tyncobb

Greetings Group, I am the new owner this week of a 2007 E350 4Matic (120,000 mi) with Avant Garde Sport Pkg, AMG Sportline Body Styling Sport Code, 18" AMG Wheels, Shift Paddles, etc in MINT Condition (looks new inside & exterior). 1 Owner and fastidious Service Records showing every 5K or/or 3 Month maintenance at MB Dealer (whether it needed it or not). BUT, can anyone tell me if these things are supposed to ride like a tank (feel every bump in the road even in the comfort setting) yet it handles like a BEAST when cornering, acceleration, AMG exhaust set up sounds great, etc. I come from a Lexus LS400 and somewhat used to soft ride. SO, can anyone tell me, is it just that it is set up with the 18" Mich Pilot Sport 245/45/18's with 18"AMG wheels and firm sport suspension I assume....or is my suspension about to go out? (guessing it has air shocks ??? Can anyone tell me if these models have air shocks or how to find out? And, given that it has the sport and comfort setting...I just assumed the shocks are air?. ALSO, if they are air shocks would the struts/shocks go bad without a Check Light going on? Dealer did their inspection b4 selling it to me, but assume that was a very basic looksee....they did find a CV Boot that was leaking and replaced along with 2 new Mich Pilot Sport rear tires to match the front coupled with an alignment at no cost.....but I didn't get to see what they did in the inspection. Am worried about that cost if struts need to be replaced.

Thanks for any comments or comparisons of your E350 Sport Editions and how they ride. This thing is gorgeous with the Sienna Black (actually imported from Germany when purchased and has a deep Chocolate Brown color in the sun (some kind of reddish metallic paint)...looks black at night. And it really is a Bat out of Hell when cornering or accelerating/jumping on it and using paddle shifters. But I find myself literally dodging all man hole covers and any bumps that are not on a highway. Was kind of hoping for that Mercedes soft ride I've heard about. But I didn't read the differences between the Luxury and Sport models (and I should have), since this was in perfect condition and had come in as a trade the day that I went to the dealer (was actually there to drive a Lexus they had gotten as a trade)....so this E350 was not even showing in the inventory at that early stage; literally traded that day. Thanks again for your insight.

wjcandee

If you have the different settings, you have the air shocks. Yes, it rides like a Mercedes and not a Lexus. Check your tire inflation to make sure they are not over-inflated, and make sure your shocks aren't leaking in the rear (you have struts in the front). You'll get used to it.

tyncobb

So my E350 does have Air Shocks in the Rear but not in the front? If that is the case then I have 3 more questions:

1. If the rear air shocks go out or malfunction, will I get some kind of warning Light Code in the dash to check them? Or will they just fail and drop down on the wheel wells so you then only tow it to the dealer?

2. If the fronts are regular struts...I assume they must be some type of Bilstein Sport (super firm) strut....or do I need to replace with MB parts/struts only?

3. Could I replace firm front struts with softer (comfort) struts and not have it affect the alignment etc, and get a little softer ride???

Thanks for your responses or suggestions. I will check the tire pressure tomorrow also.

wjcandee

No no no no. I must have been unclear, which it's not the first time. But I simply meant to say is that in the front you have air struts. In the rear, you have separate air springs and special shocks which will adjust ride comfort as well. It's all by Bilstein

wjcandee

And if any of this is truly malfunctioning, you'll get a warning on the dash. It will say if you shouldn't drive it anymore. I got the warning for about a day before it crapped out the first time.

tyncobb

Ok thanks. I think I understand that the fronts are not special or controlled by some type of air compressor like the rears sound as if they are.

So I should be able to buy regular struts for the front and then do the replacement myself by pulling and using a spring compressor (have done this many times with my Lexus). I assume like you said, the oem is Bilstein, but maybe I can get a softer more comfortable Bilstein for the two front struts???

And with the rear Air Shocks I would have the dealer or an Indy ship repair as I know those are too complicated for me to replace.

