I am considering buying Sachs shock absorbers as I cannot afford Bilsteins. Are Sachs shock absorbers for Mercedes Benz hi quality? Are they OEM shocks? Finally, if not OEM are they better than other replacement models? What models do you recommend?

Shop around somemore. Bilsteins can't be beat and somebody should have them at a reasonable price. I believe bilsteins are what came on the car. Think I saw them somewhere recently for like 50-60 each. That is real reasonble. I've been paying $100+ per corner since the mid seventies for them and never regretted it. I've tried to cheap-out with other shocks and regretted it greatly. I even have them on my big American 3/4 ton 4wd Suburban.

If you go to the dealer you'll get Boge, Sachs, or Bilstein shocks depending on who is currently making that year/model. IF you consider many of the original shocks lasted 180Kmi+ I'd say the dealer spec shocks are good! I think it depends on the factory spec, not so much who made it. The current dealer struts for my 124 are made my Sachs. I except them to last FAR longer than the crappy Sachs shocks VW speced for my Jetta which can fail as soon as 10Kmi. I think its all up to OEM spec...

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Brian Toscano

I just replaced the original Bilsteins on my 81 SD with new Bilsteins I won on Ebay for $180+shipping. Don't know how that compares to Sachs but I hear constant reinforcement on this list and others to use Bilsteins.

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Fred Johnson
1977 240D
1983 300SD

Go to Fastlane at the top of the screen, you shouldn't have any problem finding shocks for your car. BTW which one are the shocks for, the TD or the sedan? Ok I just checked for you. Bilsteins front shocks are $63 a piece. Part number L4000-10205. Now, for some reason, looking up, shocks for the 240 it listed a price of $84 but looking up the TD, clicking on "front shock" produced a price of $63 for the same part number. Eitherway, there is your source for the shocks.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Any idea where that was? I ask 'cause I'm pretty sure my shocks need to be done and I want to go for what's "right", but there's no way I can affoer $100 per unit...especially not after the kinda $$ I'm spending on the car for the other front end stuff...

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

Performance Products seems to have them for $65 for the fronts and $80 for the rear ones (each). Plus they have that 15% discount going on.

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

Performance products was where I was looking.