Anyone own a 2004-2005 E320 CDI Avantgarde with 16-inch Wheels?

[Razoo]

Guys, I need a quick favour from someone who has a 2004-2005 W211 E320 CDi Avantgarde with the 3.2 litre, straight-six engine and standard fit 16-inch wheels.

My W211 E320 CDi has factory fitted 17-inch wheels, and the ride is very hard.

The front offside suspension coil spring has just broken and I intend to replace the pair.

I have been told that Avantgarde coil springs for 17-inch wheels are stiffer than Avantgarde coils springs for 16-inch wheels. If this is the case, I will fit the softer, 16-inch wheel springs.

Could I trouble someone to put their E320 CDi Avantgarde on full lock and shine a torch behind the front wheel (from the front) onto the coil spring? There should be a colour code in the form of three adjacent patches of paint on one of the spring coils (usually nearer the top of the spring). Please post the colour code on this forum.

The colour code for my springs (reading from left to right) is yellow/yellow/green. I'm hoping the colour code for 16-inch wheels is different, but it may not be.

My new springs are being ordered tomorrow, so I need to know what colour code to specify quite quickly.

Thanks for any help,

Razoo

 

[pj]

I am in the process of having the front springs replaced on my 2004 E320 CDI Estate which has 16 inch wheels. The part number (actually stamped on the spring) is 2113210404 and the three painted marks are yellow/yellow/green.

Seems to be a common problem with these cars and from searching on this and other forums it affects 2004 models more than other years. A bad batch maybe?

i would recommend anyone with model and year to just get them replaced to be on the safe side because it isn't very nice when it happens. I had to get the car recovered to a friends garage as i was not able to drive it.

Peter..

 

[rpe2]

Hi Razoo,

Would do but my car is in for new shocks. Shame as I work in Newbury, you'd have been welcome to take it for a spin to see what you think of the ride.

Bests

 

[Razoo]

I am in the process of having the front springs replaced on my 2004 E320 CDI Estate which has 16 inch wheels. The part number (actually stamped on the spring) is 2113210404 and the three painted marks are yellow/yellow/green.

Hi Peter, thanks for the info. It seems your E320 has the same rate springs as mine, so there goes the 'softer springs with 16-inch wheels' theory!

Seems to be a common problem with these cars and from searching on this and other forums it affects 2004 models more than other years. A bad batch maybe?

Broken suspension springs do seem to be a very common Mercedes problem with the 2003-04 E-Class, and it may indeed be a bad batch of springs (did that French Valeo company perhaps venture into the manufacture of suspension coil springs, as well as defective radiators?) There is certainly no external degradation of my broken spring. The original black paint finish is intact, and there is no rust or surface flaking. IMO, the spring failure was entirely caused by fatigue.

MB have offered some goodwill that initially sounded very reasonable, until I realised they would only help towards the cost of replacing the one broken spring, and not the pair.

As the most usual suspension spring to break is the nearside (I broke the front offside), and my nearside spring has done 52,000 miles over 5-years, I think common sense dictates that they should both be replaced. I'm sure MB would agree, if the decisions were being taken by engineers, rather than accountants.

MB have offered to pay 75% of the parts cost, and 50% of the labour cost (or it may have been the other way round). Problem is, with the labour cost the MB dealer has to price the job at their top labour rate of £102.50/hour, whereas the dealer would only charge me £82/hour if I was paying the total bill myself.

Unfortunately, the end result is a potentially good offer from MB severely diminished by disingenuous manipulation. I could still get both springs replaced more cheaply at an independent.

I would recommend anyone with model and year to just get them replaced to be on the safe side because it isn't very nice when it happens. I had to get the car recovered to a friends garage as I was not able to drive it.

