ngerstman

I'm a new owner of an e550 4matic. I've never had a Mercedes with the airmatic shocks. I know that they have been offering them in the 211 e class for some time as well as being standard in the S class for some time. I would be curious to get some feedback from some members who have had some experience with the airmatics and what your long term view of them are. Is there a downside versus standard shocks? Are they better/ worse? Thanks in advance. Ned.

220S

fwiw, I've had both (a conventional E350 and currently an Airmatic E63) and I much prefer Airmatic. The ride is way better. I do have the AMG tuned Airmatic so it's stiffer than the regular Airmatic in Sports II mode. But in Comfort I mode, it's still super smooth.

What I also like is that you can raise the chassis when needed (bad driveways, etc..) And the big plus is level adjustment. You can load up the car, fill the trunk, and the car remains perfectly level.

I think the reason why people question Airmatic is because replacements are expensive. And they can fail, just like any regular strut. Unlike conventional suspensions, they're more elaborate. Outside of warranty, it can get pricey to repair. But for me, the trade-off is worth it. The E350 is not as good a ride quality.

I also like the optional ABC system in the S Class. It's hydraulic instead of air and an S Class has basically zero body roll. ABC keeps the car flat in the corners.

park423

Well if you choose an e-class, there is no choice, either you get it standard with the 550 or you cannot get it all with the 350. If you don't like this feature or want this feature, you basically have to choose another car brand as it is not a stand alone option.

The airmatic sport certainly does it's job in the corners while still keeping a pretty comfy ride level. I wish it was a bit more stiffer in sport but better than nothing as the 350 feels like luxo-cruiser and not a sport sedan even with the sport package.

As for the cost when the car is out of warranty and it fails, I'm sure all cars in this class will cost a lot to fix any type of repair. I doubt a BMW 550i will cost significantly less than the E to repair.

ngerstman

A threader who used to own a 211 e550 did not like any of the settings(and then there were three!!) for the airmatic shocks and that was the reason he says he got 212 e350 instead of the 550. My initial feeling(I only have 500 miles on my e550) is that I like the airmatic. Thanks. Ned.

park423

211 E550 had 3 settings? I wonder if it was like a sport+, I'd like that now.
Also, I remember the 211 E320 sport had the airmatic, but back then, the sport package cost a lot extra.
Certainly can't see going from a 211 E550 to a 212 E350 just because of the airmatic , mainly because I love the 550 power.

WGB

I have just spent 4 years with an airmatic ML500 and it had three damping settings (Comfort, Auto and Sport) and five height settings.

It never gave the slightest bother and was still well damped when I sold it at 76,000 km.

I think the ride handling compromise of the airmatic semi-active (Vs DC in the 211 and 164) in the E550 combined with the four valve V8 motor is simply sublime and is a good balance betwen performance and comfort.

I have always been suspicious of these complicated suspensions - I also own a W116 6.9 with hydropneumatic suspension - but the agents say that apart from the first batch of S classes in 2000 or so the airmatic suspension has been very reliable. Not so sure about very old high mileage cars though.

Bill

220S

My 2009 W211 E63 has three settings. I didn't know the W212 E550 now only has two settings (?)

The AMG has Comfort, Sport I, and Sport II. But it's tuned stiffer than an E550 and you'll notice a big difference using Sport II. Yet in regular Comfort setting it smooths the pavement out like a regular E550.

scfishnman

I really like the airmatic suspension. I had a 2008 S550 with it and a 2005 CLK500 Cabriolet without. Of course, my 2011 E550 has it. There is a distinctive difference in the ride between the cars with airmatic and the one without it.

I cannot comment on reliability issues since the longest I kept any of these cars was just over two and 22,000 miles. However, during that period I experienced no issues.

The two factors that caused me to purchase an E550 rather than an E350 were the V8 engine and the airmatic suspension, the supsension being the dominant factor.

Texas993

Ditto. Airmatic was a big factor when I purchased my E550. My former S500 had ABC, which I loved. Our GL has airmatic as did some Range Rovers in the past (air suspension).

Yes, airmatic is a wear item and they all evetually fail. But if you buy form Arnott, the expense is reasonable.

ngerstman

Why do you think that we don't have ABC offered with the e550. Sounds like a great feature. Regards. Ned.

