What suspension should I get for my new E-Class?

[SamAlex]

Hi,

I'm just about to order an E320 CDI and like the Avantgarde trim.

I noticed that the suspension is lowered 15mm for this trim, although I can select an option for them not to lower it and to keep it at 'comfort suspension' level.

I don't want a hard ride but I also don't want to wallow around corners. I'm tempted to go for the standard 'comfort suspension' so I can cruise the motorways in comfort but would this be a mistake?!?

Thoughts gratefully received!
Thank you...

 

[Blobcat]

I have a E320CDI W211 facelift with Avantgarde suspension and Sports suspension. I had Avantgarde suspension on my W210 E320CDI.

The new one is firmer but I'm not finding it at all uncomfortable. My W210 had 18" AMG wheels when I first had it and that was not a nice ride (IMHO). On standard 16" wheels it was fine.
My new car has the 17" wheels with 245 tyres on which grip very well although I can feel more that previous again it is not tyring.

I would have gone for the standard Avantgarde suspension if I had been choosing the car but someone else paid for the sports suspension . I do notice that this car sits higher than the last one so the normal suspension must seem like being on stilts.

Best advice would be to take one out for a decent test drive along roads you are used to and see if you like the ride.

 

[jberks]

There are 5 suspensions
The Comfort as fitted to the elegance
the lowered comfort as fitted to the standard AG
The sports as fitted to the sports or the other 2 with 17" wheels
Sports with 18" wheels as fitted to the sports.
Air

None of them are terrible so it's really a case of which compromise you want.
Clearly Air is the best as you can have any of the others at the touch of a switch, but it does cost.
I have the sports/17" set up and to be honest it can be slightly too firm on some UK roads, though it corners very well and doesn't wallow. Motorway ride is fine. I certainly wouldn't fancy it with 18" wheels as fitted to the sport though.
I had an elegance previously and it did wallow turning corners, so I wouldn't recommend that either, though again it was very comfortable and handles reasonably ok.
So I'd keep the suspension standard avant garde with 16" wheels. It's probably the best compromise overall.

 

[Blobcat]

17" wheels are now standard on the Avantgarde E320 CDI with 245x45

 

[jberks]

17" wheels are now standard on the Avantgarde E320 CDI with 245x45

ah - ok - have they put the stiffer suspension in as standard then too ?
They used to insist on it with 17" wheels though I could never figure out why.

 

[SamAlex]

Thanks for your replies!
Sounds like I should go for AG trim with the suspension that comes with that as standard (ie. lowered 15mm).
Will try to test drive the exact spec I want but the dealers don't always find that easy to organise.
Thanks again...

 

[maiga]

If it's any use- my boss got a C180 estate with the 'avantgarde' gubbins and although he was very excited about it at the time (excitable sort of a chap), he now wishes he hadn't got the low-profile setup- it's not as comfortable (I reckon it's quite sweet myself) and the wheels are a liability if used as fairly rufty tufty everyday vehicle...

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

My 210 Avantgarde set up is quite firm but is preferable to the elegance which as you say allows the car to wallow. Brisk driving is quite within the Avantgarde's ability although it is a big car and doesn't let you forget the fact.

I concur with the above comments re 18" wheels providing too stiff/harsh a ride on UK roads. An interesting point is that my AG suspension has softened slightly while I've owned the car (now on 53K) so I can only assume that the springs are loosing some of their tension with age and use and ironically the ride is now very pleasant.

Hope this helps

 

[Rory]

If it's any use- my boss got a C180 estate with the 'avantgarde' gubbins and although he was very excited about it at the time (excitable sort of a chap), he now wishes he hadn't got the low-profile setup- it's not as comfortable (I reckon it's quite sweet myself) and the wheels are a liability if used as fairly rufty tufty everyday vehicle...

That's probably got the Sports option too (especially with your comment about the wheels). On C Class standard Avantgarde suspension is same as Elegance.

 

[hawk20]

Well sorry to be different but I found the AvantGarde ride uncomfortable on the UK's generally poor roads. Round here they are awful. So I chose the Elegance set up on an E270cdi.

