markp43

I have a 2010 E550 with AMG rims. I am having unbelievable problems.

My rims get bent after any small road bump resulting in vibration when driving at speeds greater than 60 mph. Every 4 - 6 weeks I need to have my AMG rims straightened up. I have had about 6 rims and 8 tires replaced. (Luckily I have tyre and rim insurance and they pay for everything.) This is due to a fundamental design problem with the combination of the weight of the car, the airmatic suspension and the AMG rims resulting in bent rims after any small road bump. This is driving me up the wall!!

I now drive the car like it's a baby. Really carefully and really slow. Still having same problems with the rims. Today my car is at MB service AGAIN, getting 1 new tire and 2 rims straightened.

The only thing Mercedes wants to do for me is end my lease early so I can get another Mercedes. After so much trouble, why would I ever want to get another Mercedes? Ever?

PLEASE HELP. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mark.

PS Prior to my E550 I owned a BMW M5 with racing M5 alloy rims - I NEVER had any bent rims. EVER. Same roads. Same driver, Used to drive a lot more aggressively.

desired_speeds

what area do you live in? My city has plenty of potholes and terrible roads and its not uncommon to bend rims whether they are high end forged rims or not.

CEB

Troll?

The current 5 series BMW is known for bending wheels and blowing wheels - to the point that it is virtually universally recognized by automotive magazines (see the Car and Driver long term test)

Mercedes Benz is not known for wheel and tire problems so the issue must be operator headspace. It isn't a car problem, it is a driver problem. Even in the BMW world, more than a few bent rims per car is unheard of.

I'm betting on troll. Let's not feed him.

hyperion667

WTF CEB????

OP, sorry to hear about the wheels woes......sounds like a very frustrating ordeal.........have you considered aftermarket wheels?
Very strange about the MB wheels......I've bever had a problem ever!!! And NC isn't known for our smooth roads I don't think.....
good luck, and don't let the wheels sour your entire experience.......

mikemargolis

My brother has a 550i and has been through multiple tires and wheels. Suggest you do a google search on that.

There are many people here on the forum complaining about the 18" AMG wheels and tires, so please do not think I am defending M-B, as I do believe there is a problem with that wheel.

All I can tell you is that the lower the profile tire, the less air there is between the road and the rim.

You might think about a set of new wheels from another manufacturer, or even if the M-B dealer will swap you out for the 17's. I have had zero issues with this, even living in New England with all our potholes.

hyperion667

where are all these reports?
I've never had an issue, and I don't consider myself the best driver.....even the cheapest aftermarket wheels I've had (Mandrus) only had a slightly bent wheel....
and that was 20K miles ago!!
are you people just riddled with pot holes???? are they so unavoidable?????
wht?

I seriously wonder what people are doing in their cars

ImInPA

It is very immature to claim an entire vehicle as the worst ever built becuase of the wheels. Sometimes I cannot help but laugh. Sounds like the OP hits a lot of pot holes straight on. There is a lot to be said for keeping ones eyes on the road ahead. I see a lot of potholes here in Pennsylvania. I just don't hit them all.

mikemargolis

Here's one:

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...acked-rim.html

A quick search on "cracked rim" or "broken wheel" will turn up a bunch of threads in the W212 forum.

hyperion667

okay, that's one..........

BudC

I have a 21 year old 300E and the wheels are like new. The wheels on these older Mercedes were forged. The new ones are cheap castings.

Buying or leasing the Sport version of the W212 is asking for trouble. Not only will you have problems with wheels and tires but if you have an E550, the AirMatic suspension will be given a much harder time of it compared to Luxury versions of the E550.

CEB

Mike - I don't care what car it is, you hit a pothole at speed with a low profile tire and something has to give. The shocks and tire absorb some of the shock but then the wheel or the suspension components take the hit. In the link you posted, you can clearly see where the wheel took the brunt of the impact.

This is not a MB problem and there are far fewer reports here than on BMW, Audi, VW or Infiniti forums.

