Looks like i blew a front passenger side strut... and along the way the compressor is also bad.

So I recieved a quote from my trusted mechanic of $2500 (who isn't cheap but does solid work... even in the details).

At that price, I'm wondering if it's just worth chucking the entire system, and going with coilovers.

I have a E55 wagon (if it matters), and I need to pull the trigger quick. What suspension setups are well agreed upon? The car does family duty so I need to keep that OEM ride comfort if possible.

 

I have BC Racing coil overs on mine. I wish I would have done them sooner. The are fully adjustable with height and comfort levels.

 

I currently have one blown front and one leaky rear and I just ordered the BC Racing coilovers as well. Unfortunately there is a 2-3 week wait, but I'm sure it will be worth it.

 

Arnott.~$1300 plus labor for brand new. Mine arrive next Tuesday. Less cost if you purchase rebuilt Arnotts.

FWIW, if I'm looking to purchase a used AMG, I expect to find replacement parts equivalent to the original. If coil-overs had been installed on the AMG I did buy (the 2005), I would have passed on purchasing or I would have made an offer deducting what it would cost me to pull the coil-overs off the car and install a replacement air suspension. These cars are at the point you are looking for a cash buyer. Food for thought.

Personally, I like being able to adjust my ride and comfort settings with the push of a button. I have two other vehicles with coil-overs and it is a PITA to set ride-height and rebound rates. Measuring devices, coil-over spring wrenches, allen wrenches for the lock bolts, precision rule for measuring coil height, special tool for setting rebound on the shocks. And, if you really want to do it right, you really, really need to corner weight the car. Coil-overs are very cool and they have their place but it is not on my W211 E55.

FWIW, my factory air shocks are fine. I'm replacing them at 10 years/100K miles as preventive maintenance.


Take the above for what it is worth (nothing) and value accordingly.

Good luck on whatever route you take and let us know how you like your new suspension. Feedback is important on this site and we don't get nearly enough of it.


Edit: I almost forgot, every time you adjust the ride height using your coil-overs, you have to perform another alignment on your car. So...you now need adjustable bushings (KMac ~$1000) and labor to set the alignment. Or you can just go with the stock ride height which kind of defeats the purpose of having coil-overs; you could just get springs of the rate desired, the proper length, and use the rubber bushings to adjust ride height ala the W210 E55s.
This is one of those situations where you have to deal with the "law of unintended consequences".

 

Arnott has their new manufactured air spring kit with compressor for about $2500 for all four sides and you get a lifetime warranty... I plan on going that route if my airmatic components fail

 

Be careful if you want to do a coilover swap with the wagon, there are not direct replacement for the rear, as the shocks are shorter and have different mounting points than the sedan.

I have KW3 in the front and a mix of H&R shock and custom springs in the back.
I heard that it exist a Bilstein PSS9 kit for the wagon in Europe with front and rear shocks and springs, but I never was able to locate one.

Good luck!

 

Well said!

 

What do the BC coils go for?

 

$950.00 shipped. You need rear lower control arms from a e350 w211 for them to work on the back. I've seen those as low as 175.00 a set.