Used E300 W212 with aftermarket 19" wheels and other odd things
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Used E300 W212 with aftermarket 19" wheels and other odd things
Hi there,
I'm in New Zealand and there are a raft of imported Japanese (mostly) and UK european cars on the second hand market.
There are a couple of dealers who commonly sell Mercs with non-factory wheels.
Does anyone know why they do this? Is it because the factory ones were damaged? Are there any tradeoffs for having 19's... eg, rough ride, or hard on suspension?
"Brand new 19 inch DTM alloy wheels set this car off beautifully!
Low Km's immaculate condition and a huge look with the aftermarket wheels, it looks a far more expensive motor car than it actually is!"
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used...-605590402.htm
FYI this is worth about USD30k
There are a few questions I have here:
- Hood ornament missing (is this normal)?
- TRUE Avantgarde trim? This is badgeless, and lacks leather and/or chrome/alu interior. Japanese imports seldom have leather I heard as it's too hot.
Feedback appreciated on this specimen please.
Many thanks.
I'm in New Zealand and there are a raft of imported Japanese (mostly) and UK european cars on the second hand market.
There are a couple of dealers who commonly sell Mercs with non-factory wheels.
Does anyone know why they do this? Is it because the factory ones were damaged? Are there any tradeoffs for having 19's... eg, rough ride, or hard on suspension?
"Brand new 19 inch DTM alloy wheels set this car off beautifully!
Low Km's immaculate condition and a huge look with the aftermarket wheels, it looks a far more expensive motor car than it actually is!"
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used...-605590402.htm
FYI this is worth about USD30k
There are a few questions I have here:
- Hood ornament missing (is this normal)?
- TRUE Avantgarde trim? This is badgeless, and lacks leather and/or chrome/alu interior. Japanese imports seldom have leather I heard as it's too hot.
Feedback appreciated on this specimen please.
Many thanks.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,549
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Can't tell from the picture if you have a flat badge or if the ornament broke off. Here in the US they're about $40 for a new one. You pay outrageous prices out there so who knows what the dealer will charge you. Pretty simple to replace, you just need a pair of pliers to pop it on, it just rotates and clicks into place.
As for the wheels, who knows what goes on in your country. Some people like bigger rims and the factory ones are sometimes worth more than cheap aftermarket ones. And yeah, bigger tires/rims are worse. Worse ride, harsher and more likely to pop a tire or crack a rim when you hit a pothole, especially if they're cheap rims. If you've got smooth roads, probably less of a concern, but the ride will be harsher due to lack of sidewall on bigger tires. Plus bigger tires typically cost more money.
As for the wheels, who knows what goes on in your country. Some people like bigger rims and the factory ones are sometimes worth more than cheap aftermarket ones. And yeah, bigger tires/rims are worse. Worse ride, harsher and more likely to pop a tire or crack a rim when you hit a pothole, especially if they're cheap rims. If you've got smooth roads, probably less of a concern, but the ride will be harsher due to lack of sidewall on bigger tires. Plus bigger tires typically cost more money.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 431
Likes: 44
From: Portsmouth, VA
2010 E350, Sold 1998 C230
I seem to recall that cars in Japan have to have some outrageous work/inspection once they hit a certain age or mileage, hence there are so few older cars on their roads. That might explain why you see a bunch of Japanese Mercs being sold overseas.
As for the wheels, thats a trend that is popular with younger folk. Personally I think larger rims like 19's and 20's and up look stupid and for sure dont help the vehicle. They are supposed to help in handling since the much narrower profile tires can't deform much in turns (metal doesn't bend like rubber) but the downsides to them are significant. They are more expensive to make and buy. The tread-wear is less and they offer much less protection to the rims from potholes and the like. And in many instances, these large rims are fairly cheap chinese products that look ok when new, but are nowhere near the quality of the OEM rims supplied with the vehicle.
Personally I never would never look at a car with those rims, since the previous owner probably was into "modding" the vehicle and I want it stock, as do many other buyers. But if its a good deal, then maybe you can sell off those rims and find a nice set of OEM 17" rims to replace them with some longer lasting tires. Good Luck.
As for the wheels, thats a trend that is popular with younger folk. Personally I think larger rims like 19's and 20's and up look stupid and for sure dont help the vehicle. They are supposed to help in handling since the much narrower profile tires can't deform much in turns (metal doesn't bend like rubber) but the downsides to them are significant. They are more expensive to make and buy. The tread-wear is less and they offer much less protection to the rims from potholes and the like. And in many instances, these large rims are fairly cheap chinese products that look ok when new, but are nowhere near the quality of the OEM rims supplied with the vehicle.
Personally I never would never look at a car with those rims, since the previous owner probably was into "modding" the vehicle and I want it stock, as do many other buyers. But if its a good deal, then maybe you can sell off those rims and find a nice set of OEM 17" rims to replace them with some longer lasting tires. Good Luck.
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Missing my point (op)
Thanks for reading and taking the time to respond.... I was kinda alluding to the fact that the DEALER has put on brand new wheels.... so it's a fresh import and the dealer puts on brand new rims.... why ? I could understand if the previous Japanese owner did it for cosmetic reasons . But it's landed in New Zealand, then the dealer upgrades the wheels ? Weird... if it was true Avantgarde spec the wheels should look acceptable ?! The cynic in me suggests something sinister by a dodgy dealer.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 431
Likes: 44
From: Portsmouth, VA
2010 E350, Sold 1998 C230
Thanks for reading and taking the time to respond.... I was kinda alluding to the fact that the DEALER has put on brand new wheels.... so it's a fresh import and the dealer puts on brand new rims.... why ? I could understand if the previous Japanese owner did it for cosmetic reasons . But it's landed in New Zealand, then the dealer upgrades the wheels ? Weird... if it was true Avantgarde spec the wheels should look acceptable ?! The cynic in me suggests something sinister by a dodgy dealer.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,549
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Right, it'd make sense if the original MB wheels were trashed and they had an extra set of wheels sitting around. MB wheels can be pretty expensive and a set of cheap aftermarket rims can be cheaper than one or two OE MB rim. Plus maybe they're catering to the crowd that likes those 19 inch rims so maybe they think it'll sell faster.