It is all about the size of the sidewall and the roads you drive on - and how you drive on the roads.

To have 6 wheels and 8 tires replaced means that the OP has issues - not the car.

HBerman

The US versions of the 2013 E550 are Sport and 4Matic only. Airmatic is a special order option.

ferrariyellow44

How could you call the E550 the worst car Mercedes ever built based only on the rims and tires???? Thats just ridiculous! There's a whole car underneath you that works flawlessly 99% of the time. Just think about all those parts that work together perfectly. If the wheels are really bending that easily, buy some 17's from a luxury E class, that will fix your bent rim issues or have fun in a BMW! NY is known for literally the worst roads and Ive only bent a rim once. By the way, my Audi bends rims pretty often too. Its just an issue with sport suspension, low profile tires and alloy rims.

ferrariyellow44

Just avoid pot holes, no matter what sporty german marque you own, bent rims are normal. Get forged rims or buy a Lexus...

Tomspo04

You may want to consider a Unimog!

listerone

I don't have the wheels or tires in question but so far (almost 20K miles) my Bluetec has been pretty solid.

YYZ-E55

Perhaps some "racing alloy rims" would be a good investment for your E?

Karl901

Markp43,
I think you should trade that E550 in for a pickup truck, it would fit your driving style better.

FraKctured

No, I think the worst car MB ever built was the W203. My cupholder chrome trim started peeling off (slightly) at 75K miles.

Worst.

Car.

Ever.

norcal_cyclist

Agreed Troll.... I own a BMW shop and it's the run flat tires on the 5's that are causing the bent and cracked rims. OEM wheels are notoriously heavy and strong. However since run flats have become the norm we see a lot of wheels with flat spots and cracks on the inside lip which is the weakest between the two.

FWIW OP, learn to go around potholes...

WEBSRFR

What are the specs for your tires? It will help to know so others with similar tire configurations can chime in.

I personally would not recommend anyone drive on low profile tire unless you drive on roads that are impeccably maintained. I don't think you actually gain much in performance with the low profile tires as far as the 550 is concerned but that is beside the point. I too used to have low profile tires and had wheel failures.

I changed to regular tires and I've never had any wheel issues since (knock on wood). In fact I will never buy another car with low profile tires. With low profile tires you get a harsher ride, fragile wheels prone to failure, and I really see no benefits.

Do you absolutely really MUST have low profile tires in your car? Would you consider regular profile tires in either 17 or 18 inch?

I don't think you should knock the 550 for your wheel situation though. It seems to be because of a wheel choice that is not conducive to your driving circumstances based on all your wheel failures.

It is a wonderful car and in that class/range there's nothing else I'd buy.

WEBSRFR

I agree completely. I thought people who put super low profile tires in their cars understood the physics of hitting a pothole. The suspension and tires has so little to give and the wheel ends up taking the impact and there is only so much of impact it can take. I've learned my lesson and will never go back to low profile tires. If I see a car in a lot I like and it has low profile tires I will buy it only of they swap them out for tires that can get me to where I am going without wheel failures.

I think Mercedes is partly to blame here by giving "free" sport upgrades to most E550s. I don't think most of their customers realize the durability tradeoff you make with those tires. The tires above all should get you to where you are going without leaving you stranded with wheel failures.

Unless someone really loves low profile tires and understands the risks associated, you should just refuse to accept a car with low profile tires. When enough people do that Mercedes will stop offering these silly fragile tires to people who may need something more durable.

brauhaus313

Is it still true that Mercedes OEM wheels are as heavy and strong as they were? I know the stuff made by Ronal and BBS for OEMs are pretty damn stout, but I vaguely remember reading that most car companies, including Benz and BMW's have farmed out some of their cast wheel manufacturing to *gasp* chinese or taiwanese manufacturers.

hyperion667

CEB

No, the W212 is the worst ever. Mine ran out of gas at 400 miles. Can you believe it? Only 400 miles and I had to go to the garage to get more gas.

What was MB thinking.