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C180 Ride Issue

grpar

New Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
4
Location
West London
Car
C180 (54 plate)
I have a C180 (54 plate) which has just had its 3rd birthday last month, having covered 30k miles along the way.

From new, the car always drifted to the left and suffered from NSF outer tyre wear. Both are common problems for this model.

However, recently the ride at the front was very hard, especially over potholes, bumps, and ridges (plenty of those on the roads of west London). When the car was serviced and MOT'ed for the 1st time, the MB dealer in Brentford changed some suspension parts under warranty to cure the hard ride. I wasn't given a print-out, but was told these included the strut arms, torque arms, and bushes (?). I also had to pay an eye-watering £760 to get the brake discs, pads, and the dirty bits replaced as they were 95% worn.

Having drive about 1,500 miles in the last month, the car's ride is worse than before the changes were made. Worse in that the car picks up ridges around town, and worse in that it shimmys or twitches at motorway speeds.

Last week I had the 2 front tyres replaced to see if that improved matters (the NSF being worn on the outer edge), but alas, the ride is still the same. When the wheels were off, I had a good look at both front hubs. There were clearly some new parts, and whilst there was no play in any of the arms, etc, although it looks like the strut arm (?) has taken a few good bashes with a hammer despite it being new.

As the car will have to go back to MB, I need something specific to tell them on what might be wrong, otherwise they will just keep it in for 2 days, tell me they've tightened everything, and otherwise give me the brush-off.

Any senior members have any ideas or on what's wrong ? On another MB forum, one of the members suggested the ball joints need replacing. All help appreciated.
 
Do jack the front of the car, by holding the wheel top and bottom you may feel some free play. Garages use an iron bar in the joint to check for any movement and free play
 
MB wont believe that their shocks ever ware out but they do. Ask them to take one off and see if they can compress it by hand-bet they can.
 
I have 1 54 plate C Class with about 30K miles too. Mine is a C270CDi Avantgarde Estate. I'm assured that all C Class's have the same suspension (unlike E Class where Avantgarde is lower). It's on 16" wheels. I've owned it since it was 5mths/6K miles old, and it appeared to be effectively brand-new when it came to me.

It's hard to exactly understand how your car feels, but the description you give could apply just as well to my car. It's always drifted left (but drifts right in contraflows), and the ride is so hard I grit my teeth over bumps.

The only thing I've changed is the car came with Bridgestone Turanza ER30 tyres (205/55/16 front and 225/50/16 rear). Bridgestones are noted for their stiff sidewalls and I have to say that it felt like the car was running on iron rings rather than rubber tyres. I ran them at the minumum pressures.

I replaced these when they wore out with Michelm Primacy HP's and they are noticeably softer riding and have definitely helped. However I tend to think that the issues you & I both have are just the way the car is.
 
My car has done considerably more miles and my ride is not great either...

Squelches over road humps and creaks over badly scarred surfaces and coming off curbs.

Need to get it sorted.
 
Thanks gents. Two other things to mention:

1. When parked on a flat surface, it looks to me as though the front wheels (particularly NSF) have visibly positive camber. I thought this was always a cause of handling problems ? Should it be so pronounced ?

2. The rear end of the car can be pushed down on its springs/shocks more easily than the front, which is much more stiff. Could it be a rear induced problem perhaps ? Would a 4-wheel laser alignment help ?

Does this add anything to the analysis ?? (fingers crossed).
 
I have 1 54 plate C Class with about 30K miles too. Mine is a C270CDi Avantgarde Estate. I'm assured that all C Class's have the same suspension (unlike E Class where Avantgarde is lower). It's on 16" wheels. I've owned it since it was 5mths/6K miles old, and it appeared to be effectively brand-new when it came to me.

I was always under the impression C class Avantgarde suspension was lower than Classic or Elegance. Mine has the Sport pack with stiffened suspension and 17" wheels. The car definately sits lower than other (non) Avantgarde C class cars.

