Jack McCarty

When i bought my 1-owner 2011 E350 4Matic
pre-owned W212 Wagon from Mercedes of Santa Rosa. CA with 100,000 miles, I noticed that the ride was choppy & uncomfortable on our potholed
San Francisco streets compared to the ride of the previous 2001 E320 4Matic Wagon (bought @ 58K & sold @ 135K which I drove for 14 years, also a 1-owner purchased from Mercedes of Houston.

i asked my top Indy MB Shop Manager in San Francisco if the 2011 Wagon shocks should be replaced @ 100K miles.

He, the MB salesman & my MB service manager at MB San Rafael said no, unless shocks were leaking fluid.

Well, they weren’t leaking, but I replaced them with OEM shocks, and the ride is significantly
improved.

I just want to share my experience because the enjoyment of this great Wagon is far superior with that much improved ride, & it’s a much safer ride, combined with my excellent Bridgestone Turanza tires (NEVER run/flats or huge sizes which lead to blowouts & cracked aluminum wheels).

Just sharing my experience…

chassis

What wheels/tires were on the 2011 when you bought it, and what wheels/tires do you usually run on the 2001?

Jack McCarty

I think the Wagon had Michelins at purchase.
i replaced with Bridgestone Turanzas which I’ve run on my ‘91 300CE, my ‘01 E320 4Matic Wagon, & my ‘11 E350 4Matkc Wagon.
The Wheel Works Manager in San Francisco
recommended the Turanzas which I’ve been very pleased with for quiet performance.

chassis

Thanks. What wheel and tire size on the 2001, and on the 2011?

CaliBenzDriver

The good with new MB vehicles is the ride is both smooth and controlled. Around 80kMi, control is mostly replaced by looseness and near 100kMi. by sloppiness.

Now that you have new tires and shocks you can deal with control arms and misc suspension wear items: stabilizer bar links & bushings, tie rods and cradles bushings.

With loose suspension parts, wheel alignment are not effective - Tires wear the inside edge from biased toe-in.

Jack McCarty

Thanks for the question.
i sold the 2001 E320 4Matic wagon in 2020 which had factory standard wheels from MB Houston, with 58K miles / I drove it for 14 years with Bridgestone Turanzas, always aligned, rotated & balanced every 3000 miles at Wheel Works in San Francisco & replaced full set as needed.

I bought the 2011 E350 4Matic Wagon in 2020, from MB Santa Rosa, which my salesman had sold & serviced to OO who traded for a 2020 MB.
Wheel Works discovered a cracked stock rim which I replaced when new tires went on at purchase, which are 17” / 45” wide.