Really appreciate all of your feedback since I'm somewhat disappointed in the harsh harsh ride but also concerned about the cost of the "Airmatic" or Air Shock replacements...how much did you rear air shocks cost to replace?

cetialpha5

Post your VIN, a vin decoder will tell you if you have airmatic or not. I think you're talking about the sport and comfort button which everyone has. That just adjust the shift points for the transmission, some say it doesn't really seem to matter much, just kinda determines what gear it starts out in. There's a couple other buttons below the shifter that will adjust the ride height if you had airmatic. You don't mention if it's a wagon or a sedan. The wagon had airmatic in the rear, the sedan didn't have airmatic, only the E550 had it. You can also check out Mercede's epcnet which will tell you want part number you need. For the 4matic, strut options are somewhat limited.

tyncobb

Thank you again for all of this help & info..this is my first Mercedes. Knew the Lexus info like the back of my hand & used and shared info on the Lexus forums. My 2007 E350 4Matic MB is a sedan, not a Wagon. The VIN is WDBUF87X17X218062. Not familiar with the MB VIN decoder or the Mercedes epcnet? How do I access or use those sites? Yes I was talking about how the Comfort & Sport button above the shifter plate; but do not have any buttons for setiings below the shifter for any type of ride setting. I am surprised to learn that the Comfort/Sport button affects only the transmission shift settings and does not control the suspension or ride tightness. Great to learn that; which may mean that I do not have any air compressor controlled shocks. And if that is the case I should be able to replace all 4 struts with regular OEM strut replacements myself using my spring compressor just like the Lexus. And I assume that I could find either MB or OEM struts in a softer or comfort strut as opposed to what I am guessing are Heavy Duty or extremely firm struts on mine now....or what is causing such a harsh ride (every bump in the pavement and manhole covers almost rock the whole car) is the fact that my struts may already be shot...which would almost be a welcome relief if not Airmatic or air compressor controlled. That would be the only thing that does not look or feel new on this beauty...everything else is in absolute new condition and the car was meticulously services and taken care of by the previous owner. Looking forward to your response. Thanks again.

mishar

Car with such service record should have Owners Manual too. So check there what suspension you have. You can also peek into front wheelwell and check if there is steel spring or something else. Air suspension also have height adjustment. Classic doesn't.

Air suspension has air springs and regular (usually high quality) shock absorbers. Mercedes have those bundled together in struts at the front and separate at the back. Some other cars have struts all over. That's quite more expensive setup.

mishar

If you do not have height adjustment you have classic (steel spring) suspension, probably lower than standard if it is sport package. Shock absorbers and springs that are at the end of their life are much softer than they should be. So stiffness that bothers you is actually new feeling, just inline with the rest of your car. It is just German suspension philosophy. That's trade of for that perfect handling. Just keep avoiding manholes. I call that 3D driving. Absolutely necessary with lowered cars.

wjcandee

Yeah, okay. I like www.17vin.com because it will show you the whole card for your car, including all the option codes. Click on SA Code tab and it will put words by the codes so you know what they are.

I don't see airmatic in the list. It's usually Code 489 on these cars, and it's not there. I do see sport package. The guy above who pointed out that the c/s button on the trans also is comfort/sport, but fot the shifting points, was correct. I was thinking that you had the button below the shifter on the console that adjusted the ride. My mistake.

You have lots of options for shocks and front struts when you just have the regular ones. As Mishar points out, the sport suspension is likely to be firmer. Talk to a good independent mechanic who works on Mercedes about your options.

Also, a little trick to reset your transmission ECU so it starts out in maximum performance before "learning" to be more docile over time.

1. Turn key to RUN (just before START). Do not start the car. Just put it in RUN.
2. Depress accelerator pedal all the way for 15 seconds.
3. Still holding pedal down, turn key to OFF.
4. Release pedal.
5. Do not remove key. Wait two minutes. ECU will be reset after that. When transmission is in "sport", shifts should henceforth be optimized for maximum acceleration. Until it learns not to.

cetialpha5

Epcnet is at:

http://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/subscribe.jsp

It's free to subscribe, they just want a credit card to make sure you're in the US.

With 120k, the struts could be shot. It's also a stiff ride, but I don't think it's too stiff and my mileage is lower. I think for the 4matic, selection is somewhat limited, I forget if it's the front or the rears that might have aftermarket struts available but for the other, it's just OEM. You can try huskerparts.com for oem prices, they do a pretty good job of discounting OEM parts. On the sport, they lowered the suspension a 1/2 inch over the luxury model. You're lucky you missed the balance shaft problems that affected some early 2007 models, you're past that point though. You also got the bi-xenons which is nice, you didn't get keyless go through, most of the time people got the P2 package which came with both bi-xenons and keyless go. Did you get an ipod cable in the glove box? You're also set up for bluetooth so if you have the puck in the center console, you should be able to pair it with your phone, but you can't play music on it.

kajtek1

Even forum decoder shows "coil springs"
end of the story.

