Handling and Driving in Winter ?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2006
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Handling and Driving in Winter ?
Hi guys,
This winter will be the first winter I will be driving my 05 C230 Kompressor. Previously I had a front wheel drive so never worried about driving in snow and stuff. But people keep telling me that I will need to replace tires since this a rear wheel drive. also one guy mentioned that since the front and rear tires are different in sizes I will also need to buy new rims and four tires ?
does everybody living in northeast or smililar places have to do this ? what is the dollar figure I will be look at ? Also please feel free to post your experiances with a rear wheel drive car in winter.
thanks,
J-man
This winter will be the first winter I will be driving my 05 C230 Kompressor. Previously I had a front wheel drive so never worried about driving in snow and stuff. But people keep telling me that I will need to replace tires since this a rear wheel drive. also one guy mentioned that since the front and rear tires are different in sizes I will also need to buy new rims and four tires ?
does everybody living in northeast or smililar places have to do this ? what is the dollar figure I will be look at ? Also please feel free to post your experiances with a rear wheel drive car in winter.
thanks,
J-man
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
This is my first winter too. Yes, you will want and need snow tires for your car. They come with summer tires stock and are NOT designed for cold weather and especially not snow.
You won't need new rimms, but you will probably want to go 225/45-R17's at all 4 corners for the best winter performance (skinnier is better in the snow).
You won't need new rimms, but you will probably want to go 225/45-R17's at all 4 corners for the best winter performance (skinnier is better in the snow).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,275
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From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
Just make sure you have all-seasons or winter tires (preferred), those performance tires suck in the snow. My stock 16s run fine, though you guys probably get way more crap in the winter. I get stuck on slopes once in a while, but turning off ESP gets more power to the wheels and gets me where I want to go 90% of the time.
Thread Starter
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Originally Posted by slammer111
Just make sure you have all-seasons or winter tires (preferred), those performance tires suck in the snow. My stock 16s run fine, though you guys probably get way more crap in the winter. I get stuck on slopes once in a while, but turning off ESP gets more power to the wheels and gets me where I want to go 90% of the time.
Btw...if the flip side to performance tires on snow is poor handling..what is the advantage of it ? sorry for the ignorance...what excatly do performance tires do for the car and the driver ?
thanks,
J-Man
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,275
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From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
No worries, that's what these forums are for. 
ESP, when fully on, brakes individual wheels and cuts engine power when the car senses slippage. Hitting the ESP OFF switch disables the cutting of the engine power, but the individual braking is still active. There's a special DYNO MODE that shuts off EVERYTHING, but it is not recommended unless you plan on spinning out and wrapping your car around a tree. (search this forum for dyno mode)
Performance tires work best when you're carving up the roads in the summer. If you want the best performance year-round (ie are lazy and don't like switching stuff around each time the weather changes), go with a set of 16" all-seasons.
ESP, when fully on, brakes individual wheels and cuts engine power when the car senses slippage. Hitting the ESP OFF switch disables the cutting of the engine power, but the individual braking is still active. There's a special DYNO MODE that shuts off EVERYTHING, but it is not recommended unless you plan on spinning out and wrapping your car around a tree. (search this forum for dyno mode)
Performance tires work best when you're carving up the roads in the summer. If you want the best performance year-round (ie are lazy and don't like switching stuff around each time the weather changes), go with a set of 16" all-seasons.
Thread Starter
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Originally Posted by slammer111
No worries, that's what these forums are for.
ESP, when fully on, brakes individual wheels and cuts engine power when the car senses slippage. Hitting the ESP OFF switch disables the cutting of the engine power, but the individual braking is still active. There's a special DYNO MODE that shuts off EVERYTHING, but it is not recommended unless you plan on spinning out and wrapping your car around a tree. (search this forum for dyno mode)
Performance tires work best when you're carving up the roads in the summer. If you want the best performance year-round (ie are lazy and don't like switching stuff around each time the weather changes), go with a set of 16" all-seasons.
ESP, when fully on, brakes individual wheels and cuts engine power when the car senses slippage. Hitting the ESP OFF switch disables the cutting of the engine power, but the individual braking is still active. There's a special DYNO MODE that shuts off EVERYTHING, but it is not recommended unless you plan on spinning out and wrapping your car around a tree. (search this forum for dyno mode)
Performance tires work best when you're carving up the roads in the summer. If you want the best performance year-round (ie are lazy and don't like switching stuff around each time the weather changes), go with a set of 16" all-seasons.
Thanks,
Do you recomend buying these tires from the dealership or a regular tire store. Also I plan to activate the passive tirepressure monitoring system so will that be a hassle every time I change tires ?
Also sorry for another dumb questioin..when people say 16's or 17's etc when talking about tires..what do those number refer to ? are the height of the tire ? width? I never was a car guy..but this benz is changing everything
J-Man
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by slammer111
No worries, that's what these forums are for.
ESP, when fully on, brakes individual wheels and cuts engine power when the car senses slippage. Hitting the ESP OFF switch disables the cutting of the engine power, but the individual braking is still active. There's a special DYNO MODE that shuts off EVERYTHING, but it is not recommended unless you plan on spinning out and wrapping your car around a tree. (search this forum for dyno mode)
Performance tires work best when you're carving up the roads in the summer. If you want the best performance year-round (ie are lazy and don't like switching stuff around each time the weather changes), go with a set of 16" all-seasons.
