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Looking at a car with MBC and wanted to ask those who have it, what is like exactly? I think people have said on here it mainly handles large road changes like railroad tracks, big dips/rises in the pavement surface, etc.
Does it do much over ordinary bumpy, rough, or broken-up road surfaces? Where I live the city has been digging up the streets to replace water pipes, and they do an awful job of patching afterwards. Would MBC offer a noticeably better ride in a case like this?
MBC shines brightest when asked to deal with a raised long bump in the road... say a raised crosswalk. You’re bombing along at 40mph and barely feel it. There is a particular dip during my commute that the S65 can run through at 45 without drama. Other cars drop to 15-20mph and make big body motions doing the same one... MBC is a nicely tarted up ABC system. Faster response with no body roll when being a savage. Sport mode does more then just stiffen it up.
Drive one. You’ll see.
Last edited by JohnLane; Nov 30, 2023 at 11:45 PM.
Looking at a car with MBC and wanted to ask those who have it, what is like exactly? I think people have said on here it mainly handles large road changes like railroad tracks, big dips/rises in the pavement surface, etc.
Does it do much over ordinary bumpy, rough, or broken-up road surfaces? Where I live the city has been digging up the streets to replace water pipes, and they do an awful job of patching afterwards. Would MBC offer a noticeably better ride in a case like this?
You have understand what you’re buying here. The above poster got it right. The road scan feature is the “magic” part of what you’re getting, but that’s not really a major portion of what you’re paying for. What you’re paying for is the hardware of the active body control (ABC) hydraulic suspension system. It’s a pretty neat thing. Allows for minimal amounts of pitch/dive/squat and almost completely eliminates body roll. In fact ABC/MBC equipped cars don’t require sway bars. Later models added a curve function which allows the car to lean into corners like a motorcycle. Do you happen to have a link to the car you’re interested in?
It's a great system. I compared my 2017 S550 to my 2018 S560 back to back when I test drove the 2018 3 years ago when I purchased the car used. It really felt although I was driving a different car, the steering was just tighter and more precise in the 2018 with MBC and the ride much better. I understand though on the newer models MB is not making MBC anymore. What really concerns me going forward with the MBC is future expensive problems with the system. For now though I guess I'll just enjoy the car. I'm up to 65k miles on the car at this point, I sure do hope the MBC holds up ok when I get over 100k miles on the car.
Tom also editing this to say with what you talked about with the street repairs where you live, MBC probably would not make that type of a difference with that sort of things, sharp imperfections in the road, MBC doesn't do anything, it's the dips and valleys where you notice a difference. Tires though, mainly non run flats would help out with what your talking about. But other than that for all the reasons stated above and what I spoke of MBC is most definitely worth it and a hard option to find in a used S class. Not a lot of cars were ordered with this option as I believe it was a $6500.00 option plus the people that did order it probably like their cars so much they have trouble parting with them.
Last edited by 2012 merc amg; Dec 1, 2023 at 06:40 PM.
Rare, indeed. I think it's the only W222 option that I've not personally experienced. I'd really like to drive one with MBC, just for educational purposes. But ultimately I require 4MATIC where I live, so that eliminates MBC...
It's a great system. I compared my 2017 S550 to my 2018 S560 back to back when I test drove the 2018 3 years ago when I purchased the car used. It really felt although I was driving a different car, the steering was just tighter and more precise in the 2018 with MBC and the ride much better. I understand though on the newer models MB is not making MBC anymore. What really concerns me going forward with the MBC is future expensive problems with the system. For now though I guess I'll just enjoy the car. I'm up to 65k miles on the car at this point, I sure do hope the MBC holds up ok when I get over 100k miles on the car.
Tom also editing this to say with what you talked about with the street repairs where you live, MBC probably would not make that type of a difference with that sort of things, sharp imperfections in the road, MBC doesn't do anything, it's the dips and valleys where you notice a difference. Tires though, mainly non run flats would help out with what your talking about. But other than that for all the reasons stated above and what I spoke of MBC is most definitely worth it and a hard option to find in a used S class. Not a lot of cars were ordered with this option as I believe it was a $6500.00 option plus the people that did order it probably like their cars so much they have trouble parting with them.
126,000 miles on my S-65. Only MBC repair being the pulsation dampener on the pump which any of us with an ABC equipped car has got to replace in ten minutes aside from fluids. Much better then how 221 ABC cars did.
Tom MBC and ABC cars will make for noticeably less ‘head toss’ with one wheel bumps due to the system not using sway bars.
MBC was an option I spent quite some time searching for. The older ABC system on my R230 Sl600 rides better than the MBC, but has had many more headaches. I think the MBC system is a nice balance between technology and reliability. You don't realize how nice it rides until you drive a G11 7 series or Volvo S90. Drive the same portion of road in any competing luxury car and then you'll be able to see what the MBC system does.
