Compress Ignite: Yes, the City uses salt in the winter.

Gmercoleza: I did not think of looking for a Lower Control Arm (LCA) on eBay, but now I will. My local parts store is offering it for $220. I found your thread regarding not needing a spring compressor, however my ball joint is busted and that I think adds to the danger of the spring getting loose. I am planning to install the compressor, then lift the car.

Pwogaman: I bought the car with this ball joint about 3 years ago, therefore I don't know if it is OEM or aftermarket. The car has about 125K miles on it. I knew the LCA bushings were cracked, but did not get around to replacing the LCAs. Also, I don't think it is possible to grease these ball joints because there is no grease fittings on their bottoms. I think they are supposed to be permanently lubricated and sealed.

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2004 E500 4Matic 138,000 miles