Lowered Suspension w/Selective Damping System
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 310
Likes: 57
e300
Reading through all the posts on the other thread on this suspension confusion: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-question.html
it appears that many members are confusing the passive "selective damping" suspension, option #677, with the adjustable "adaptive damping" suspension, option #459, thanks to the obfuscating marketing lingo from Mercedes. All orders for US-bound E-classes I've seen posted in this forum have 677, none have 459.
When I ordered my E400 coupe, which is on a boat right now, I did not even consider the air suspension, as I am planning to keep the car for over 5 years, the repair costs are prohibitive, and most reviews said the "adaptive damping" suspension, aka "Dynamic Body Control" worked just as well and was even a bit sportier when needed. So, I saw that option 677 for "lowered suspension with selective damping", assumed that was the same as "Dynamic Body Control" (and the dealer was happy to say it was, because no one ever seems to know much about options at dealerships), and never gave a thought to air suspension again, thinking I was getting the clever compromise. Turns out 677 is just a conventional suspension lowered by 15 mm with respect to the sedan's conventional suspension.
It's disappointing, but that's how marketing works. Definitely not a show-stopper, as Dynamic Body Control is just not offered in the E-class for the US, but the lack of transparency and knowledge one finds in the process of buying a $80k+ car always leaves a bitter taste behind...
it appears that many members are confusing the passive "selective damping" suspension, option #677, with the adjustable "adaptive damping" suspension, option #459, thanks to the obfuscating marketing lingo from Mercedes. All orders for US-bound E-classes I've seen posted in this forum have 677, none have 459.
When I ordered my E400 coupe, which is on a boat right now, I did not even consider the air suspension, as I am planning to keep the car for over 5 years, the repair costs are prohibitive, and most reviews said the "adaptive damping" suspension, aka "Dynamic Body Control" worked just as well and was even a bit sportier when needed. So, I saw that option 677 for "lowered suspension with selective damping", assumed that was the same as "Dynamic Body Control" (and the dealer was happy to say it was, because no one ever seems to know much about options at dealerships), and never gave a thought to air suspension again, thinking I was getting the clever compromise. Turns out 677 is just a conventional suspension lowered by 15 mm with respect to the sedan's conventional suspension.
It's disappointing, but that's how marketing works. Definitely not a show-stopper, as Dynamic Body Control is just not offered in the E-class for the US, but the lack of transparency and knowledge one finds in the process of buying a $80k+ car always leaves a bitter taste behind...
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From: Sweden
S213
Reading through all the posts on the other thread on this suspension confusion: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-question.html
it appears that many members are confusing the passive "selective damping" suspension, option #677, with the adjustable "adaptive damping" suspension, option #459, thanks to the obfuscating marketing lingo from Mercedes. All orders for US-bound E-classes I've seen posted in this forum have 677, none have 459.
When I ordered my E400 coupe, which is on a boat right now, I did not even consider the air suspension, as I am planning to keep the car for over 5 years, the repair costs are prohibitive, and most reviews said the "adaptive damping" suspension, aka "Dynamic Body Control" worked just as well and was even a bit sportier when needed. So, I saw that option 677 for "lowered suspension with selective damping", assumed that was the same as "Dynamic Body Control" (and the dealer was happy to say it was, because no one ever seems to know much about options at dealerships), and never gave a thought to air suspension again, thinking I was getting the clever compromise. Turns out 677 is just a conventional suspension lowered by 15 mm with respect to the sedan's conventional suspension.
It's disappointing, but that's how marketing works. Definitely not a show-stopper, as Dynamic Body Control is just not offered in the E-class for the US, but the lack of transparency and knowledge one finds in the process of buying a $80k+ car always leaves a bitter taste behind...
it appears that many members are confusing the passive "selective damping" suspension, option #677, with the adjustable "adaptive damping" suspension, option #459, thanks to the obfuscating marketing lingo from Mercedes. All orders for US-bound E-classes I've seen posted in this forum have 677, none have 459.
When I ordered my E400 coupe, which is on a boat right now, I did not even consider the air suspension, as I am planning to keep the car for over 5 years, the repair costs are prohibitive, and most reviews said the "adaptive damping" suspension, aka "Dynamic Body Control" worked just as well and was even a bit sportier when needed. So, I saw that option 677 for "lowered suspension with selective damping", assumed that was the same as "Dynamic Body Control" (and the dealer was happy to say it was, because no one ever seems to know much about options at dealerships), and never gave a thought to air suspension again, thinking I was getting the clever compromise. Turns out 677 is just a conventional suspension lowered by 15 mm with respect to the sedan's conventional suspension.
