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To be fair, I didn't say it's how you drive. Sure, I insinuated it, but playfully. You might be onto something with it being MB rims if so many people have issues. I've never ever bent a wheel, no matter how hard or soft I drive my vehicle. But I also never just take potholes head on, no matter what I'm driving. Truck, car, bicycle... no way. (Roads in Los Angeles are TERRIBLE... but you can't drive fast enough to damage your rims.)
Class actions are a ***** to even get started. You'll spend just as long even finding a firm to take it on.
It's a problem in cold weather states where you get a lot more potholes. I've had bent rims also but just not as many. In traffic, there's just no way to avoid them all when you're all flying along almost bumper to bumper, there just isn't enough time to avoid all of them and also deal with traffic at the same time. You avoid what you can, but there's too many of them. Also they're hard to see in the dark and in the rain. When the city fixes them, sometimes you hear that they fill thousands of potholes in a day. Yes, literally a thousand which is a surprising number, but they have multiple crews go out and spend all day filling them.
I have both 18 and 17 inch rims, the 18's are worse in that not only have I gotten bent rims, but also cracked ones, had to get a refurb OEM one once on the 18, also lost tires due to the potholes. The 17 inch ones are a little better, so far only bent rims and no tires lost to potholes. Probably would have been better off switching to the 17 inch rims which were also factory. They had 245/45/17's on them which gives you slightly more sidewall than the 245/40/18's. I just shake my head when I hear of people who want 19 or 20's.
TeeEl, didn't mean to crawl up your behind, I just hear the same thing in a far more accusatory fashion on other boards and even in other threads on this board. "I'm in Florida and never had a bent rim, must be your driving"...go screw yourself. I'm not saying the potholes aren't the problem, BUT, you can't tell me MB designs cars intended to only be used within certain latitudes, and I've never seen another manufacturer with a worse track record. Especially for a company that prides itself on "indestructability".
I have to ask... are you guys just not looking at the road while you drive? I know, you can never completely avoid all of the potholes in the road all of the time... but I don't think I run over 8 in 18 months, let alone get that many bent rims. What the heck are you guys doing to your cars and your roads?
California roads are not the Northeast. Try driving at night and those potholes come at you with little to no time to react. Add rain and slick roads and the potholes disappear (until you land in one).
It is a pain every time a repair is needed. My 535xi had 8 tires and 7 rim repairs in 22 months. My 2017 E Class with 19s had 4 bent rims. My MB CA strongly suggested to not get the 19s because of likely damage. He was right.
If you want to avoid frequent rim repairs in the Northeast, do not get 19s and if you can, find 17s. Higher profile tires absorb the "hit".
I think it’s a component of weight and suspension design. Many a critic have commented about the bottoming suspension on this car in general.
But i also will say that when I hit that monster missing bridge expansion joint last summer in Indiana, that golfballed my tire, how it didn’t crack the rim is beyond me. It was the equivalent of hitting a reinforced steel 2x4 at 80mph. So, bent yes, fixable yes. Didn’t need a replacement, which amazed me. Tire was toast.
I also run my tires at 40psi cold. Not the 35 +/- as noted on the door. I notice a difference in the way the car rides and handles (much better). That might’ve saved me on that hit.
i have the tire and wheel warranty package from CNA. At this rate, it’s like getting new tires for the car for free every two years. I’ll never get he chance to replace these Conti’s with something else!
Thanks, the brakes are OE from a MB dealership in Orlando. Funny thing is, I had the 40k service done last week, and they’ve now since started to act up. I don’t know man. But I can say one of the key drivers for my decision to just dump this and walk away is squarely on the *****show that is the MB dealership service platform. I mean, I’m willing to pay the premium, but constantly seem to be getting BS results from now two different dealerships. Just sucks. Dude, my cars interior is covered in smear marks from the technician last week. Once found a torque wrench in my back seat as they brought it to me saying it was all done and good to go. Do they not have quality control at their dealership service centers? I’m almost positive they took those two bent rims and instead of fixing them, just parked them on the back of the car and tried to balance them out (even though charged CNA $300 to fix them). I’m just done with the MB dealerships in and around Washington DC. Have yet to find one worth a crap, and life is too short to fuss with it.
If you only buy the 350 model I don't see any advantage over a loaded Camry other than the bling of "oh... a Mercedes hey?". The base E350 has fake leather and no more power than any other average sedan. Most higher model Honda, Toyota, and even Hyundai come with standard features that are extra with MB. I bought my E550 because I wanted the power of a Biturbo V8 after running my V8 CLK430 for 4 years. Not many choices in 2012ish for a V8 luxurious family sedan with RWD or AWD making 400+ HP, and I had a good experience with my first MB that was 16 years old when I sold it. I considered a new 2015 Charger RT, but they wanted $38K out the door, so I said no thanks, I'll buy a few years old Mercedes with even more power that will last and not look like old news in 3 more years for only $25K. I'm at 90K + miles and nothing wrong with it, only regular maintenance.
I think it’s a component of weight and suspension design. Many a critic have commented about the bottoming suspension on this car in general.
