I just got a 2009 Mercedes E350 Sport 4Matic. I want to get 19 or 20 wheels, and tires that will fit, but i am not an expert on what sizes of tires to get.

I would like and have looked at 19 8.5 and 19 10. wheels, but i haven't been paying attention to the offset so i am starting all over after reading here. i just want the size of wheels that would work that are 19 or 20's, along with the correct tires size.

I live in NON snow place, i have stock AMG wheels and tires i will keep on for the winters just in case, then use these the 8 or 9 months of gaurenteed summer type weather.

I like the look of the lip on that back wheels. I have a budget of course, i'd like to spend less that 3 thousand, but i just need some sizes that i can use as guidelines tires, wheels, offset.

Anyone help me? Trying to pick out this info on here isn't so easy cause it seems everyone has certain size or something they want....i just want 19 or 20's.

Thanks in advance!

 

If you want 19s or 20s then you will have a corresponding 19 or 20 inch tire to go along with it. For an 8.5 inch wide wheel, a 245 width tire will fit with a straight 90 degree sidewall and 255 is doable but will have a little noticeable bulge like in my signature picture. Probably the smallest I would go is a 235. Your best bet for an 8.5 would be a 255/35/19 or a 245/40/19. For a 10 inch wide wheel 285 is probably a perfect fit with 295 being a good fit as well, I wouldn't go 305. 275 is likely the narrowest I would go on such a wheel. If you're going for looks go for a smaller sidewall thickness so probably less than a 40 series tire. Remember tires are measure width/side-wall-height-as-%-of-tire-width/wheel-diameter. Although you must also remember the smaller the sidewall the more likely it will be for a pothole to bend a rim so if you live somewhere with bad roads then consider something a little beefier or just avoid potholes like it's your day job. Also remember there is a range for tires on different rim widths as they stretch, and each manufacturer is a little bit different both on the wheel and tire side. You probably want to run staggered on your E350 if it is rear wheel drive so a 255/35/19 & 285/30/19 setup would have an almost identical rolling diameter front to back and serve you well.

I would go for 19s not 20s as the larger the wheel the worse performance (acceleration wise) becomes and the W211 becomes noticeably slower with 20s... more weight and a a distribution of mass further away from the center of the wheel will do that. Just physics, really. A good 19" wheel are Parallax V39s or Eurosport MB-8s, both would look sick on a white E-Class. Berti_00 has the Parallax wheels on his so I would check out his car. If you want to go a little more expensive, then I would suggest looking at some Vossen or Vorsteiner wheels, maybe the Vossen VVSCV5 with gunmetal and machined finish. It is all up to your personal preference but I like to add a dash of contrast.


As for tires, Continental DWS ExtremeContact tires are probably the best in the market for price versus performance. The best all season tire out there right now is probably the new Michelin Pilot A/S 3. If you want a more aggressive summer tire which I highly recommend then I would get the legendary Michelin Pilot Super Sport which makes any car handle a million times better, albeit with more noticeable body roll and brake dive since the grip is so much higher. Another tire worth checking out is the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta which isn't as highly rated as the Michelin but an excellent and badass performance tire nonetheless. Hope that gives you some direction!

 

Hey, i just wanted to thank you, it sucks being "GREEN" and not somewhere i could go and look and learn, so i really appreciate the info and pics to see so i can start making this car my own!

Thanks again! All Reply's are welcome and appreciated!

 

Absolutely my friend! Welcome to the forum, you'll find helpful advice here more and more if you know where to look and who to ask. Searching the forums is also helpful for a lot of wheel and tire questions to give you a bit more insight beyond my own opinions. Beautiful car, and not a bad place to start modifying it! Good luck.