NYCE400Wagon

I ordered a 2018 E400 wagon that should be delivered in the next couple of weeks.
I keep hearing how much worse run-flats are vs normal tires, but I feel somewhat uncomfortable switching them out without a spare tire.
I don't need the 3rd row kiddie seat, so I was wondering if this is removed somehow, will there be enough room to store a spare donut tire below the floor?
Also, can I remove that seat just to gain some extra storage space?

Pcar98

I have hopes to do the same thing, but so far no luck. If you remove the 3rd seat, and also the molded "floor" underneath, the cavity is deep enough for a tire, but not wide enough. Plus the cavity is irregular in shape, and partially blocked by an aluminum brace running front to back.

For now, I did buy a MB jack plus some other tools (including a deep 17 mm socket and 18" breaker bar, for wheel lugs). I stashed these under the 3rd seat. And for road trips I will carry another full size tire and wheel. I have both the original all season tires plus true winter tires, all mounted on MB rims, and can use one of whatever set is not on the car as a spare.

I still want to investigate the 3rd row cavity to see what could be modified to hold a spare of some kind.

W213Sal

Am I a lucky SOB that I've never had a flat tire in 10 years of driving? touch wood that it doesn't happen now... I've also never used run flats.

petee1997

Try driving the car with run flats, you may like them. I have them on my car and the ride is excellent. Conventional tires are going the way of the dodo bird just like normally aspirated cars. Why do people want to reinvent the wheel.

ua549

The trouble with run flats is that they can't be repaired. In the 4 months I've had my E300 2 Pirelli tires have been replaced (courtesy of MBUSA) that would otherwise have been repairable.

Pcar98

My principal concern is getting a flat in a remote area. Where I live and drive, I can frequently be more than 100 miles from even minimal service. Assuming a tire loses pressure from a puncture (and not a more catastrophic failure) run-flats promise maybe 50 miles at low speed, and even then a good chance that the rim will be ruined.

maggs01

Pcar98: I totally agree with your concern for driving in a remote area and not having a spare. To me, the primary issue is not the ride comfort of the run-flats, but rather their tendency to sidewall blowouts. Right now, I'm trying to decide between the purchase of an E400, with run-flats, and a 540i, with conventional tires and a spare. I feel the E is a slightly safer vehicle (a big priority) and has a slightly more comfortable ride. However, I keep coming back to the lack of a spare tire. I plan to use this purchase, almost exclusively, for long-distance travel to visit family and friends. It's a shame that MB didn't, at least, offer non-run flats as an option, like BMW does for the 5 series.

Pcar98

I am still working on a solution. For now, I carry a full size tire and wheel. I have a set of winter tires mounted on stock wheels, and take one from whatever set is not on the car as the spare. It eats up a lot of space, but is there if I need it.

Other options are looking difficult. We have large brakes that require 18" wheels minimum for clearance, so even a collapsable tire will have a diameter of at least 20" when deflated. Without some serious modification, even that will not fit in the rear storage well. I have lately been thinking about mounting a spare vertically, partially recessed into the storage well.

maggs01

Pcar98. I feel your pain. While my heart tells me that, between the E and the 5 series, I should purchase the E, my head tells me that I would feel uncomfortable trying to put a spare tire in the trunk of the E, since I'd have a hard time properly securing it and a lot of trunk space would be lost. I can see where run-flats could be a good option where one is travelling in a city and/or suburban environment, where MB services are readily available. However, in long-distance travelling situations, particularly in rural areas, a run-flat sidewall catastrophic failure could be time consuming to address. From my perspective, the decision of MB to design the trunk area without (at least) providing an option for people who wish to (a) retain the use of non-run-flat tires and (b) securely store a spare in the trunk, is a bit arrogant. Particularly in-light of the side-wall blow-out issues that occur with the run-flats, and thus the push by MB for people to purchase tire insurance, in my opinion, this is a known point of failure that MB is just pushing on the car owner. If MB really cared about the owner, they should include free run-flat tire insurance with their cars, as well as give consumers to purchase the car with non-run flats and a spare, if they wish. To me, this would be an appropriate approach, from an ethical viewpoint.

ua549

According to AAA 28% of the new cars sold in the US do not have spare tires. It is not difficult to safely store a spare using the anchor points in the trunk.

