For those of you who have switched to conventional tires, have any of your installers said anything to you about it? Like how it's not the manufacturers specifications because it's not run flat. Only reason I ask is I ordered new tires from tire rack and am set to have them installed in the morning and I'm wondering if I might catch any flak. Thanks!

 

do you have a lease or purchase. If it is a lease you may have to restore run flats when turning in the vehicle. Good luck.

 

I purchased the vehicle so no returning it back to stock for me!

 

You'll be fine

 

I've had issues like this with independent tire shops like Les Schwab. Some places are deathly afraid of any sort of liability.

But I had my dealer put my conventional snow tires on and they didn't say a word about it. On a lease btw.

 

I had a major chain franchise tell me it would be "illegal and void the insurance and warranty."

Called my insurance and MB who confirmed that's completely untrue as long as they are the correct size and profile.

Ironically enough the tyre shop that looks after my dealer was the one who swapped them out for me and told me how terrible the run flats are.

 

Dealer swapped out the original run flats for all season non-runflats at no charge as part of the purchase agreement.

Not a whisper of complaint

 

I usually have my TireRack orders shipped directly to one of their local installers. If an installer has any conditions on what they'll install it'll be noted on the TireRack website. Some explicitly refuse to put conventional tires on a car equipped with run flats. It's not a safety concern. (Run flats are actually more prone to catastrophic sidewall ruptures).They just want to avoid being blamed for you getting stranded with no spare.

 

I recently had Michelin Pilot Sports installed at Costco. The only thing they told me was the mileage warranty would be cut in half due to running staggered tires and if I had to inflate the tire with Slime or another leak sealant the road hazard warranty would be void for that tire. He said that was because the sealant is a PITA to clean off the inside of the tire and wheel. I was thrilled with the improvement in ride and noise. This car should have been built with standard tires and a spare.

 

I changed my c300 from run flats to michelin pilot sport a/s 3s. They have better turn in, no squealing and despite being a little harsher ride than other tire brands with not as good of handling, better than run flat ride quality.



Run flat may come standard but if anything is harder on suspension/mounts and stuff, so dont nkow why mercedes would have a problem. Very interested to see if i haveto revert to run flats if i turn it in =D thx for that headsup.

 

Went to five different tire shops, including dealer, for the hunt for Conti run-flats. All, except dealer, were out of stock, seems like Mercedes is buying up all the inventory.


Decided on Michelin Pilot AS 3+ instead and am 110% satisfied, the ride quality is much better. Took the ride to Mammoth Mtn in record breaking snow levels and the AWD plowed right thru, no chains. Never going back to run-flats, just keep a bottle of slime and your AAA card on deck.

 

Mercedes won't worry about non run-flat tires. In the Netherlands, non run-flat tires are standard.
In the rest of Europe mostly too. I guess it has to do with either safety regulations or just culture.

 

Just an update. Had the new tires installed and what a difference. So much smoother and I have no rattles in the interior any longer. Now what kind of slime & fill kits did you guys buy?

 

Welcome to the club. Amazon sells a Slime Fill & Seal kit for around $30. It has a small 12v compressor and a large canister of Slime.

 

The only thing you need to be aware of if you switch to non runflats = You now longer have a spare tire so if your non runflats - run flat - you will not be able to change them. That is the only down fall that I can really see.

 

True. Although if your run flat ruptures a sidewall there's no spare for that circumstance either, and they do seem prone to sidewall ruptures.

 

After a sidewall blow out with my Conti run flats and having to wait 10 days for a new one, I decided to go with Michelin Pilot AS 3+ non-run flats from Tire Rack. What a huge difference in handling, ride comfort and road noise. May not be happy when I get a flat, but we'll see. I did purchase a Conti pump/slime kit for $79 that fits nicely under the trunk floor. Also have AAA, another towing service with my insurance and MB road service. The benefits of the non-run flats are pretty significant. My car now rides and handles the way I expect of a Mercedes.

 

I've seen an extended mobility tire with an inch and half hole in the sidewall...still drivable.

 

The difference is remarkable, isn't it? No loud thump every time you go over a speed hump or a pothole and an overall much better ride.

 

I saw my brother in law pick up a dinner check once, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

Sorry, but am at a loss what this has to do with automobile tires.

 

 

Be sure to get the Slime kit for the trunk. I keep one in the boot of the Mini since I removed the RFs as well.

 

It's an analogy. I wouldn't count on driving on a tire with an inch and a half hole in the sidewall. Like I wouldn't count on my brother in law to pick up a check.

 

I thought it was funny. Well... f#@K 'em if they can't take a joke