Yes, the 98. Thanks. I'll probably just start with the springs and see what, if anything else, my mechanic finds. He thought shocks should be fine too.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

The inner bushing are the only other thing besides springs and control arm that require taking the springs out. Cheap preventative maintenance while you are in there.

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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

Does make me wonder, though, about the relationship between broken springs and shocks. Is it common for springs to be broken at only 91k miles? Yes, I know I live in the rust belt...

Anyway, it seems like shocks starting to fail could put springs at greater risk.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

shertex, it may be a fortuitous sign to look into all your front end parts and repair(s) past schedule completed (or not) on your '98. After reading member 97SL320's depiction (on another W210-front-end failure thread here.....) of how frozen ball-joints might affect the car's driving - I'd want to get a 100% clean bill of health and roadworthiness done on the '98 before venturing out on the expressways. in it.