Choice of replacement tyres

[Peter Lanky]

I am not yet in the market for replacement tyres, but I like to be prepared when the time comes and arm myself with information. My C220D is currently fitted with ContiSportContact 5 17". When I look up this tyre online to see how it fits into the pecking order of tyres, I often see a Mercedes symbol next to it but no explanation. Is this a marketing partnership, or it is really possible (need expert help here) for a tyre to be tailor-made for a specific car brand?

Normally I would have gone to Event Tyres (now defunct it seems) and bought what seem to me in my capacity as somebody who knows little about the technical issues of tyres, the most appropriate set of Michelin tyres and looked no further.

However, a friend who has worked in the motor maintenance trade for years suggested I look at all season tyres, and so I discovered the Michelin Crossclimate +. These seem to sell at around £30 more per tyre than a Primacy, but are they worth it?

In the end, having only had experience of one Mercedes car with it's original tyres, I've no personal benchmark, so I am seeking advice on what to go for, based on owners personal experiences.

 

[400ixl]

The Mercedes symbol means they have been approved by Mercedes. Some lease cars have to have approved tyres fitted, other than that there is no requirement on a personal car, but an approved EU marking, size, speed and weight rating for insurance purposes (unless declared otherwise).

Personally I have fitted Uniroyal Rainsport 3's as a good balance between price and performance.

 

[flowrider]

Popular tyres at present appear to be Uniroyal Rainsport3, Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric3 and Michelin Pilot Sport4. I've heard that Hankook make decent tyres too and these are available in a Mercedes spec.

 

[LostKiwi]

Continental are one of the OE fitments and you will often see MO on sites to say they are the OEM spec.
The reality is MBs will work perfectly well with most tyres.
he favourites of many in here are Uniroyal Rainsport 3s (superb value for money and performance), Goodyear Assymetric 3, and Falken.
Comapritively few are Continental fans and many view Michelins a good tyre that will last well but at a price.

I also rate Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 (we use them on our MINI Cooper S and they lasted 30k miles on the front but still gripped very well in all conditions). All my MBs will end up on RS3s where possible (one car can't as the size isn't available).

Cross climates are well thought of but are inferior in wet weather to Rainsport 3s and Assymetric 3s. The benefit to Cross Climates is they reduce the need for winter tyres if you're in an area where you're subject to needing them.

Camskill are the place quite a few of us buy tyres from.

 

[John Laidlaw]

As above- I would add that I have used the Cross Climates on a previous car (can’t get them for my 63 size) and they were superb tyres. As LK says a good combination if you opt for winter tyres, Lancashire IMO benefits from that (I run winters on my Mercedes and have done since I’ve owned them, my first being in 2009). So from that point of view the Cross Climates are worth it.
Shop around Blackcircles,Oponeo and Mytyres are my usual suspects - Camskill don’t have links to fitting centres but your local tyre fitter may agree to fit for a fee. (Or they are in Cumbria and might have their own fitting shop- not sure on that)

 

[00slk]

I have used camskill for quite a number of years and no one seems to be able to match their prices. Some of these so called chinese ditch finder tyres are matching top brand tyres for grip, fuel economy and noise. I have tried many different brands of tyres over the years and find Cheap tyres do work well if you drive according to the cheap tyres you have fitted

 

[S500 Pete]

I am not yet in the market for replacement tyres, but I like to be prepared when the time comes and arm myself with information. My C220D is currently fitted with ContiSportContact 5 17". When I look up this tyre online to see how it fits into the pecking order of tyres, I often see a Mercedes symbol next to it but no explanation. Is this a marketing partnership, or it is really possible (need expert help here) for a tyre to be tailor-made for a specific car brand?

Normally I would have gone to Event Tyres (now defunct it seems) and bought what seem to me in my capacity as somebody who knows little about the technical issues of tyres, the most appropriate set of Michelin tyres and looked no further.

However, a friend who has worked in the motor maintenance trade for years suggested I look at all season tyres, and so I discovered the Michelin Crossclimate +. These seem to sell at around £30 more per tyre than a Primacy, but are they worth it?

In the end, having only had experience of one Mercedes car with it's original tyres, I've no personal benchmark, so I am seeking advice on what to go for, based on owners personal experiences.

I have the Dunlop Sportmaxx 2 fitted to my E class as they had the lowest noise rating along with good wet weather and dry cornering performance. Very pleased so far but only done about 5000 miles so no idea on wear.