The real answer is the air suspension option which costs about the same as COMAND or leather etc. Then you can set it to comfort, or sport or extra sporty. I have it now standard on the S320cdi and it is fabulous. Best of all worlds. Never chose it when I was buying E classes but I would now having had it for 20,000 very pleasant miles. I'd cut down on other extras to have it; it is that good.

If not air, then Elegance as the nearest to the ride of the S class. Much less tiring on a long run IMO. But all the E's seem to ride better than their main competitors, so whatever you get, you'll enjoy.

 

[Jensen]

When buying a second hand W211 avantgarde, how would you be able to tell by looking at the car if this was bought with standard set up, or with the sport set up?

 

[Jensen]

Any ideas fellow Benz's. JBerks, Television, Moderator, Hawk etc, etc

 

[jberks]

I'm not sure how you tell visually. You could tell from the Russian site if you have the vin number but the biggest giveaway is that sports setup was a requirement for any car factory equipped with 17" wheels. So, if its got the standard 16" aero wheels it will probably be standard. Watch it though as they also did aero in 17".

 

[Blobcat]

The AG does sit lower, however you really need another one beside it to tell. As per jberks above the Vin Decoder will tell you. Although to be honest I don't think that many people who specify an Avantgarde will opt for the standard suspension as they may as well opt for the Elegance trim and save some money.

 

[hawk20]

The AG does sit lower, however you really need another one beside it to tell. As per jberks above the Vin Decoder will tell you. Although to be honest I don't think that many people who specify an Avantgarde will opt for the standard suspension as they may as well opt for the Elegance trim and save some money.

Agreed. I would assume that any AvantGarde is sports suspension and I'll bet 95% plus of the time you will be right. If you want comfort suspension go for the Elegance. I prefer the interior -more like the S class. And Elegance used to outsell Classic and AG put together till Merc made AG dearer by adding xenon lights I think(?) and then being the dearest made some think 'oh it must be the best'.

 

[Blobcat]

With the new E class Avantgarde suspension is lowered, you can specify sports suspension as well, standard Elegance suspension, or go for airmatic.
The Avantgarde doesn't have sports suspension as standard it is just lowered.

 

[hawk20]

With the new E class Avantgarde suspension is lowered, you can specify sports suspension as well, standard Elegance suspension, or go for airmatic.
The Avantgarde doesn't have sports suspension as standard it is just lowered.

Yes but with the secondhand ones he is asking about most will be AG firm exceptin the few cases where someone actively chose 'comfort suspension'. Choosing air would be rarer still and easy to spot (switches etc).

 

[jberks]

Hawk,
As blobcat says, yes the standard AG setup is lower and stiffer than the elegance (comfort) setup, but there is also an additional 'sports' setup which is stiffer still (though probably no lower) and was a mandatory upgrade if you wanted 17" alloys.
I have a friend with an elegance on factory 17" wheels and that has the sports suspension.

 

[hawk20]

Hawk,
As blobcat says, yes the standard AG setup is lower and stiffer than the elegance (comfort) setup, but there is also an additional 'sports' setup which is stiffer still (though probably no lower) and was a mandatory upgrade if you wanted 17" alloys.
I have a friend with an elegance on factory 17" wheels and that has the sports suspension.

You are right for the original poster, who is ordering new. I fully agree.
But Jensen who is talking secondhand, needs to know when the changes were made. When I bought an E270cdi in 2004, my memory says there was only AG with firmish ride as standard (you could choose 'comfort' but few did) and there was Elegance and Classic both of which had 'comfort' suspension as standard. Is that not right?

For someone buying new, why not try the air suspension -a magic carpet ride- and you can choose how firm you want to set it. Some of the new C's will have a similar option to choose apparently.

 

[jberks]

Hi Hawk,
I suspect you're right about the air suspension - i'd love it in my next one. A V6 320cdi wth air suspension if I can afford one in a couple of years!
However, mine is an 04 avangarde and it does have the extra stiffened suspension according to the Russian site and I cottoned on from the price list that was around in 05 when I bought it.
I'm not sure it's that much firmer than my Dads 03 avantgarde as it's hard to tell, given that I have 17" wheels so also have lower profile tyres, but there was definately a mandatory option code (£250 from memory) that you had to have if you chose bigger wheels.
As you're a wise man, I presume you stuck to 16" wheels on your 270 so it never came up.