It's disappointing, but that's how marketing works. Definitely not a show-stopper, as Dynamic Body Control is just not offered in the E-class for the US, but the lack of transparency and knowledge one finds in the process of buying a $80k+ car always leaves a bitter taste behind...
Correct, also, ADS (code 459) is very rare, I am not sure if it even is offered to non AMG vehicles at all.
Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 76
Likes: 31
2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe
Yep, in the US by default we get as standard the basic non-adjustable suspension with the passive "selective damping", or you can get the same basic non-adjustable suspension lowered by 15 mm, option #677. You can also shell out $1900 for air body control and adjust things at your heart's content until it breaks, and then you get a heart attack looking at the repair bill for each of those fancy three-chamber (in rear, dual chamber in front) air shocks. Of course it's fine if you have a 3-year lease, which stupidly is not my plan.
Last edited by e400c; Apr 22, 2018 at 11:35 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 310
Likes: 57
e300
Yep, in the US by default we get as standard the basic non-adjustable suspension with the passive "selective damping", or you can get the same basic non-adjustable suspension lowered by 15 mm, option #677. You can also shell out $1900 for air body control and adjust things at your heart's content until it breaks, and then you get a heart attack looking at the repair bill for each of those fancy three-chamber (in rear, dual chamber in front) air shocks. Of course it's fine if you have a 3-year lease, which stupidly is not my plan.
Air conversion to steel suspension
Check out this guy, he converted the SL55 ABC suspension to steel
Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 76
Likes: 31
2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe
haha yea exactly, if i had an out of warranty Merc I would consider converting the air suspension to steel. On youtube, there are guys who buy used V12 Merc's for 5k-10k and anything that goes wrong they just fix with cheap parts. I would do the same. Even 1 used air suspension side is ridiculous to fix. And i have seen many cars sitting on the ground because those parts cost so much to fix, the owners dont want to replace them.
Check out this guy, he converted the SL55 ABC suspension to steel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWhBGvfcy6g
Check out this guy, he converted the SL55 ABC suspension to steel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWhBGvfcy6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiu-...re=youtu.be&a=
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 685
Likes: 121
From: Palm Coast, Florida
2019 E-450 Wagon
I know, old thread and I just now dug it up by inserting Option 677 in Google as my 2019 E-Wagon are blessed with this code:
I did read every comment on the thread and concluded that the Dynamic Selective System will (or may) change the shocks damping characteristic's
with the various settings?
At slow speeds, over speed bumps, the front bottoms out with the original low-profile run-flat tires on my car. (There is a jack and a spare wheel in my future)
SO, If I always run around in "Sport Mode" while I am wearing down the original tires, so I can then justify new Michelins after another 10k miles,
will the suspension be stiffer and protect the structure rather than bottom out at 25 mph?
I did read every comment on the thread and concluded that the Dynamic Selective System will (or may) change the shocks damping characteristic's
with the various settings?
At slow speeds, over speed bumps, the front bottoms out with the original low-profile run-flat tires on my car. (There is a jack and a spare wheel in my future)
SO, If I always run around in "Sport Mode" while I am wearing down the original tires, so I can then justify new Michelins after another 10k miles,
will the suspension be stiffer and protect the structure rather than bottom out at 25 mph?
Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 76
Likes: 31
2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe
I know, old thread and I just now dug it up by inserting Option 677 in Google as my 2019 E-Wagon are blessed with this code:
I did read every comment on the thread and concluded that the Dynamic Selective System will (or may) change the shocks damping characteristic's
with the various settings?
At slow speeds, over speed bumps, the front bottoms out with the original low-profile run-flat tires on my car. (There is a jack and a spare wheel in my future)
SO, If I always run around in "Sport Mode" while I am wearing down the original tires, so I can then justify new Michelins after another 10k miles,
will the suspension be stiffer and protect the structure rather than bottom out at 25 mph?
I did read every comment on the thread and concluded that the Dynamic Selective System will (or may) change the shocks damping characteristic's
with the various settings?
At slow speeds, over speed bumps, the front bottoms out with the original low-profile run-flat tires on my car. (There is a jack and a spare wheel in my future)
SO, If I always run around in "Sport Mode" while I am wearing down the original tires, so I can then justify new Michelins after another 10k miles,
will the suspension be stiffer and protect the structure rather than bottom out at 25 mph?
