be done without creating a bunch of headaches (like Sport-Mode being stuck on or other such issues).

Thanks.

I had to replace a badly leaking front one. It cost $1700 by the time the wheels were aligned, This part is pricey but there is no alternative that I know of. If you don't keep the electronic ones, the Sport system will not work, neither will the stability control system.

I was able to get from germanautoparts.com the MB OEM Monroe Electronic Dynamic Handling Strut for $330 a piece! This is the same part number on the factory MB OEM strut since Monroe is the maker of it. They shipped from Spain and I didn’t believe it until they arrived last Monday and now installed on my W207 E550 Coupe. I looked for nearly a year and finally Monroe released them as direct to purchase at one-third the price of buying MB branded struts.

This is only for the front struts. The rear shock absorbers (also made by Monroe) still are OEM only and cost around $480. I had to do those a couple months ago. Thankful to have all new struts and shocks. The coupe drives incredible with new control arms and sway bar links, like brand new!



https://www.germanautoparts.com/monr.../207-323-14-00

https://www.germanautoparts.com/monr.../207-323-13-00

How many miles on the cars prior to replacing the struts?

105k

Thank you VERY MUCH for the terrific news about the new lower price on the Monroes.... I've been considering changing the front shocks for almost a year but that prior higher price was a bit over the top.
I do have a Novice follow up question......
I went to the German Auto Pars website and they indicated there are 2 different Monroe Front Damptronic Front Shocks for my 2010 Coupe according to it's chassis number....
How do I determine my car's specific chassis #?? (VIN- WDDKJ7CB9AF027052)

email the gentleman below and he will help. Let him know Ibbi J referred you. Maybe it’ll help me next time I need parts!

mark@germanautoparts.com

Thank you again.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It is good to get validation of the dealer price, as it was in-line with a couple quotes I received from a large MB dealership, and a pretty reputable independent service shop that does good work (replaced my transmission for just over 6k a little over 2 years ago).

I think the phrase is overkill in many cases, but not in this one: Thank You Very Much. I see someone else was in the same boat as me and replied already.

Up to this point I'd only seen the Bilstein replacements for ~650 per strut, but they were out of stock everywhere I looked. I'm glad I waited. I just ordered these from GermanAutoParts.com and they will ship from the Los Angeles warehouse today and be here this week, for about half of what the Bilstein versions cost. I'd assumed Bilstein was the OEM source, but was surprised to see it was, in fact, Monroe for my vehicle (2011 E550 Coupe).

One quick question: Aren't all the E coupes from ~2010 to 2017 C207 models, not W207? NBD, just wondering if that is the case.

Coincidentally, I just spoke with Mark to confirm my order as there was some hiccup with the address verification. He was extremely helpful and verified the fitment or whatever based on my VIN, as I'd also seen the bit about chassis number after placing my order yesterday. It turned out the ones I ordered (the provided links) were correct for my 2011 E550 Coupe.

I’m really glad to have helped you, I know the pain it has been to find replacement parts at a fair price. So thankful that germanautoparts had it for great price with great service. Glad you were able to connect with Mark as well.

You are right that C207 is the coupe, it’s also referenced as W207 to represent the body style shared by both coupe and cabriolet since they have the same platform between the two. Actually, and you may know this already, the W207 E550 coupe is identical to the W204 C350 or C63 AMG coupe (W204 also used in reference to the cabriolet or sedan version). The W207 + W204 were produced out of the same MB factory in Bremen, Germany.

I did not realize that about the model numbers but have since seen others in the know refer to all 3 body styles as W207. And that is interesting that the C350 and C63 AMG Coupe is basically the same thing. I'd be curious to know if the C350 also used the Damptronic ADS. I also have a 2015 E400 Coupe and was pleased to see that it has non-electronic struts (i.e. much cheaper replacement).

The sedan version of E-class of the same era (2009-2016) was called the W212. For W207 it is only referring to the E-class coupe or cabriolet. Our E-class coupes are built on same factory line as C-class sedan/coupe/cabriolet.