My issue with run flat tires is that on a trip in a fully loaded car the 19 mile range will most likely not get you to a service facility or even the next highway exit. You'll probably need a MB dealer. I read an article in today's news about being in the middle of nowhere - a town of 3,000+ in Eastern Montana. The closest small city was 4 and a half hours away.

I had a flat right after I got my car. The closest repair shop (Tire Kingdom) said they were not allowed to repair run flat tires. It would take a week to get a replacement RF tire. Very few tire stores or distributors stock run flat tires.

maggs01

us549, you support my thoughts exactly. Run-flat failures are easier to address in a city/suburban environment, but not in less populated areas. To me, MB's run-flat-only position does not accommodate drivers in a less-populated/rural areas and/or areas where an MB dealership may not be close by.

ua549

I had trouble getting a replacement and I live in a major metro area with several MB dealers.

Pcar98

Let's face it: deleting the spare tire saves weight (and gains a tiny bit in fuel efficiency to meet US and other national mpg standards) and also makes car design easier, with more cargo room to fill with ping pong ***** (and more volume for shopping comparisons). And while the odds of a flat are small, when it happens the driver is screwed.

Long Islander

Many of us don't need the 3rd row, but MB in its infinite wisdom doesn't let you delete it in the US. When we bought out S211, our daughter was 6 years old, so we thought we would use the third row, but probably used it 4-5 times in all the years we had that car. On the S213 wagon, we would certainly have deleted the third row if that were possible.

In terms of the noise/ride comfort of RFTs, if I didn't know that we had RFTs, I would not be able to tell when driving the car. BTW, we have the Acoustic Comfort package, so that might be helping with the noise. The ride is quite nice and better than our S211 with non-RFTs. I would just forget the donut spare and enjoy the car with RFTs.

maggs01

I found the following euro web site that displays a lot pictures of spare tires placed in E trunks. Not a pretty solution, but for some it may an effective one.

https://www.google.com/search?q=spai...&bih=637&dpr=1

etaynor

I have a full sized spare tire in my 2017 e300 and it does take up a lot of space. I can't seem to fine the "anchor points" in the trunk. I intend to use some bungie cords to keep the tire against the back seat. Need some help. thanks.

ua549

The anchor points are chrome loops on each side near the trunk opening.

etaynor

Thanks UA549. I was hoping that there would be some anchors towards the front of the trunk. This would allow me to keep the spare tire forward in the trunk.

maggs01

I'll be ordering my 2020 E450 Estate Wagon in early January 2020, fitted with 18 inch wheels. I've asked the dealer to get back to me on the availability of a suitable "collapsible" spare tire for this car. If anyone has any first-hand knowledge of this spare tire option, please let me know. Thanks ...

E400_owner

I was driving in rural Maine, saw an "irregularity" in the road ahead but was unable to swerve to avoid due to an oncoming car in the other lane. Boom, 2 flats, right front and rear. I limped to the nearest tire store where I left the car and rented a car to drive home to await the new tires being ordered, delivered, and installed.

I am now hoping to change out the run flat tires for "real" tires.

I will never own another car with run flats. Hello Porsche?

Pcar98

Wow, that sucks--sorry. I have a late model 911. Delivered with no spare. And not run flats, either, just a can of tire sealing goo and a 12 volt compressor. So I did a similar thing as I did with my E400, and tracked down the official collapsible spare tire and tools, and travel with that.

ygmn

Bet that store owner goes out every night to make sure the Irregularity is there in AM.

Brings in business

Hundens

it could be worse. A Jag F-Type Vert. Goo, compressor, and no place to put a wheel.

Gene Gorman

Try making an inquiry on the e63AMG forum. When I had an e63 wagon there was a lot of interesting having a third row seat. You may find someone who would be interested it trading parts.

Streamliner

Did you ever find a source for the spare that would fit your E450 wagon?