A Class hard ride

jonharker

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E350CDi 212 estate
I took my wife's A Class to Heathrow and back yesterday (I went to the Geneva Motor Show) and was reminded forcefully how appalling the ride quality is; even on motorways it is hard and really quite uncomfortable, you feel every bump and unevenness in the road. I can't believe it is so bad; my wife complains bitterly; I have asked service to look at it in the past and they say there is nothing wrong; anyone else had the same experience?
Car is A170 Classic 3 door 08 plate.
 

television

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2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
What size wheels do you have on the car please,

Lucky you going to that show
 

PeterCLK

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2012 204 Elegance saloon 220 cdi
I had one as a loan car a while ago and found the ride harsh.
 
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jonharker

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E350CDi 212 estate
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They're just bog standard (I think) Goodyear 185/65/R15; not exactly low profile which is why I'm so puzzled.
 

television

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2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
They're just bog standard (I think) Goodyear 185/65/R15; not exactly low profile which is why I'm so puzzled.

Yes you cannot get smaller than that,,could they be over inflated,, try the lower of the two figures in the fuel flap lid
 

Rory

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2005 C270CDi Avantgarde Estate. Bought 2005, sold 2022.
Get wifey to drive an Avantgarde version with 18" wheels and 40 profile tyres - it'll be so horrendous that she'll think her's is quite good!
 

Bolide

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BMW 525 Diesel Touring
Have the shipping blocks been taken out of the suspension? That one has cropped up on Honest John more than once

I don't see how a car with 185/65 tyres can ride badly. What are you comparing it against?

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk
 

littlebrooklyn

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2016 A180d
Get wifey to drive an Avantgarde version with 18" wheels and 40 profile tyres - it'll be so horrendous that she'll think her's is quite good!

I have an A170 with sports suspension and 17" alloys and I have no problem at all with the ride. Yes you can feel some bumps in the road, but I guess it depends on what kind of ride you like :lol:
 
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jonharker

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E350CDi 212 estate
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Have the shipping blocks been taken out of the suspension? That one has cropped up on Honest John more than once

That's interesting; it's been serviced so hard to believe but would certainly explain it
Thanks
 

Thincat

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2001 SLK320
I've had an A class courtesy car on a couple of occasions and the ride is certainly hard compared with my SLK. It's a bit like the ride you get in most Audis - the ones without magnetic suspension, that is. I seem to remember that Mercedes did a lot of work on the A class suspension after the original model failed the "elk test" - it overturned when being driven fast round cones and was deemed unsafe. That's almost certainly one reason why the A class is firmly sprung.
 

rhud

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A160 BlueEfficiency Avantgarde SE 2010
Ride on the A Class is certainly not the car's strong point. I remember reading an owner review somewhere which said that the car was 'tyre-pressure sensitive' - though this wasn't elaborated on. But it may well like some tyres better than others. I had a loan car with standard 15" wheels running on Continentals and these seemed to suit the car very well.
 

Rory

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2005 C270CDi Avantgarde Estate. Bought 2005, sold 2022.
Have the shipping blocks been taken out of the suspension? That one has cropped up on Honest John more than once

I was given a Ford Orion company car many years ago that someone had done 25K miles in in 6 months and it was obvious within 100 yards that there was something seriously wrong with it.

It was hilarious to drive with minimal suspension travel and no grip - it was like driving a go kart. Took it to a Ford dealer and they found it still had the transit blocks in.

It had been serviced and had had new tyres and no-one had noticed.
 

jubhi

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E350 CDI Sport Coupe Brabus D6-III, A150 SE, Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
Have to disagree here with some of you. My wife's A-Class seems fine, no harsh ride ever noticed, came with Michelin tyres on 15 inch wheels. Seems good in town and motorway driving conditions. Obviously won't be as smooth as the bigger cars in the Mercedes family because of the shorter wheelbase but for what the car is I feel it is better than the competition out there.
 

rhud

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A160 BlueEfficiency Avantgarde SE 2010
As a follow up to this - I have today had fitted four new tyres to my A Classic SE (185/65/15). New tyres are Continental Eco Contact 3. They replaced Kumho Solus which came with the car when new.

This was an extravagance, since the Kumhos had done under 11,000 miles. However I suspected the Kumhos were doing the car no favours in terms of ride quality - though they did look as if they would last for ever.

Provisional result: have not done many miles on the Contis but, even allowing for the 'new tyre factor' they are clearly in a different league. Rippled surfaces annoyingly apparent with the Kumhos have disappeared. Speed bumps negotiated without 'crash'.

The A is never going to ride like an S Class for obvious reasons but, so far, I am v impressed with the Contis. The ride seems to have crossed the line between unacceptable and acceptable.
 
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npuk

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I personally dont find the ride too hard with 17" alloys and sports suspension. Running the right tyre pressures helps.
 

rhud

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A160 BlueEfficiency Avantgarde SE 2010
I personally dont find the ride too hard with 17" alloys and sports suspension. Running the right tyre pressures helps.

I'm sure I would find that way too hard - but then ride, as with so many car things, is a very subjective matter. I was anxious to try to improve the ride on mine since in all other respects the car IMO leaves the comparable opposition standing. It may well be that the new Conti tyres have tipped the balance decisively in the car's favour. Which makes it all the more surprising IMO that Mercedes are factory-fitting a tyre which,in my experience, suits the car less well. Cost?
 
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npuk

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The Continentals are a premim brand tyre. Out of interest were the Continentals you had fitted a 'MO' Mercedes Only tyre? Mine came with Bridgestone RE050 MO from the factory.

It is suprising Mercedes are fitting mid budget Kumhos. The classic has steel wheels doesnt it?
 

mastereng

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I have 15 inch wheels and Michelin "Energy" tyres. I have had to drive a variety of hire cars recently which have reminded me how the A Class is great on a smooth road, not very good on bumpy or poor quality roads and absolutely dire at negotiating speed bumps at any speed! I think all the posts have focussed on wheel/tyre combination (and if transit blocks have not been removed) but I think the compact design of the car with sandwich floor has limited the amount of room for suspension travel so whatever wheel/tyre combination one has, ride quality will never be a strong point of the A Class. As an A Class owner I accept the variable ride quality because it excels (for a small car) in so many other areas.
 

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