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  #1  
Old 03-19-2008, 10:50 AM
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4 wheel alignment on MY 00 E320

Hi all,

I need a wheel alignment on my 2000 E320, the front tires wear on the inside (it would be a first one in 50K). The dealer wants $150 for the front or $350 for the 4. I just checked the rear suspension and it looks the same 5 link as in the 124 therefore there is no adjustment in the back. Am I correct in this? If so, is the dealer trying to pull a fast one?
Thanks,

Alex

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  #2  
Old 03-20-2008, 08:44 PM
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The dealer here in Huntsville Alabama charges around $100 for a four wheel alignment on my 2000 CLK430 which I think has about the same suspension as your car. The rear toe can be adjusted with the addition of the eccentric bolt kit (approx. $10 plus installation).
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  #3  
Old 03-20-2008, 11:16 PM
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Thanks. I know I am being hosed here but I live in Japan and you have no idea how much these people are being raped by the automotive industry here. The dealer wants $29 for a spark plug, $65 for an airfilter, $150 for the fuel filter, just to name a few common things. They want to keep the car for a whole day for the alignment, when I protested, rather loudly, they offered a loaner free of charge. No wonder they charge $350 for the alignment. Insane. They also want $150 for four bolts that have to be replaced in the front end during the alignment. I will have to check just what they are talking about, on the old 124 there was an eccentric washer that needed to be turned to adjust the camber, the 210 is probably different.
I paid $880 for 4 Michelin winter tires for the wife's A160, the same tire costs about $95 a piece at Tire Rack.

Alex
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  #4  
Old 03-21-2008, 08:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mheffel View Post
The dealer here in Huntsville Alabama charges around $100 for a four wheel alignment on my 2000 CLK430 which I think has about the same suspension as your car. The rear toe can be adjusted with the addition of the eccentric bolt kit (approx. $10 plus installation).
I thought those eccentric bolts were for the fronts only?
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'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
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  #5  
Old 03-21-2008, 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by sokoloff View Post
I thought those eccentric bolts were for the fronts only?
They can be added to the rear too ... my car has them for the toe adjustment. I don't know if there's such a simple solution for rear camber adjustment.
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  #6  
Old 03-22-2008, 09:55 PM
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Thanks - I never knew that. I assume my '99 edition is the same?
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Len
'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

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  #7  
Old 03-23-2008, 09:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sokoloff View Post
Thanks - I never knew that. I assume my '99 edition is the same?
Here's a link to a bolt kit for your car.
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  #8  
Old 03-23-2008, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by mheffel View Post
Here's a link to a bolt kit for your car.
Thank you.
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'59 220S Cabriolet-SOLD and living happily in Malta
'83 240D 351,500 miles original owner-SOLD
'88 560SL 41,000 miles - totaled and parted out
https://sites.google.com/site/mercedesstuff/home
'99 E300 turbo 227,500 miles
'03 SLK320 40,000 miles - gave to my daughter
'14 Smart electric coupe 28,500 miles
'14 Smart electric cabriolet 28,500 miles
'15 Smart electric coupe 28,000 miles

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  #9  
Old 03-23-2008, 04:55 PM
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$100 is an excellent price on a four-wheel alignment.
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  #10  
Old 03-24-2008, 08:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mheffel View Post
The rear toe can be adjusted with the addition of the eccentric bolt kit (approx. $10 plus installation).
So, are you saying that the factory set up is not adjustable but the kit is available from the dealer? If so, without the kit the rear alignment is NOT adjustable therefore 4 wheel alignment is misleading (without adding the kit), correct?

Alex
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  #11  
Old 03-24-2008, 09:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dacia View Post
So, are you saying that the factory set up is not adjustable but the kit is available from the dealer? If so, without the kit the rear alignment is NOT adjustable therefore 4 wheel alignment is misleading (without adding the kit), correct?

Alex
That's right ... from the factory there's no mechanism to adjust the toe angle of the rear wheels, but the eccentric bolt kit is a very simple and elegant solution. It's so cheap (just a bolt with an egg shaped cap and washer) your shop may include it in the price of the alignment if it's needed. I'm pretty sure about this, but my advice is free remember ;-)

I wouldn't say the 4 wheel alignment is misleading ... they'll probably check the rear alignment and add the eccentric bolt only if necessary. So technically the rear toe 'is' adjustable in their eyes. Hopefully yours is in spec and won't need adjusting.

This is the case for the front caster also, for example. From the factory it can't be modified, but the dealer can easily add a part that makes it adjustable.
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Last edited by mheffel; 03-25-2008 at 12:10 AM. Reason: correction
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  #12  
Old 03-24-2008, 10:29 PM
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Thank you, exactly the information I was loooking for.
I have a set of Good Year Eagle Revspec on the car (might be original) and they wear on both edges (inside and outside), more on the inside, so I figured a wheel alignment would be in order (55K miles, no accident). However, after some research, I found that this tire wears on the edges even when there is some thread left in the middle (tire pressure is to manufacturer`s spec most of the time ). So given that the alignment (and most everything else ) is rather expensive here (Japan) I will buy a set of new tires, monitor the threadwear and see if the car really needs an alignment.

Alex
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  #13  
Old 03-25-2008, 10:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dacia View Post
Thank you, exactly the information I was loooking for.
I have a set of Good Year Eagle Revspec on the car (might be original) and they wear on both edges (inside and outside), more on the inside, so I figured a wheel alignment would be in order (55K miles, no accident). However, after some research, I found that this tire wears on the edges even when there is some thread left in the middle (tire pressure is to manufacturer`s spec most of the time ). So given that the alignment (and most everything else ) is rather expensive here (Japan) I will buy a set of new tires, monitor the threadwear and see if the car really needs an alignment.

Alex
Manufacturers spec.s for tire pressure are for a soft ride not optimum tire wear, handling or fuel economy.... To optimize those you need to increase the pressure to accommodate the car, road conditions and your driving style...
YMMV
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  #14  
Old 03-26-2008, 01:28 AM
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Yes, I did that to maximalize the remaining tire life. I increased the pressure to 2.3 bar (33psi) at the front and 2.5 bar (36psi) at rear.
Might be bit high but I should get a couple more months out of these tires.

Alex

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