220S

Cross pollinating options to lower models can devalue a model. S Class is exclusive with an ABC option. E Class is a "lesser car and needs to stay that way." Also no doubt there were probably some assembly line production issues that cost too much for a worthwhile profit return on a "rarely chosen" option. (Most E Class buyers are usually more price conscious.)

It's usually pretty much like this with all brands of cars.

pkancel

Ngerstan was referring to me I think. We still have the W211 with Airmatic and we also have a W212, no airmatic. Its not a good comparison because I am betting when they redesigned the W212, they updgraded the airmatic so its likely different than our W211, non-Sport model.

So here some info from my comparison. I like the power/torque, but I dont like the W211 airmatic. It has three settings or technically two. First is standard, no light on. Second is one light on and is firm, last is two lights on and is extremely firm. Either way, the ride is either too soft or too hard. Regardless of the setting handling is not very good. If you put the car on the firmest setting, yes it handles better but the sacrafice is that it is so rough, you bounce through a turn if there is any irregularity. It is also fighting you so its like turning a car with no power steering where the wheel doesnt want to turn. Hard to explain exactly but its not ideal. Other W211 owners in some of these forums have explained similar sentiments.

The W212 E350 has an excellent ride. Very smooth, quiet but handling is so so. Its definitely better than the W211 because its not some electronic device interfering with your goal. I am not testing the car to its limits but on some exits and turns its nice to gas it a little and see how well the car responds. As someone mentioned above, if you only keep your cars while under warranty, like we do, then dont worry about cost. Our W211 is the first car we decided to keep beyond warranty and one airshock replacement is $1000. So far only had to replace one shock and a minor transmission service that Serge did for us. Otherwise our cost in keeping this car beyond warranty has been minimal.

We also have a BMW 550i Sport model and it has exceptional handling, very good ride but as Ned pointed out, this is So Cal so get somewhere around potholes and the BMW doesnt do as well in the ride category.

What I like about the BMW and our W212 E350 is that if I wanted to change the ride or handling to H&Rs or Eiback, like we did with our last 750LI, replacement of Springs is relatively in expensive and a lot can be done. I have driven the S-Class and that handles and drives great. Obviously that system to me is much better than the airmatic. Can a airmatic, non AMG get a software upgrade or something that is equivalent to AMG so the ride and handling are optimized?

So there is my take, sorry for the long message. Again, since I havent driven the W212 Airmatic, then I cant complain about that one

Over at Serge's, he had a customer with a W211 AMG that was changing out the airmatic to put on coilovers. The expense at minimum was in the area of $6000 because they didnt just put in an airshock where there used to be a strut, its really an entire system, meaning this guy is replacing control arms and everything.

mbfoup

The E550 airmatic works great. I said before that I wished the sport setting was a little stiffer. But other than that it's unbeatable.

One of the reasons I did not get a 2011 E63, besides the unjustified extra expense, is that the E63 has airmatic on the back, not on the front. It's stiffer. And yes, the airmatic really differentiates MB from BMW. I fear that I will not be able to go back to non-airmatic vehicles in the future...

220S

From what I was told by an AMG product manager is that the AMG airmatic struts are valved differently. There's an AMG sticker and part number on the struts. It may also be combined with software, I don't know.

It's potentially possible to buy AMG Airmatic struts for an E550 providing you don't end up throwing a code or something. imho, it's probably not worth the effort. A bigger difference in road feel is the steering ratio. It's different in the E63 than in the E550 and E350. I've always felt that the steering in the W211 E550/350 and the W212 E550/350 is pretty numb with little feedback. That's usually been the big complaint of car reviewers, too. And still is with the W212.

Have you driven the new F10 550i? They've softened up the chassis a lot compared to your E60 550i. It feels closer to an E Class now (which was their intention, since the demographics sided with a softer ride than stiffer ride.) In addition, they've gone to electric steering instead of hydraulic and there's quite a difference now, too. It doesn't feel as precise as the former E60.

WGB

From what I have read in the past the full airmatic 211 E55 and E63 had some high speed stability problems especially when tuned by Kleemans and the like.

At high speeds - read 150mph plus the cars would develop a diagonal weaving motion. Older hydropneumatics like a 116 450SEL 6.9 are also sometimes afflicted with this above 120 mph.

