Yup the profanity filter works.

 

Lowering MB air or hydraulic suspensions is definitely cheaper than dealing with springs and then installing adjustable springs/coilovers, etc.
We have used links, installed electronic lowering modules and used ODBII lowering modules in the past ($50 to $1500).

My experience was that all needed to be dialed in and the less adjustments one has the less you will like the results. No way I would get a 20mm standard drop. Our front and rear needed different drops and to a much smaller extent, left and right.
I also learned that once dialed in, I never ever adjusted them anymore, so the "on the fly" adjustment offered zero aded value.

Lastly, I am truly disliking the VIN locking of modules. That in my mind immediately reduces their value unless you hang onto the cars forever. We used to have a Renntech V3 ELM and we kept moving it from car to car and the were able to sell for good money once the tech changed. I still have the module brick from our E63s flying around; at least we only paid $350 for it, which is all it is worth IMO.

 

Good point, definitely cheaper than coilovers and MUCH easier to adjust!

I'm with you on the OBD modules, I have a drawer in my tool chest with a bunch of them that are useless. Come to think of it, I don't know why I still have them, lol.

 

When you put it that way, the price for that adjustable programmer is cheap compared to my W212 KW HAS coil over install…..

 

Hmm
if I do links the dealer won’t get pissed off. No computer is touched it all stays stock.
Hmm

 

I have an AMG E Class 2022 and I can say I’m 100% happy with the MWMODS 20-30mm dongle. Incredibly easy and fully reversible.

 

Found the Canadian distributer

https://europeanautomotive.ca/cete-a...RoCwcQQAvD_BwE

 

In practice, if you are sure of your choice, we can pre-program the device with the desired 2 height settings separately for rear and front

At the moment we are looking for a convenient "custom" solution for the MBUX system.. coming soon

 

^^ That is great.
I am not sure
I think 20 and 22 front/rear from reading threads but can't commit because I have problems.

The Canadian distributor has not gotten back to me yet. This is the second or third time I filled out their web enquiries forms and heard nothing back. Frustrating. Yeah yeah "pick up the phone" but then why have the web enquiry? At my place we answer leads within minutes. It's MONEY. They pay marketing to get me to engage, then drop the ball? I don't get it, it bitters the experience. - Meanwhile MWM from around the world has answered all my emails RIGHT AWAY and offered solutions.

 

So if I go there, they will program my height let me drive around the block and keep programming it until I'm happy, no extra charge.

But

I am still waiting to see if the CETE just plugs in between the wiring harness and leave programming out of the equation. If it does, well, that's better for going in for warranty work since it hasn't "changed" anything. Of course CETE hasn't answered any of my questions from their HQ or the Canadian distributor.

 

FWIW I just ordered some modules from MWMODS. I’ve been emailing Paul over there and he’s super responsive. no other company I’ve dealt with would even return emails or inquiries.

 

FWIW, MBHouse is a professional shop and they do a lot of hardware upgrades as well as coding. They are also in similar time zones and their module is what, $225? Not sure what their exact adjustability is for MBUX (front/rear) but if they can set the front and rear individually, I would consider them.

 

I did follow up with them.
To remove it or change heights I'd have to go back to their shop and pay again. Then after dealer service, I'd have to go back to their shop and pay again to put it back on. They only code on-site, no plug in modules. That running around every time is a deal breaker for me.

 

Yeah. Way too much hassle and it may end up costing a lot of $ and time wasted.

 

Wow, imagine if our seats worked that way. ;p

That's a super-sucky option to me.

 

That's disappointing...

 

I ordered the CETE with "plug and play" harness. Should be here in 7-10 days.

1) Unlimited adjustments
2) No trace - Plug and play harness plugs into the air suspension controller. No "flashing" or OB2 writing values into my car and changing anything. Means Mercedes can flash my car with firmware updates or whatever and check anything they want to their hearts content and it will not impact the CETE or overwrite any "mods". Basically my car is left untouched.

