DSK
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2019
- Messages
- 2,188
- Reaction score
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- Your Mercedes
- CLS 320 CDI, S350 Bluetec
Wow, doesn't that mean it's being worked on almost every month with a major suspension rebuild nearly every year??? My car gets (irregular) use that averages out at 400 miles/week so half yours... but it gets an oil/filter and air filter every year (or maybe 10 months if it's lucky) and levels checked once a month. Other parts are replaced when they give symptoms. And it's 33 years old.
It's nice you care for it but how much of that is replaced with years of life left. For example I've not replaced any shocks, springs and bushes in over 4 years and 80k miles and they had probably been going for years before hand and still pass the Spanish MOT. Here the computer gives the suspension a score on damping, and free play, etc. When I bought the car 4 and a half years ago it scored 62% and 80k miles later they score 58%. apparently new suspensions typically get 75% depending on car and 50% is the pass mark. I thought most of the suspension was designed to last 100s of thousands of miles and even the oil could go longer if the car is being driven lots of miles warmed up/ at cruise, etc.
Every other month.....
One of them is a 1999 C70 with 260,000 miles and the only thing that's gone wrong with it in that time is a radiator at 150,000 miles and just now a wheel bearing. Pretty impressive for a car that's done several years of track days and before speed cameras cruised the motorways at twice the speed limit better than either of my old M5's. Even now my mum uses it to go from Notts to Birmingham 3 times a week and between services it doesn't burn oil or use coolant etc... bliss!
My other one was at 70,000 miles when I bought it and its now at 160,000 miles. Amazingly the UK roads in that time have only destroyed my suspension mounts (thanks to the craters on the M1) so those were replaced all round. I also replaced both tie road assemblies as one had developed very minor play. For, me I cannot accept anything unless its not 100%. The Bilstein B12 suspension is still in good order so that's left as is and the wishbones have amazingly survived without no play found at this inspection.