It is my assumption that the reason for steel springs and shocks in an E63 W212 at the front is for high speed European stability.

Full airmatic semiactive , the Q car appearance and an 80 litre fuel tank (vs 66 litres in an E63) are two reasons why I consider an E500 (read E550) W212 is a much more practical car.

Bill

ngerstman

I wish that Mercedes shared more technical information with their customers. Does anyone know what exactly the front and rear suspension setup is with the airmatic? I've heard them referred to as air springs. In a standard suspension, one would have the coil spring which determines ride height and in part stiffness and a shock absorber to control the recovery as well as affect ride stiffness and comfort. Are there springs in addition to the air shocks? Or do the air shocks do the job of both? Thanks. Ned.

vettdvr

2003 E500 w/airmatic

1) the shocks work well
2) Rears dealer price $575 each in the box
3) Front dealer price $1500 or close in the box
4) Arnott does sell rebuild lifetime warranty front replacements about 1/3 the cost from the dealer. However NOTE they only replace the air suspension assembly and NOT rebuild the actual shock
5) There are AIR SPRINGS on the rear AND airmatic shocks.
6) Replacement cost on Air Springs are about $5000 and mine failed at 80,000 miles
7) My rear shocks failed (blew out oil and lost pressure) at 90,000 miles and I replaced both doing the work myself buying NEW chocks from forum supporter for right at $800
8) My airmatic air compressor failed around 75,000 miles to the tune of about $1500.
9) If given the choice of airmatic vs conventional for the gains vs $$. I would NEVER buy again airmatic.

Simple add up the cost for 100000 miles of driving assuming you pay out of pocket

Springs $5000 + 2 rear shocks $800+ air compressor 1500+ front shocks $3000+labor=

10300 for being able to say Weee I like the ride. I really believe you can make a compromise on the airmatic to conventional suspension and keep a good ride.

Just too much $$ and too little reliability and way too much time wasted in dealership waiting room.

Of course my data base is ONE car,, MINE and your results and opinion may vary.

You will see as your vehicles begin to get miles/age on them.

I bought MB for reliability thinking I could easily get 200000+ miles on a solid car. Now at 100000 miles I am considering buying a more reliable car.

anjy834u

well it totally depends on where and what kinda airmatic u buy. most of them eventually bring u down. but if u get right one it's comfortable and it lsts. except i think sometimes it makes the vehicle stiffer.

park423

Thanks for the info. Hope the airmatic reliability has gotten better and cheaper over time. Also, I had an 2003 W211, 2003 was just not a good year for MB or the W211's

ngerstman

That was an informative write-up by Vettedvr. Hopefully we do have better reliability in our 212 e550's. If nothing else, maybe the price of replacing the air shocks will be lower when the time come for us or who ever owns our vehicles. I also wish that they had another setting or two for the airmatics as they did for the 211's. I like both the sport and comfort modes but might like two additional settings to play with, one firmer than sport and one a little softer than comfort. That would be great and fun. Regards. Ned.

220S

Maybe this will help...

ngerstman

That's exactly what I've been looking for!! Great!! It's pretty scary how much more complicated this suspension is than standard springs and shocks. I guess that's the price of progress and why I have an extended warranty. Thanks. Ned.

WGB

Great piece of technical advice - thank you for that.

Does the 212 system differ much from the 211?

I see 211 system is always called Airmatic DC but 212 is called Airmatic semi-active.

Bill

220S

afaik, the basic components and system design is the same (the document is from earlier W211s.) My Indy and my dealer both tell me that from 2007 on up they have made the parts more robust, and do so on a constant basis as they tally up repair data from the dealers worldwide.

Can't answer the DC versus semi-active nomenclature. I can only second guess and say the the valving/damping may be different since the W211 has three settings and the W212 now only comes with two. Hence the name differentiation.

Edit: p.s., I linked your post above (#15) on the AMG forum to see what other AMG owners might have to say. I still have the limiter on my AMG and no tune. But the consensus seemed to be that there was no "diagonal weave" at high speeds with the AMG Airmatic (the AMGs do have a differently tuned Airmatic system.) One member has a Kleemann tuned car and says it stays planted at very high speeds. Perhaps what you might have read was Kleemann tuned cars that were also lowered (with the Kleemann module) (?)

WGB

Thank you for the reply.