PaulE550

Just a comment for OP. You're comparing two different cars built for somewhat different purposes. The Lexus 400 was built for customers more interested in a smooth, almost isolated from the road ride for passengers, than for what most of us would consider performance. Everything was engineered to deliver that isolated from the road feel ride quality with performance being a much lower priority. Performance, meaning a more sport sedan type handling and responsiveness, in the Lexus line up is really restricted to the F (not F Sport) series vehicles at this point. That's why you notice such a performance difference between your Lexus 400 and the MB. The model MB you're driving has a sports suspension package, tires, etc., So while trying to soften the ride a bit may be doable, recreating that almost isolated from the road ride of a Lexus would be a challenge. It's like comparing apples to oranges in some ways.

kajtek1

That situation remind me story of my life.
Years ago I drove VW on autobahns and was dreaming of having Porsche for it.
Few years later I moved to CA and having good profession could afford a Porsche here.
Only to find the car useless and senseless on CA roads.
Speed limits at the time were 55 mph, so could not use the car performance, while sport suspension was very rough on bumpy CA roads.
Took me over a year to resell the car at big loss.

tyncobb

Wjcandee, Mishir, cetialpha5, era al;

The Decoder and epcnet are awesome tools for a newbie. I enjoy learning about and working on my cars, so this will go a long way. Due to all of you I now know that I don't need to worry about Air Shocks: I now know my front & rears are Springs & Struts...easy to work on.

In my original post, I did mention that I purchased this based on reviewing the 6 pages of service records from the prior owner who serviced it at the same dealer every 5K or 3 months, whichever came earlier & at a min had the oil/filters changed, amongst other service. AND I did mention that I did not do enough research & due diligence between the Luxury vs Sport setups. I was sold on the perfect service records and flawless int/ext. Only drove it about 10 miles on hwy mostly. That was my fault and oversight. I did not view MB as a true sport car, given friends who have Luxury models & generic marketing/adds regarding the MB Elegance factor. So I was not expecting this car to have so much attitude and growl. I now know my perception of MB built solely as a luxury class ride was incorrect. And I do appreciate the car, as I drive it more, I do get used to it.

That said, I have previously also owned a 95 BMW M5 and an 83 Porsche 911 SC Targa and this car rides tougher/tighter on the cement than the 911. While I appreciate performance, I truly feel that my struts and/or mounts may be on their way out. I will also be checking the pressure in the new Michelin Pilot Sports that the dealer put on last week as part of the purchase (I assumed they inflated properly) (and I did read several MB tire posts who said the 18x45x245 Michelin Pilot Sport was a very stiff hard rubber that when installed some felt like they could feel the bump driving over a quarter in the road.., said they would be changing out with Conti's for a better/softer ride while not compromising much in performance???any views on this anyone?). I can literally feel every pebble, rock and middle seam of normal city roads. So I will now be able to get under this beast and either pull the struts or at a minimum check the bushings etc. Since it is so new to me, I thought I would first check out the wealth of information on the MB forum from all who have owned, driven and worked on their 350 or 550's. And unfortunately, the first several posts I read were about failed Airmatics and the exorbitant cost to replace just one unit, much less all 4. So I'm pleased to learn about the VIN Decoder to see my car does not have air. Also, just like to run through the posts to learn of commonalities experienced by all owners and what to watch for. Everyone's experience and post really is a great way to learn about the E350. I will also be checking the owners manual and any service records that may be in the books. In the 6 pages of services records that the dealer printed out for me, there were no strut/shock replacements or services: there were ball joint, bushing repairs, etc. So maybe the struts had not needed servicing in the past 120K, and if not, it may be time. My Bimmer/Porshe/Lexus all went between 115-150K.

