2019 E450 Wagon Luxury - Lower Ride Height, but Not Quality?
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2019 E450 Waggo
2019 E450 Wagon Luxury - Lower Ride Height, but Not Quality?
Hi all, I've been living with my new-to-me 450 wagon (non air ride, except for the leveling in the back) and I really like it. My wife loves the comfortable ride, and while I think it's a bit floaty whenever I lean on it, it is amazing for nice long drives (we have a cabin in the mountains and regularly drive 3.5 hours each way on highway mountain roads). I just can't quite get over the way that it looks like it's on stilts, like it's trying to be an SUV. I'm pretty anti SUV in general, and refused to consider the All Road due to the awful plastic cladding and height.
Has anyone replaced springs, springs/shocks, gone to aftermarket air suspension, or gone to coilovers, but with the goal of retaining the plush comfort and just getting it out of 4X4 Truck mode? I've got some 18" Turbomac wheels to mount soon, and I'll be ditching the run-flats along with them, so hopefully that would help make up for the ride if there's a little stiffness gained.
I'm not looking to go slammed, tucked, and cambered or anything wild, just would like it to have an inch between fender and tire instead of nearly three inches.
It's a fantastic car and I'm really enjoying it and I certainly don't want to ruin the lovely ride, so if the final answer is 'do nothing' than that's okay too. But I'd really like to lower it a bit.
Has anyone replaced springs, springs/shocks, gone to aftermarket air suspension, or gone to coilovers, but with the goal of retaining the plush comfort and just getting it out of 4X4 Truck mode? I've got some 18" Turbomac wheels to mount soon, and I'll be ditching the run-flats along with them, so hopefully that would help make up for the ride if there's a little stiffness gained.
I'm not looking to go slammed, tucked, and cambered or anything wild, just would like it to have an inch between fender and tire instead of nearly three inches.
It's a fantastic car and I'm really enjoying it and I certainly don't want to ruin the lovely ride, so if the final answer is 'do nothing' than that's okay too. But I'd really like to lower it a bit.
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Hi all, I've been living with my new-to-me 450 wagon (non air ride, except for the leveling in the back) and I really like it. My wife loves the comfortable ride, and while I think it's a bit floaty whenever I lean on it, it is amazing for nice long drives (we have a cabin in the mountains and regularly drive 3.5 hours each way on highway mountain roads). I just can't quite get over the way that it looks like it's on stilts, like it's trying to be an SUV. I'm pretty anti SUV in general, and refused to consider the All Road due to the awful plastic cladding and height.
Has anyone replaced springs, springs/shocks, gone to aftermarket air suspension, or gone to coilovers, but with the goal of retaining the plush comfort and just getting it out of 4X4 Truck mode? I've got some 18" Turbomac wheels to mount soon, and I'll be ditching the run-flats along with them, so hopefully that would help make up for the ride if there's a little stiffness gained.
I'm not looking to go slammed, tucked, and cambered or anything wild, just would like it to have an inch between fender and tire instead of nearly three inches.
It's a fantastic car and I'm really enjoying it and I certainly don't want to ruin the lovely ride, so if the final answer is 'do nothing' than that's okay too. But I'd really like to lower it a bit.
Has anyone replaced springs, springs/shocks, gone to aftermarket air suspension, or gone to coilovers, but with the goal of retaining the plush comfort and just getting it out of 4X4 Truck mode? I've got some 18" Turbomac wheels to mount soon, and I'll be ditching the run-flats along with them, so hopefully that would help make up for the ride if there's a little stiffness gained.
I'm not looking to go slammed, tucked, and cambered or anything wild, just would like it to have an inch between fender and tire instead of nearly three inches.
It's a fantastic car and I'm really enjoying it and I certainly don't want to ruin the lovely ride, so if the final answer is 'do nothing' than that's okay too. But I'd really like to lower it a bit.
