Hi, I'm a newbie to this forum and seriously looking to purchase a 2006 ML350. Unfortunetly, I haven't found any dealership with a "air suspension" package car so I can take it out for test spin. Furthermore, the salesman told me to get in a E-class with airmatic to get a feel of it. (Needless to say, it's not the same in another car) He finally tried to sell me a ML350 without the air suspension and said the ride is good without it, plus it might be more costly to fix in the future. Can someone please comment on his take on air suspension and the cost to fix? BTW, how long does it usually take for car to arrive if I was going to put order in this weekend? Thanks.
I have air suspension ordered on my ML500 due in Aug. I, too have not experienced it. However after reading all of the reviews I decided to try it. If I do not like it I will get rid of the ML. As far as increased maint cost, eventually thats a given. How much, who knows. If cost of maint is a major consideration for you then purchase no options. Any option over std. carries a risk of additional repairs.
i think you'll be hard pressed to find someone on this particular forum (w164) that has had enough experience with the air suspension system to give you a fair evaluation; the cars just haven't been out long enough. that said, i can speak from using the system on two of my other benzos -- they were not m-class cars but were (and are) a 2003 e500 sport and a 2006 s500 amg sportline. they both use the 'same' air suspension system technology that benzo is offering on the 06 m-class.
my 03 e500 sport (i've sold it now) had the system, and i really couldn't feel the difference between the 'convenience (comfort)' mode and the two sportier modes. maybe because the car was already tuned to the sport mode? don't know.
conversely, i can really tell the difference on my s500. in 'convenience (comfort)' mode the car rides as if it was gliding like an old air hockey puck; it is way smooth! when i go into cloverleaf turns off the motorway, i adjust the air suspension just before the turn and the car takes the turns like i was racing the le mans! awesome! also - when i'm cruising the motorway, and switch from the softer ride to the firmer ride, i can feel every tarstrip and the car just feels much more muscular than in the "convenience (comfort)" mode.
comparing an s-class ride to an m-class ride might be apples and oranges, but i offered this opinion to you from someone that has played around with these systems for a few years. in terms of cost, ?? ---> i'm still on warranty! 2001 and older cars that have these systems are paying north of $2,000 for just the air shock replacements, but i don't know if that is a fair comparison as benzo may have changed the design in the last five years or so.
Greg sort of "talked" me into getting the air suspension which I also had my doubts about. Today, when I took delivery of our ML, was the first time I experienced the pkg. I am very, very pleased with it so far just in the few miles I've driven it. It's noticeably different to me between the settings. I don't regret the extra money.
__________________ Jack - MS Gulf Coast Resident and Katrina Survivor
Greg sort of "talked" me into getting the air suspension which I also had my doubts about. Today, when I took delivery of our ML, was the first time I experienced the pkg. I am very, very pleased with it so far just in the few miles I've driven it. It's noticeably different to me between the settings. I don't regret the extra money.
You also get variable ratio steering with the Airmatic, which is not available otherwise. Tuners will probably have software modifications available to lower the car with no physical changes.
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<B>Greg</B> Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA
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<B>2006 ML350</b> - Pewter/Charcoal Alcantara/Aluminum; Packages: Comfort, Lighting, Entertainment, Appearance, Airmatic, Sunroof; Options: Nav, Sirius, hitch, heated seats, power liftgate, roof rack; Mods: ML500 skid plates, ML63 20" wheels.
<B>2001 BMW M3 Coupe</B> (5/01 prod.) - Titanium/Cinnamon w/ many mods.
Finally got a chance to test drive ML350 with Air Suspension and YES..., there is a big significant difference. The car was gliding in comfort mode and was just another animal when switched to sport mode. Very easy decision to make!!! Therefore, ordered a new ML350 with $1000 deposit, and dealer says it will be delivered in about 3 months. Can't wait!!! Below is my configuration with final negotiated price BEFORE taxes, reg. fee, lic, etc...at $48600. FYI, I live in Stockton, California.
Pewter w/ Black Interior
Appearance Pack
Air Suspension Pack
Comfort Pack
Entertainment Pack
Lighting Pack
Sunroof Pack
Power Liftgate
BTW, originally settled for Iridium Silver, but saw the pics of the new rides of many members and decided to go with Pewter. [:)]
I have been really impressed with the air suspension on my ML350, handling is significantly different than my 02ML. You will definitely notice the difference when cornering which feels a lot more comfortable at higher speeds.
Linear Mode
