Bad experience with Pepboys--- Please dont put anything but Blistein shocks
 

I had 2 pair of front shocks changed at Pepboys in last 2 years within 15 thousand miles. Pepboys savings are not worth it.
I am now going to put the Blistein HD in front.
Fought with Service manager at pepboys, and they agreed to refund me fully for what I paid at their place for shocks20 bucks each and 12 bucks each labor.

I strongly suggest Nothing but OEM or Blistein.

MVK

I put Gabriels on my 220D -- they are still working (six years later), but they ride hard, not at all like Bilsteins. I'd pay the money for the "real thing" -- after all, they should last as long as the originals, and I got 150,000 miles on them!

Peter

I guess it does not make big difference on older 70s MB cars but newer ones are too picky when it comes to shocks.
MVK

The only reason the Gabriels don't affect the handling much is that the suspension is in such bad shape on the 220 -- bad bushings in the right rear trailing arm and the sway bar bushings up front are shot.

European shocks are valved very differently than US shocks -- very stiff extending and soft collapsing, the opposite of US shock, which are VERY hard collapsing and VERY soft extending. This is why you get such noise and impact from hitting holes or steep bumps on american cars -- the shock transmits the force to the frame, where in an MB or Volvo, the tire simply moves up, the eases down.

Easiest to see on big dips in the highway -- amrican cars fly up in the air, then the rear wallows up and down a couple times. European cars sort of squat down a little and come back to normal hieght without bouncing.

I think the rational is to help prevent body roll by increasing suspension stiffness. The problem is with maintaining tire contact and body stability. Dropping the tire into a hole and then tossing the body into the air makes a tire on the other side of the car "unload" as the car bounces. Making the shock stiff in extension does exactly the same thing, just on the other side of the car, and allows the tire to stay on the ground rather than tossing the body up.

Peter

The Gabriels seem to sort of sit in the middle -- too hard collapsing, but not as hard as typical american shocks.

Well the Gabriels they put in my MB, on May 13 2002, worked good for 2 weeks, then slowly I see my car drop by 2-3 inches in front. It now squeaks like crazy first starting one end then the other . Now both side on front squeaks.
Guess what, the coil springs are now taking the shocks rather than shock absorber. I can literally lift the car by 2-3 inches from where it sits now in its front end.
I did the bounce test and I could not even press the shocks its only the springs that were getting pressed and its making disasterous squeak noise. Its also putting a lot of stress on other component like control arm and bushings. I just cant beleive the new shocks are that bad. No leak on them. I am literally riding on my front springs. The rear Gabriels so far a nice.
I have already ordered the Bilsteins. pepboy guy refuses to work on MB or other Euro car now.
Pepboy part # is 90202 worst shocks you can find on earth. Their old part number used to be ok( but Not good).

MVK

bilstein's ---------> replaced originals at 155k. I have over 170kmi on the second set, and they are still great. There is no substitute.

I am totally happy with the Bilstein "Comforts" I installed about 15,000 miles ago.

Doug V.