I've owned it from 8k mls and it has never drifted left.
 
The avantgarde has lower springs but the same dampers. The Sport Edition has lower springs + firmer shocks (I assume that the sports pack does as well).

The Classic and Elegance is the softest and highest setting. The avantgarde is lower but still has a reasonably comfortable ride. Sport Edition and Sports pack with 17in wheels is firm riding but ok on motorways but avoid holes in the road;)

Sport Edition sits 2 or 3 fingers height between the tyre and the wing. Avantgarde sits 3 to 4 fingers high and Classic sits an arm high!
 
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I second what R2D2 says, definately avoid potholes unless you want to chip a tooth!!

I think the SE in the model designation refers to Sport Edition?

Does the estate ride lower still? I can only fit 1 finger between tyre and arch at the front and none to -1 at the rear.
 
Thanks for that. I am tempted to get mine looked at, but you hear horror stories about it ending up being much worse.
grpar's description "shimmys or twitches at motorway speeds" is exactly what mine feels like - at 70ish it feels like its squirming along the road. At 90-100 (abroad, of course) it actually feels fine.

Funnily enough I drove along the M6 toll road this week (Tuesday) in ferocious rain with the surface of the road completely covered. Yet at 70 (pushing it in the conditions) the car seemed imperious. I was thinking the extra resistance of the water some pushed everything into aligment?
 
I think the SE in the model designation refers to Sport Edition?
SE is an option pack which when our cars were built was actually only available as a separate item on Classic. It basically added alloys, metallic paint and power folding mirrors etc.
Elegance and Avantgarde were only available with the SE package.
So the model line up was:
Classic
Classic SE
Elegance SE
Avantgarde SE

Of course there were then various option packages, including 949 Sports Package (which you presumeably have) or 950 AMG Sports Package.
Does the estate ride lower still? I can only fit 1 finger between tyre and arch at the front and none to -1 at the rear.
Mine (Avantgarde SE Estate on 16" wheels) is 3 at front and 2 at the rear.
 
The M6 Toll is a glorious piece of road though, isn't it Rory ?

I think 70 may well be the minimum speed allowed though .......

If you're a regular, pop into Norton Canes and buy the tag in the box. The tag lanes at the toll plazas are serenely quiet even on busy Sunday afternoons.
 
I have a C180 (54 plate) which has just had its 3rd birthday last month, having covered 30k miles along the way.

From new, the car always drifted to the left and suffered from NSF outer tyre wear. Both are common problems for this model.

However, recently the ride at the front was very hard, especially over potholes, bumps, and ridges (plenty of those on the roads of west London). When the car was serviced and MOT'ed for the 1st time, the MB dealer in Brentford changed some suspension parts under warranty to cure the hard ride. I wasn't given a print-out, but was told these included the strut arms, torque arms, and bushes (?). I also had to pay an eye-watering £760 to get the brake discs, pads, and the dirty bits replaced as they were 95% worn.

Having drive about 1,500 miles in the last month, the car's ride is worse than before the changes were made. Worse in that the car picks up ridges around town, and worse in that it shimmys or twitches at motorway speeds.

Last week I had the 2 front tyres replaced to see if that improved matters (the NSF being worn on the outer edge), but alas, the ride is still the same. When the wheels were off, I had a good look at both front hubs. There were clearly some new parts, and whilst there was no play in any of the arms, etc, although it looks like the strut arm (?) has taken a few good bashes with a hammer despite it being new.

As the car will have to go back to MB, I need something specific to tell them on what might be wrong, otherwise they will just keep it in for 2 days, tell me they've tightened everything, and otherwise give me the brush-off.

Any senior members have any ideas or on what's wrong ? On another MB forum, one of the members suggested the ball joints need replacing. All help appreciated.




Harsh ride surely means faulty/bent Strut (damper)
Problem maybe showing up even more now with worn parts been replaced.

As for hammer(?) marks :mad:

Keep us posted
 

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