OK, so I go to change the rear shocks. I jack the car up, unbolt the bottom, then the top, and take the shock out. No problem. Then I compare the old shock to the new one and it's totally different. The new shock, a Gabriel, was the one that both Autozone and Pep Boys had on their computer. What gives? They were only $20 a piece, so I can understand that they might not be the best, but they should at least fit.

Here's the thing. The old shock I removed had the cylinder at the top of the shock with the piston at the bottom. The Gabriel shock had the cylinder at the bottom and the piston (the part which does the moving) on top. I'd buy the shock at the FastLane parts store now, but want to make sure I get the right shock. Help, Benzmac.

I don't know what they gave you...Our shocks will fit.

You should purchase some from us and try again. They key on this install is installing the rubber dampers in the correct place. (READ THE DIRECTIONS THAT COME WITH THE SHOCKS)

Don't buy your parts at PepBoys except for oil filters and lubricants. Buy the parts here. You will get the right part and a quality part. If you own a Benz put quality parts on it, it will be around for a long time. Get Bilstiens or Boge shocks.

rdurbeck,
The new shocks are just a different design, they should fit as long as the mounting points are the same. That said, Gabriel shocks are junk. If you intend to keep the car, return them and get a proper set of Bilsteins or Sachs. Just be prepared to spend considerably more than $20 each.