Rate the ride of your Mercedes / other cars: Soft/mediocre/firm
 

Rate the ride quality of your Mercedes-Benz, as well as your other cars (if any).

Is your ride:

1. Excessively soft & bouncy - (point that it is dangerous to drive - almost as if there are no strut/shocks there)
2. Very soft, very floaty & very cushy
3. Soft & supple
4. Average (not too firm / not too soft)
5. Firm
6. Very firm & harsh

Also, are your shocks original, or have they been replaced?

Mine are as follows:

85' Mercedes 380SE 4dr- Soft and supple. Rear suspension on the borderline of "super soft", but not excessive". Front is soft. I think they are originals.

69' Chevrolet Caprice 4dr - Super soft and very cushy, but not at the point of being dangerous to drive, as it still handles very well for a 60s American car - Very soft @ front and rear. Original shocks @ every wheel.

73' Pontiac Grand Ville Custom 4dr- Super Soft and cushy, but not as soft as my Caprice.

89' Pontiac Safari wagon - Soft and supple @ front and rear.

As expected of large American cars. :)

Most recent past vehicles:
95' GMC Suburban SLT 4WD - very firm and harsh. Smoothed when new rear shocks were installed. Original shocks had seized.
92' Acura Legend 4dr - firm
90' Lexus LS400 - rear struts soft and supple, front struts worn and getting firm, with little absorption. :(

I can tell you if the dime I ran over is heads or tails. I define it as firm others who are used to a plush ride would say it is very harsh. I like it because it suites my driving style:D

My wife has a 1999 Volvo T5 sedan. I consider it a bit on the soft side. Makes me a bit nervous in the turns but it's a great highway cruiser.

my 300D rides like a cloud

My W126 road decent until I installed a new set of Bilsteins last year. Just because you car passes the bounce test doesn't mean the shocks are any good. Trust me a new set of Bilsteins will wake the car up the difference is amazing!:cool:

Personaly I think the W126 rides a little stiffer then I would like. I prefer the W140 and the W220. The W140 glides over the bumps you don't want to feel but tightens up in the corners. The W220 with air suspension is just awsome, even better then a W140 with hydo shocks all the way around.

I thought it was just me thinking that the W126 searches out and finds every bump in the road. But, it's not. My brother is the operations manager at one of the local dealers and he takes a C class home every night. It rides much better than the W126, even though it a much shorter wheelbase and has considerably less suspension travel. Seems a bit strange to me. A vehicle with four inches of available suspension travel and a huge wheelbase rides like a tank.:(

They don't ride poorly, but if you really pay attention they make you feel every little imperfection.

I am glad I didn't get the Bilstein HD's, I wouldn't have been happy.

I have the Bilstein HDs on my 300D. I still wouldn't call it firm, just a little less soft. I wouldn't mind if I could get it a little firmer.

98 e320 firm
83 500sel euro (hydro) firm
1980 300sd medium
1984 300d hed-firm
65 190dc med-firm
97 acura 3.5rl soft-med

.......ahh, Hattie........that would be the definition of "riding poorly".:D

I drove my BMW 325i for a few years before I got my W126, a 300 SD. The beemer is firm, just about right for a street/performance car. By comparison, my 126 feels very comfy, but not too soft. Definitely smoother and more luxury car like than the beemer. I like it. The steering and front end feel high quality to me for a car its size.

1985 300D- I'd say very hard and rough. Shocks have been replaced albeit with Bilstein Heavy Duties... no clunks or anything from the suspension... tires new and pressures set according to manual, but I dont think anything suspension wise has been replaced.. 205K miles. I mean it rides great on smooth and mildly pitted roads, but when the road gets rough, i definitely feel it. New cars, even little 2 seater roadsters that sit 3 or 4 inches from the ground (i speak of the S2000 and MX5) with low profile tires and high performance shocks ride better than my 300D. It does take these bumps though as if they arent a bother, car just feels solid, but my complaint is sometimes overly solid :o Sometimes I think this would be a good off-road car. I'd say either my suspenson is tired, or is not designed to accept Bilstein HD shocks, or maybe thats how euro cars tend to ride. Generally when you're going for high speed stability you have to compromise low speed comfort, I'd think.

I will only use Bilstein HD's .... they are firm but not harsh. The Bilstein Comforts are comfortable by annoying to me.

Stock OEMs are very similiar. Koni shocks are very good, but not Bilsteins. KYB's used to be a great economical solution for Mercedes, but these days they are simply awful.

Don't bother with any other shocks.

Remember that shocks are only one part of ride quality. The springs contribute a lot. Remarkably, so do the seats. Worn out seats make any car feel like it rides harshly. I know this because I have rebuilt seats and it is simply amazing what new seat springs, padding and covers do to these seats.

Haasman

Bilstein's & Eibach.
It rides " sporty ",.............because I made it that way. ;)

Which Shocks?
 

Maybe you folks can help me decide on this. I just recently got the new to me 190 emmisions complient and have started driving it. It runs great but definitely needs new(or Better) shocks. I have always liked a sporty ride but as I get older am looking for more comfort without too much loss of handeling.
Every one here seems to favor the bilstiens but I am unsure as to whether to go with the HDs or the comforts. I am sure the current shocks are original (100,000 miles) and they are too soft for sure. I am hopeing new shocks tires and an alignment will improve the handleing and maybe the ride to. Yes I know, want my cake and eat it too, thats why I bought a MB. Any replies would be appreciated.