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ABC has always been an optional upgrade on the non AMG and I believe also on the S600 W220 (2000-2006) and W221 cars. Airmatic was standard. ABC is preferred because it's an active hydraulic system capable of rapidly providing counter-force on any wheel as necessary to keep the body flat for cornering. AMG cars get ABC standard for improved handling.
Base W221 (S550) with ABC are not common but do exist. All things being equal I would prefer an ABC car, but it's not an option that would make or break a choice for me. Airmatic systems are prone to air leakage and subsequent pump burn-out and failure with time and are expensive to repair. ABC cars may have a problem with the hydraulic valve body and are also expensive to repair.
I have had both ABC and Airmatic in S Class cars, S55, S65 AMG and standard S550's.
Never had an issue with Airmatic but ABC has been problematic and very expensive to repair. The last fluid leakage in the S65 cost $2k, the fluid got all over the belt as well and needed replacement.
I think it should also be noted that the W221 with airmatic is also known as one of othe best riding luxury sedans on the planet. That right there tells me, you aren't in bad company with airmatic The car rides incredible. It's wonder why the new w222 comes with run flats, which ride horrible.
I think it should also be noted that the W221 with airmatic is also known as one of othe best riding luxury sedans on the planet. That right there tells me, you aren't in bad company with airmatic The car rides incredible. It's wonder why the new w222 comes with run flats, which ride horrible.
pretty asinine comment. All 203" luxury sedans ride well...thats the whole freaking point.
If you aren't afraid of the cost, ABC is likely the better solution.
My 2012 has airmatic and runs like a super sonic brick on glass. Airmatic failed and was repaired at no cost last week. Zero issues under warranty. Car is a great DD and perfect for long hauls.
As to ABC, I have zero experience. The thought of fluid leaks appeals to me less than air leaks. AMG I don't have a need for but I do respect it's engineering achievements, ABC included.
Niether may happen but its air leaks vs fluid leaks. Your call. Either system does its job well.
Now just checking on what some say about the repair costs, for either they seem a bit costly. However Airmatic is quite a bit cheaper to repair after warranty.
The turbo, transmission, suspension and cabin features justify ownership for me. Combined with solid warranty, it is a car that has zero market competition......and amazing on long open roads!
Three years ago I owned an S500 with airmatic, and an S600 with ABC, and driving them back-to-back was fascinating.
Cruising in a straight line, there's not much in it. ABC is actually a bit firmer, but airmatic suffers from roll-rock over single bumps, due to the sway bars (which ABC doesn't need).
Driving down twisting roads is quite different. ABC comes into its own the faster you go, and makes the car feel a fraction of its real weight.
I'm a big fan of BAC, but it comes with a health warning - you really need to put time, effort and money into maintaining it.
Nick
Last edited by Welwynnick; 09-10-2014 at 02:04 AM.
Driving down twisting roads is quite different. ABC comes into its own the faster you go, and makes the car feel a fraction of its weight...
Nick
I agree w/ this. The reaction time of ABC to correct for the body roll and leaning on curvy sections of road like highway on ramps is fast. You don't notice any transition. It's an uncanny feeling to whip around a curve and see the nose of the car stay on a flat plane. And if you immediately switch to the reverse curve, you still run level. I doubt that air systems can ever be designed to keep up with rapid-response hydraulics.
ABC is more problematic and more expensive to fix than air. I don't have a Merc with air, but my Audi has it. That said, the Achilles heel of the Audi is the air shocks system. The pressures in the reserve air tank of the Audi and the reaction time of the shock is slow. You cannot make an air pump run fast enough to keep replacing the lost air real time.
There is a good amount of info on self-help ABC preventative maintenance and medium-difficulty repairs available on the W220 and AMG-related sub-forums where most of the owners have lived through the gremlins.
I recently fixed a red dashboard "ABC Warning do not drive!!" for the cost of a couple gallons of Pentosin CHF-11S hydraulic fluid, filters ($250 in materials) and time on my back removing and inspecting valve blocks. I didn't need to replace any of the accumulators or valves or lines. A complete fluid and filter replacement will hopefully keep the system healthy enough to avoid a "pump replacement" that a dealer most certainly would have recommended. They would have charged a minimum of $2k plus time. The downside is you will get messy and it takes time and clean shop skills.
Last edited by GrepAwk; 09-09-2014 at 09:06 AM.
