Hello there....fast tire wear is a bummer...and $$$
Hey Daveoff:
Here is a video link of a good inspection routine for the E class, w210 cars for the front suspension. I just used it to see if my lower control arms had worn bushings:
What I found suggested very little wear - none on the Driver side.
On the Passenger side very little, nothing to worry about for another 40k miles I think.
This is on our 2000 e320 wagon (RWD - not 4matic).
Another thought for you:
How are the front shocks ?
If they're worn or blown out, that can add to the fast wear patterns on tires.
I just did our front's shocks on this wagon.
The SACHS ones were 12 years old & 90k miles (estimated) and mostly gone.
What I find funny is how they slowly go bad & you don't even realize how bad they have actually become.
So, I went with the KYB Gas-A-Just KG 4727's and they seem superb.
Fyi, We have had this car for 2.5 years, but have added about 60k miles in that time.
It now handles about like it did when we first purchased it. Nice change - could only help the tire wear issues.
Our worst problem, though, was super fast rear tire wear. Again, it wasn't bad first 20k miles of our use, but got worse and of late, very bad.
With the worn front shocks & these going bad, I was eating a set of tires in 10k miles, literally the inner edges worn out in 5k miles on the rear, rotate to front & all trashed in 10k miles !
I was searched every thread on tire wear w210 here & elsewhere for answers.
The main thing I discovered was:
There is an 'outer lower control arm / wheel carrier knuckle joint' that can go bad, grease seals pop & joint gets dirt & wears out quickly.
This little guy is hidden inside the rear lower control arm, and not a 'normal' suspension wear item.
Unless, it's a Mercedes. Nearly all of them have these hidden 'joints'.
The tutorial threads I located that showed the R & I procedure were for an early sedan w124 chassis and a '98 S500 !
But, same part & nearly rear suspension layout in each case.
Anyhow we just did both of the rears.
Here's the procedure:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210-e-class/1602887-diy-r-r-outer-bushing-rear-3.html#post4839497
Part Pictures, see google images here:
R & R rear lower outer control arm bushing w210
Car seems to track much better now, funny rear inner tire edge wear should disappear - or so the other threads that showed me this 'hidden suspension' breakdown have suggested.
I'll keep an eagle eye on the treadwear but it should be much improved with these two upgrades.
Hope this helps you in some fashion --
David in East Texas