AlpineGt66

went to dealer for airmatic problem, advise please!

Hi everyone. I have an 02 s500 with 60k miles. I have an airmatic problem. It has two hairline cracks on top of both front strut. The dealer said the repair kit for the top portion of the struts will end up costing me $950 parts and labor. Is that a reasonable amount?
I just don’t want to get screwed. Also the bushings are bad they say and to replace them, $1090. So let me know if this sounds about right. also wouldnt the labor cost be less since these parts are kind of in a related area? thanks a lot.

Racin_fool

the parts really are not in related areas. The lower control arm bushings are more than likely torn and to replace them requires taking off the lower control arms and pressing in new bushings.

As for the top reseal kits, that seems a bit steep. To do these you only have to raise the hood and knock out all that black stuff around the air connectors on top of the struts and install the other bits that come with the kit with the special tools required to do this.

Skylaw

I had the metal mounts (which had the cracks beginnning) and seals replaced on my '00 S500 three years ago for $500 parts and labor.

rbc

The price for the repair kit plus labor seems high. I had the two front struts on my '02 S500 resealed a month ago and the dealer (north NJ) charged me about $450.

fusion2007

generally any repair related to this car is going to be expensive especially airmatic repairs. In mercedes vehicals its always better to REPLACE then to REPAIR when comes down the parts that are damaged or something

winmaw

rbc,
I live in north NJ too. Can you advise me which dealer did you used.

rbc

Prestige Motors in Paramus. The service advisors tend to quote a high starting price, but they'll back down after you negotiate. The 2 repair kits cost $145 total and I was charged for 2.25 hours labor (Prestige charges $115/hour for labor). This was before sales tax.