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Shopping for a '14 E350, coming to notice that at least 50% of the cars I've looked at have had cracked wheels replaced or bent rims repaired. Now granted I live in Pennsylvania, the Pothole Capital of the World, but it really seems ridiculous. Going to try to deal on one tomorrow that had to have 3 rims replaced in the course of its' Certification. Is it specific to either the AMG or the standard wheels? Is this just how cars with these giant spindly wheels are nowadays (yes, I'm old)? Am I going to be buying wheels a few times a year? Are there any upgrades? I know there's tons of wheels out there, but I mean either stock style or at least not boy-racer looking wheels that can actually handle running over a dime without cracking?
Welcome to the world of low profile tires. I don't know how the crazy notion that bigger rims and wider tires looked cool got picked up the manufacturers. The main drawback of them are busted rims and busted tires. The 17 inch tires are more common than the 18 I think on the W212, they were pretty rare on the W211. I think that was the response to lots of mad people who had tires or rims popped on the 18's in the W211. The 45 series helps a little over the 40, but it's just a matter of time. So far for me just one bent rim that was repaired. You got to pay if you want to play.
I think it happens to all types of vehicles with low profile tires. From my observation it might even happen less frequently with MB then it's main competitor BMW.
I just had to replace a set of AMGs since two were banged up pretty bad. In 2 years I've also had 4 blow outs. So if you're concerned or live in a pothole infested area like we do then 17s might be for you. I just don't like the look of them so much so I'm willing to deal with the additional drama that comes with 18s.
Since I had been thinking about picking up an extra set of rims to mount a set of real snow tires on, would forged rims be any better? I'm really not into the whole boy-racer look and I like the factory rims (both styles) so I was just going to piece together a set from used offerings on eBay or CL, but if forged ones wouldn't suffer the same fate maybe it'd be worth my while to look there.
Since I had been thinking about picking up an extra set of rims to mount a set of real snow tires on, would forged rims be any better? I'm really not into the whole boy-racer look and I like the factory rims (both styles) so I was just going to piece together a set from used offerings on eBay or CL, but if forged ones wouldn't suffer the same fate maybe it'd be worth my while to look there.
as far as i know forged wheels are stronger , and can take more stress than regular.
Those are 17s, factory, have few paint chips on 3 wheels and a hairline crack( I believe on driver side-rear). The funny thing is, there are no curb rashes for a 4 year old vehicle, well, the 360 camera paid off I guess.
Anyway, I have an appointment with Merc on Thursday, will see how it'll turn out. Paint chip 2014 e350 17s
Here is my 2014, still under factory warranty.
Wait, cracked rims aren't covered by the CPO warranty, are they?
I don't they are, but, when I spoke on phone with the CSR, she said, if it looks like manu. defect, they might consider it to do it.
My intensions were to get the paint chips, fixed, along with the clearcoat peel off on the hubs/logo.
Also, my car has 1000miles/1 month platinum coverage from Nissan(the dealer who sold me the car), he sounds like he might fix it for me.
I just replaced all 4 17" wheels on my E350 Lux. The 2 fronts had been repaired (welded) twice and the rears where warped. I has one of the fears wheels refinished but all of them needed cosmetic work as well so I decided to replace all of them with aftermarket wheels.
I now have 19" TSW forged wheels and the ride is amazing even with the low profile tires. I should have done this a long time ago.
just wanted to add that one of my tires was leaking air pressure ever so slowly. We took it off the car and kept looking and looking only to discover a 1/2 inch crack in the rim where the tire meet it. After the soapy water test, it was confirmed that was the place where the air was coming from. and I was just about to swap them with my winter set up. Oh well.
Would be good to post where the rim was manufactured at?
In the past MB wheels come from Germany or Austria, where I think Italy was a choice as well.
In last years some production was moved to Eastern Block. Not necessary meaning it has to be bad (I have 2 sets of MB 16" rims made in Poland and love them) but for future referall.
In 20+ years of driving MB I bent 16" rim once and that was when in heavy traffic I had to steer into shoulder and hit pothole while heavy braking.The rim bend the edge very badly but did not crack and did not leak.
Then couple years ago I bought older SL and turn out all of 17" AMG wheels have welds on them.
For now I have good tires on W212 17" rims, but when they wear out, getting the 16" on it will be on the top of the list.
Would be good to post where the rim was manufactured at?
In the past MB wheels come from Germany or Austria, where I think Italy was a choice as well.
In last years some production was moved to Eastern Block. Not necessary meaning it has to be bad (I have 2 sets of MB 16" rims made in Poland and love them) but for future referall.
