The shocks and struts on my 95 E300D are badly in need of replacement. The dealer confirms this after my complaints about the car feeling under-damped.

So, I'd like to make the ride more responsive since I'm having to do the replacements anyhow.

My goals are:
less body roll in cornering
more confidence in high speed manuevers (lane changes, on/off ramps, etc.)
a sportier feel - more fun to drive
smooth ride quality (think CLK not Caddy)
comfortable (subjective, I know...) noise and vibration levels
I know my diesel doesn't perform like a sportscar, but I want more fun when tooling around and more confidence when rolling at high speeds.

I've been reading alot in this forum and on mercesesshop.com and am currently thinking about:
H&R sport springs
Bilstein sport shocks/struts
same 15" wheels, new 185/65 tires (or 185/60 @ -3% tire diameter)

I'd happily order these up if I could get a sense of my future ride quality. I have no hesitation to sport-tune my suspension, but I do not want to feel all the bumps on long rides. I want to dive into corners, but I don't want to feel the road too much on long highway trips.

Here are some factoids I've gleaned (feel free to correct if you are absolutely sure):
Bilstein HD & Sport have the same valving, but different ideal travel ranges. (from Bilstein techs via Carl at BergWerks)
Correct Bilstein model numbers for my 124.131 Chassis are sport v36-0365 and b36-1470 and HD v36-0361 and b36-1385
H&R suggests that the W124 sport springs (unsure of model number) can be used on the Diesel, although they are untested in this application. It may require thicker pads up front to compensate for the slightly heavier motor (also some question about whether or not the motor is actually heavier since it may be a reworked normal gas motor).

OK, Question time:
Has anybody used the H&R sport springs on their W124 diesel?
Just how sharp/harsh/stiff/unpleasant is the ride on the H&R-Bilstein sport setup? Would I be taking the nice smooth high speed quality out of the ride?
H&R OEM sport springs & Bilstein HD shocks with wider, lower AR tires? If I don't lower, I can change the tire size to 205/60ish.

Bottom line:
I want a comfortable family sedan that is fun to drive aggressively when I want to, without taking too much away from the comfortable Benz sport sedan feel.

Thanks a ton!
Kevin

 

Go with the OEM Sportline setup.....

New springs, dampers, swaybars, bushings, etc.

I did this to my 300CE about 3 years ago. I LOVE IT!

 

go with oem.

i've read a LOT of complaints about the h & r's.

you may need a new steering damper. i changed mine. it makes a diff.

i got a 3/4" drop with bilstein heavy duty's and changing spring pads.

i run 205/65/15 michelin h4 pilots.

the ride is a tinge more stiff. that was what i wanted.

i would still like to change my sway bars.

 

As to comfort vs. handling, anything you do will be a comprimise.

Stiffer springs and / or shocks will result in a stiffer ride. Whether that is acceptable to you cannot be answered by any of us.

For the *best* comprimise I would recommend:

- Leave the springs stock.

- Go with HD Bilsteins.

- Install the "Sportline Plus" swaybars ("Limo" front / 500 rear).
(heavier swaybars will give the best handling improvement w/ least ride deterioration)

- For tires, look on TireRack. Pay attention to diameters and revs per mile. You said your current size is 185/65-15. Going to a 195/60 will give you a slightly wider tire while retaining the proper diameter for example.

Have fun!!

 

I really appreciate all the help.

I had started to come to the same conclusion as JoeR - stiff is stiff and soft is soft... people like whatever people like. The thing is that I have no idea whether or not I'm a "roller skate" kind of person or not.

I had been thinking to go with just the Bilstein HD's and my OEM springs with slightly wider tires. That'd be a good first step, anyhow, that wouldn't prevent me from doing other things in the future.

To make the decision easier, I just bought a 1976 BMW 2002 that I can totally stiffen up to satisfy my urges for a sharp handling car!