KEY08

Yes, they were essentially new and I traded them in so someone else could enjoy them per my other post. I don't think that the ContiProContact tire is such a great tire for me and Chicago weather. I am now on a more aggressive crap weather tire which I prefer. If I lived in Cali I would not be running the same tire.

thefisch

Looking back on this experience, I have two lingering questions:

1 - the airmatic system was continuing to adjust itself while I was jacking up the car. Is that normal? Should it be disengaged somehow or not to worry? I realize the airmatic makes adjustments whenever I enter or exit the car, but it is only usually 1 or 2 adjustments that I hear when outside the car.

2 - is it normal to have this kind of rust/oxidation on the lug nuts?

I recall asking the MB tech and he told me that they do rust and I could either buy replacements or get touch up paint if they bothered me. I haven't noticed this on my other cars but maybe the MB lugs are more sensitive to this.

KEY08

There is a sequence in the manual that addresses the Airmatic prior to jacking. I know it needs to be in the normal setting, but you cannot turn it off. All of my MB cars over the years have had rusted lug nuts and I was told that Germany has banned certain chrome/paint finishes due to environmental regulations, thus the rusting lug nuts. I never questioned it after that and assumed it to be true.

thefisch

Well that's another thing I did wrong. I left it in sport mode. Perhaps that's why it was making more hissing sounds than I expected. Oh well add it to the list. Thanks for pointing that out. And it says that in the manual had I read it first.

I searched this forum and didn't find any mention of rusted lug nuts so I thought the service rep was bsing me.

KEY08

I had a Porsche with rusted lug bolts and I know some BMW and Audi guys complain about this as well. I still think it's a German eco thing. In any regard, you could paint them, but they will probably just get nicked up every time you put a wrench on them. I have just lived with it and pretend not to look at it.

thefisch

I searched other forums in mbworld and found plenty of threads on the subject. Some pictures looked way worse than mine.

While this may be normal for MB and other german cars, most folks with Fords or Hondas don't know this. I get asked 'Hey was your car in a flood?'. Now I can tell them my rusted lug bolts are environmentally friendly. Makes up for only getting 17 mpg I guess.

KEY08

Ha! Yeah, whatever we can do to save the planet. I have had 4 Acuras, Hondas, a Scion, Toyota Van, and an Infiniti and they all had chrome lugs. Not so Eco friendly in Asia I guess.