ARTofFACTS

I need new wheels on my 2003 CLK55 AMG. Everyone I talk to at tire shops tell me I should not get 19" wheels and should stick with 17" or 18". The price on each tire for 19's would be much more $$$ than 18's or 17's. They also say that the drive-ability would be much worse, they would ware faster, and it would be very dangerous in the rain or snow.

Will I need to modify anything else to fit 19's on my car? Anyone know where I can get a good deal on tires for that size? Is it really worth it to get 19's instead of 18's?

Please help...

Thanks,
-ARTofFACTS

bzliteyear

i'm pretty happy w/ my 18"s, and though 19"s may look nice/bigger, given the terrible roads in most of US roads. even w/ the 18"s, it's still vulnerable to dents, esp if they're aftermarkets which are not made as well as the AMGs. so i'd stay w/ 18"'s.
PL

tc1728

if you are gonna go aftermarket, get something that is not the same size as stock. the best 17's and 18's are the stock AMG's. I think the CLK looks great with 19's and some even look good with 20's. TC

Cycopath

i have 19's and love them. no issues really, but then again are roads are well taken care of

M-bENZ

80% of CLK owners have 19" .

Andy

ARTofFACTS

I feel like if I am going to spend money on aftermarket rims I might as well get what I think will look the best.

Anyone know a good place to go for deals on tires?

This all started when the chrome on my stock 17's started to flake off and cause major problems. It kept making the air leak out of the tires also the material of the wheel literally started to erode and eat away at the wheel where there was a crack. I never heard of chrome doing that till I got this car.

Do you have any pics of your CLK on 18's?

SGTzAMG

kind of pointess to go with aftermarket wheels if your going to stay with 17" or 18" if your goign to stay within the oem wheels sizes, just stick with your AMG wheels. they are built well as well as perfect for the car if you want after market regardless, id go with 18" but 19" would be good for the car in terms of looks. the 19s ill be a bit expensive when it comes to tires, due to the odd size, but just get a proper alignment and you shouldnt have a problem with the tires wearing out fast, taking into consideration that you wont be burning out all the time lol.

as far as your mechanics telling you its dangerous to have 19s on your CLK, thats just plain ridiculous; as long as you have the proper offset and the proper set of tires to accomodate the given season (winter, summer, etc) your car should be fine.

as long as your not one of those DONK riders (people putting 24" + on their car) then i dont see any hazard in driving in the snow or rain with 19s

ashutt

Who drives their car in the snow The few times I have even tried was a horrible experience. Our cars should have performance tires (Summer) and such tires do not work well in cold weather. IMHO the 19" rim is the right size for the car and it appears to be the current rim size on most sport cars on the market today. One might argue that since this is the standard size for the performance car market that the prices will be lower and in fact is since I purchased mine back in 2007 the prices have dropped.

SGTzAMG

good point! and well said

ARTofFACTS

Believ it or not, I got some Blizack snow tires just on the rear wheels of my car when my 17's were in better condition and the control was very impressive in the snow. Our taction control is flawless. I even went as far to say it handled better with turning and going from stop to go than my 50-50 AWD Subaru 2.5 RS-Turbo

I live in Utah where we get "the greatest snow on earth" (as our license plates say, lol) and so it is helpful to expect driving a little in the snow. Everyone expects snow here so if it snows you still have to get to work/meetings/school/whatever on time likes it a regular day.

Thats why I am just wanting to take every issue into consideration before I go ahead with 19's (which I'm definitely leaning towards) so I know what to expect

ashutt

I have no question the CLK can be mounted with snow tires or studded tires. I just don't see the point- unless it is your only car. When I lived in Utah I garaged the CLK and drove my Jeep starting in October and retired it near the end of April. The rocks and salt from the roads will eat your car and ding your paint job. The pot-holes will slam your 19" rims and bend them as well. If you are going to drive it in the winter then I would stick with the stock 17" wheels and get the front end of your car covered in some type of clear bra system. That will help minimize the wear on your car.

SoCalCLK

The Brabus wheels in my sig are 19" and they fit perfectly on the W209 CLK body. A couple things to consider for going 19"

1) Lowering your car is a must
2) Typically, 2-piece wheels look better in 19" rather than 18"
3) Spring/Summer driving only
4) Gas Mileage decreases with 19" (at least it did for mine)

I am currently running my 18" AMG IV wheels with Michelin rubber. Mileage improved to 22 on fwy vs. 20, mainly due to the weight of the Brabus wheels.

lowpost

yes worth it. I had 19's, went down to 18's for a while, regreted it, and went back up.

dynomite05

19s will work fine. So will 18s. I have had all three sizes and really haven't had any problems. It's a matter of personal preference, also based on your location (roads, weather, etc.)

bzliteyear

Hi all,
Do you guys ever get bent wheels, and how effective is it getting them "fixed" afterwards?
I think these guys charge $50 to $100 EACH wheel, so it's not cheap...just curious if they're a good remedy.
P.S. Is it possible for these wheels to have small air leaks even after repair?
Patrick