19" Wheels - yes or no?

[Perusal]

Currently considering upgrading my C220d Estate which rides very comfortably on 16" wheels for a new, in stock, C200 AMG Line Estate which is fitted with the optional 19" 5 spoke wheels fitted with runflats. I fully understand that the ride is going to be somewhat harder but how much? I want something that at least retains a degree of comfort and doesn't jar one's fillings every single time you hit a bump or cats eye in the road. Does anyone have experience of 19" wheels, is the ride still acceptable? I'm past slinging cars around corners, ok I have a sports car for that, but want something that still retains a degree of comfort.

 

[sonic]

My E350 is on summer 18" wheels & winter 17" wheels. I have the same set up on my wife's SLK.
I much prefer the 17" wheels, a much smoother softer ride particularly on the SLK.
You are going to find 19" runflats very expensive, & I suspect a very firm ride.

 

[LostKiwi]

I had 19s on my r129 when I bought it. It now sits on 17s and the ride is much better. Big bump comfort isn't a great deal different, it's the small bumps the 19s highlight.
Drive the car with 19s - I'm pretty sure it'll be quite jiggly and harsh.

 

[Srdl]

As @LostKiwi says, take it for a test drive and find a suitably bumpy road. That should answer your question. I have 17s on mine and very happy with them.

That said, I have a friend who has 19s run flats in a Jaguar XF and the ride is fine but I know they are very expensive and hard to find at times

 

[V6Matty]

My brother had them on his S205 and their not as bad as as they used to be, not sure what Merc has done to the suspension but it worked on the 205 chassis. Saying that if you do still notice them more than 17s.

I have 18's on the pug and as many of the above they are a little harsh over the small bumps

 

[Perusal]

Thanks for your various replies which kind of confirm my expectations. Unfortunately test driving the vehicle is not an option since it would be supplied from a franchised dealer via a broker.

 

[Craiglxviii]

What we know is that as rim size increases, bump response increases typically beyond the suspension system's performance limits to cope with it (that's why wheel, tyre, strut and spring should be viewed as a system not as individual parts).

Now, people want a certain "look" to their cars. The trend has been towards bigger more happy wheels with more and more rubber- bandy tyres. That's all styling.

What we find when we look at bump response for a given rolling radius & shock/ damping setup is that it is not linear, and that the response performance markedly improves from 18" and below. That is, an 18" wheel is significantly better at sharp bump response than a 19" wheel, a 17" wheel is then a bit better than that, a 16" then a bit better than that.

 

[daibevan]

I had a Jag XF on 19's when my car was in the body shop. The ride was harsh and unpleasant.

 

[John Laidlaw]

19s on my 63 and OK it's a bit 'firm' but nothing too horrible. I run my tyres 2-3 psi below the recommended inflation and that compensates anyway. I woudn't worry too much- you're going to notice a big change from your 16s anyway!
My view (and Craig has confirmed) is that 18s are optimal for UK roads....17s for winter if you can use them

 

[Craiglxviii]

Sorry and thanks to John for pointing it out. The wheel size issue is heavily road quality dependent. ThevUK has fairly low road quality... carmakers grade road surfaces 1-8 with 1 being flat and smooth and 8 being broken up. Roads in Japan for example average 1-2 and Germany 2-3, France similar.

The UK averages 4-5 and in some areas 6-7...

 

[Wighty]

Don't go above 18 buddy unless you want to bite the end of your tongue off when you hit a pothole .

 

[Submariner1]

Mine has 19".
From 2003 till late 2016 I drove SL500s on 18". They were more comfy and still had good roadholding.

Yes you notice the 19" effect , slightly more road feel. Just that bit more tactile.
Nice for a driver, but not as smooth a ride as the 18" on bad roads.

If I won a new S Coupe ... I would still order 19" as they are a decent compromise between style and function.

Would they be acceptable on a lower grade saloon say under S Class ... who knows?
On a C Class they might be really clattery!
The S Class does smooth out the raod and associated noise like nothing else.

Difficult to tell but from what you are saying 18" might be more acceptable, and being a smaller car it doesn't need the 19" look stylewise.

Sister has a new S Class AMG line 500. On 20" tyres. For me they are horrendous. Harsh and clattery ... if you shut your eyes, you would not beleive you are in an S Class. She hates them, anf says they have given her a bad back???
Personally, either they have cheapened the S Class beyond belief or these 20" are just innappropriate. She hates them so much, she was going to put them on ebay asking for a swap with 19" .
I suggested she check how much they cost first! Think they are £1200 each
They do look awesome in their diamond cut, but hey they are as if one has solid tyres like on a kids trike!

You really need to try them out first.

 

[Perusal]

Thanks to all for your various replies. Based upon your advice I have decided against the broker sourced car with 19" wheels and gone for a C220d AMG Line with premium pack on the standard 18" wheels from my local dealer. He couldn't quite match the brokers discounts but made up for the cost to change with a generous offer on my part-ex. Bring it on......

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Thanks to all for your various replies. Based upon your advice I have decided against the broker sourced car with 19" wheels and gone for a C220d AMG Line with premium pack on the standard 18" wheels from my local dealer. He couldn't quite match the brokers discounts but made up for the cost to change with a generous offer on my part-ex. Bring it on......

Good choice. 19" wheels, with lower profile tyres, do not go well with our potholed roads. As has been said, UK road quality is generally poor and in some cities, really horrible. Your car, with options, sounds excellent.

Alex.

 

[daibevan]

Look forward to the picks.