Sensen? Good for the money? Well yeah, if you don't mind replacing them every 6-12 months.

Pretty likely that 20-year-old Bilstiens will outperform new Sensens. But, same as with Uro/APA/FEQ parts, there's always someone out there too cheap to buy quality stuff, so they stay in business despite selling garbage. (It's a corollary to PT Barnum's Law.)

Note that Bilstien and KONI both offer lifetime warranty on their shocks/struts, which might help soften the ~$400 cost for a set of two struts / two shocks on a 124 chassis. The Bilstiens tend to last 150-200kmi before you can even tell they're worn. When you figure the dollars per mile after factoring in your time to replace the Sensens every couple of years, the Bilsteins end up far cheaper.

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

I bought those 2 years ago for my 79 300CF at apxautoparts.com. Ride is really smooth, and i dont see much difference between cheap sensen and expensive KYB that i had before. Here is a link:

APX Auto Parts SENSEN 1071 Shocks, Struts, Full Set (4 Pieces)

I'm "sensen" an asterisk storm a-comin'....

Yes, Sensen ....

lololololololololol

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Edit I'm an idiot this thread is old as hell.

Tried to post relevant info about my experience, then realized some bot drug this up from the dead.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Maybe they're an OE supplier to BMVV too.

[edit] Oh, my - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFQma475h2E

Sixto
87 300D

Huh? It's barely 2 years old. That's still fresh in the wrapper! I've seen threads pulled up from 12+ years ago!

That should be required viewing for the cheapskates who like to save a few bucks when replacing suspension/steering/brake items. Great find, Sixto. That guy was lucky.

No info about Sensen, but when the front shocks on my 114 went, I decided to go cheap. I bought some Monroe shocks locally for like $14 each. They were a massive improvement over the completely blown old shocks and lasted the rest of the time I owned that car. Not sure how far I drove it in that time, since the odometer only worked when it wanted to.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

6-12 months? Dave, you're such an optimist!

Rodent droppings.... Sen sen.... Rings a bell. I think I sense a long dormant neuron firing.... Anyone here old enough to remember these? They sort of look like rodent droppings: Sen-Sen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

I remember those. I thought the taste was a little too strong, but my dad used to like them.

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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

I have the Bilstein HD's, swapped them out for the MUCH worse standard Bilstein OEM's. I don't like the way the car rides with either of those shocks. I have a 1991 300d, and my 1988 300CE rode much, much better; a real champ of a nice ride. Someone told me that Mercedes changed the ride in 1990 or 1991 due to complaints from Americans prior to that! I don't know if that's true, but that's what I was told by a MB mechanic.

1991 300d

Ride quality better/worse is extremely subjective. Europeans generally prefer a more controlled (i.e, "firm") ride so the car behaves itself at 130-150mph on the Autobahn. Meanwhile, most Americans trading up from Cadillacs don't want to feel the road at all, and likely complained the MB suspension was too harsh.

Bilstein HD's are quite firm, even the Comforts are not exactly soft. But that is how MB intended the car to be. You think the 124 is firm? Go drive any 2000-up AMG model, preferably on rough roads, and count how many teeth you lose. If it's a Black model, a mouth guard is recommended.

That's scary. The guy doing the video does a good job.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."