W211 E320 CDI Sport - lowering advice

[mbmac]

hi people,

new here, recently purchased a W211 E320 CDI SPORT on a 56 plate.

looking to do a few simple modifications to the car - tasteful and subtle hopefully as the car does not need too much as is

one thing i usually do to my cars is lower them. been having a look online and it would seem that most people tend to go with the springs approach as opposed to coilovers.

this tends to suit my needs as well, firstly it is cheaper and secondly when selling the car i can put the normal springs back on...or sell it with the option...also im not to slam it to the floor - just a 40mm drop. will keep the existing 18" ten spoke sport alloy wheels.

what springs would you folk recommend?

given my car is a cdi sport - i take it that it currently sits lower than just say the elegance or AG set ups?

any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

 

[merc85]

If its a estate i dont think you will be able to lower it easily as the rear suspension has got Airbags not springs.

If its got Airmatic it may have Air struts on the front to.

 

[mbmac]

my car is a saloon and as far as im aware it does not have airmatic suspension as there are no suspension buttons located in the car

 

[GordonTarling]

If you want to lower it by 40mm, you'll almost certainly have to replace the shock absorbers as well. I would just say that lowering the car by 40mm is going to result in a lot of scraping from underneath. I had a standard E320cdi Sport estate and the front skirt often scraped on ramps in car parks and speed bumps.

 

[BlackC55]

We are agents for H&R springs. They are great and we have fitted plenty of sets in the past.

If you would like a price for supply and supply and fit email me at [email protected]

 

[mbmac]

will send across email, do you have a picture of an install on a e320 cdi sport saloon? just want to get an idea of how it looks

 

[BlackC55]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=l...ag0QW52YGoCQ&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=622

 

[HB]

You gotta do the shocks too. Bilstein B8 is the way to go. I've lowered my estate and it's awesome.

 

[mbmac]

what springs have you used to lower your car?

did you do the shocks at the same time or was this done afterwards?

where did you go to get it done?

 

[HB]

My car is on Eibach. Because it has air springs at the back, it was lowered with star. Shocks were done at the same time as was the alignment. Done by my Indy in Glasgow.

 

[mbmac]

by the looks of it, if i end up doing all the shocks and the springs it will end up costing close to 1k just parts - i would better off going down the coilover route

 

[y13pmc]

hi had new merc springs fitted to rear w211 elegance it sat up like a dragster fitted 40mm lowering springs and it only came down 1/2 inch (strange) still looks like a dragster
regards pete

 

[After Shock]

Hmmmm ... Glad this has popped up.

I've just had to replace the springs on the front of my 55 plate E320 Advantgarde Estate.

It now "visually" sits to high.

I've been mulling over lowering it.

It has air suspension on the back but the front is ordinary.

So can I just alter springs?
Do I need Shocks too?
How much am I looking at to spend?
How much is the ride quality affected?

I swapped the 17" wheels to staggered 8" and 9" 18's with TOYO tyres and the change was remarkable in "positivity" to drive.

Not trying to high jack the thread just add to it. Hope that's ok?

Thoughts please.

Thanks

 

[BlackC55]

You have probably fitted the wrong springs.

If you want it lowered you must replace the springs. We use H&R as they are great in fitment and ride quality.

 

[After Shock]

You have probably fitted the wrong springs.

If you want it lowered you must replace the springs. We use H&R as they are great in fitment and ride quality.

No.... right springs. The old ones looked lowered as they were on the way out! But I liked the lower look. Now the car sits as it should. OEM parts that give the "true" ride height as it were.

 

[mbmac]

what's the consensus on replacing the shocks when changing springs to lower the car?

do most people change the shocks as well?

@BlackC55 - you must lower a fair amount of cars, from your experience is it necessary to change the shocks when lowering with H&R springs?

 

[BlackC55]

It depends on how old the shocks are.

A won shock that has been lowered will not last long.

 

[Kevlaar]

Thread revival!!!!

In terms of "needing" to replace the shocks when doing lowering springs, you would only replace the shocks due to wear right? Not due to incompatibility with the springs or the shocks bottoming out with the new springs or anything?

I'm looking to get 30-40mm springs soon, then moving to coilovers in a year or so, so I don't imagine my shocks should experience that much wear in a years time.