King of Korea

Vehicle: 2011 E350 (Base Sedan, NOT 4 Matic)

Hello, W212 owners.
I want to improve the riding quality. My W212 runs very smoothly on the well-paved road.
However, when the car runs on the rough roads, I feel the bumpy ride.
How could I improve the ride? (By using genuine MBZ parts)

Thank you.

Dingo L

I have the same problem as yours, you're not the only one, some people consider W212 the "stiffest" E class.

l tell you what I've done:
1. Changed the springs from Avantgarde (677) to Elegance/Comfort(485)
2. Kept the old shock absorbers, old one feel "softer"
3. Changed the rims to 16" ( get the smallest rims your car can use) and used 225/55/16 tires
4. Lowered the tire pressure to 32psi (or the lowest you think it's safe）
l got better ride after all these changes.

ChrisHimself

How many miles?

Not much you can really do though over patches of bad road, they're made for high speed highway commuting. 100% going to be what tires you choose. Worn suspension components ironically introduce more vagueness and maybe clunks to the ride, not necessarily make it not smooth.

DeTh

To add to this, NO RUNFLATS. Cheap tires also ride like ****

nc211

Mine is a sport model with 18” AMG wheels, but with “comfort” suspension. It rides quite nicely on all pavement types, not overly harsh by any means. I think the comfort suspension is a key difference. I do notice a difference with tire pressure, it’s very sensitive to that element. 32 psi and 37psi is a noticeable difference in mine. I have Michelin tires as well, which also made a nice difference over the wearing OE Continentals.

Dingo L

Have you made a VIN check of your car? I noticed Mercedes now defines 677 suspension as 'comfort', or 'lowered comfort', and actually it's not comfort at all, it's just 'standard' or 'normal'.
It's 'comfort' when you got 485 suspension.

pierrejoliat

Exactly, I have both 485 on my '12 and 677 on my '13, night and day difference, when you go back and forth between cars, it's totally obvious, also the 485 sits an inch higher in back and almost 3/4" in front.

Senecat

Easy, stay off bumpy roads.

SteveE400

I have a 2015 E400 with sport package, steel springs, no variable dampers, etc. It runs 18 X 8.5 inch rims with 245-40X18 tires.

If I run over a matchbook on the pavement, I can tell you how many matches were left.

nc211

I don’t think I have the luxury model suspension, nor do I think I have the sport suspension. It looks like sport suspension, but doesn’t ride nearly as harsh as some of these comments suggest. I know the window sticker said “comfort” on the suspension, so I’m thinking I’m somewhere in the middle of Luxury and true Sport. What that translates into for a code, I haven’t a clue….

Dingo L

Every match counts if you got an injured back like me.....

The real question is, should a mid-sized luxury sedan ride like this?

Left Coast Geek

My 2016 US model E350 4m wagon has option 485. On the data card this is described as "DIRECT CONTROL suspension".

Left Coast Geek

absolutely not. We *hated* the ride of the first couple W212's we test drove, and had given up on them until I discovered the Sport vs Luxury package thing.

IMHO, the worst ride were the sport sedans, the lux sedan was somewhat better. amazingly, the sport wagon was better than the lux sedan we'd driven, and this lux wagon is the best of all of them. Now these were all E350s, none had the full airmatic option, which I understand to be quite nice in 'comfort' mode.

CaliBenzDriver

The above knowledge should well be considered as a top criteria by E-class buyers.

Many drivers purchase a Benz thinking they are ALL built to be the best touring cars. In fact the suspension package directly impact the comfort, handling and maintenance cost.

There's still a lot of untold thruth about these amazing cars.

pierrejoliat

485= comfort
677=sport
486= AMG sport

Although they call them different names, this is what they are, some say avant grade some say direct control, but there were three springs available as listed by number above, then it goes into options, where they color code the springs with two colors based on that, for example a stripped car has different colors than a loaded car, a pano car has different colors than a sunrioof car, etc. Then theres the air suspension cars, and wagons with only rear air suspension. Obviously the V8's had heavier springs than the 6's and 4's and two different gas tanks tanks

If you have 677, your car has shortened springs, find a luxury and you will immediately notice the difference, it's huge.

Budhah

677 AVANTGARDE/STANDARD SUSPENSION

on my Luxury E350, Happy with it. tire Pressure will make a difference, note it is on the inside of the fuel door. front and back are diff.. Many times when you get oil change they will just put all tires at 35#.

pierrejoliat

If you have the 677 Avant garde, that is the lowered suspension like the sports, luxury comes with 485 direct control suspension. So you can check, from ground to fender lip my car is 27 5/8" at the rear fenders with a full tank of gas.

Budhah

677 AVANTGARDE/STANDARD SUSPENSION

is what my data sheet says. either way, am happy with it.

