Streamliner

Suppose one tire & wheel had been damaged badly, leaving the tire flat and unserviceable. With a spare in the trunk, you are on you way again in a short while, whether you change it yourself or if you call Roadside Assistance to do it. If you had been driving a 2014 of later S Class, you would have been up the proverbial "poop" river without a paddle, as NONE of these huge, expensive sedans come with a jack & spare, if you can believe it.

AND, it would appear that this is the direction MB is headed in for their entire line, unless we can get them to change their minds.

Over on the W222 forum, we are conducting a poll on whether you want a spare or not. Results will be sent to MBUSA. Everyone here on W212 should vote, as I'm not holding my breath to see if a spare is included in the trunk of the upcoming new E Class.

Check it out:
https://mbworld.org/forums/new-s-cla...ent-mbusa.html

mleskovar

BMW been going run flats for years now. My experience with run flats is they don't wear, handle, or ride well. They are also VERY expensive. Many remove and replace them when new. I waited for my wife's BMW to wear and then replaced them with regular tires. Big difference in cornering and ride quality. From the damage I've seen done by pot holes on the right coast I wouldn't travel without a spare in the trunk.

El Cid

Has little to do with cold weather, although that does make it worse.
It is related to state and local governments not having enough money for road repairs. Only solution is to raise fuel taxes and other revenue sources for road repairs.
The cost of ashphalt, concrete, equipment, labor, etc. has skyrocketed since most roads were built, but the maintenance money is not there.
Also, roads are constructed better, much wider and more costly to construct now just for design factors.
A major problem is that Congress, especially House, refuses to consider passing the much recommended infrastructure bills.
Also, you don't get to name a pot hole repair or resurfacing after a politician or have a ribbon cutting ceremony.

KEY08

In Chicago, if people start naming potholes after the mayor or other politicians, your days in office are numbered. Freeze-thaw cycles are indeed the issue and creator of pot holes here.

Sassygee

I always purchase a premium tire warranty since I live in an area, like many of you, that experiences cold winter weather and are well known to have potholes. I like having tires and wheels replaced under the "road hazard clause" with no hassles. If my memory serves me correctly I think there is enrollment is time sensitive.


I think enrollment is time sensitive. You can purchase tire warranties from the dealer or do your due diligence and purchase from another reputable company.
FYI:
www.edmunds.com/auto-warranty/understanding-tire-warranties.html


I purchased a 5 year premium warranty and have already used it within the first year. I did not purchase the product offered by the dealer but found a product that better suited my needs. Depending on your needs, climate, and personal comfort level I would encourage everyone to consider it when decision-making.


ITA, an educated consumer is a tire warranties best customer!

Airmousam

Hit a massive pothole last night while riding in my buddy's CTS. No damage. No way I would have come out that one ok in my E, thing needed its own zip code

SpraggaBenz06

i F****kin hate pot holes.. just had to change out my front tire because it had 2 massive bubbles caused by me going over a pothole. luckily the rims weren't damaged

Sassygee

If you weren't in the NY area perhaps you would have met me on Tuesday at my dealer in the DC area replacing 2 tires, RF (with a massive bubble in it), RR (with a leak and nail on the side perhaps from the Beltway). RR had already been replaced in March. Have attire warranty but.....sigh...I am getting tired of it!

El Cid

If really concerned about potholes and other road problems, contact your city and county councilmembers, your state legislators, your US house member and your US senators.
Tell them you want to pay more taxes so the roads will be fixed. I'm serious.
I have, but it falls on deaf ears for the most part, especially in the South.

DC-IT

Here in Toronto, I was able to get reimbursed for the costs of replacing a rim and tire from the City when my car hit a pothole one Winter!
But it took several months and many follow up calls.

Now that I have the rim and tire protection, it's a lot simpler and faster so I don't bother submitting the claim to the City.

Has anyone tried claiming from your City Hall as they are responsible for fixing the potholes!

