Hello all first time poster here:


I have about 70K on my S, and the dealer is saying the front right strut is leaking pretty badly. Bottom line he said with this mileage it is a good idea to replace both which would cost $2200.

I chaged the entire suspension on my 00 4runner to give it more articulation and a 3 inch lift. I had to change the springs and the shocks all the way around, I remember each shock/strut costing no more then 150 a peice and it was an easy job to do.

are things that different on the benz?

Any pros in here? What should I do?

Sounds like an accurate dealership service quote.

I get quoted $1400 to get pads and discs on my 99 ML! I do it at home however for less than half in parts.

Don't know details regarding the S-class, but my guess is that if you can do strut work yourself, you could do this job.

You ABSOLUTELY must beg borrow or steal the MB spring compressor tool though...nothing else will work!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

that car has the air suspension, that is why it is so expensive, spring compressor is not needed,

Is it the airmatic system?

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#dieselFLEET
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'97 E300
'99 E300

Ask for a meeting with the Mercedes District Service Manager and tell them you want Mercedes to replace it under good will. If they won't buy the whole job then settle for you buying the part, they get the labor.

You car is hardly out of warranty. A Mercedes shock should last longer than 70k miles.

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

Ah yes...wasn't sure what year that was incorporated. I know you could buy a second car for what the replacement costs would be for all four of them on the R230s!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

If the car has the optional Active Body Control system you can add about $400-500 to the price of the parts. Before you replace the struts however, find out what/where the leak is. If the Air-Matic struts are leaking through the sealing compound at the top of the strut, they can be repaired easily and cheaply. There was a DTB issued in January 2004 concerning this issue.

You guys are great, I never even imagined such a great response.

Well I know it does have the "airmatic" suspension and I did get the ABC option, BUT my service guy left a message on my phone saying the strut was leaking, and then he said it was excessive because the strut was "wet" so I assumed a typical strut and NOT this special airmatic based system.

I figured airmatic was a supplement to the regular shock and spring setup <-- is that inaccurate on my part?

Air-Matic is standard equipment on your car. ABC is optional. They're two entirely different systems. Open the hood and take a look at the top of the struts. If you see white plastic air lines at the top of the stuts you've got Air-Matic. As to the operation of these systems, the owners manual isn't much help. The way it reads you might think that it's possible to have both systems. I've had several clients question me about this in the past.

agreed, definitly determine which system is on your car. If ABC, there are certain other spots to check for hydraulic fluid leaks. If airmatic, $1100 per shock if the shock is toast, or $300 per seal kit if its just the tops leaking (fronts only). I don't quite remember if that includes labor or not though. Its about the same labor time to reseal or replace the shock.

I don't see why you couldn't replace just one side if needed, they don't have to obey the same properties as a standard shock. We certainly have replaced single shocks in the past on airmatic systems.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

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