We bought Scarlet after a tornado smashed a few body panels and made her ugly but still serviciable for basic transportation. She goes down the road just fine and is getting ready to have her 300K celebration in the next month. The rear self leveling suspension was shot when we bought it and we replaced everything, doing the work ourselves. Yes, everything. The parts total for that was almost as much as we paid for the car, and by the time the entire AC system was replaced as well, more money was in parts than the purchase. Other than some oil leaks, we were happy with our bargain, and I had something to haul gardening stuff and humane society animals in that was reliable but not too foo foo to get dirty.
Scroll forward 7 years and only 30K more miles. The rear self leveling suspension is now becoming a problem again. 30K miles. Both of the $300 shocks are leaking again. Both. Everyone we've talked to is astounded. We're disappointed in the cost/benefit ratio of the whole system and looking to replace it with something more conventional. I've searched the Mercedes newsgroups and bulletin boards and have come across only a few references to this being attempted. Does anyone know of any *real* information on this being done? Hubby is a machinist and has available lathe, mill, welder, and more tools than is sanely needed by a private individual. If this can be done, he can do it.
So, can this be done? What might the consequences of such a changeover entail 20K down the road? That's as far in the future as we're looking. Old Scarlet is not a restoraton candidate. She has too many warts. She's gonna go until she can't go anymore and then she'll be humanely euthanized and become an organ donor. I don't want to drop another $900 in a system that's failed in that short a period of miles.
Suggestions? Comments? Commiserations?