Finalcut

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Just got a late 2004 SLK350 ... like the car so far...but

Has anyone directly compared the factory sport suspension and the standard suspension? I haven't been on any country roads yet to try out the performance of the standard set up, it feels a lot more supple than my old S2000.

If the sport suspension is a significant improvement, would it be possible to source and fit the components?

etyu

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Welcome Finalcut and congratulations on getting the R171 with the 350 engine. I drive a stock 280 and am quite satisfied with the stock suspension. I could go around the semicircular on or off ramps to the freeways at 35 to 45mph (depends if there are cars in front of me or not).

The sport suspension is a bit more stiff than stock and transmit road vibrations more. It all depends on how you like your ride. The suspension components can be replaced to the sports suspension by any competent aftermarket garage or independent MB garages.

My suggestion is to try and test drive an SLK350 with the sports package and see how you like it before thinking of spending the money.

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Eddy

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Pewter/Beige, PIII package, Airscarf, Hands-Free Communication System, Lighting package
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Bill T), SmartTop v1.0, Kleyman 3BFM (NoRegret Custom), Green Air Filters, Mod. R170 ant., EuroClear sidemarkers w/PIAA PlasmaIon lamps, chromed front & rear turn indicator lamps, PIAA SuperPlasmaGTX front parking lamps, bilateral rear fog lamps enabled.

heezyo2o

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What do you mean by supple. Do you mean SLK has more give and moves around more?

I have an '07 SLK350 non-sports package, and I think it handles decent, but there is much body roll and I find that the car takes a long time to recover from transient response when going from corner to corner. After I retrofit some xenons and get a windscreen, I'm going to look into the factory sports package suspension or something aftermarket. Nothing drastic though, just springs and shocks.

fgwinn

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I posted a DIY sport suspension to standard suspension conversion on benzworld early this year. Here in the US it would cost about $900 to buy the parts for the sport suspension. You need front struts and springs, and rear shocks. The rear springs are the same for the standard and sports suspension. You should also purchase new fasteners for those which are self-locking (most of them). You need a spring compressor that fits over the top of the strut in order to disassemble/re-assemble the strut without killing yourself.

It takes about an hour to change the rear shocks and three to four hours to swap out the front struts.

If I did this again, I would purchase the extra strut components (about an extra $100) so that I could change the struts without having to bother with the strut compressor.

You will need to get a wheel alignment after you change the suspension. Make sure you tell the dealer that your suspension does not match the VIN number so that they use the correct wheel alignment specs.

Finalcut

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Thanks for the advice.

I am going to the great British countryside this weekend , so I will see how I get on on some twisty roads, it's a difficult comparison coming from an S2000, but I am getting used to the way the SLK feels. Probably mostly the weight difference. However for daily use the Merc is much more comfortable.

I could also maybe test drive a 350 with the sport suspension as suggested.

N4PWJ

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i found the standard suspension pretty soft for my driving style. i put aftermarket eibach springs in and has amde a big difference. would highly recommend the sport package, but cheaper to just buy aftermarket springs or coilovers.

HwoALanG

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SLK stock suspension is too soft. i had RSX and it was firm than SLK stock suspension. i might get suspension upgrade too.

bejak

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Go for the KW coil overs type 3. It costs an arm and a leg but it's fantastic on the car.

heezyo2o

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Will springs alone really help handling or is it more for looks?

heezyo2o

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Is there a big difference in terms of handling?

Duo-Art

fgwinn, Fred it's great to see a posting from you. You were a major (and very inteligent) contributor in late 2004 and early 2005 when the R-171 was first introduced in the US. Mel

FPF422

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The car as it has almost no body roll will "eat" bends more easely, faster and with a much better feel

(comparing my parents C with normal suspension and my sister's with the sport package)

Personally, as my car has always had the SP, I couldn't tell for the SLK specifically, but with the Cs, it's day and night. With the normal susp., I almost feel unsafe in fast bends and tight corners.

heezyo2o

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Thanks for the input, but do you really think that a c-class equipped with the sports package has almost no body roll? I think perhaps that our expectation level is a bit different.

N4PWJ

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springs are definately dominantly more for aesthetic reasons, but they do improve handling by alot aswell. If i was goign for uot and out performance, without a doubt KW variant 2 coilovers. These are amazing and i have had them on my cars before. but i want comfort as well as style and handling, so opted for springs and i dont regret it a bit...very impressed

DansSlk

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I would not say it does not have body roll but then its not an ark like the normal C either.

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FPF422

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Compared to the C without there is almost no bodyroll with the sport package, but the C is no sports car... with the sport package, it will set on its suspension and eat the bend... without it you feel your car moving "above" the wheels (not a good feeling)

Also, no body roll with a classic suspension is not the same than no body roll with the new active system that MB has on the S, CL, ....

fgwinn

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I prefer the standard suspension over the sport suspension. For the type of driving I do, I would not say there is a *big* difference. Frankly I wish there was a bigger difference. I picked up some ground clearance for the front bumper, but, not enough to avoid scratching the bumper in driveway entrances.

If I did it again I would get the standard SLK body and suspension and just upgrade the wheels. I prefer the five spoke wheels regardless of what my good friend Dua-Art says about them. :-)

My next roadster will probably be an SL550.

fgwinn

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Lot's of things competing for my time these days. I am putting over five times as many miles on my E500 and maintaining both cars in top shape is fairly time consuming. I recently became active in the local MBCA section. I have pretty much been participating in all of the local events and became a director at the last meeting. I still visit the various forums but just don't have the inclination to post as much as I did the first year I owned the R171.