Beware 18 Inch Tires on Base Model
12-01-2015, 02:02 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
18 Inch Tires on Base Model?
My base model 2015 C300 came with 18 inch tires with the upgraded wheels. The tires are Cinturado P7 all seasons. Car is in for service and now I have a base model with 17 inchers. Holy cow what a difference. The car is limousine smooth with the 17 inchers and dead quiet. It pillows over pumps and there is no road noise to speak of. With the 18 inch Cinturado's the car sounds like a train above 50 miles an hour. It is NOISY. It is stiff and bumpy. One tiny bump or pothole and the whole car crashes. It is a different car, period. I had no idea what I was getting into. I don't think the suspension is tuned for the 18 inchers or something.
The handling might be a touch sharper but it is not worth the trade off. Really, really loud road noise, so much so that you miss out on a lot of the exhaust note. Anyone else had a similar experience?
The handling might be a touch sharper but it is not worth the trade off. Really, really loud road noise, so much so that you miss out on a lot of the exhaust note. Anyone else had a similar experience?
Last edited by Snarfalus; 12-01-2015 at 03:43 PM.
12-01-2015, 02:12 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
My base model 2015 C300 came with 18 inch tires with the upgraded wheels. The tires are Cinturado P7 all seasons. Car is in for service and now I have a base model with 17 inchers. Holy cow what a difference. The car is limousine smooth with the 17 inchers and dead quiet. It pillows over pumps and there is no road noise to speak of. With the 18 inch Cinturado's the car sounds like a train above 50 miles an hour. It is NOISY. It is stiff and bumpy. One tiny bump or pothole and the whole car crashes. It is a different car, period. I had no idea what I was getting into. I don't think the suspension is tuned for the 18 inchers or something.
The handling might be a touch sharper but it is not worth the trade off. Really, really loud road noise, so much so that you miss out on a lot of the exhaust note. Anyone else had a similar experience?
The handling might be a touch sharper but it is not worth the trade off. Really, really loud road noise, so much so that you miss out on a lot of the exhaust note. Anyone else had a similar experience?
12-01-2015, 03:57 PM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
My first C300 base had the Continental 18’s and my current C300 Sport has Continental 18’s. I have spent lots of time in a C300 Luxury with the 17’s. I never noticed much difference between my original base and the Luxury loaner. Road noise was about the same and ride quality was only slightly softer with the 17’s. My Sport has a somewhat stiffer ride, but noise levels are about the same.
Your experience seems odd. I wonder if there was a big difference in the tire pressures?
Your experience seems odd. I wonder if there was a big difference in the tire pressures?
12-01-2015, 04:32 PM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
The tire pressures read the same on both cars. The issue seems to have gotten worse over time. Also the sport model is sprung differently than the base model. I think the difference is significant but again you are talking about different size tires and different tires. The loaner has Michelins. Mine has staggered Pirreli. Also mine is 2015 versus the 2016 loaner. It just seems like a massive difference to me at higher speeds. The build sheet on my car shows a sport suspension on a base model so maybe that is a factor. All I know is there is a big difference in the two cars and I like the loaner better.
Last edited by Snarfalus; 12-01-2015 at 04:50 PM.
12-01-2015, 09:12 PM
#5
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2015 C300
My base 2015 C300 with the upgraded 18" came with Continental's and I'm at 13k miles and they are still smooth as silk. Having owned RF tires for the the last 12 years and mainly lower profile and Bridgstone's gen 1-3 I noticed a huge difference in ride quality from Gen1,2 being almost undriveable with the road noise after 10-12k but the gen 3's and these Continentals are great! So far (knocking on wood)...
12-02-2015, 01:32 PM
#7
Member
My base 2015 C300 with the upgraded 18" came with Continental's and I'm at 13k miles and they are still smooth as silk. Having owned RF tires for the the last 12 years and mainly lower profile and Bridgstone's gen 1-3 I noticed a huge difference in ride quality from Gen1,2 being almost undriveable with the road noise after 10-12k but the gen 3's and these Continentals are great! So far (knocking on wood)...