For the 2010-2017 E-class coupe you get more seat controls, cooling seats (option available), pillarless window between front and rear (c-class rear window does not go down), and several other style and options that are not available on the W204. I chose the W207 because I love the iconic quad-headlight look of the E-class pre-facelift and just stands out to me from other Mercedes in past ten years.

Thanks, I was wondering how to differentiate the sedan from the coupes in the model numbers. The model numbering is seems to confuse alot of shops that are not dedicated to Mercedes. I'm a big fan of the coupe styling until the big redesign sometime later than the 2015 E400 I also have. I can't imagine spending more than not very much for a car with 2.0Liter engine. I was shopping for an SUV a few months back and was horrified to see the new GLE's have a 2 liter engine. That seems like a tough sell. So I bought a used Yukon Denali with a 6.2 Liter engine for under 30k LOL.

Since I last posted, I got my struts installed for the hefty price of $200. So my total replacement cost for front struts was:

$640 for both front struts from GermanAutoParts.com.
$200 install fee by shop dedicated to suspension in all makes.
$ 40 Uber fees for back and forth to shop.
------
$880 Total

My estimate range from MB specialized indy shops and the mega dealer in Dallas was a low of $3,100 and a high of $3,600 from the mega dealer (not a huge premium over indy shop). So I felt like a scored a win with this project.

Thanks for all the info, it was definitely helpful.

I think you and I are cut from the same cloth!

A year before getting the 2012 e550, I bought a 2017 Chevy Suburban 5.3L Premier and enjoy it very much. I didn’t want to do the 6.2L as the gas in Chicago is astronomical at times for the premium fuel. Texas/Dallas has got to be better. I thought about a GL/GLS for a long time but with my family size, having three passenger third row matters and my suburban can seat 8 which others can’t really match. Plus the cargo space makes road trips so easy and fun for the family.

I got the e550 to scratch my Mercedes itch and to continue a family tradition. I love feeding her premium, she deserves it, Chevy/GM not such a fan they need that lol.

I did all four brakes + rotors and front suspension at same time and was $480 for the labor. I’m thankful I have a Mercedes/BMW mechanic friend and he charges me a lot less the labor rate of all other places around me.

Bumping old thread. The front right shock on my 2012 e550 coupe appears to be leaking/sweating a little bit. Probably going to replace within the year. Have you had any issues with the Monroe shocks when using the sport suspension on your e550 coupe?

Mercedes does not make the suspension, Monroe did from the onset, they are the OEM shock/strut. I have had zero issues. And when you get them you can check all the model nomenclature and even see it is made in same Spain factory as the one branded Mercedes.

No issues at all. Even though the shop that did the installation of the struts was not focused on Mercedes or German imports, they installed them for $200 and got the connections right as the various driving modes still worked as before.

What what? Are there more other than comfort and sport?

I only know of comfort and sport. Not aware of any other modes.

Yeah, I am not aware of any others, but wasn't sure, so I used a vague term to cover any I was unaware of. :-)

Bumping an old thread but does anyone know the proper rear Monroe replacement vehicle dynamic package shocks? I bought the fronts as linked above which fit great but the rears have a different piston diameter than my OEM shocks so the factory bump stops don't fit (they're way too loose and don't stay up). For the rears I bought Monroe part # C1510 and C1511.

Hi All. I must add my Thanks to ibbij and his links to German Auto. Whilst I am currently waiting on these Monroe replacements to arrive (I am in Australia) the cost differential made it possible. Feels strange to just send thousands of dollars to a company you have never heard of but this forum (which I also just tripped over searching vainly for answers to this problem) has given me the confidence to do so. Mark at GA seems the consummate professional. Fingers Crossed.

happy that you were able to find this post of mine helpful and also I noticed the prices come down considerably since when I bought them in 2022. I’m now 2 1/2 years on the news struts and have had zero issue. In fact, I’m sending this message to you while I’m driving the car using speak to text and it’s smooth and silky ride!