Left Coast Geek

Avante Garde is an interior trim color package. Avante Garde has cool greys and blacks, and is what the Sport cars come with, while Elegance has warm beiges and dark browns, and is what the Luxury cars came with, at least in the 212 facelift era. My wife was very specific about wanting beige or light grey seats and a white car, and IMHO, the beige Artico seats look great with the Elegance dash/doors.

re springs, Mercedes has always, within a given suspension package, matched the springs and spacers with the car options. Our early 90s W124 E classes (we had 3), they had a table for the front, and another for the rear, each of these tables assigned points to various options (different for front and rear), you add up the points, and then find the sum in a table which says what spring and spacer to use. I'm pretty sure they are still doing this, but I've not dug into that corner of the parts catalogs (formerly EPC, now ISPPI) In addition to the comfort/sport suspension options, at least in the old days, 3rd world countries got 'rough road' suspension options which were a mild lift kit with taller/softer springs, but those cars usually had far fewer options and were generally lighter, which also helps on rough roads.

ok, i just looked up a generic C212.288 (E350 4matic wagon) on ISPPI, and they don't use the points and table anymore, but they list all these different front springs for different option combinations...

•  
  • A 212 321 28 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    COLOR DESIGNATION: 1 X BLUE/3 X YELLOW
    Code: (482+978)+-(M271/M274);
    
  • A 212 321 16 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 1 x beige
    Code: M005+485;
    
  • A 212 321 17 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 2 x beige
    Code: M005+485;
    
  • A 212 321 18 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 3 x beige
    Code: M005+485;
    
  • A 212 321 19 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 4 x beige
    Code: M005+485;
    
  • A 212 321 31 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color coding: 1 x beige / 1 x yellow
    Code: M005+485;
    
  • A 212 321 32 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 1 x beige / 2 x yellow
    Code: M005+485;
    
  • A 212 321 42 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 2 x green / 2 x brown
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 10 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color coding: 1 x green
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 11 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 2 x green
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 12 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 3 x green
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 13 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 4 x green
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 14 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color coding: 1 x green / 1 x brown
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 15 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 1 x green / 2 x brown
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 35 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 1 x green / 3 x brown
    Code: (486+-(M156+M63/M157+M55))/(677+-M005);
    
  • A 212 321 20 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color coding: 1 x violet
    Code: M005+677;
    
  • A 212 321 21 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 2 x violet
    Code: M005+677;
    
  • A 212 321 22 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 3 x violet
    Code: M005+677;
    
  • A 212 321 23 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 4 x violet
    Code: M005+677;
    
  • A 212 321 34 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color marking: 1 x violet / 2 X yellow
    Code: M005+677;
    
  • A 212 321 33 04 - HELICAL SPRING
    Color coding: 1 x violet / 1 x yellow
    Code: M005+677;

and hah, that first one, option 482, thats 'suspension for greater ground clearance', not a US option at all, but one I *wish* we could have. pretty sure those cars all ahve 16" wheels with smaller brakes tho. I do like the brakes on mine, I had to stop much faster than I expected just a couple days ago when someone pulled directly into my stopping space when we came upon stopped traffic, scared the hell out of my wife, but the car didn't even shudder, it just slowed fast. guy in a late model chevy compact (malibu?) behind me had to dive for the shoulder of the road as his brakes were nowhere near as good (I always check my mirror during panic stops) so I steered as far left in the right lane I was in as I could so he had sufficient room to not hit me. I saw smoke from his tires. Fresh Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 for the win. god, I love these tires compared with the fresh Conti's the CPO selling dealer put on.

Left Coast Geek

SO, thats 21 different front springs Mercedes puts on 212.288 (facelift E350 4matic wagons). you go buy some hotrodder aftermarket kit springs, how many versions do that have? 1? 2? 3?

Dingo L

And guys, don't forget the shock absorbers. Some folks believe shocks dictate the ride quality more than the springs....

There are corresponding shocks for 485, 677 and 486, but interestingly most independent manufacturers offer same shock （e.g. Bilstein B4）to replace 677 and 485 shocks for my E250.
That's why l kept the old shocks when l changed the 677 springs to 485. I guess new shocks are stiffer than old ones..... well, 😅😅

SteveE400

When I bought my car, there was no choice. If I wanted the E400 versus the 350 (which was a must-have for me), they were all "sport" models. The only possibility would have been to find one with variable dampers. Not common on the lesser-optioned cars available at the time.

Budhah

18" AMG wheels here. great breaks like you said. Been a Lexus fan for years, first MB since an1989 rattler... (diesel)

Budhah

Maybe that is one reason I like it. Had brain tumor removed in July, and I don't hit my head getting in and out of the Mercedes like I do my Lexus LS500.. Tire pressure check is a must. surprised at the difference in suggested from front to rear. My datacard doesn't match my title for some reason. Title say Luxury, but not the datacard ?? another search said Limousine.

pierrejoliat

Could be, they're great cars, glad you're well again. I ran 32 in my "17 wheels but I bent two rims in five years, so now I run 35. in my "18 wheels I run the recommended 36 PSI front and rear, when I load down the trunks with luggage for a trip, I do put 37 and 38 in the back. You can ask Koenigstiger for a build sheet by posting your VIN, He's a huge asset to the forum.