W203 rear suspension lowering

[MSG2004]

my car is a 2003/53 late c180k classic/se.

I bought the car without driving, seeing it or ever being in one via the phone.

I don't like the side profile of the car as the back is too high.

A few months after buying the car as the fun wore off, I noted the Avantgarde and i theink the elegance models had a different/better suspension.

How can I inprove the looks/ride, relatively cheaply?

I'm more interested in lowering the rear without losing ride quailty.

Thanks

 

[Dieselman]

Change the springs and/or rubber pads.
The pads are in varying thicknesses depending on the number of moulded nubs. Less nubs means lower ride height.

 

[MSG2004]

Thanks DM.
Will this compremise the ride?
Thanks
PS - approx what price for rear springs or rubbers and what should i pay for labour/approx.
Thanks again

 

[Flash]

Pads are very cheap BUT it is the labour that is expensive unless you can find a reputable garage to do it for a reasonable priced opposed to the MB labour rates.

Changing the pads for genuine MB ones would not make much ride difference at all.

What alloys are you going for?

 

[Dieselman]

Changing the pads for genuine MB ones would not make much ride difference at all.

Not so. the pads range from about 5mm to 2omm and due to their location the amount lowered is about 1.5 times the thickness.

If the original pads are 5 nub (20mm) and the ones fitted are 1 nub (5mm, that will have the effect of lowering the car about 23mm.
This might be sufficeint.

 

[Flash]

On my current car I have the factory “sports suspension” on my Elegance and it is lower than the standard Avantgarde suspension by about 1.5CM. Ride difference is only slightly different in comparison to the standard Elegance suspension I had on previous cars. The sports suspension feels a little bit stiffer/harder in comparison.