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2019 E450 Waggo
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
I have some not very nice words for the designers of the all-terrain. Not just the ridiculous height, but the trashy looking plastic cladding that makes it look like a $30k Subaru (no offense to Subarus, you do your thing). To me, it doesn't look "rugged" it looks cheap, like a 90s Cavalier. I'll stop now, but I'm not a fan.
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From: MD
w210 AMG or S213
I think H&R make lowering springs for the front and links for the rear, the drop is not too aggressive.
12-15mm spacers may help make the rear look better
Also coilovers on a wagon.
I would like to lower my wagon as well but not much more than 1-2 inches because of the crappy roads around here.
12-15mm spacers may help make the rear look better
Also coilovers on a wagon.
I would like to lower my wagon as well but not much more than 1-2 inches because of the crappy roads around here.
Last edited by illest; May 18, 2025 at 01:02 PM.
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I have some not very nice words for the designers of the all-terrain. Not just the ridiculous height, but the trashy looking plastic cladding that makes it look like a $30k Subaru (no offense to Subarus, you do your thing). To me, it doesn't look "rugged" it looks cheap, like a 90s Cavalier. I'll stop now, but I'm not a fan.
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I would argue that the plastic cladding is the correct design choice for the target use of the vehicle. Using juat about any other material would get damaged in an off road use case as you brush up against tree branches, bushes, and other obstacles encountered when off the main road. Any painted surface is subject to more damage where plastic is quite flexible that can take a beating and still look good. I suspect they call it an All Terrain because they designed it for that use case.
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OP, looks good.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; May 18, 2025 at 01:36 PM.
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
Perhaps but at least allow it be body coloured... uh plastic? They really like plastic back then in terms of the partnership with superplastic: https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/art...-superplastic/
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
I'm not a body shop guy, but I don't see why not. There are other plastic parts on the car that is painted. I assume the cladding is a bit more flexible than the plastic bumpers so maybe it needs a different type of paint.
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Reason I asked is because it does seem like the type of plastic used for the cladding is different than say how it is used on the bumper for example, the texture and smoothness is different. So that is why I was curious.
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Porsche Cayman S, Mercedes W213, Nissan Titan, BMW X5, Chevrolet Suburban
That wagon looks good -- it's proportional and the wheels fill up the wheel well nicely. I think the problem has been solved.
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2021 Mercedes Benz e450 Wagon
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2019 E450 Waggo
I would argue that the plastic cladding is the correct design choice for the target use of the vehicle. Using juat about any other material would get damaged in an off road use case as you brush up against tree branches, bushes, and other obstacles encountered when off the main road. Any painted surface is subject to more damage where plastic is quite flexible that can take a beating and still look good. I suspect they call it an All Terrain because they designed it for that use case.
Not that much shrubbery in the mall parking lot where 99% of these will spend their time. Even the G Wagon can come with painted fenders. That's a vehicle that's actually capable of off-roading. Also, how does one 'touch up' a blemish/scratch on a plastic bumper?
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2019 E450 Waggo
Trying to submit exhibit A, but Reddit is a big pain when trying to share a picture and I haven't figure it out, but check out this dude's grandmother's car. Those are the same wheels I have on my Jag and with some adapter spacers, I'll try to see if they'll fit the Merc. That car is, I believe, at the factory height for a sport/non-luxury trim, and I think that looks about low enough.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Wagons/comm...n52_turbomacs/
(If that doesn't come through just Google: Mercedes Wagon Turbomac)
https://www.reddit.com/r/Wagons/comm...n52_turbomacs/
(If that doesn't come through just Google: Mercedes Wagon Turbomac)
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2019 E300
My W213 already bottoms out way too much on these roads in the Northeast, lowering it would make it worst. The all terrain has the right idea, more suspension travel for today’s pothole filled roads. Does Mercedes thinks everyone drive their car on a smooth track?
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2017 M-B E400 4Matic Wagon AMG-Line
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Perhaps the vehicle was originally designed with the autobahn in mind.
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That said, regardless, still wish the E-Class gets painted fenders even though I understand the G-wagen has a higher profit margin so they can offer things like that.
