Fix my ride, 2022 C238
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Joined: Jan 2025
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E450 C238 2022; 300E W124 1993
Fix my ride, 2022 C238
There are a threads on these subjects but none quite help me. I’m hoping for your experience and advice.
My new-to-me coupe has 38000 miles and rides on 19” Michelin Primacy3 ZP RF tires with 13000 miles on them. It’s a dream on smooth highway curves. The tires are reasonably quiet, perform great in the rain, and have great traction when hard cornering.
BUT the ride over rough roads, potholes, expansion joints is very harsh. Potholes are spine jolting and uneven roads create a very active ride with the body moving in all directions.
Dropped my pressure to 31psi with a bit of improvement.
Now that I’ve had it a few months I’m happy to be in comfort mode and would prefer a Grand Touring experience.
My questions are these:
1. How much to blame the tires. Are these Michelins notably harsh RF’s? Is there a comfortable RF that would be a BIG improvement on these wheels.
2. RF vs NRF. Is a NRF the answer to getting a compliant comfortable ride?
3. How much to blame the wheel size. 18” would be better but is most costly.
4. Could there be a suspension problem?
Basically, it boils down to
19” RF vs NRF
18” RF vs NRF
Buy a spare and jack and lose trunk space or live with some level of harsh ride.
And, of course, choosing the right tire!
My new-to-me coupe has 38000 miles and rides on 19” Michelin Primacy3 ZP RF tires with 13000 miles on them. It’s a dream on smooth highway curves. The tires are reasonably quiet, perform great in the rain, and have great traction when hard cornering.
BUT the ride over rough roads, potholes, expansion joints is very harsh. Potholes are spine jolting and uneven roads create a very active ride with the body moving in all directions.
Dropped my pressure to 31psi with a bit of improvement.
Now that I’ve had it a few months I’m happy to be in comfort mode and would prefer a Grand Touring experience.
My questions are these:
1. How much to blame the tires. Are these Michelins notably harsh RF’s? Is there a comfortable RF that would be a BIG improvement on these wheels.
2. RF vs NRF. Is a NRF the answer to getting a compliant comfortable ride?
3. How much to blame the wheel size. 18” would be better but is most costly.
4. Could there be a suspension problem?
Basically, it boils down to
19” RF vs NRF
18” RF vs NRF
Buy a spare and jack and lose trunk space or live with some level of harsh ride.
And, of course, choosing the right tire!
MBWorld God!
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 32,333
Likes: 6,312
1. Ditch run-flats altogether the stiff sidewalls also are more prone to damage from potholes, get a Tirefit kit like what MB sells or third party that you can rely on
2. Yes, ditch run-flats
3. Yes wheel size is another factor, tire pressures is another factor, check the fuel door cap for the proper tire pressures, measure only when tires are cold
4. Unlikely but not impossible, check the conditions of the shocks
2. Yes, ditch run-flats
3. Yes wheel size is another factor, tire pressures is another factor, check the fuel door cap for the proper tire pressures, measure only when tires are cold
4. Unlikely but not impossible, check the conditions of the shocks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,689
Likes: 823
From: Newcastle, WA
2019 S63 4Matic+, 2018 E400 Cabrio, wardens car.
Ditch the RF tires. Makes a huge difference. You can get a tire fix kit for around 60 bucks that includes everything you need to fix your typical nail puncture in a pinch. In 40 years of driving I can count on one hand the times I have picked up a nail that caused me to have to patch the tire and I have never had a failure that would cause me to use the spare when I did have one. RFT's are a nice idea, I just think the trade offs are not worth the hassle. They are expensive, no one stocks them and they are loud. When you do get a flat, you might be able to limp to a service station or tire shop but they are not going to have the tire you need as a replacement and then you are buying one odd tire to get back on the road if the damage is bad enough.
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