2011 W204 Estate - All season tyres? Good or Bad idea?

[Freeatlast]

All seasons are great IF you can get the required sizes. I have Michelin Cross Climate on the front of the S204, but as both my cars have 17" staggered rims, can I find 17" 245/40 all season tyres for the rears - NO!! Can't make up my mind if I want to ge 225/45 all round, especially on the "shopping trolley" S204, would not be quite so bothered on the SLK as if conditions are that questionable Daddy's Toy would remain tucked up warm and dry in her garage.

This has also been my problem and I wasn’t sure if I could fit the same size all round or if it was worth having the slight difference between axles (cross climate 2 on one axle and cross climate + on the other).

My gut feeling is that this will be pretty much ok but I wanted to see what others use / think…

 

[Chrishazle]

Can't see a problem having different tyres front and rear axles - it's what I currently have on both cars. Different tyres on the same axle is never recommended though! Did you manage to find 245/40 R17 all season tyres? I've had no joy at all, and the S204 rears are down to 3mm so will soon need replacing!

 

[Blobcat]

This has also been my problem and I wasn’t sure if I could fit the same size all round or if it was worth having the slight difference between axles (cross climate 2 on one axle and cross climate + on the other).

My gut feeling is that this will be pretty much ok but I wanted to see what others use / think…

My summer set is staggered my winters are a square setup

 

[Chrishazle]

Ride would be better if your winters were round!!

 

[Freeatlast]

Can't see a problem having different tyres front and rear axles - it's what I currently have on both cars. Different tyres on the same axle is never recommended though! Did you manage to find 245/40 R17 all season tyres? I've had no joy at all, and the S204 rears are down to 3mm so will soon need replacing!

Sorry Chris

I've just realised that i was looking at 18" rims not 17 (which i should have been).

The closest I can find is 245 /45 R17.

Given that 245 is exactly the same width and 45 means that the sidewall height is 5% more than the listed 40 - would this not be a suitable equivalent?

Or could you use 225 /45 R17's all round?

I assume that this would make the rear tyre slightly narrower which (in theory) would create more pressure in the snow / wet conditions as there would be slightly less surface area to spread the weight over. Obviously in snow this is potentially a good thing as narrow tyres are generally better than wide tyres?

 

[anglaslt]

I use Vredstein Quatrac pro all seasons and can honestly say they are the best tyres I’ve ever used they handle fantastic in the dry and I was never caught out in the snow, they been on for 20k miles and still reading 6+ mm of tread

I'm a big fan of Vredestein tyres. I put Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme on my Freelander 2 when I bought it in 2015 and the same tyres are still on 7 years later with 5.5 mm tread after 50k kms. Even though they're full winter tyres I haven't even bothered to change over during the summer months.

I wouldn't recommend to do that on a high performance vehicle but for the OP's C200 it's worth considering.

 

[Chrishazle]

Been contemplating 245/45 or 225/45 for some time as both are available in 17", undecided ATM, 245/45 means the speedometer reads low, 225/45 means 20mm less tread width in contact with the road - on the driven wheels. Russ (Blobcat) uses his SLK280 as his daily and runs same size tyres all round, but his wheels are 16" not 17". It's only the S204 I'm bothered about, would not get the SLK out in cold/snow unless an emergency, so when the time comes I'll probably put same as the fronts on her - GY Efficientgrip Performance, which I put on the fronts a year or more back. Rears are horrible tyres that still have a load of tread left, would love to change them but don't have spare funds ATM (who does???).

 

[richlumb]

I'm a big fan of Vredestein tyres. I put Vredestein Wintrac 4 Xtreme on my Freelander 2 when I bought it in 2015 and the same tyres are still on 7 years later with 5.5 mm tread after 50k kms. Even though they're full winter tyres I haven't even bothered to change over during the summer months.

I wouldn't recommend to do that on a high performance vehicle but for the OP's C200 it's worth considering.

The Quatrac pros have a UHP rating which only a few all seasons have

 

[Freeatlast]

The Quatrac pros have a UHP rating which only a few all seasons have

Plus if I choose the same size all round as the fronts, they’re about £295 plus fitting.

The Michelin’s are about £350 fitted at costco

 

[richlumb]

Plus if I choose the same size all round as the fronts, they’re about £295 plus fitting.

The Michelin’s are about £350 fitted at costco

The technician who did a health report on mine recommended the Michelins when I come to replacing but I’d be hard pushed to swap from the Vredesteins

 

[MarinB17]

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Selling as I bought refurb wheels to sell the car

All season tyres essential for our winters IMO, drove around 4x4s in the snow!

 

[Freeatlast]

Ok so another rookie question

I spoke to the tyre fitters at Costco and they said that i would need different alloys if my wheels are currently staggered otherwise the tyres would be stretched which seems to put an end to that option unless i fancy buying a new set of wheels.

I have now been looking at the Camskill website and it appears that i can get the following tyres which to my uneducated eye seem to be almost correct.

Vredstein Quattrac Pro All Season

Front 225 / 45 R17
Rear 245 / 45 R17 (should be 245 / 40 R17)

Would this fit / be suitable or is the difference between 40 and 45 cause an issue?

 

[Blobcat]

Ok so another rookie question

I spoke to the tyre fitters at Costco and they said that i would need different alloys if my wheels are currently staggered otherwise the tyres would be stretched which seems to put an end to that option unless i fancy buying a new set of wheels.

I have now been looking at the Camskill website and it appears that i can get the following tyres which to my uneducated eye seem to be almost correct.

Vredstein Quattrac Pro All Season

Front 225 / 45 R17
Rear 245 / 45 R17 (should be 245 / 40 R17)

Would this fit / be suitable or is the difference between 40 and 45 cause an issue?

No, not suitable - you’ll have a diameter imbalance between the front and rear which will most likely bring up an ABS and Traction control light as well as disable the cruise control. (Also could cause insurance issues in the event of an accident)

Get some 7” wide 16” Diameter wheels (With the correct ET) and fit some 205 55 R16 all around - I recently bought 4 Michelin Cross Climate 2’s from Black Circles for £314 fully fitted

 

[sonic]

No, not suitable - you’ll have a diameter imbalance between the front and rear which will most likely bring up an ABS and Traction control light as well as disable the cruise control. (Also could cause insurance issues in the event of an accident)

Get some 7” wide 16” Diameter wheels (With the correct ET) and fit some 205 55 R16 all around - I recently bought 4 Michelin Cross Climate 2’s from Black Circles for £314 fully fitted

I had 205/55/16 winter tyres all arround on my 2004 SLK200 & my 2003 CLK270.They were great in snow loads of down weight being narrow, & cheap.
OP needs to check if he can fit 16" wheels, if he has sports callipers on the front they won't fit.
That was the case with our 2010 SLK200 & current SLC250. I am now running 225/45/17 all around on the SLC, & on the 2010 SLK before.