SFBIGBODY415

How often do you guys use the raise feature on your w220's? Just wondering I barely use mine scared that airmatic will fail. But I use it here and there when I get it washed or on a really crappy road

S600Keith

Use it when I park "nose in" to raise the spoiler above the curb.

Keith

slopoke

I live in constant fear of my airmatic too. I use mine on uneven terrain or sharp driveways. I use it when I need it. If it breaks, well then I will replace that part with an arnott one with lifetime warranty.

stevedel

Almost never raise the car. Maybe the rare occasion that my wife drives the car, a really steep driveway or when washing the car so I can shine the tires.

MB-Dude

+1 I'm paranoid about scuffing the bumper. Drives the wife nuts.
Cheers,
Jeff

Quadcammer

In the snow, thats it.

About the curbs...careful gents. On occasions the car will lower a bit when you shut it off, and you might end up dropping the bumper on it. If you leave to quickly, you may snag it and crack it.

Sgt. Schultz

deep snow only, otherwise never

I've learned to shallow park years ago so kerbing the bumper is not an issue

in my //S8, that was a *hugely* prevalent issue - sosososo many owners (er, always seemingly "the wife"?) hooked the front bumper on the parking stop, backed, up - POW! $2k repair (rips the entire bumper off / insideout)

no thanks

everyone that ever gets my keys gets read the riot act litany to SHALLOW PARK

anywho...

on the airmatic, one could Devil's Advocate that frequent useage of mechanical systems is GOOD for them - exercise if you will

I think there's a happy medium to be found there - use it sometimes, but not too often and not never 8-)

haoz129

The Raising car botton designed to confuse us.

Actually it should be called Dynamic Mode 1 & Dynamic Mode 2, .
As by pushing it your car does not only lifted during low speed but also will be lowered even more during high speed.

Here is info from the manual:
No Dynamic Mode botton actived: No raise 0-60km/h, lowered 15mm 65km/h up;
Dynamic Mode 1: raise 10mm 0-60km/h, lowered up to 25mm 60km/h up;
Dynamic Mode 2: raise 20mm 0-30km/h, lowered up to 35mm 30km/h up;

For complete info please ref Manual under Control in Detail/Driving systems/ABC.

So I will push that botton when raise needed or before highway driving which can improve aerodynamic hence improve gas MPG.

But I seldom use it to get the bumper on high curbs as I'm afraid when I come back the bumper will be sitting on the curbs due to the struts can't hold their position, , just in case.

Thanks.

Howard

Quadcammer

Howard,
sorry my friend, but I'm not sure I agree with your logic.

If you raise the car 10mm in dynamic one and 20mm in dynamic 2, and then the car lowers 25mm and 35mm respectively, how is that any different than just lowering 15mm from the standard position?

I don't believe that any of the settings lower the car any farther than another when based on its standard height setting.

haoz129

Yes, Oliver.

I believe your logic is correct. I thought the more lowering is base on standard height.
So I confused myself.

Thanks for the clarification, .

Howard

classyS

theres been a few times ive accidently hit the airmatic raise button instead of suspension damper button before a long turn/curve, very idiot feeling indeed.

SFBIGBODY415

Yeah if mine goes out then I will have to fix it. But I can't see me getting rid of the airmatic on the s class it's a big part of what makes our cars ride the way they do.

Quadcammer

no worries

marktan

I'll use the raise feature in heavy snow or when tring to get over a steeply graded driveway or if driving across and parking on the grass at some event venues.

To Howard and Oliver's point about the ride height and lowering, it basicly "Cancels" and is brought back to normal (-15mm from zero point/normal starting point) at higher speeds regardless of setting.

Das Geld 2

The car is auto-leveling every second....

Douglas Funny

This.

Being scared to use the "raise" button because of failing airmatic is silly and pointless. If the airmatic is failing, there's no way you can prevent it by not using your "raise" button.

My 500 has 115k miles on it now and I've been taking all the air out of the bags when parked and filling them back up to enough that I can drive for probably 6k miles now, still going strong *knock on wood*.