 

[Jimbo1959]

Some of these so called chinese ditch finder tyres are matching top brand tyres for grip, fuel economy and noise.

Agreed, I had Three A, 909's on my last car, I had never heard of them until my son (a poor student at the time) recommended them. Ok they were not as good as the Conti's I had on previously in the wet but, in the dry, there was very little to separate them. Well apart from nearly £100 for the set (4), lol. I only bought them because I had to get my alloys refurbed, plus one repair, add the tyres and it all came in at just over £600 which, I must admit was a damned good price for what I got.

 

[Jimbo1959]

My next set for the Coupe will be Uniroyal Rainsport 3's, again a recommendation from my lad, first class handling wet or dry and a very reasonable price.

 

[00slk]

I put Uniroyal Rainsport 3's on my Jag, they were very good I must add.
The sensible driver can drive what ever tyre they want, it's drivers like me that require, better fuel efficiency, quieter ride...Oh extra grip for when that moment comes and you need to see off the young up start in their hot hatch!!!

 

[Jimbo1959]

I put Uniroyal Rainsport 3's on my Jag, they were very good I must add.
The sensible driver can drive what ever tyre they want, it's drivers like me that require, better fuel efficiency, quieter ride...Oh extra grip for when that moment comes and you need to see off the young up start in their hot hatch!!!

We do seem to have a lot in common sir.

 

[00slk]

We could do Jim, we could do!!
I received two Kumho Ecsta LE Sport KU39 today to replace the Pirelli Corsa's that I had been given to try. They needed far too much warming up to grip until we noticed the tyre's breaking up. On closer inspection they were nearly 20 year nos I wanted the Dunlop's to match the fronts but at my price there was a 6 week wait. I can't have my car off the road again for that long and after a chat with the tyre spec guy I went for the Kumho's over my second choice of the Falken's 510 as these were rated below the Kumho's. So confusing after a while especially when some places have stock but not in your size, don't do them for your car, or we can get them in, but £70 each more than on line

 

[Craiglxviii]

They don’t do Rainsport 3 to fit the rears of my CL. So it looks like Toyo Proxes T1s,all around, about the same price as the RS3s.

 

[Simon Barry]

I have the Dunlop Sportmaxx 2 fitted to my E class as they had the lowest noise rating along with good wet weather and dry cornering performance. Very pleased so far but only done about 5000 miles so no idea on wear.

My E500 with Pano roof is noisy compared to the standard roofed EClass, so quiet tyres are certainly of interest Pete.

 

[Jasandjules]

I tend to use Pilot Sports on my "normal" cars - the grip in the wet is astonishing IMHO.

 

[sonic]

Another here for Uniroyal Rainsports, a great tyre & a great price.
I use winter tyres in the winter.

 

[Capra]

Another here for Uniroyal Rainsports, a great tyre & a great price.
I use winter tyres in the winter.

Do you have a set that you take to a tyre centre for change over, or do you buy a new set of winters tyres each year. winter tyres is something I've never used.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Do you have a set that you take to a tyre centre for change over, or do you buy a new set of winters tyres each year. winter tyres is something I've never used.

Don’t know about him, but I have a set of winters I swop over each year. Others sometimes have another set of alloys or steels with the winters on already and just swop the wheels over each year.
I have the Uniroyal MS77 winter tyres, first time ive used these. They are fine but noisy.
Previously I’ve had Dunlop Wintersport 3D’s (in fact I have a set of 18” 245/45 in the garage from my SL no one wants despite them being in excellent condition!), Vredestein Wintrac extreme.

 

[Capra]

Don’t know about him, but I have a set of winters I swop over each year. Others sometimes have another set of alloys or steels with the winters on already and just swop the wheels over each year.
I have the Uniroyal MS77 winter tyres, first time ive used these. They are fine but noisy.
Previously I’ve had Dunlop Wintersport 3D’s (in fact I have a set of 18” 245/45 in the garage from my SL no one wants despite them being in excellent condition!), Vredestein Wintrac extreme.

is this really for drivers that do long distance and do not want to damage their summer sets? Or do they make a big difference to wet/ice and snow?

 

[John Laidlaw]

is this really for drivers that do long distance and do not want to damage their summer sets? Or do they make a big difference to wet/ice and snow?

It’s the tyre stability in lower temperatures really Andy (-7oC and below), they grip so much better than summers - 700bhp through summer rears in the winter would be no fun at all!
Mercs and Beemers are completely pants on white stuff too