I'm trying to get Bilstein sports shocks for my 1998 C230, but it seems they only have the following available:

W202: 180, 200, 220, 250, 280

I want to say that one of these fitments (above) will work, but I need someone to tell me for sure. I assume not all W202 cars have the same suspension. For example, doesn't the C280 use different shock and springs than the C220?

Any help or clarification would be appreciated!!!

-J

 

The mount points for all those models are the same, and I would guess that the shocks are all the same, but since I haven't seen all those models, I can't be sure.

Since you are looking for shocks, you should know that there is a Koni Group Buy going on now.

 

NOw I was told that the 6 cyl models are different from the 4. So does this mean the 220 is the same as the 230?? As far as the Koni's, I think I'll try the bilsteins first... thx!

 

Although the mounting points are all the same, the damping and rebound rates are usually different depending on the weight of the car. One of the primary factors affecting the weight of the car is which engine is installed. The heaviest W202 is the M104-engined C280/C36, followed by M113-engined C43, and so on. Vehicle options will affect the weight and its distribution, but this generally is not taken into account when selecting shocks (or aftermarket springs, for that matter).

If there is a C220 fitment available, it should be close enough for your 1998 C230 (the 1999-2000 C230 with Kompressor is a bit heavier and also expected to be more "sporting").

Oftentimes, an adjustable damper will be specified for a wider fitment range, with the expectation that the "OEM" setting falls somewhere within the adjustment range of the damper. To me, this is kind of bogus... but some companies do this to reduce SKU requirements. This is apparent when one adjustable damper part number fits multiple applications, but the same applications require many different non-adjustable part numbers.

-s-

 

thanks scorchie... I'm waiting on my rims... so by then, I should have this all figured out. Thanks for the info!