Ooer, I drove mine home on the bump stops. Thanks to the 17-inch wheels, I'm used to an uncomfortable, hard ride anyway

Regards,

Mike (Razoo - an appropriate sobriquet, as it turns out)

 

[Razoo]

Hi Razoo,

Would do but my car is in for new shocks. Shame as I work in Newbury, you'd have been welcome to take it for a spin to see what you think of the ride.

Bests

Thanks for the offer of a drive. I assume you're happy with the ride quality of your Merc?

I did drive an E320 CDi Avantgarde with 16-inch wheels for several weeks before I bought mine. I recall the ride being very comfortable. I expected the ride to be harder with 17-inch wheels, I just didn't appreciate just how much harder (must do more research in future)

Maybe the ride quality will improve with the new springs... or maybe not.

Razoo

 

[Razoo]

The part number (actually stamped on the spring) is 2113210404 and the three painted marks are yellow/yellow/green.

Hi Peter,

I think that number on your spring might actually be the spring manufacturer's vehicle and date code, rather than the Part Number.

211 = W211
321 = 320 variant (maybe)
0404 = April 2004 (maybe)

I should have worked at Bletchley Park (maybe)

I wonder if the manufacturer stamps this code number deep enough into the surface of the spring, so as to create a potential fatigue point

It's unfortunate that MB Main Dealers cannot identify which springs a particular Merc should have from their parts database. It seems that without the colour code from the original spring, they're snookered. What do they do when the old spring has rusted so badly, that all the paint finish and colour codes have disappeared?

Mike (Razoo)

 

[rpe2]

Thanks for the offer of a drive. I assume you're happy with the ride quality of your Merc?


Razoo

Hi Mike,

Yes very happy, hopefully more so with 2 functioning shocks.

 

[Razoo]

Front Suspension Coil Springs Replaced

Just a quick follow-up:

I had both front suspension springs replaced by my local MB Main Dealer on 29 May and the car now seems to be riding a bit higher than it did before the spring broke.

This suggests to me that the springs had settled some over the past 5-years & 52,000 miles, which is what I would have expected and why I decided to replace both springs as a pair.

The car is also a bit smoother over those bl**dy speed humps/pillows that are spreading through local villages like a malignant rash.

All-in-all, I'm quite happy with the outcome.

Razoo

 

[pj]

Hi Razoo
This was also the case with my W211 (04 E320 CDI estate 114K). The front is now higher than it was before the spring broke. Measuring from wheel centre to wheel arch the front is about 25mm higher than the rear. At first it was even higher but found out that non merc springs had been fitted so had them changed. It looks like elegance height at the front rather than avantgarde but I checked the part number and colour band and they were the same as the originals.

Peter ....

 

[nathanrobo]

I've been through this loop recently with an E320 CDI Avantgarde Sports (S211). It seems that few outside of MB - specialists or motor factors understand this...

My experience was as a result of a squeaking suspension I bought and fitted front control arms (with bushes) upper wishbone and ball joints. I was told that these were compatible with my car based on the vin and reg number.

When I fitted these parts I noticed that the bushes were softer than the originals. I talked to the supplier but they were worst than unhelpful.

Then a few weeks after fitting the front suspension kit, I had a snapped offside spring as a result of a pot hole. After some research I came to the conclusion that there were at least four different suspensions fitted to these cars:

1. Standard model Classic / Elegance 16" wheels
2. Avantgarde 17" Wheels
3. Avantgarde sports pack (Code 486 suspension option) 15 - 20mm lower - AMG styling w 18" wheels
4. AMG models

Sachs seem to be the only manufacturer of the shocks and springs (original part manufacturer). To complicate things a little further, the original shocks are no longer made by Sachs, but they do offer a compatible (original part number for the shocks were A211 320 0413 - replacement part seems to be 635 22 011) and after fitting these doesn't seem to handle as well.

The compatible shocks have a small snap ring and about 10 grooves for height adjustment, so I made the adjustment using the old shocks for reference, but the car is clearly too high at the front. Now I'm not sure whether the springs or the shocks are wrong!

