wasp01amg

I would like to replace the shocks on my 2001 E-55. OEM is fine. Several of the places I looked want anywhere fro $90-$190 for the rear shocks and $400-$600 each for the fronts. What the heck is so special about the front shocks? Where is a good place to buy shocks so I don't have to take a second mortgage on my house. I have 115,000 miles and it rides like a truck.

NAFT1

If you have the time Bilstein will rebuild your original ones for about $100 each.
http://www.bilsteinus.com/products/s...rvice/service/

Tall Giraffe

Can they change the length and or dampning too? I would love to keep my originals and shorten them an inch or so.

wasp01amg

Thanks. Looks like car would be out of service for 3-4 weeks going the rebuilt route.

Any other recommendations?

Why are the front shocks so expensive?

NAFT1

I am looking for some used ones for cheap that I can send off for service, or to put on the car for a few weeks while the originals are out. I saw some for $10 that were blown out one time but I didn't know how smart it would be to grab them at the time. The OE ones are not available as far as I know; the Bilstein Sport is very close (same length and similar damping rate) and can be found for about $200 each. I've heard that the AMG/Bilstein originals were just different in valving but that may or may not be true. Koni Yellows are good, too, and you can find the non-adjustable ones all day long for $120-130.

Edit - meant to say Koni Yellow sport adjustable are $120-130. Non-adjustable are even less $$.

NAFT1

http://konimarket.com/products/merce...ock-front-2005

NAFT1

That's not too difficult to do but I don't know if Bilstein would do it. I used to work in a couple of road racing series at the pro level; shortening monotube shocks is pretty easy if you have the tools and materials. Manufacturers often like to use designs that can be easily adapted to multiple applications. I haven't pulled one of them apart on our cars, though.