El Cid

Most places in US can reimburse for pothole or similar damage, but probably many won't do it. Very small town I live in does it all the time - if driver asks. Usually front end alignments rather than wheel and tire problems though.
Several years ago I got a front-end alignment due to a bridge not lining up with pavement. Contractor had removed the old ashphalt and left 1" gap at concrete bridge lip while waiting to pour new ashphalt. Had to complain to DOT and they referred me to contractor, who then "investigated" and then referred me to their alignment guy.

steinjr

Here we go again! This time I might have bent the sub frame or possibly a strut tower according to the alignment shop. Taking it to the Mercedes dealer next.

Can hitting a pothole really do that much damage?

belarus27

that dont really look like it could damage the subframe , doubt it would even damage the strut cover......fix the wheel/replace it and do an alignment and enjoy your ride

KEY08

Yeah, that time of year. 90% of my damage is on the back side of the drum where it is weakest, just like your photo. Sometimes everything looks good until you feel the vibrations and crawl under the car with a flashlight and peer across to the bent wheel. Happy days!

LINKBXQ

Pothole definitely a problem here in NYC. Worse when it is in the middle of a highway ramp and puddle of water covering it in the middle of the night. Hit one coming off the 495 whitestone ramp and blew my front passenger tire out, but lucky the tire held out long enough for me to exit and call AAA. Amazingly front passenger tire took the blunt of it and rim did not suffer any damage at all.

steinjr

Here is the culprit!!

Mercedes dealer did a visual inspection today and didn't see any strut tower damage. They think it is probably just a suspension component but won't know until they can get a better look.

@dman

Flatted on the way to the office Monday morning after hitting a pothole in Woburn. I reported it on the town's website - hopefully they'll fix it.

This is my second season on a set of Conti Winter Contact Si with winter rims, and I'm now down a front passenger wheel and tire. There was road hazard on the tires but I don't think this will help much vs. 3 other year old snows and a ruined rim.

I have to hand it to Mercedes and their spare tire kit. The white handkerchief stowed in the toolbox is a nice touch!
-Adam

Edward993

^^^Same thing here. zero incidents ...until a few weeks ago!!!
The odd frequent rains we've been having in SoCal (since maybe Thanksgiving) clearly did a real number on the roads. Wife and I had just merged onto a fwy and (at night in the rain) then nailed the mother of potholes that immediately deflated both front/rear right tires! Damage on the wheels was cosmetic ...which still pissed me off as the car is pristine! Not to mention cost me tires! And of course waiting for the tow home and the time the next day to take care of it all!
Be careful out there, yes. But what can you do at night or in weather ...Ugh!!!


Edward

jahquan3

Welp, add me to the list. I just made a post on the forum yesterday after I bent my rim and now it has a slow leak. Waiting on adjuster now to determine price to fix and/or where to tow. Luckily it happened very close to a gas station and my house. So I was able to put air in it and get it back home.

My car insurance covers my rims (w/ deductible of course) . Did I read that others have to purchase a warranty for that coverage?

z06michael

I have bent both left side wheels this winter,the roads are horrible here in the S.F Bay Area and it has not stopped raining yet,so I know every ones pain!!!!

DC-IT

When I buy a BMW or M-B the dealer's finance guy always offer add-ons like extended warranty and rim and tire protections as well as rust proofing, paint protection etc...

For expensive cars like an M-B I usually get both the extended warranty and rim and tire protection.

My 2013 E350BT has so far claimed 5 tires and one rim in the last 44 months and I have 16 months coverage still to go. It was well worth the $920.00 for the coverage.

My extended warranty has also more than paid for itself.

The G Man

This thread must have jinx me, almost 30 years of driving without a bubble in my tires. Last night, I hit a pretty good size pothole and the sidewall develop a bubble. It will cost me $210 to replace it. If I had bought the tire and wheel insurance from the dealer, I would still be $790 behind the 8 ball. The local tire chain offers road hazard insurance for $50 a tire, I might take them up on that.