In 20+ years of driving MB I bent 16" rim once and that was when in heavy traffic I had to steer into shoulder and hit pothole while heavy braking.The rim bend the edge very badly but did not crack and did not leak.
Then couple years ago I bought older SL and turn out all of 17" AMG wheels have welds on them.
For now I have good tires on W212 17" rims, but when they wear out, getting the 16" on it will be on the top of the list.
Interesting. I have staggered 18's on mine and when I first got the car, I got a set of like new 17" take offs to replace them when the tires wear out. Still waiting on the tires to wear out, but I guess that's a good problem to have.
I've decided based on reading many posts that even for my summer set up, I'm gonna go to 50 profile tires from the current 45. this means I'd have to go to 225/50 17 inch tires and thinner wheels but I don't want to deal with these issues.
I have the 45's on my 17's. So far two bent rims in about a year. On my W211 which has 18, just had a cracked wheel rim. Local place charges $115 to fix a bent rim, but it's $145 to weld a rim. I found some reman OEM ones on eBay for $148 so I did that instead.
Interesting. I have staggered 18's on mine and when I first got the car, I got a set of like new 17" take offs to replace them when the tires wear out. Still waiting on the tires to wear out, but I guess that's a good problem to have.
Somehow I don't have good luck to 17" size. Years ago bought 17" AMG for W210 and hated the ride. Put 18" with super-duper tires and it was much better. Hard from end user to tell how much difference come from the size aka meat on the tire, how much from tire model.
At some point I had in family 2 identical W210 when 1 was on factory 16" and other on 18" wheels. Driving both on the same day you noticed the difference in sway on the first turn, but then lower profile shake your head more.
Wheels are the only item I like to play with on MB and right now I have a stack of 12 good wheels on my yard. Classic 18" monoblocks for looks, or OEM 16" for comfort and reliability. Tough choice
BTW MB rims make very good garden hose hangers.
Wife and I have two E250's. We independently drive 60 and 120 miles each day. Recently I ran through an enormous pothole with my wife's "new" used E250. Based on the shake afterwards, I knew I damaged a wheel, tire or both. As my office is close to the Tire Rack, I brought it right in. They pulled all four off, and found three bent rims and one damaged tire. Our E250's originally came with 17" AMG style wheels and her's had Bridgestone run-flats. We replaced all four wheels with aftermarket (BBS) low pressure cast wheels and replaced one tire (the tires were near new). They claimed that the MB wheels were designed to distort or bend rather than crack, as that is a safer failure mode at high speed. When we purchased the car we were offered "wheel and tire" insurance but declined. As I remember it was $3,000 for two years of coverage, with a limit on the number of replacements. I am pretty careful with inflation, and am sure they were not under-inflated. I think the degradation of our roadways has encouraged the shift from sedans to SUV's but can't explain the shift to larger diameter wheels with shorter tire sidewalls. It is not for performance, but for appearance...
Well, I'm now on my third bent rim in about 7 months.
I bought one "good used" rim. I now just keep them in constant rotation, put on good spare rim (no charge because my guy covers it under the tires' road hazard), take bent rim to repair place about an hour away, have it straightened for $90, lather, rinse, repeat.
Haven't had any "repeat offender" rims yet, I don't think I'd get a rim repaired twice.
This is seriously getting old. OK, it's costing me $90 plus gas each time. Plus two days' worth of my time (which I don't have). But it shouldn't be happening. This is with the 18" rims. I bought an Audi S5 with 19s and 35-series tires about two months ago. I shopped around for about six months and this was one of the things I looked into, after having this problem with my MB. It's virtually unheard of in the Audi forums. I'm sorry but this boils down to a manufacturer defect. Although I know I'll just be wasting even more of my time and money dealing with MB on the matter.
The sad part is, I'll have to go through 33 bent-and-repaired rims before it makes it worth my while to buy even the cheapest set of forged wheels.
Just a small doubt, if you're in USA.. have you contacted 311, your local municipal and raised a concern? Here in Charlotte, they are still investigating the costs of repair after I crossed a under construction local train track at University and had to replace both the struts.
May be of you show the receipts, they will reimburse for these damages?
In California you can submit a form and two estimates to Caltrans for pothole damage to your wheels, I don't know how often people actually get reimbursed though.
In California you can submit a form and two estimates to Caltrans for pothole damage to your wheels, I don't know how often people actually get reimbursed though.
Try NEVER?
Few years back Caltrans was resurfacing freeway 24 where I was living at the time. They did the job at night, making 1 lane at the time on freeway that had mostly 4 lanes.
So the fresh edges had lot of loose rocks and each time a car was changing the lane, the rocks have been flying.
I "lost" 3 windshields before they finished about 8 miles of freeway. Made internet claims to never hear from them.
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