Let us know if the new shocks fix the problem. My W210 (96E320) also has suspension noise at 89,000 miles. An independent diagnosed and replaced lower ball joints, but this did nothing to reduce the noise. I am in the process of replacing front sway bar links (halted mid project due to conflicts) and this appears to help a little, but is not the entire solution. Generally, my impression is that W210's are still too new and not yet well supported on this forum.