ESP, when fully on, brakes individual wheels and cuts engine power when the car senses slippage. Hitting the ESP OFF switch disables the cutting of the engine power, but the individual braking is still active. There's a special DYNO MODE that shuts off EVERYTHING, but it is not recommended unless you plan on spinning out and wrapping your car around a tree. (search this forum for dyno mode)
Performance tires work best when you're carving up the roads in the summer. If you want the best performance year-round (ie are lazy and don't like switching stuff around each time the weather changes), go with a set of 16" all-seasons.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Paramus, NJ
Jeepney
Ive driven my car in the snow, and actually in a snowstrom where there was about 2inches of snow on the ground. Let me tell you this car sucks in snow with the stock Michellins all season tires. 
Ive gotten stuck on hills where i almost got hit by a plow truck 
and needed my friends to plow me out. The car gets very very sideways. i would be the only car in the snow driving straight sideways 
****But I advise just getting snow tires on 17s and your good****
Ive gotten stuck on hills where i almost got hit by a plow truck and needed my friends to plow me out. The car gets very very sideways. i would be the only car in the snow driving straight sideways ****But I advise just getting snow tires on 17s and your good****
Last edited by Blazinpin0i; Aug 29, 2006 at 09:49 PM.
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 303
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From: Avon, CT
07 G35 Sport 6MT, 2005 C230K SS (sold), 1998 Jeep GC 4x4 (da-heep!)
Wow, guys I gotta hand it to you - some pretty helpful responses. I'm normally not one to say this, but really the original poster should have searched the forum.
Anyway - one extra bit of advice not listed already: Put some weight over the rear tires. I bought an 80 lb. bag of sealed dry concrete (called Quick-Crete) from Home Depot. Should only cost $20.
Also ever think about a beater for the winter? The amount of money you'll spend on extra tires (and maybe rims) could buy you an early 90s Honda or Nissan. Plus you could save a little money on insurance with a multi-car discount by making your beater the primary vechile and the benz a pleasure car in the winter.
Anyway - one extra bit of advice not listed already: Put some weight over the rear tires. I bought an 80 lb. bag of sealed dry concrete (called Quick-Crete) from Home Depot. Should only cost $20.
Also ever think about a beater for the winter? The amount of money you'll spend on extra tires (and maybe rims) could buy you an early 90s Honda or Nissan. Plus you could save a little money on insurance with a multi-car discount by making your beater the primary vechile and the benz a pleasure car in the winter.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 277
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From: Maryland
Dia Blk '06 C230 w/3 pedals
Originally Posted by e1000
This is my first winter too. Yes, you will want and need snow tires for your car. They come with summer tires stock and are NOT designed for cold weather and especially not snow.
You won't need new rimms, but you will probably want to go 225/45-R17's at all 4 corners for the best winter performance (skinnier is better in the snow).
You won't need new rimms, but you will probably want to go 225/45-R17's at all 4 corners for the best winter performance (skinnier is better in the snow).
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 18,677
Likes: 9
From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
Originally Posted by anonymouse
Get a set of steel wheels so you don't have to keep switching tires back and forth. And they sell spinning hubcaps so you can still look cool
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 277
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From: Maryland
Dia Blk '06 C230 w/3 pedals
Originally Posted by e1000
I actually looked into that but I had trouble finding 17" steel wheels
Moderator Alumni
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Seattle
w203 m112
I havent had any issues w/ snow on the tires that came w/ the car and w/ esp on. I had a bit of slipping here and there, but the esp generally corrected most of that.
Though I do agree, good tires are important, I think more cautious driving is just as important.
-j0hn
Though I do agree, good tires are important, I think more cautious driving is just as important.
-j0hn
Almost a Member!
Joined: Apr 2002
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C230K Coupe
Blizzaks Winter tires! (LM-22) The only way to go...they made all the difference in the world. I drive in feet of snow and in all varieties of road conditions....with weight in the back (about 90 lbs) on my 17's and ESP always on, I do better than I ever did with any front wheel drive car. A funny tidbit...I had to help push many Audis and Subarus (AWD) out of my street last year (got 4 ft of light stuff in town) and each Audi lost some of the plastic grill stuff below the front bumper. The ground clearance in those brands is just a little less than in the C230--I've never been stuck with mine. Love it!
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Southern Methodist University
2001 C320 (purple), 2002 BMW 540i
Originally Posted by dontwakemeup
Blizzaks Winter tires! (LM-22) The only way to go...they made all the difference in the world. I drive in feet of snow and in all varieties of road conditions....with weight in the back (about 90 lbs) on my 17's and ESP always on, I do better than I ever did with any front wheel drive car. A funny tidbit...I had to help push many Audis and Subarus (AWD) out of my street last year (got 4 ft of light stuff in town) and each Audi lost some of the plastic grill stuff below the front bumper. The ground clearance in those brands is just a little less than in the C230--I've never been stuck with mine. Love it!