I'm waiting to get my other car back from the body shop and when I do, I plan to strip the front suspension apart, push out the old bushes from the control arms and upper wishbone and press them into the newer arms (it was only the ball joints on the old arms that were worn). I'll measure the new spring against the unbroken spring that still looks new, and adjust the shocks to the lowest setting to see if that returns the car to something near original. I'll post again when I have a clearer picture. However, for anyone with a sports suspension E - class, be careful before you order up anything on the front suspension. It seems a complete minefield and unless you are prepared to spend the thick end of £1200 on parts with Merc for a relatively small job, you'll find that most suppliers will supply parts but just because they can be fitted doesn't mean that they are correct :-(

 

[Parkgate]

Standard cars in MB language ARE Avantgarde spec without 'Sports suspension.. ie SANS code 486', Classic and Elegance have INCREASED ride height springs (thinner and more prone to snapping), 17" wheels make no difference at all, code 486 equipped cars have thicker anti roll bars and slightly firmer springs. AMG are the same as code 486 in most cases (unless in the above 550 spec models). What you need to know is the colour codes of your originally fitted springs. As far as I know this applies to all MB models,

 

[grahamwoodward]

W211 E320 V6 petrol Avantgarde saloon (2004) - front springs

I've just had a near-side (left) front spring snap, and had both replaced. The car now seems to sit quite a bit higher at the front than before. The garage says it will settle back down soon. The distance from the centre of my 16in wheels to the wheel arch is 15½ inches (39cm). Does anyone know if this is correct, or if they will settle lower in time? They are not genuine Merc springs.

 

[V6Matty]

springs very rarely settle over time, I'd suggest you contact your local MB and replace them again, last time mine snapped the local autofactor did admit that what they can supply can be different to what MB supply due to MB working on a points system to match springs to what the car has fitted in the way of engine and equipment

 

[grahamwoodward]

E320 W211 2004 Avantgarde front springs

I now need more help. Merc told me that the correct front springs for my Avantgarde E320 with 16in wheels are those marked one blue and two white stripes. These have now been fitted and the ride height is still 1½ inches higher than before and higher than most other 2005 Avantgarde E-classes that I've seen. Does anyone know what the correct ride height should be?

The car is not level. One suggestion is that the rear springs have settled, but the front ride height is uneven around the tyre - three fingers at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock points, and a full hand at the top.

PS: the car has the 3.2 litre V6 petrol engine - it's not a 320 diesel.

 

[turbopete]

springs very rarely settle over time, I'd suggest you contact your local MB and replace them again, last time mine snapped the local autofactor did admit that what they can supply can be different to what MB supply due to MB working on a points system to match springs to what the car has fitted in the way of engine and equipment

i often laugh at this theory. whilst im sure its true, if we are honest, how much extra can a comand unit weigh over a standard radio, or leather over cloth etc.
different engines i can see the point, and possibly different transmissions too (on the ones still offered with manual boxes, or 5 speed over 7 speed etc) but if the cars spec actually made that much difference the handbook would have to be tailored to each individual car, giving exact kerbweights etc to allow the owners to work out exactly how much weight they could carry in the boot, tow etc.
in reality its probably points for engine, transmission, Sport/elegance/AMG spec ride height etc, bodystyle and chassis code.
so by my reckoning, knowing if you have, for example, a 204, 220cdi sport manual saloon should get you as near as is possible the same spring as MB would give you anyhow (And MB could probably do it that way if they wanted, but they like to keep things overly complicated at times)

 

[grahamwoodward]

E-class W211 springs and ride height

I have checked with Mercedes and according to them the correct springs were supplied and fitted - springs marked with one blue and two white stripes. But the ride height at the front is still more Elegance set up than Avantgarde. So unless someone can tell me the exact proper ride height, which judging by all other 211s I've seen is 14 inches from centre of the wheel to the front wheel arch, I have nowhere to go.