leerph

Hi guys. I just bought a 2001 CLK55. Sold my supercharged vette and never looked back. Other than the fact that this is a 70k plus car and it doesn't have tilt steering wheel at all! What's up with that? Anyway, I am getting 19 inch rims this week. I want to ask everyone's suggestion on the absolute quietest tires you can get. I do a lot of interstate driving and the main reason I bought this car is b/c it is ultra quiet. I want to keep it as quiet as possible. I found a deal on some Kumho tires and rims combo. Please give me any advice on the quietest 19 inch tires I can get. Thanks in advance guys.
Lee

prince_30144

Hey Lee Congrats on the New Beast and welcome to the forum, I will not use the Kumho brand tires on a CLK, they are good tires to race in but not the most comfortable and certainly not the quietest tires out there-- If price is not an issue the Michelins are #1 all the way around-- I have Kumho on my C Class and Pirelli PZero NEros on my CLK- The Pirelli's are much more quieter--

Ist Choice Michelins
2nd Choice SO2
3rd Choice Pierellis
4th Choice Yokamaha----Kumho see if you can updrade your tires--

mmgrad

Michelin are great tires, but they don't have the proper sizes in 19 applications for the CLK.

S02... no longer... not sure how the S03 compares...

Pirelli... quiet at first, loud after half-life... plus, real soft sidewalls... watch out for bent rims...

Yokohamas... so far so good.... I have a pair of new Yokos on, and they are pretty quiet... I drove a friend's CLK with near bald Yokos, and it was just as quiet...

Toyo T1-S were great tires when I had it, pretty quiet, but I never had them past about 6000 miles, so can't attest to quietness....

funky102

I liked my Yokohama's over the Pirellis PZero, and the price is a lot better on it too. The Pirellis do get very noisy after its half life.

benzinoben

I actually got a deal on rims and tires. Although I wasnt happy with the tires, it was a good deal and I got the tires for pennies. I wouldnt buy them myself, but I am some what impressed with them. I have the Falken235/19s all the way around. The are smooth, but tend to slip in the rain. Very quiet and soft compound. They probably wont last for very long. I plan on moving to Yoko's in the summer of 04.

Interesting about the Falkens, they have a ridge in the tire that comes out. They claim it will protect the edge of your rims. They didnt work as well as they advertised. All in all I give it a 5 out of 10.

ima55r2

The S0-3 didn't do too well on grooved pavement, but it was quiet.

The T1-S was pretty quiet until I got a low speed rumble because of some front wheel cupping...and I thought the alignment would have cured it.

Don't worry if you aren't happy with your first choice...you should be able to try a bunch of different brands after going thru sets at 10 to 12k miles each.

mmgrad

thats a sad thought when the pricetag runs at MIN of $800 per set... sigh....

jnx

Do you have? I just ordered the Yokohama ES100's for my 911 which had the P-Zero's, Which I Hated, for the ride and noise.

mmgrad

the only Yokos that fit CLK in 19s in the AVS Sport...

I've had the ES100 in 18s... and.... they are very loud tires... EVEN WHEN NEW!!!

derek m

I have the Toyo T1-S in 19's:
Size in front 235/35/19
Rear: 265/30/19
Pretty quite

Also have the same ones(size) in the Yoko AVS.

I, by far love the Toyo's more. I find it better all-round.
Also I have much less rubbing issues as compared to the AVS, didn't really judge the noise issue, as I was rubbing too much and put back the toyo's

mmgrad

the T1-S has much rounder edges compared to the AVS... great for cars with very low suspension

The AVS has very square edges... maybe good for added contact area...

leerph

Thanks for all the info guys. I know a 235/35 is recommended for the 19x8.5 rims. However, many of the companies only have a 245/35 tire. Would this work, or will it scrub? Michelin Pilot Sport A/S has a 245/35YR19 tire. It is by far the most expensive of all the tires, but I loved this brand on my 740iL. What do you guys think? Thanks.
Lee

mmgrad

245/35 would be a very comfortable ride.... but may cause rubbing...

it will DEFINITELY cause rubbing issues if you have any sort of lowered suspension....

funky102

I have the Yoko ES100 and I just got my oil changed today and I was told I needed new tires badly. Got those tires in at 11/02 so they lasted around 13K miles. They probably should have been replaced sooner. So now I'm in the market again for tires.

Compared to the Pirellis, I like the Yokohamas better and I thought it was quiet but of course thats subjective.

Danny, which tires did you try and like when you had 18s?

mmgrad

I had Yoko ES100s & Toyo T1-S....

of course, of the 2, I prefer the Toyo.... I had these for a few thousand miles, then I sold the wheels...

The Yoko ES100s, I only had them for like 1 day... and I took the tires back to the shop for a refund... they were terribly loud in my opinion.....