Why do w204s come with staggered wheels?
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Joined: Aug 2013
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From: Ottawa, ON
2010 Merc C250
Why do w204s come with staggered wheels?
Just wondering why Mercedes decided to give our w204s staggered wheels from the shop per se? Is it purely for aesthetics? I'm assuming buying an aftermarket set of wheels (tires and rims) all the same size on the four corners works for the car also?
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Joined: Jun 2013
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From: nowhere
2010 C300, 2013 C63 AMG
There's traction and steering differences too. If your car that's RWD then staggered makes it better sometimes. But most differences will be noticed on the track, so unless you're beating the crap out of your car or on the track, it's mostly aesthetic.
Also, it prevents your tires from being rotated.
But yes, if you don't want the staggered setup you will be able to fit it fine as long as dimensions of wheel and tire are good.
Also, it prevents your tires from being rotated.
But yes, if you don't want the staggered setup you will be able to fit it fine as long as dimensions of wheel and tire are good.
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Joined: Jan 2013
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From: Berkley, MI
'09 C350
Usually staggered setups are used on high powered RWD cars to counter excessive oversteer. Square (all wheels the same width) setups are almost always better for handling on a street car. I haven't pushed the C hard enough yet to see any oversteer, but in this case MB did it purely for aesthetic reasons. the problem you're going to get with running a square setup on the C is that you might need to use spacers to balance out the offsets between the front and the back as the C uses a lower offset on the rear with the wider tires and if you go with a square setup, the distance between the face of the wheel and the fender line might be different on the front than the back ( again aesthetics are at play here).
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From: North Carolina - Research Triangle
2025 C300W4 AMG, 2023 GLC300 / previous 17 GLC300, 15 BMW 228i, 13 C300, 12 C350 Coupe
Staggered setups also increase u dersteer. So as the previous posters stated, you will not notice until you push your car hard thru corners, especially at the track. I find the staggered set up on the street to be fine if you lower the tire pressure in the rear. I run 32 psi all arounf, that reduces some of the understeer. On the track I run a square set up so it is easier to rotate the car thru the corners.
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Here's the real reason why a moderately powered car such as a C Class has staggered wheels.
Marketing to Product Planning: We can sell more cars or at a higher margin with a sport package and a lux package. I've got the lux package all set....what can we do for sport?
Product Planning to Engineering: I need to make a sport package for the Marketing guys. I've got Design Office to give me a unique grille, some lower sills a three spoke steering wheel and stuff like that.....waddaya got for me?
Engineering to Product Planning: I can stiffen it up a little bit and put on some wider tires in back. Does that work for you? Won't offend the luxury intenders, as they will want that hood ornament anyway. Can't do anything about the motor.....fuel economy and emissions regs, ya know.
Of course, it's all in German. But, I've been in these conversations for one of the domestics. We can "ice the cake" in all sorts of flavors...just need to decide which ones to use to sell the most at the most margin. Some have real value/purpose and some are just "perceived value" to look cool and increase desirability. Decklid spoilers, anyone?
Marketing to Product Planning: We can sell more cars or at a higher margin with a sport package and a lux package. I've got the lux package all set....what can we do for sport?
Product Planning to Engineering: I need to make a sport package for the Marketing guys. I've got Design Office to give me a unique grille, some lower sills a three spoke steering wheel and stuff like that.....waddaya got for me?
Engineering to Product Planning: I can stiffen it up a little bit and put on some wider tires in back. Does that work for you? Won't offend the luxury intenders, as they will want that hood ornament anyway. Can't do anything about the motor.....fuel economy and emissions regs, ya know.
Of course, it's all in German. But, I've been in these conversations for one of the domestics. We can "ice the cake" in all sorts of flavors...just need to decide which ones to use to sell the most at the most margin. Some have real value/purpose and some are just "perceived value" to look cool and increase desirability. Decklid spoilers, anyone?
Last edited by Sportstick; Sep 19, 2013 at 04:25 PM.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 499
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From: nowhere
2010 C300, 2013 C63 AMG
Here's the real reason why a moderately powered car such as a C Class has staggered wheels.
Marketing to Product Planning: We can sell more cars or at a higher margin with a sport package and a lux package. I've got the lux package all set....what can we do for sport?
Product Planning to Engineering: I need to make a sport package for the Marketing guys. I've got Design Office to give me a unique grille, some lower sills a three spoke steering wheel and stuff like that.....waddaya got for me?
Engineering to Product Planning: I can stiffen it up a little bit and put on some wider tires in back. Does that work for you? Won't offend the luxury intenders, as they will want that hood ornament anyway. Can't do anything about the motor.....fuel economy and emissions regs, ya know.