Reason: Typo
explain something to me guys...are you really taking your 4000lb+ sedans out into twisty roads? The talk of handling seems a bit silly to me. The suspension on these cars should smooth out bumps. Some body roll is expected and frankly, i've taken my airmatic car around tight turns at good speed and its terrible compared to even sports sedans (much less my 911). Same story for the cl550 that i drive occasionally. Sort of using the right tool for the job.
I find that the ABC car rides better at slow speeds over rough roads. At highway speeds I prefer airmatic.
explain something to me guys...are you really taking your 4000lb+ sedans out into twisty roads?
Definitely, as long as its not physically too big for the road. My second N/A S600 was actually the best at this, perhaps because it was in the best condition and had the optimum tyres. My first S600 only had 225/55/17 tyres, and it didn't seem to have enough grip to get the most out of ABC. The second had 245/45/18's all round, and that seems like the sweet spot, having tenacious grip and control, but a smooth ride. It just flowed down even quite challenging roads, but was best on wide, open, fast sweepers. My current car has 265/40/18 at the rear, and they're too harsh.
One thing I do miss about airmatic though: the adjustable damping on ABC is subtle - perhaps MB reckon you don't need heavy damping to control the body. But my S500 airmatic with damping on hard was quite fun on the same twisty roads. It didn't fully control roll of course, but it was good at the transient aspects of handling, and felt very pointy and entertaining. It had some interesting qualities that I;ve only ever noticed on good Ferraris and Porsches. When you've got a really well-sorted car, it can feel as if the steering is low-geared, even when it isn't. I think its because the car can control the direction changes, and sudden inputs don't upset it. The S500 could do that with firm dampers (even though the ride went to pot over bad surfaces), so I think there's a really good chassis under there...
It would be nice to have that option with ABC as well, just for fun. It gives the feeling of being in direct contact with the road, rather than flying in close proximity with it. The other thing I'd like to try is variable roll moment distribution, which I think was only introduced on the W221 at the same time as cross-wind stablisation, in the 2010 MY. All these wonderful things (and better steering) hardly cost anything to implement.
Nick
Last edited by Welwynnick; 09-09-2014 at 01:37 PM.
explain something to me guys...are you really taking your 4000lb+ sedans out into twisty roads? The talk of handling seems a bit silly to me. The suspension on these cars should smooth out bumps. Some body roll is expected and frankly, i've taken my airmatic car around tight turns at good speed and its terrible compared to even sports sedans (much less my 911). Same story for the cl550 that i drive occasionally. Sort of using the right tool for the job.
I find that the ABC car rides better at slow speeds over rough roads. At highway speeds I prefer airmatic.
No. I have my navi programmed to automatically avoid twisty roads.
Obviously they do come up whether you're looking for them or not, since they're kind of dictated by topography and not so much personal preference. When they do, better handling would be a nice bonus and might make the drive a little more interesting. But I get your point...who wants to toss around a two ton luxury sedan?
I think the answer is the same guys who want a 6.3 liter V8 or a biturbo V12 in their two ton luxury sedan. The ABC technology makes perfect sense in a 63 or 65, or a 600, and then it filtered downstream into the base cars as an option since the hardware had already been developed.
Bottom line, the guys who have the ABC upgrade swear by its superiority, and the guys with Airmatic swear it's not necessary. Human nature. At this point on the used market I can't imagine ABC is adding anything significant to the price so I'd happily take it if I could get it.
I have owned both as well. ABC is superior but also way more expensive to fix. Take the TANDEM pump for example. It is expensive and hard to replaced compared to the airmatic air compressor.
I think if you are concerned about expenses, the airmatic is the way to go. If money is not an issue then there is nothing better than ABC suspension. This article goes over some of the pros and cons of the ABC vs airmatic.
Funny this discussion is at the top of the forum tonight. My car (2012 S63 with 82,000 miles) had a high pressure hose split and all the fluid drained out. Had it towed to the dealer where I was unhappy to find out it's not covered under my EasyCare Total warranty because a "rubber hose" split and hoses aren't covered, nor are the repairs to anything resulting from the hose splitting. So, the bank account will be about $1450 lighter when I pick it up. This includes a new belt as it is covered in fluid.
09-05-2014, 12:27 PM
The car rides incredible. It's wonder why the new w222 comes with run flats, which ride horrible.