Either way I will be checking and now know that I can check on my own (would not attempt air shock replacement myself most likely, probably don't have the correct tools and diagnostic equip to set ride afterwards). I have not yet read the entire owners manual so haven't figured out the Bluetooth compatibility that was mentioned, but there is a slot just above the NAV screen that looks like it is for a DVD or CD...but have the 6 CD compartment just under the NAV screen..push I on the Bamboo wood just above the ashtray and it opens up, where you slide the CDs in and push back down and you don't even know it's there. Also have the DVD NAV unit in the trunk...so I don't know what the single slot just above the NAV screen is for either. Also haven't figured out what the COMAND unit is or how it works. Think I'll be learning quite a bit about my car from all of the help offered by you and everyone else in this forum.

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

kajtek1

Don't rush on struts/shock replacement.
I used to own, or at least drive several Mb with 260 or even 300k miles and shocks were not a problem.
I was not original owner of them, so can't guarantee they were original, but usually I can tell the part is much younger than the rest of the car.
Struts on MB don't sag, so if you don't have broken one, it is what it is.
Shocks are pretty easy to diagnose by pushing corners down, or observe how the car bounce on bumps.
You are not the first one who bought sport car only to find it unbearable so if that is your only problem, consider trading it for one with airmatic.
The stories about arimatic are overinflated as most of the tings are. It is not the cheapest thing to maintain, but how you put price on luxury?

cmriv

Your engine mounts and transmission mounts are probably shot. along with your struts. Can't really give you any insight since you left a ls400 to go to a w211 v6 banger. My pops has a ls460L and boy does that thing ride smooth as a B. It's like riding on pillows. And he's got 22" wheels and lowered-and still it rides smoother then my MERK, it actually pisses me off hahaha

Check the engine and trans mount for play. IF they don't have play-replace all three and then re-assess. That Michelin tire isn't exactly a smooth/quiet tire either... however at least they are new!

tyncobb

Cmriv,

Thanks for the post...had not considered motor & trans mounts: yet good idea to check. While I did come from the LS400, I am also comparing the ride to my old 911.

I actually went to the MB dealer to see an LS460 that was traded in, but could not search the service records, so when they showed me the 6 pages of Service records for this E350 all at the same MB dealer and the fact that the paint was perfect (0) sings along with new interior, I couldn't resist.

Also will be reviewing the owners manual & record book in the next several days and will be posting any updates to service that may rule out struts, mounts, etc.

What are the preferred or dealer supplied tires for the E350? Or what does everyone recommend?

mishar

I just wonder how could faulty engine and transmission mounts (most likely not faulty on that well maintained car) make ride harsh. Same thing with struts. Bad struts (generally just bad shock absorbers) would make ride bouncy and noisy, wheels jumping and loosing contact with pavement, most certainly not stiff, if that is this tread about.

I wouldn't be surprised if shock absorbers where replaced with even sportier ones without any written trail in order to avoid warranty issues.

One thing is certain: No German car will ever ride like Cadillac or Lexus. For better or worst.

kajtek1

I am with mishar.
MB springs don't sag. Absorbers last for 300,000+ miles
So unless a spring is broken, it is the way the sport car is design.
Some members having airmatics - lower the car to have the hars ride as this gives better cornering.
Can't have it all in one.

cetialpha5

You do this all the time. You take the exception for the rule. At 300k, you are probably getting an under damped response from a strut. It's too bad there aren't that many aftermarket solutions, most of the time they have a lifetime warranty so there's no reason to keep driving on a worn strut even if it's not blown out. There are many threads on here about people replacing their struts, I don't think any of them mentioned that they were at 300k, most were way under like 58-113k.

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...11-shocks.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...placement.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-question.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...placement.html

If the motor mounts were shot, you'd probably getting a humming or vibration. Mine went at around 60k, the bottom of the mounts were broken.

mishar

Strut = shock absorber + spring

cmriv

Does the VMI show that the engine and trans and or transfer case mount were replaced? If they were, since vehicle was serviced at dealership its whole life pretty much, it will say so in the VMI. At 120k i see collapsed engine/trans mounts on weekly basis, hell even at 40k miles they are collapsed or fluids leaked out of the mounts themselves. Vehicle drives like dog shyt. And struts at 300k????? Who the F even has 300k on their MERK? Let alone on orignal from the factory struts....? That response was terrible insight especially considering there's recalls and LI documents over numerous models about defective struts.

You have a M272 engine-i'm willing to bet if they haven't been replaced already, the engine mounts are shot. Especially at 120k miles....

cetialpha5

It's kajtek1. Don't even get him started on Spanish batteries lasting 12 years. He was banned on another forum for things like this.