"Staggered" wheels - really necessary ?

Rory

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
5,016
Reaction score
233
Location
Cheshire, UK
Your Mercedes
2005 C270CDi Avantgarde Estate. Bought 2005, sold 2022.
I believe that they fit a staggered setup to these cars to make them inherently understeer. This is probably because the average driver would get themselves into trouble beyond the limit in an oversteer situation.

It's just an appearance thing. They're staggered on my car, but lower trim versions of the same car have same size all round.
 

Uncle Benz

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2006
Messages
4,220
Reaction score
3,548
Age
53
Location
West Sussex
Your Mercedes
Mainly Mercedes
It's just an appearance thing. They're staggered on my car, but lower trim versions of the same car have same size all round.

The higher power cars, particularly the AMG's are all fitted with staggered setup. Certainly it filters down when the "shopping" cars are specced up.

Many of the other rear wheel drive manufacturers do the same thing. My M3 came with staggered wheels. I fitted a set of rears to the front too, and it removed the understeer completely.
 

JBell

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
14,845
Reaction score
7,187
Location
Torquey
Your Mercedes
C350 CDi Estate (GAD Edition)
What the OP means is he could have a full size spare, if he had one tyre size, with the benefits that brings i.e. not having to drive at 50mph.

Just use a front wheel / tyre as a spare, no problem at all, it will fit all 4 corners if needed
 

EmilysDad

Senior Member
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
12,120
Reaction score
5,664
Location
Bury Lancs
Your Mercedes
ML350
The higher power cars, particularly the AMG's are all fitted with staggered setup. Certainly it filters down when the "shopping" cars are specced up. .....

Which group does my Smart Fortwo turbo with its staggered wheels fit in then ....... :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 

Paul Goff

Senior Member
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
176
Reaction score
46
Your Mercedes
2002 C220CDi CD Estate
My W203 has the AMG staggered Summer set up, 225 45 17 front and 245 40 17 rear, and presently is on the winter set, 205 55 16 all round, the full size spare is 225 50 16. All of which is standard or optional according to my owners manual. I don't think that the AMG set does much beyond add some showroom horsepower ;)

As an aside, the winters give about a 10% worsening of diesel consumption, they are Bridgestone Blizzaks and do feel and sound a bit knobbly. Never noticed this before with winters on previous cars!
 

Rory

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
5,016
Reaction score
233
Location
Cheshire, UK
Your Mercedes
2005 C270CDi Avantgarde Estate. Bought 2005, sold 2022.
As an aside, the winters give about a 10% worsening of diesel consumption, they are Bridgestone Blizzaks and do feel and sound a bit knobbly. Never noticed this before with winters on previous cars!

On my wife's Tiguan it doesn't seem to make any difference around town (its normal use) but I drove it from the NW to NE very steadily (had elderly relative on board) a few weeks ago and the trip MPG was hovering just under 45, whereas the same trip last summer it did 50. I didn't notice any difference in noise, but the elderly relative was in the back and commented on it, unprompted, so it must have been quite bad!
 


AMF Automotive - We are an independent Mercedes-Benz and AMG specialist located in Paddock Wood, Kent, with full Mercedes Diagnostic equipment. We offer a full portfolio of tuning options for AMGs and can cater for all your Mercedes needs.
Tel: 0203 384 4644www.amfmercedes.com/
Top Bottom