 

Are you going to drive with the suspension lowered or just when you are parked to admire the visual appearance? If you are driving lowered be aware that the camber is not set for anything other than normal height. There are enough other threads about tire wear on the inner part of the tires.

 

+1

I forgot to mention a big selling point for me. The CETE can optionally program in a speed above which it raises to stock height, then lowers back down to the modded settings when under that speed. I’ll be using that for sure to experiment. I’ll also take it to an alignment shop to get measurements at different heights and if it’s not too whacked out when lowered increase or remove that speed raise feature to see how it feels. Last thing I want is scrubbing tires and/or twitchy bad handling.

No control arms for me. Yet. Gotta let the warranty clock run out!

 

The CETE device looks very promising. I have a regular lowering module and camber A arms. This worked really well. 20K miles and tire wear is normal with no uneven wear. One thing I didn't like is the module just changes the base height. So if I needed some extra height for a unusually steep transition I could raise, but only from the new baseline, which in effect put me back to stock height. However just recently my arms started to get noisy. At slow speeds and turning they would make a loud "groaning" sound. I'm working with the manufacturer for a solution but for now I'm back to the OEM A arms and -10mm.

It appears from what I've read the CETE can adjust height based on speed. What I would like is the ability to park it slammed, highway at stock, and maybe slightly lowered at slow (<30mph) speeds. All while having the ability to really raise it when I need to - stock raise height is ok, + another 20mm on top of that would be even better.

Looking forward to IT Guy's review with great interest. This device is a bit pricey but it really is a order of magnitude beyond most of the current modules if it works as advertised.

One thing I'd like to point out about tire wear. I first lowered -20mm and my wheels have additional offset (+15mm front and +12mm rear). With OEM arms and a good alignment I ate the front tires to cord in 2500 miles. Added the arms and new tires and 20K miles+ later the tires have plenty of tread left and what wear there is is even. I suspect the additional offset exacerbated the wear issue as some have reported lowering and not having wear problems. There's also a difference vehicle to vehicle but I have no idea if manufacturing variances can explain why some get a lot of wear and others say they get no unusual wear. I don't "drive it like you stole it" but I do when I get some open road push it through the rpms as quickly as possible. I don't do much hard cornering, I have a C7 for that so the wear I experienced wasn't due to a lot of hard cornering.

 

@TugboatBill Thank you for all the data points.

I agree. I have no idea why some people have nothing but trouble lowering and other's it's fine. I read so many horror stories before lowering my W212, tire wear, and alignment issues, going through A arms and busings and Kmac and different shock mounts and and and - when I lowered mine I experienced none of that, with stock arms. I lowered it just over an inch, so 25-30mm, got an alignment - which they can't really adjust much anyhow - and I lived life with nothing bad and no crazy tire wear.

But then on spacers most everyone said "I run xyz, no vibration it's fine" and I proceeded to go through 4-5 sets of H&R, ECS, etc. etc. xyz's chasing everyone else's "fine" parts just could not get any hub centric spacers that didn't feel like they were vibrating the car apart.

I understood the Cete only has one speed setting. I hope you are correct and there is at least two! That would be awesome! "Show mode" parked, then "still cool" rolling away and then "safe tire wear" city driving and up. Crossing my fingers for multiple speed adjustments!!

 

I don't know for sure on the speed setting, but I got the impression from their web site it might. I avoided the entire spacer issue by just buying wheels with the offsets and look I wanted. I've always thought the spacer concept was a little sketchy. I know a lot of people have used them successfully but still.

 

I would LOVE a set of HRE P107's
For now stock 5 stars and spacers will have to do. Wheels are one of those things I hope to buy half price lurking for someone getting out of them

 

Our old Renntech ELM was raising to stock height at a speed one can set. Default was 35mph. Worked great no alignment was ever needed and virtually all tire wear occurs at speed (always used spacers). Great feature. But at the same time our E63s was great with a permanent drop and spacers as well. Even tire wear. Go figure...