Helmar

I live in Maine. My 2019 E450L 4-matic is due next week. It has 18” all-season tires.

For winter, my options are:

1. Use the existing wheels and tires.
2. Buy a set of winter tires, and re-mount them onto my existing wheels for winter.
3. Buy a set of winter tires and new wheels.

I’ll be staying with run-flats, understanding the hit in ride quality.

#1’s the easiest, but I’ve read that even all-wheel drive cars benefit from snow tires in the snow.

Anyone with experience in this area?

JTK44

Just my $.02:

I live on Long Island but drive to southern Vermont between 8 and 10 time to go skiing. My trips are between December and March.

Previous to my 2019 E450 I had a 2016 E350, both are 4 matics.

At no time did I need snow tires: I found the all season tires more than adequate - but with a caveat: I lease my cars for three years and never put more than 28,000 miles on them, so I did not need to replace the tires.

If you are buying and intend to hold your car for more than 40,000 miles you will need to replace your tires. In this instance I would recommend winter tires. The winter tires should give you 25,000 miles and this way you are set for 65,000 miles. You get the best of both worlds: All season for the spring, summer and fall: winter for snow and ice season!

As good as the all season tires are, winter tires (in the past I used Blizzak) are better in snow and ice, but noisier on dry payment and not as good as all season on wet.

Depending on where you buy the tires, there may be no cost to mount and winters tires in the fall and replace them in the spring with the all season RF that come with your E450. If you have to pay to mount and remount, then a good set of used wheels may wind up costing you less - assuming you are handy and can change the wheels and tires yourself.

If you have to pay a garage to change the wheels and tires in the spring and fall, the savings may be minimal.

In the past mounting and remounting tires was not recommended. Those days are past. A good and reputable tire store can mount and remount your tires without any damage or wear and tear to your tires.

Hopes this helps and good luck with your new E450: I love mine!

Helmar

Thanks for your helpful comments. I am buying the car and hope to keep it for 100,000 miles or so.

The tire cost isn’t the issue, it’s more the concern about wear and tear on the tires from the re-mounting.

rage2

Good luck finding a good tech that wants to remount run flats. If you’re sticking with run flats, you can almost certainly rule out #2.

madtrader

I had a W212 without 4-matic that wouldn’t climb the hills in my neighborhood after an ice storm with the all season Michelin’s I like. My mother’s W204 with 4-matic had no issue. I got some studless ice tires the next season and they were amazing. The only problem was the temperature needed to be less than 45F or the tire wears quickly. In January we might have temperatures of -15F or 60F. My plan is to get a set of wheels and tires for winter for my new S213.

jl199986

I buy my cars and typically buy a wheel set for winters. Between tire rack doing a great job mounting, balancing and delivering them. It's easy- do pay attention to not get wheels that need centering rings. The Rial's fit the bill for this well and look OEM.

Tires can be remounted, but it's not ideal for them. And since two sets will last longer, you're really only out the cost of the wheels themselves over time. I also switch them out myself, so that wayI don't need an appointment/ wait or such with a local tire shop- which you would if you're remounting tires. I can wait until the last minute weather reports and swap them out in 30min or less in my garage. Probably will save the cost of the wheels over time.

You could certainly make it thru a winter with the all seasons, but I find so much more confidence with real winter snows on. In Maine I think it'd be well worth it.

I'd have experience with the Blizzacks, Michelin Alpin PA4 and X-Ice. I think I like the Alpin's best for all around winters- snow, wet, ice, and importantly dry roads too. But all were solid choices.

jl199986

And definitely stay with the 18's, rather than bigger. I don't believe 17's will fit. But I'm not sure about it- just doesn't look like much clearance left around the caliper.

F1Fan

If you go with new tires and new wheels, don't forget you'll need TPMS on all of them, and hopefully the tire shop can have them programmed to your car. Although if you have a scan tool, it may be easy to do yourself.

jl199986

i hadn't really thought about the programming in the end on mine. Tire Rack supplies (or defaults them into your shopping cart) the TPMS sensors. And although I've had to program other cars with them I just didn't think about it on this time. And the car picked up the new ones without any issue- I didn't even have to think about it really. And the first thing I did was check pressures driving around on the screen and with a gauge. I do recall being impressed that they (car and gauge) matched exactly on each tire.

Same thing when I threw the summer set back on.

dukester34

I am from Alaska. I bought a set of studded tires and rims for winter.