Hey guys....I have an 03 e320 non sport, non airmatic with 75k....Bumps are getting louder and I feel my suspension is going bad....Does this vehicle come with shocks or struts front and rear? And also where is a good place to order parts online?

 

Going Bad is not a good description. Most likely with 75K on the car it is in need of some maintenence. Don't you have the suggested MB inspections/services done??

 

From what my mechanic told me from the last time i was there to have brake pads replaced, I have one bent shock in the left front and now my car is making a serious thud sound....my car is out of warranty and unfortunately im not on the forbes 500 list , so im unable to have my car serviced and maintained at the mb stealership (If I did that, I'd be working to repair my w211). But at the end of the day, I may have to give this car up, before the problems start to mount up...Even though I love the attention I get, I feel like a loner on this board, I feel like im the only one w/ a non airmatic non sport w211.

 

Bent shock?? There is most likely your answer. Bent by the way is not a defective shock but a damaged one, most likely by abuse. As far as the inspections are concerned, you do not have to go to the dealer but have it inspected according to the MB schedule by a knowledgeable independent who knows what he is looking at. As far as a non airmatic non sport you are certainly not alone. As far as being on the Forbes 400 list the E is a middle class car and the cost to maintain by the mile is very reasonable. Sounds though like you have neglected it and can't afford to own it.

 

Confused as why you're posting this question as it seems you already have the answer.

It also appears that you've stretched yourself a bit thin when you purchased this car. Owning a newer Benz out of warranty is not for the feint of heart and it's not wise to own any car if you can't afford the upkeep. Sounds like a trade in on a Civic is in order.

But for your question, yeah, change the shocks. Or at least the damaged one.

 

Don't feel like a loner. Not having airmatic can be a good thing - less things to worry about breaking esp. @ 75K.... keep your head up, fix the car & enjoy her! Or sell her, and get a MB CPO, OR go Infiniti/Lexus IMO, but @ 75K, any car may need repairs.

 

Let me start off by thanking you guys for the replys....Ive had this car since 05 and neglicted to take the extended warranty because I have had no problems since now....Even though civics are nice little dependable cars, ARE YOU SERIOUS, this is my 3rd luxury car...(previously owned an audi and a bmw, got the eclass because I needed more space and I love the look of the car)...When I say I want to give this car up, I was looking more along the lines of leasing an e350, a 6spd 535xi, Porsche cayenne, a6, etc... maybe something cpo..Basically something with a warranty or good maintenance program (saves a lot in the long run). Trust me I will never buy beyond my means (thats why I dont have an cl600)....My last comment was meant to be sarcastic (now that I look at it, that comment did make me look pretty poor) I can definitely afford to maintain my car even by the stealership, but who wants to pay those ridiculous prices when u know a good indy mechanic could do the same work for way cheaper (My mechanic moved to florida) My problem was i didnt know if the car took struts or shocks, I was getting ready to order from autohausaz.com and I didnt want to mess up....And my other comment was basically to say that sometimes I ask questions here and they are never answered because mostly everyone here has a newer eclass with airmatic and all the goodies, where I just have an aging e320 non sport, non airmatic, no command, etc (damn I wish I did my research on the features of an eclass before buying one , o well).....

PS: Im sort of scared to lease a newer eclass because I know the new shape is going to come out either 08 or 09 and I dont want to be struck with the old one (even though the grill on that e350 is sexxy) so to speak

 

U may want to lease a BMW 535xi with the 6 spd. (U get the twin turbo now ). AND you get free maintenance for 4 years. "The Ultimate Driving Machine" with a 6 spd. and free maintenance. The BMW may not be as classy as an E class (I just drove one yesterday), but u'll have something extrememly rare - free maintenance and a world class sport sedan w/o the autotragic.

Your welcome.

 

For what its worth, I for one think the suspensions in these cars are marginal in terms of durability. My early 04 had both front sway bar end links, and outer ties rods replaced at 25K miles, and both lower front ball joints replaced at 55K. I'm told this is normal for European sport cars. Well, maybe. That doesn't make it right.

As for shocks: the OEM shocks are Bilsteins. You can probably buy them from a non-dealer at a lower price. Alternately you can get a superior ride without sacrificing any performance or comfort with a set of FSD shocks from Koni. Just hold on to your wallet, they're not cheap.