MBC was an option I spent quite some time searching for. The older ABC system on my R230 Sl600 rides better than the MBC, but has had many more headaches. I think the MBC system is a nice balance between technology and reliability. You don't realize how nice it rides until you drive a G11 7 series or Volvo S90. Drive the same portion of road in any competing luxury car and then you'll be able to see what the MBC system does.
A R230 rides better than a W222?
I'm pretty sure an airmatic W222 would ride much better than a S90 which is somewhat known to have poor ride quality for it's segment.
I'm pretty sure an airmatic W222 would ride much better than a S90 which is somewhat known to have poor ride quality for it's segment.
In my opinion, yeah the R230 ABC system has a nicer ride overall than the newer ABC system in the W222. The W222 ABC system utilizes traditional coil springs which is not the case on the R230. Sidewall is almost the same if not thinner on the Sl600 so I don’t think that’s a factor. And yeah, the S90 is kind of a joke in the segment when it comes to ride quality. Looking for either an aftermarket air suspension or coilovers for mine.
In my opinion, yeah the R230 ABC system has a nicer ride overall than the newer ABC system in the W222. The W222 ABC system utilizes traditional coil springs which is not the case on the R230. Sidewall is almost the same if not thinner on the Sl600 so I don’t think that’s a factor. And yeah, the S90 is kind of a joke in the segment when it comes to ride quality. Looking for either an aftermarket air suspension or coilovers for mine.
One of us is going to learn something.
Post 2 of this thread indicated that ABC used steel springs
From what I've read, the R230 system has a hydraulic cylinder that is attached to the spring within the sleeve, hence why I said it is not traditional. Where I might've been mistaken is whether or not the MBC system uses the same piston system. I thought the damper system in the strut was revised and moved between the strut tower & body. Turns out I wasn't wrong but I also wasn't entirely right. There is an MBC bushing between the strut tower & body, but they also kept a similar system to the prior ABC system in the R230. The MBC system uses a refined piston system that should, in theory, out last the older design. Despite this, I still find the R230's ride ever so slightly better overall.
From what I've read, the R230 system has a hydraulic cylinder that is attached to the spring within the sleeve, hence why I said it is not traditional. Where I might've been mistaken is whether or not the MBC system uses the same piston system. I thought the damper system in the strut was revised and moved between the strut tower & body. Turns out I wasn't wrong but I also wasn't entirely right. There is an MBC bushing between the strut tower & body, but they also kept a similar system to the prior ABC system in the R230. The MBC system uses a refined piston system that should, in theory, out last the older design. Either way, I still find the R230's ride ever so slightly better overall.
Mr SW20S (aka last word Steve) would have you believe that it would be impossible for your R230 to ride better than the W222 due to the difference in wheelbase.
Mr SW20S (aka last word Steve) would have you believe that it would be impossible for your R230 to ride better than the W222 due to the difference in wheelbase.
Where did I say that? I said nothing of the kind. I have never driven an R230 so I would never say such a thing. I said it rides better than a G11 BMW and those I have driven back to back with W222s many times since I almost got one.
In my opinion, yeah the R230 ABC system has a nicer ride overall than the newer ABC system in the W222. The W222 ABC system utilizes traditional coil springs which is not the case on the R230. Sidewall is almost the same if not thinner on the Sl600 so I don’t think that’s a factor. And yeah, the S90 is kind of a joke in the segment when it comes to ride quality. Looking for either an aftermarket air suspension or coilovers for mine.
What size wheels on the R230? 20” wheels with enough air in them to not pinch tires and crack wheels monthly will ride firmer then 19” wheels with marginally taller sidewalls that can run less PSI in them.
Where did I say that? I said nothing of the kind. I have never driven an R230 so I would never say such a thing. I said it rides better than a G11 BMW and those I have driven back to back with W222s many times since I almost got one.
Sean has both cars, he knows how they ride...
You said that when I said I wanted S Class ride quality in a C Class length. You chimed in and said it isn't going to happen because of the shorter wheelbase. Sean_S's post says otherwise.
You said that when I said I wanted S Class ride quality in a C Class length. You chimed in and said it isn't going to happen because of the shorter wheelbase. Sean_S's post says otherwise.
Thats a stretch to say that I said Sean's opinion about how his cars he owns ride was wrong. I never said that and would never say that. I posted an opinion in a totally different thread months ago that you're not going to make a smaller car feel like a big sedan like an S Class and I stand by that opinion. How does Sean define "better"?
In general, yes a longer wheelbase car always will ride better than a shorter wheelbase car, but his SL has ABC and that ABC system is different than the MBC system, I think if you put both cars on the same suspension then yeah, the S Class will ride better because of the longer wheelbase. Thats just physics. But, he owns the cars and I don't...
If you don't want to read my opinions on things you can feel free to put me on your ignore list.
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