stemags

Im in a quagmire,,,both of these are pretty cool,,the mandrus is an 18" wheel and the TSW is a 17",alltho available in 18's. TSW is the Mother Company of Mandrus.
Help me choose,
http://ver1.iconfigurators.com/share...mLPEVDVY.email

http://ver1.iconfigurators.com/share...j3fAwic4.email

Ctrl+alt+Elite

i'd go with the TSW, i've always liked a nice simple 5-spoke design. Always classy and easy to keep clean

bigigg

Ok.. i like the mandrus wheel better, but i think with a multi spoke wheel to pull it off you gotta go 19" or higher..

hyperion667

I'm still partial to the M's, the rivets really turn me off, but those are still a nice wheel
good luck choosing

stemags

Ahh valid approaches all,,big help,,keep em coming,BTW price is less for the TSW's only a bit. The Mandrus does "pop" at 1st glance tho.

bigigg

Also, i think your wasting your time with a 17" aftermarket wheel.. im from northeast NJ soo i know the roads suck.. but gotta go atleast 18" either way

CEB

I think one of your decisions should be 17 vs 18 inch wheels. While the 17's appear a bit small these days (or rather, the extra sidewall appears too much) you may want to weigh the ability to drive on NY roads without having to worry about each and every pothole against the cosmetics of the shorter sidewall, remembering that there is no performance benefit from using a 18" wheel (everything else being equal - weight of wheel etc) and there may actually be a detriment in handling based on the higher weight.

You may want to peruse this article.

stemags

Got your point ,,dont entirely agree but understand it. The 17 v 18 inch question comes into play with those magically appearing potholes and other imperfections in the road that an 18 or larger wheel,no matter what method created them, cant handle. I happen to think the NJ roads are way better than the NY roads,,I drive thru both every week.
Alltho I have wheel and tire protection for the next 70K miles,,,the least amount of time I waste in a servce center ,,the better ya know?
Thanks for the input

stemags

Im with you 100% otherwise I would've pulled the trigger on the 18's by now.
The 5 spokers are handsome, and they do look alot like AMG's. Jees anything is better than what the dealer left me with,,,they'll be on ebay ASAP.

bigigg

I understand 100%.. i do feel that if you slap on 18's you will still have plenty of sidewall to protect you from those nasty potholes. I didnt ask if this was going to be your spring/summer/fall setup, that makes a big difference also.

stemags

Yeah this is going to be my all yr round setup.I did the Winter/Summer switcheroo for 9 yrs on the 210,,and it was nice for a change of style and looks twice a yr,,but tiring.

CEB

I might be a candidate for your wheels for my winter wheels. I swap wheels every winter and will never drive a car in the winter without proper winter tires.

Drop me a PM before you go to eBay.

CEB

If it is going to be a year round setup then you'll really need to be happy with them. You should also consider ease of cleaning with wheels used in the winter.

stemags

Nooo Problemo,,,rather see them go to a member

DoubleA

The Mandrus wheels are nice... Yeah changing every winter can be a hassle unless you have a shop for this etc.. make sure your pick will hold up well in the winter since they will be all year long wheels. I have a pick up truck with a snow plow so I dont drive my benz in the snow at all.

Gsc

Seen a couple of whips with the mandrus wheels, nothing special imho...

stemags

Rite DblA,,point well taken.But Im not familiar with the vernacular GSC.

hyperion667

LOL

ImInPA

One of the best features of Run Flat tires is the additional strength of the sidewalls. I notice that since BMW moved to Run Flats, they have safely upped their wheel sizes. If you are going with large wheels and low profile tires, consider the Run Flats to help save your wheels. That you are going that large in the first place says ride quality is not paramount and Run Flats just might be a good choice.

bigigg

Are we considering 18" large? My E350 came stock with 18's.. i'll say it again, if you go with 18's like i suggest there is still plenty of space in the wheel well to have "beefy" tires.

dfordham

Are you sure your wheel and tire protection covers aftermarket wheels? Mine doesn't.

Regards,
Don

CEB

The amount of space in the wheel well is immaterial. What is important is that the OE outside diameter stays the same. Changing the wheel size won't affect the outside diameter.

If you fit an incorrectly sized tire (ie larger to "fill up" the wheel well) then you will most likely not only have interference with suspension bits and an incorrect speedometer, but you will also run afoul of the warranty. Changing the outside diameter of the tire constitutes odometer fraud - one of the few things that may cause a manufacturer to void your entire warranty.

bigigg

wheel and tire protection does not cover aftermarket wheels.. and yes CEB i understand what your saying, and your correct. I wasnt implying to use such big tires that your going to throw off your odometer/speedometer. All im saying is that if you go with 18" wheels your able to have a substantial amount of rubber protecting them.

CEB

True. The proper 18" tires for an E provide about a half inch extra rubber than the proper 18" tires for a 3 series BMW and about the same sidewall as an 18 inch wheel/tire combo on a 5 series.

You are also correct about the insurance. Most policies sold by dealers don't cover aftermarket but you have to be very careful as the salesman (either out of real or feigned ignorance) may imply that it does. Read the contract very carefully. In addition, many contracts will not cover cosmetic or balancing failures - as long as the wheel/tire combo still holds air, the warranty company considers it fine - even if there is a visible flat spot and the wheel wobbles like an egg.

stemags

Gonna have to check that out.
Btw whats the side wall difference between 17's and 18's??