But i also will say that when I hit that monster missing bridge expansion joint last summer in Indiana, that golfballed my tire, how it didn’t crack the rim is beyond me. It was the equivalent of hitting a reinforced steel 2x4 at 80mph. So, bent yes, fixable yes. Didn’t need a replacement, which amazed me. Tire was toast.
I also run my tires at 40psi cold. Not the 35 +/- as noted on the door. I notice a difference in the way the car rides and handles (much better). That might’ve saved me on that hit.
i have the tire and wheel warranty package from CNA. At this rate, it’s like getting new tires for the car for free every two years. I’ll never get he chance to replace these Conti’s with something else!
Actually I think it's the other way around, I think 40 is way too high, makes it hard as a rock and has less give/flex in the sidewall which allows your rims to get more of the force from the pothole. There's a certain spot where it can't be too much or too little. Either extreme makes things worse. I tend to keep mine at just one or two PSI's over the recommended pressure which is something like 32 or 33. Also the higher the pressure, the harsher the ride. That's why Ford had recommended a tire pressure that was too low on the Explorer which led to blowouts when combined with low pressure, hot temperatures and defective tires. The lower pressure made for a smoother ride.
California roads are not the Northeast. Try driving at night and those potholes come at you with little to no time to react. Add rain and slick roads and the potholes disappear (until you land in one).
I'm curious, have you lived in CA? I've lived in the NE and been through rain, snow, ****ty roads, etc. And let me assure you, I-5 through the LA area is as bad as anything I've driven in the NE. I've even pulled off the interstate before, thinking had a flat with how awful it is. Though, as I said previously, it sounds like MB might have some problems if this issue is so commonplace. I didn't have a Benz when I lived in the NE, and never had a bent rim. I do have one in SoCal, and have never had a bent rim. Yet... from the sounds of it.
Hi guys, I have E53 with 20” wheels and I got 2 flat tires, 1 bubble, 7 bent rims in 4 months. I live in NE. Is it me or should I just get rid of this car?
going through the comments, I guess MB wheels are made of glass SL it’s so easy to bent! Would that be an issue if I keep driving as is?
get rid of the 20" rims, those weren't even a factory option, were they? On a car with this size wheels, I would only even consider using 20's as a pure trackday car that you trailer to and from the track.
17' wheels were the default on W212 and are the safest for street use, then there's 18" which were the defaults on the sportier models but the fine print in the catalog said something to the effect of more likely to get road damage.
btw, E53 ? i'm not familiar with a W212 E53, they had E43 and E63 AMG models, then the main models were E300, E350, E400, E450, E550
I was shocked a month ago when I had the factory OEM tires replaced on my 13 E550. They were all the Michelin Primacy OEM's and I comfirmed they were all 2012 stamped. I physically stood over the tire tech@ Discount Tire while they were mounting and balancing my new tires. I found it interesting there was bead sealer on the drivers side rear wheel. I asked that the sealer be removed and all the wheel weight tape residue cleaned .....not scraped off. They air wire wheeled the bead sealer off and I used Ronson Lighter fluid and washed the tape residue off. While I was cleaning the tape residue on the driver side rear wheel I felt a pretty sizeable bump right smack in the middle of the wheel barrel. I took the wheel outside and washed off all the road/brake residue and sure enough the was about a golfball sized bump. While they were spinning the wheel I dove into the glovebox and went thru all the service records. Yep....there it was.....Jan 2016 " Customer states rear drivers tire losing air pressure." Discount mounted the tire as there was no wobble and it only took .50 ounces or weight to balance. I looked @ the tire and there wasn't any sign of repair etc. So RPM Atlanta just bead sealed and left the wheel as is. W/O stated this but no mention of the bump/bend. Still scratching my head on how the wheel could take that type of hit and not ruin a tire.
I drove the car for a couple weeks watching the TPMS values on the instrument cluster like a hawk. Not pressure loss and we went thru some pretty significant temperature swings, lows in the teens overnight to almost 80's during the day. I dropped by a wheel repair shop that I used a year ago when I was trying to save my 2000 CLK from an I-65 pothole event @ 75 mph. That pothole bent and cracked 2 17" chrome AMG wheels beyond repair. They got them driveable but at speeds above 65 mph you could feel it. I searched and searched for a couple wheels, but could only find a couple complete sets for $2000 and the sellers weren't willing to sell individually. $2000 + 250,000 + miles and a transmission front pump that sounded like a gear drive when cold, made me decide it was new car time.
The wheel repair owner took off and inspected all 4 wheels on my E550. They all checked out fine and he told me the rear one could not be repaired since it was in the wheel barrel. He said the cracks were cosmetic in the wheel finish and not an issue. He did tell me that another direct hit and the tire and wheel would be toast. I told him I really didn't care for the wheels and was looking for a new set. He really didn't have much good to say about aftermarket wheels. He said they bend as easy as the OEMs. I asked if there were any MB wheels that he'd suggest for my car as a replacement. He said for some reason the Mid 2000 E63 wheels in his opinon were stronger and less prone to bending. He had repaired a few and that they were "MFrs" to straighten. I'm sold!!!! LOL. We'll see.....I found a set and I'll be mounting them when I get back from Aeizona!
get rid of the 20" rims, those weren't even a factory option, were they? On a car with this size wheels, I would only even consider using 20's as a pure trackday car that you trailer to and from the track.