Of course, it's all in German. But, I've been in these conversations for one of the domestics. We can "ice the cake" in all sorts of flavors...just need to decide which ones to use to sell the most at the most margin. Some have real value/purpose and some are just "perceived value" to look cool and increase desirability. Decklid spoilers, anyone?
Marketing to Product Planning: We can sell more cars or at a higher margin with a sport package and a lux package. I've got the lux package all set....what can we do for sport?
Product Planning to Engineering: I need to make a sport package for the Marketing guys. I've got Design Office to give me a unique grille, some lower sills a three spoke steering wheel and stuff like that.....waddaya got for me?
Engineering to Product Planning: I can stiffen it up a little bit and put on some wider tires in back. Does that work for you? Won't offend the luxury intenders, as they will want that hood ornament anyway. Can't do anything about the motor.....fuel economy and emissions regs, ya know.
Of course, it's all in German. But, I've been in these conversations for one of the domestics. We can "ice the cake" in all sorts of flavors...just need to decide which ones to use to sell the most at the most margin. Some have real value/purpose and some are just "perceived value" to look cool and increase desirability. Decklid spoilers, anyone?
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Here's the real reason why a moderately powered car such as a C Class has staggered wheels.
Marketing to Product Planning: We can sell more cars or at a higher margin with a sport package and a lux package. I've got the lux package all set....what can we do for sport?
Product Planning to Engineering: I need to make a sport package for the Marketing guys. I've got Design Office to give me a unique grille, some lower sills a three spoke steering wheel and stuff like that.....waddaya got for me?
Engineering to Product Planning: I can stiffen it up a little bit and put on some wider tires in back. Does that work for you? Won't offend the luxury intenders, as they will want that hood ornament anyway. Can't do anything about the motor.....fuel economy and emissions regs, ya know.
Of course, it's all in German. But, I've been in these conversations for one of the domestics. We can "ice the cake" in all sorts of flavors...just need to decide which ones to use to sell the most at the most margin. Some have real value/purpose and some are just "perceived value" to look cool and increase desirability. Decklid spoilers, anyone?
Marketing to Product Planning: We can sell more cars or at a higher margin with a sport package and a lux package. I've got the lux package all set....what can we do for sport?
Product Planning to Engineering: I need to make a sport package for the Marketing guys. I've got Design Office to give me a unique grille, some lower sills a three spoke steering wheel and stuff like that.....waddaya got for me?
Engineering to Product Planning: I can stiffen it up a little bit and put on some wider tires in back. Does that work for you? Won't offend the luxury intenders, as they will want that hood ornament anyway. Can't do anything about the motor.....fuel economy and emissions regs, ya know.
Of course, it's all in German. But, I've been in these conversations for one of the domestics. We can "ice the cake" in all sorts of flavors...just need to decide which ones to use to sell the most at the most margin. Some have real value/purpose and some are just "perceived value" to look cool and increase desirability. Decklid spoilers, anyone?
If I still had a W204 in the family I would destagger it & go 235/45/17 all round on 8.5" or even 8".
Nice & comfortable. Low profile tyres really screw up the ride with no real advantage on a family saloon.
Anybody looked at the aspect ratio of an F1 tyre?
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2008 C300 Sport 6 Speed Manual, 1953 Chevy Bel-Air, 2015 Audi allroad, 1963 Chevy Apache
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
If you have a staggered set up with different size 17" tires front to back, the front wheels are 7.5" wide and the rears are 8.5" wide. However, as I have done for a few years, you can split the difference and run 8" wide wheels front and back. I am even doing that with the staggered tires, but next time, will also make the tires all the same size, as Glyn notes above.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 79
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From: Ottawa, ON
2010 Merc C250
Seen a used staggered wheel set Puhala wheels 18" from a C63 at reasonable price. Told they were
Front- 7.5 x 18" (ET47)
Rear- 8.5 x 18" (ET58)
Would 225/40/18s work on all four corners? Alternative sizes?
A bit apprehensive paying out for expensive 255/35/18 tires
Would these wheels fit a C250...noting the higher rear rim offset
Front- 7.5 x 18" (ET47)
Rear- 8.5 x 18" (ET58)
Would 225/40/18s work on all four corners? Alternative sizes?
A bit apprehensive paying out for expensive 255/35/18 tires
Would these wheels fit a C250...noting the higher rear rim offset
Last edited by Sunster; Sep 27, 2013 at 12:34 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 330
Likes: 16
From: North Carolina - Research Triangle
2025 C300W4 AMG, 2023 GLC300 / previous 17 GLC300, 15 BMW 228i, 13 C300, 12 C350 Coupe
I would be concerned that a 225/40 is too narrow for a 8.5" wheel. Check the TireRack website and see if the tire safely stretches that far. I did put winter tires that were 225's on my staggered wheels but was not driving aggressively. The manager at Mr. Tire was concerned that the tire might fail.
