16" Rims for 2012 C300 Sport? "harsh ride"
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 2
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From: Bergen County NJ
2012 C300
16" Rims for 2012 C300 Sport? "harsh ride"
Hello everyone,
Are there 16" wheels for a 2012 C300 Sport in US?
My wife has been starting to complain the ride is too harsh. Without getting a new car I think getting 16" will make her happy. But I am having a hard time finding a set to fit. It seems some Euro W204 came with 16" wheels but not sure if they would fit on a Sport model. I also saw the W203 came with 16" wheels, but again not sure what would fit 2012 Sport, you know making sure they clear the rotors, proper back spacing, etc...
I know this is the exact opposite of what many of us try to do going from 17" to 16" but if anyone has done this, it would be a huge help if you could share your story with me.
thank you - Joe
Are there 16" wheels for a 2012 C300 Sport in US?
My wife has been starting to complain the ride is too harsh. Without getting a new car I think getting 16" will make her happy. But I am having a hard time finding a set to fit. It seems some Euro W204 came with 16" wheels but not sure if they would fit on a Sport model. I also saw the W203 came with 16" wheels, but again not sure what would fit 2012 Sport, you know making sure they clear the rotors, proper back spacing, etc...
I know this is the exact opposite of what many of us try to do going from 17" to 16" but if anyone has done this, it would be a huge help if you could share your story with me.
thank you - Joe
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,697
Likes: 522
2019 S560, 2015 Honda Civic Hybrid
I went from AMG 18s to 17s with Pirelli Centurato tires and the difference pleased my wife greatly. So downsizing can work very well. Almost all Mercedes wheels use 5 x 112 bolt spacing, so the main compatibility variables are tire diameter and offset. Tire diameter is critical in front for clearance under the spring perch. The offset is not as critical, it simply locates the wheel and tire relative to the wheel hub. A simple way to evaluate is this formula:
Wheel width x 25.4 mm/inch / 2 - offset (also known as the "ET") = how far the outside edge of the wheel is from the hub.
For example, the outer edge of a 7.5" wheel with an offset of 45 is 50.25 mm from the hub surface. Knowing this you can compare to any wheel or wheels you might be considering to check where the outer edge of that wheel falls. In my case, my OEM wheel was 51.60 mm from the hub, so going to a 7.5 / ET 45 meant I would be only about half a millimeter different. Being within a few millimeters of an OEM fitment is close enough to ensure no interference with the fender (or anything else) and to look virtually the same.
There are a zillion used Mercedes wheels and wheels sets on EBay, Craigslist, here on the Marketplace, etc. And by all means, look at the tire types and ratings on TireRack. There are some all season tires like our Pirellis that have dramatically better ride and 'comfort' scores than ordinary tires.
Wheel width x 25.4 mm/inch / 2 - offset (also known as the "ET") = how far the outside edge of the wheel is from the hub.
For example, the outer edge of a 7.5" wheel with an offset of 45 is 50.25 mm from the hub surface. Knowing this you can compare to any wheel or wheels you might be considering to check where the outer edge of that wheel falls. In my case, my OEM wheel was 51.60 mm from the hub, so going to a 7.5 / ET 45 meant I would be only about half a millimeter different. Being within a few millimeters of an OEM fitment is close enough to ensure no interference with the fender (or anything else) and to look virtually the same.
There are a zillion used Mercedes wheels and wheels sets on EBay, Craigslist, here on the Marketplace, etc. And by all means, look at the tire types and ratings on TireRack. There are some all season tires like our Pirellis that have dramatically better ride and 'comfort' scores than ordinary tires.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 848
Likes: 87
From: Milwaukee, WI USA
2012 C300 4Matic
How long have you had the car? If you had it for awhile and everything was fine until recently, maybe it is soemthing in the suspension that might need to be replaced. I have the OEM 18" AMG wheels and I find the ride pretty compliant, but everyone is different. I would think if you are riding on 17" wheels it would be even more so. But, if the wife isn't happy.................
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 33
Likes: 5
From: Croatia
C300CDI 4MATIC
My came with 17 inch wheels and ride was silky smooth , now I have 19 inch and it still rides well , maybe if you try downflate tyres a bit it would help. My 17 inch were 33 psi always.
Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 225
Likes: 21
From: Mid-Atlantic USA
2014 C250 Luxury
Hello everyone,
Are there 16" wheels for a 2012 C300 Sport in US?
My wife has been starting to complain the ride is too harsh. Without getting a new car I think getting 16" will make her happy. But I am having a hard time finding a set to fit. It seems some Euro W204 came with 16" wheels but not sure if they would fit on a Sport model. I also saw the W203 came with 16" wheels, but again not sure what would fit 2012 Sport, you know making sure they clear the rotors, proper back spacing, etc...
I know this is the exact opposite of what many of us try to do going from 17" to 16" but if anyone has done this, it would be a huge help if you could share your story with me.
Are there 16" wheels for a 2012 C300 Sport in US?
My wife has been starting to complain the ride is too harsh. Without getting a new car I think getting 16" will make her happy. But I am having a hard time finding a set to fit. It seems some Euro W204 came with 16" wheels but not sure if they would fit on a Sport model. I also saw the W203 came with 16" wheels, but again not sure what would fit 2012 Sport, you know making sure they clear the rotors, proper back spacing, etc...
I know this is the exact opposite of what many of us try to do going from 17" to 16" but if anyone has done this, it would be a huge help if you could share your story with me.
That's what I was thinking, too.