17' wheels were the default on W212 and are the safest for street use, then there's 18" which were the defaults on the sportier models but the fine print in the catalog said something to the effect of more likely to get road damage.
btw, E53 ? i'm not familiar with a W212 E53, they had E43 and E63 AMG models, then the main models were E300, E350, E400, E450, E550
Apologies, E53 is W213. The only option is 19” and 20”. I thought 20” would be an issue but I really didn’t know if the Northeast roads are this bad. Otherwise I’d definitely stick to 19”.
Do you guys recommend getting a second opinion on the bent wheels? I fixed them like a month ago and didn’t even put 1k miles on it. I might get into some potholes but i was mostly very careful.
Lastly, do you think I should trade the whole car with a model more suitable with this roads or should I just change it to 19” and most of the problems will go away?
It’s my very first owned car in this area so I appreciate the replies from experienced owners.
I was shocked a month ago when I had the factory OEM tires replaced on my 13 E550. They were all the Michelin Primacy OEM's and I comfirmed they were all 2012 stamped. I physically stood over the tire tech@ Discount Tire while they were mounting and balancing my new tires. I found it interesting there was bead sealer on the drivers side rear wheel. I asked that the sealer be removed and all the wheel weight tape residue cleaned .....not scraped off. They air wire wheeled the bead sealer off and I used Ronson Lighter fluid and washed the tape residue off. While I was cleaning the tape residue on the driver side rear wheel I felt a pretty sizeable bump right smack in the middle of the wheel barrel. I took the wheel outside and washed off all the road/brake residue and sure enough the was about a golfball sized bump. While they were spinning the wheel I dove into the glovebox and went thru all the service records. Yep....there it was.....Jan 2016 " Customer states rear drivers tire losing air pressure." Discount mounted the tire as there was no wobble and it only took .50 ounces or weight to balance. I looked @ the tire and there wasn't any sign of repair etc. So RPM Atlanta just bead sealed and left the wheel as is. W/O stated this but no mention of the bump/bend. Still scratching my head on how the wheel could take that type of hit and not ruin a tire.
I drove the car for a couple weeks watching the TPMS values on the instrument cluster like a hawk. Not pressure loss and we went thru some pretty significant temperature swings, lows in the teens overnight to almost 80's during the day. I dropped by a wheel repair shop that I used a year ago when I was trying to save my 2000 CLK from an I-65 pothole event @ 75 mph. That pothole bent and cracked 2 17" chrome AMG wheels beyond repair. They got them driveable but at speeds above 65 mph you could feel it. I searched and searched for a couple wheels, but could only find a couple complete sets for $2000 and the sellers weren't willing to sell individually. $2000 + 250,000 + miles and a transmission front pump that sounded like a gear drive when cold, made me decide it was new car time.
The wheel repair owner took off and inspected all 4 wheels on my E550. They all checked out fine and he told me the rear one could not be repaired since it was in the wheel barrel. He said the cracks were cosmetic in the wheel finish and not an issue. He did tell me that another direct hit and the tire and wheel would be toast. I told him I really didn't care for the wheels and was looking for a new set. He really didn't have much good to say about aftermarket wheels. He said they bend as easy as the OEMs. I asked if there were any MB wheels that he'd suggest for my car as a replacement. He said for some reason the Mid 2000 E63 wheels in his opinon were stronger and less prone to bending. He had repaired a few and that they were "MFrs" to straighten. I'm sold!!!! LOL. We'll see.....I found a set and I'll be mounting them when I get back from Aeizona!
That's a pretty expensive style rim. Looks like they're the wrong rims for the W212 as it was a W211 rim and the offset is different on the W212. There's the more basic style W212 rim that's about $150 instead of the more expensive style, that has the 48 offset instead of the 38 on the W211.
That's a pretty expensive style rim. Looks like they're the wrong rims for the W212 as it was a W211 rim and the offset is different on the W212. There's the more basic style W212 rim that's about $150 instead of the more expensive style, that has the 48 offset instead of the 38 on the W211.
$1000.00 shipped to my door....pretty cheap IMHO. The offsets on my 5 spokes are 18X8 ET 45 F and 18X8.5 ET 48 R. These new ones are 18X8.5 ET 38 F and 18X9 ET 39 R.
x2 on reading the codes inside.
They don't look like MB monoblocks I know, but over the years MB made tens of designs.
Commenting on OP topic, I dumped my AMG wheels on W212 (made it garden hose reel) and put classic monoblokcs on it.
The wheels I have are over 25 years old and I had them on 4 cars, not counting previous owners.
They are Lorinser , when MB never chromed their wheels.
01-22-2019, 07:51 PM
