New SL350 owner - difference in comfort between 17 and 18 inch wheels

[W169A180CDI]

After a long time searching and gathering information, including some great advice on this forum, I pulled the trigger and bought a 2005 R230 350SL.
It's a nice 2 owner, low mileage car and it drives very well.
There is one issue I need to resolve however and I'd appreciate any advice - the amount of road noise and the crashiness of the ride has surprised me.
The car is on a set of Pirelli P Zeros (18 inch wheels). They're not particularly worn (7mm tread all round) although they are between 4-6 years old. They are standard staggered 18 inch sizes.
The car has been bought as a cruiser and comfort is a high priority. The P Zeros don't have the best reputation for quietness or ride quality, and given their age I would need to look at replacing them soon anyway.

I've been exploring the option of getting a set of 17 inch wheels and running 255/45/17s all round.
Could anyone advise me the difference in comfort between doing this, or keeping the 18 inch wheels but getting better riding and quieter tyres. Advice I've seen on here recommends the Goodyear AS2s, Uniroyals and Hankooks.

Many thanks.

 

[Paul Garrett]

After a long time searching and gathering information, including some great advice on this forum, I pulled the trigger and bought a 2005 R230 350SL.
It's a nice 2 owner, low mileage car and it drives very well.
There is one issue I need to resolve however and I'd appreciate any advice - the amount of road noise and the crashiness of the ride has surprised me.
The car is on a set of Pirelli P Zeros (18 inch wheels). They're not particularly worn (7mm tread all round) although they are between 4-6 years old. They are standard staggered 18 inch sizes.
The car has been bought as a cruiser and comfort is a high priority. The P Zeros don't have the best reputation for quietness or ride quality, and given their age I would need to look at replacing them soon anyway.

I've been exploring the option of getting a set of 17 inch wheels and running 255/45/17s all round.
Could anyone advise me the difference in comfort between doing this, or keeping the 18 inch wheels but getting better riding and quieter tyres. Advice I've seen on here recommends the Goodyear AS2s, Uniroyals and Hankooks.

Many thanks.

Hello and welcome, id get rid of those Pirelli's i had them on my S500, awful things handled like a pig on the road, i use Avons all round now and they are brilliant. I know other members on here have their fav tyre, but for me il use Avons all the time now but take on board what advice is given and you can decide which brand is best for your car?

 

[NJS5]

I had the same experience and fitted 255 45 17s all round. A great improvement.

NJSS

 

[Rob7seven]

Your problem is definitely the tyres, and not the wheels, something less extreme then your PZeros should be fine on your 18 inchers, choose a non-performance tyre on your existing wheels, sizes as before, and you'll be amazed at the improvement in ride comfort. Big wheels seem to be mainly the choice of car manufacturers, not necessarily customers. When I bought my C300 last year, checking dealer stocks and cars nearing delivery, AMG Line Cs on18" like I wanted were outnumbered at least 3 to 1 by the optional 19" or even 20" ones. Five years ago I had an E250 with runflats on 19" wheels, ride comfort took a back seat, and was the main reason I only kept the car for one year, you can imagine the financial hit that resulted from that.

My C300 came on Continentals, and they're fine, though they do seem to be wearing fast. An elderly friend's VW Beetle is on Kankooks. His hearing isn't the best, and from a misheard conversation with the dealer, he's convinced he's got "hand cut" special tyres on his little car, that's what he tells everyone, "They're very special you know!" He can't bend down far enough to read the name for himself.

 

[SL63 Mark]

I have Continentals on my R230 at the moment, they are very nice, or sometimes I have had Michelins, which are OK. I am running 18s and they are fine. Never any road noise, even with the roof down.

 

[W169A180CDI]

Thanks for the welcome and the helpful replies.
I am leaning towards getting 17s as it seems they would offer a definite advantage comfort wise, as well as allowing a full size spare.
I'll post with the results...

 

[Rob7seven]

Thanks for the welcome and the helpful replies.
I am leaning towards getting 17s as it seems they would offer a definite advantage comfort wise, as well as allowing a full size spare.
I'll post with the results...

If you change the wheels for a smaller size, your insurance company wouldn't like it. If they aren't a standard factory option on an SL350 and you haven't told them, they'd invalidate your cover, and MB probably wouldn't advise it either. I'm sure that your current 18 inchers would be fine with more sensible tyres on them.

 

[Paul Garrett]

If you change the wheels for a smaller size, your insurance company wouldn't like it. If they aren't a standard factory option on an SL350 and you haven't told them, they'd invalidate your cover, and MB probably wouldn't advise it either. I'm sure that your current 18 inchers would be fine with more sensible tyres on them.

Yes i agree with you, best keep to 18's some friends said i should put bigger wheels on my SClass and go for low profiles......why on earth would i do that? I mean id ruin the ride comfort for one thing and if you hit a kerb....Pop goes the tyre!! No il keep to my standard wheels thankyou

 

[flowrider]

17" wheels were the standard size on the R230 SL350 and SL500.

 

[LostKiwi]

Check your tyre pressures.
The factory pressures are often silly and just dropping a few psi can make a huge difference to comfort.

 

[sonic]

A few on here have gone from 18" to 17" wheels, its a much smoother ride. Road noise is reduced.
Both our cars are on summer 18" & winter 17" wheels, I much prefer the 17" ride.

 

[oigle]

17's anytime. Big improvement.

 

[NJS5]

Insofar as insurance is concerned you should advise your insurers of every change in the specification of your car. In my experience changing wheels & tyres has always been agreed without increase of premium, but don't take the risk of so doing without advising your insurers.

NJSS

 

[W169A180CDI]

Thanks for the advice, though as one of the posts above mentions, the 17s appear to be a standard size for the R230, as per the handbook and tyre pressure guide inside the fuel flap?

 

[flowrider]

I have 19" wheels on my R230, the ride comfort is excellent.

 

[Blobcat]

I have 19" wheels on my R230, the ride comfort is excellent.

That’s because you have ABC suspension, the 350’s don’t and suffer because of it

 

[flowrider]

That’s because you have ABC suspension, the 350’s don’t and suffer because of it

Exactly.

 

[Rob7seven]

Thanks for the advice, though as one of the posts above mentions, the 17s appear to be a standard size for the R230, as per the handbook and tyre pressure guide inside the fuel flap?

If you have a good set of 18"s now, unless they're rough or you don't like their appearance, there's no point at all in replacing them, but it's your money of course so up to you. It's definitely your current tyres that are your problem, "normal" rubber on your existing wheels will transform the car. I've driven on Pirelli P Zeros, they're a performance tyre, and they only work well when they've got a bit of heat in them, not good (or safe) in a typical UK winter, or on a damp road, try Googling "Pirelli P Zero problems" to read what people say in other car forums. The Alfaowners one would he a good place to start, I speak as a lapsed (defected) member.

 

[mioba]

Pump your tyre sizes into one of the online sites.
Dunlop sport maxx will win.
P zeros are hard and noisy.

 

[00slk]

Hello and welcome
Good choice of car