AMGAffalterbach

Completely and utterly astounded this happened to me earlier today. I was sitting in the living room when I heard a loud noise (just to clarify for Plutoe it was a "bzzzttt-BANG") from the garage and came to find the front of my car had lowered itself. I am extremely disillusioned that Mercedes W211s have AirMatic failures, I was taught to believe in my youth that this was a rare event and this almost never happens ever. It seems like the passenger's side front airbag has since given out, once again an extremely rare and almost unheard of issue on these cars. I never thought it would happen to me *drags cigarette*

I guess my real question is three-fold:

1) Is coilover conversion truly worth it if I decided to go that route?

2) Is my only option to flat bed the car to a place with a STAR diagnostics computer to install new Arnott front struts and reset the system, or can I have someone install the new front assemblies at my house then drive it to a shop for calibration?

3) Will Wolf Blitzer and the bull**** brigade from CNN ever find that airliner?

Thank you.

Duc1098E500

I'm sorry for your loss. RIP!

Can you live without the airbags, yes or no? In my case I didn't want to deal with airbags failing me especially when I am out with my family during one of our long trips.

With Arnotts it is lifetime warranty.

Once you install the new struts you don't have to calibrate anything.

AMGAffalterbach

Hahaha I know waiting for the overwhelming sadness about how I can't drive my car this weekend to set in. I'm currently on Arnott rear air bags because those went about a year ago, so I know what that's all about. As far as the coil overs I'm just thinking it would be worth if it significantly reduced body roll and resulted in a lot better handling with less maintenance.

But good to know on the new struts, might not have to flatbed it to StarTech then!

SorryAboutThat

Bummer man!
Scary to think about what could've happened if it popped on one of your canyon runs. Probably would've been disasterous. At least you were at home when it failed. How many miles on your ride?

AMGAffalterbach

Yeah I was thinking the same thing! I have 130,000 on my E550 so I'm not surprised at all, but the interesting thing about it is that when it popped and failed it gradually let air out, didn't drop all at once. So safety wise I wouldn't have been worried but convenience wise it would have been a really bad situation.

vettdvr

Correct OR the SBC brakes system failing when you pull off the interstate with a red stop light at the bottom.

Now tell me again how safe a Mercedes with SBC brakes, and leaking fuel tanks?

AMGAffalterbach

I don't have SBC brakes I still stand behind my reasoning that based on how gradually the air let out of the bag after it failed, it would have not been a safety issue on the streets.

Duc1098E500

From my past experience that with a blown airbag you will not be able to turn due to clearance issues.

AMGAffalterbach

Must have been a pretty bad rupture, to anyone reading this thread in the future with similar questions I found that this job can be done without STAR or such as Duc said earlier, so I'm having Adam from MBClinic come over to my house and do it in 4 hours he estimated, glad I don't have to flat bed it.

Michael.Sinz

This same thing happened to me yesterday on the way home from work. Don't have a lift so I had it taken to my trusted independent and will likely get an Arnott replacement right front airstrut.

I just hope the other side is not going to break soon.

It did look somewhat "cool" that low. (A bit too low, actually)

Duc1098E500

Replace both front struts and not just one.

vettdvr

My wife Car was an E500 and I am sure after hers failed while driving, I'm she would not share your views.

Duc1098E500

A womans perspective is different from a mans point of view.

Michael.Sinz

So, doing both is recommended? Is that just because the other side will go or is there some other reason? Would the ride be compromised otherwise?

I do wonder about the Arnott re-manufactured struts. If they did a good job they should be as good or better than the originals.

AMGAffalterbach

Loling at your comment Duc.

But yes you should do both sides, always in pairs. The other side is probably close to going anyway and the ride could be compromised depending on the condition of the other. The Arnott parts are brilliant, had two re-manufactured rear air bags and they are great. I think they're about the same as the original, definitely not worse.