OneThinkingGuy

Is there an "opt out" on run flat tires? Deal breaker for me.

Tjdehya

Yes its called tirerack.com, discount tire, Walmart, Sears, Pepboys, or your friendly Mercedes dealership.
If you have a relationship with the dealer you could even ask them to swap the tires before delivery.

nyca

Can you order a doughnut spare for the car, is there even any place to put it in the trunk?

djejglk

Are run flat standard? I haven't seen any info on this.

joshg1001

I think I read somewhere that you only get a can of fix a flat. Runflats are standard and no spare tire

OneThinkingGuy

Noisy, clumsy, clunky, costly, heavy. Those are the better aspects. No interest. Is there anyone out there that sees this transition as positive progress?

joshg1001

extra trunk space? I guess thats who they get that huge trunk in the new C. Also, from MB's point of view, less roadside assistance cost as I am sure a majority of people call just for flat tire changes. and the obvious benefit is being able to safely drive back home

MB-JIM

I have seen nothing in the dealer build information that mentions run flats
for the US W205 gas models.

djejglk

the spare tire (current models) is under the trunk floor..how is that giving it more space by not being there?

djejglk

also...in my trunk there is a space for a battery in the spare wheel well compartment, but it is not used. different countries get slightly different variances of the car, so maybe US might be different, and include a spare. who knows!

OneThinkingGuy

Count me in, without the dreaded run flats! All the talk about advancements in run flat tires is myth, magical thinking. Period! Like wearing construction boots while dancing the Swan Lake.

ddarko

For the car makers, I think run flat tires are about weight, not space. Models with run flat tires almost always omit a spare tire which saves ~30 pounds. Mercedes has been touting that the C-Class is 220 lbs lighter but a lot of that is through sleight of hand. The standard fuel tank for the W205 in continental Europe has shrunk to 41 liters/10.8 gallons, down 18l/4.75, respectively and reduced the official curb weight by 12 kg/26.4 lbs (you can pay €60 to get the "optional" larger tank). In the USA, the non-AMG CLA and S-Class models already come with run flats, the Bluetec E-Class too. I wouldn't be surprised if the W205 came with run flats, too.

djejglk

IF they come with run flats, hopefully the improved suspension (even the standard steel suspension is touted as having been improved for "better performance and ride comfort" as they say) then it may equal out, or still be a little more "comfortable" than the current model.

I don't necessarily have a problem with the current suspension (sport), but I sure as heck wouldn't put run flats on my current car. If I test drove a w205 and it was quieter, smoother, and felt more composed, then I MIGHT not care what tires are actually on the car, but we'll just have to wait.


Also....If the car is shedding 200 pounds, I'l take a 30 pound weight gain for a spare and non run flats! (Maybe even less as I've read RFT are usually heavier anyways)

abqhudson

No run flats for me. I left BMW after many BMWs over the last 20 years because of the terrible tires and no spare.

I appreciate the fact that there is room for a full size wheel and tire in the trunk well of my C300 4 Matic.

If run flats are the only option on a new C Class, I'll buy elsewhere.

I did drive the new CLA - the tires were horrible and harsh.

Sportstick

I don't know the RFT situation with the W205, but in every vehicle I have seen so far which moves to RFTs, the platform has been managed to devote the spare tire space to other purposes, or simplified to reduce weight (and therefore cost, as material mass costs $$). This has invariably, so far, meant there is no place to store a spare other than to have it loose in the trunk.

OTOH, some run flats have improved dramatically over earlier technologies. It would require buying new tires for a new car, but Michelin has a zero pressure (run flat) version of the Pilot Sport A/S Plus which tirerack.com has rated very well in testing.

Pete7874

Unless you happen to be more than 50 miles away from home...

Pete7874

In W205 apparently there is no "under the trunk floor". That whole area where a spare used to sit is now part of the main trunk space.

If you happen to buy winter wheels/tires that are non-RFT, you will also have to buy a spare, a jack, and a lug wrench, and then find a place to store and secure it all so that it doesn't slide around in the trunk.

hdg123

So disappointed, went to order my 2015 C Class, RUN FLATS are standard with no option for a mini spare. It killed the deal for me. I wish Mercedes would offer a mini spare a an option or after sales accessory.

MB-JIM

Is this information from a US dealer or are you from some other country? My US salesman says they still don't have this information.

nyca

You can always order a donut spare from the parts department - the problem is, where to store it if the trunk is setup to not accept a wheel.

hdg123

This was for a US model 2015 C Class. The order banks are open (No Pricing yet) but you can configure the car. They printed out all of the build specs from the MB STAR whatever its called. Build item R66- EXTENDED MOBILITY TIRES.

I asked about a spare form the Parts counter and said too early to tell as no part numbers are avail plus no one knows if there is room for one.

ON A BIRGHTER NOTE there was an option for German Built

hdg123

This was for a US model 2015 C Class. The order banks are open (No Pricing yet) but you can configure the car. They printed out all of the build specs from the MB STAR whatever its called. Build item R66- EXTENDED MOBILITY TIRES.

I asked about a spare form the Parts counter and said too early to tell as no part numbers are avail plus no one knows if there is room for one.

ON A BIRGHTER NOTE there was an option for German Built

ddarko

Well, that's interesting. Someone in another thread said the dealer told him no Euro delivery so if both of these things are accurate, Mercedes will maintain the logistical capacity to build the C-Class to US-spec at Bremen and will happily build it there for you but you still can't pick it up there anymore. Huh? I wonder if this is just a glitch in the ordering system because production in Alabama hasn't started yet and once it does, the German build option disappears. Or Mercedes has a perverse sense of humor.

MB-JIM

Thanks for the information. I checked and the EM tires are the same as RFT with just a different name.
Also, now I know how the W205's picked up an additional cubic foot of trunk space.

Khan28

German build, SA build or Alabama build doesn't matter that much for me as it seems quality is the same across the board but RFTs plain suck. Look at one user's posts on the W222 section on fighting MB to install regular tires instead of RFTs which he said had a harsh ride and was noisier. I was close to buying a BMW 328i and if the dealership was refusing to install non RFTs I would have done it myself because they plain suck. Noisy, harsher ride, heavier, more expensive, needs special machine so even if you get a flat and can make it to a shop if you're in a remote area they still won't be able to service the car and takes away from what the car is meant to be.