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In all seriousness it probably is. Ironically I just switched from the Michelins to Continental DWS06+ and yeah they are softer but I prefer it on this car. I have not had it in triple digits yet. The Michelins were very direct and athletic.
I'll try lowering/playing with the Launch tool when it gets here. If I can't get what I want, I'll get the module, or Star and BN, or something... It must be lowered though, when i want to run at 150mph. The Conti's are only "V" rated, so I'll have to show some restraint at about 150 until I get "Y" rated tires.
The car already lowers itself at high speeds though. I would fix the tire issue. I don't think lowering a small amount is going to change anything other than losing necessary wheel travel for compliance.
20mm lower over 86.8 mph in sport and 99.2 mph in comfort.
The compromise is keeping the Conti's that are on it, because of their greater compliance for comfort at normal driving speed, and lowering at-will, at high speed for handling, then returning to factory height. Because no matter how you slice it, this is air suspension on a Luxobarge, not a sports car. It does not handle well at speed relative to cars that were designed to. I am no stranger to lowered vehicles, very low in some cases, and this approach will be satisfactory for me in covering all bases for such a large vehicle.
I mean there's no accounting for preferences but I'm just surprised you're so unsatisfied. This has some of the best high speed damping of any car I've had and it firms up substantially over 100. But I've also never owned sports cars. I do like firm damping though so I am no stranger to that. I think your tires are the main issue that you are feeling and I'm willing to bet a little lower ride height won't change much.
the load rating of the tyre is critical - 101 on these I think it says in the manual - its a muddled one number for multiple things kind of mess up - vehicle weight (per corner) and engine grunt
I had a GM thing 1850kg car the morons gave me 93 load rating Michelin's when the manual said 95 (I didn't realise) it was dangerous and horrible for years till they wore out - next I has some budget conti things at 99, the steering was sharper, the ride nastier and potholes needed to be avoided - they wore out and I decided no way I'm having crap and got std 95 load rating goodyear's - and the thing was a dream - drove way better then this S class joke I have today !!!
255/40-19s are 100 it looks like (255/45-18s are 103, which is what I have). Also my AS4s and now DWS06+ are Y rated. So yeah your tires are lame.
I spend a lot of time above 150mph, on my Panigale.
The S Class is for comfort, and an occasional sprint. The "V" tires I have now will do me well for a while. When I get used to the car at speed, then I'll swap out for "Y" tires and see what kind of numbers it can achieve. The ability to articulate the suspension on demand, and then reverse it with the module is attractive to me, as most of the time the car is cruising under 100mph.
2018 S450 4Matic, 2021 Toyota Tundra, 2010 GL350 (sold)
Originally Posted by BOTUS
car software was simple on simple cars - Germans always made it super complex...
but now every day there's a new fix ---- and worse so many safety related systems kids want to enable on car's where half the hardware isn't on this model, or modify coz they can - all means we'll have dangerous cars out there
This is why I would never attempt any of this stuff without @BenzNinja actually doing it for me.
It’s pretty funny… I do a lot of research and thinking because I don’t want to bug him too much with my little ideas. When I think I have this all well and completely researched I will send him what I discovered. Yeah he’s done that before six ways to Sunday and concluded X, Y, and Z - WAY beyond what I could ever begin to understand.
These cars are COMPLEX and they are cars. Much like I’m going to stick to only OE when it comes to brakes and rotors, I’m not about to open these tools and “try it out” - why risk it when it’s so easy to have him take a look? Not worth it. His membership is cheap considering what you’ll have to have the dealer or Indy fix what you messed up - IF THEY CAN!
I don't find the W221 that mysterious (almost 25 years working on cars but I'm also an engineer so I love this stuff) but everyone has a different comfort level. But I do recommend the Benz Ninja regardless of how often I ask for help.
I did two "advanced" things without requiring assistance with no issues:
1) Updated the "upper control panel" software to enable the factory Rest feature that never worked
2) Updated my door module software to ward off future problems with window control
All with DAS, all offline. Updating software is about as advanced as it gets with DAS (and something you can't do with aftermarket tools).
the complexity comes about with how merc go about enabling features inside various module's software... half the cars have a different modules - so a base one might get this module with that software and that coding - mid level cars get another module with another software iteration and different coding - and high end cars get yet another module and yet more software and more different coding - and then they step it up another level as other parts of the network have a different CGW and a different SAM dependent upon that cars build spec - and then other cluster software with unique coding and other this and that which might talk to high or mid level cars for retrofit toys but not base cars - and round and round the madness goes - and the coding is all secret squirrel hidden madness inside the lunacy of SCN
whereas I have a russian tool for Ford's... (not forscan - have that too) its all GUI tick boxes you can see read and check what features is "coded" you can easily save that config as a back up file, and them play changing ONLY what you want, how you want, with the expected results you want and back that up as a separate config file - if I want to update a chassis number in a module its all noddy simple stuff
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
