I recently purchased a 2020 E-450 and found that not only is there no spare, but there also are no tools; jack, lug wrench, etc., one might use to change a tire. After I asked about it, MB told me they don't want their customers performing those kinds of repairs, they want them to call and seek help instead. Hmmmmm...this is relatively easy to do around Europe because most everyone buys an ADAC membership in addition to their insurance. However, there are a lot of places in the US where you just don't have any cell service.

Anyone else run into this issue? How did you deal with it?

I bought a spare rim and tire which is now sitting in my trunk, because I also discovered there is no more spare wheel well in the trunk!! Woohoo! This just keep getting better and better.

 

Since MB has gone to runflat tires, they have not included a spare, nor do they include space for one (which I also feel they should). Until recently, same with BMW, but they finally made a spare available (I assume there's space for it). I think the standard answer is to get a kit that inflates the tire, and plugs the hole with sealant, which would work most of the time. Of course, the runflat tires /should/ take you 50 miles or so, but what do you do then, as they will almost ceratainly not have your size and type tire waiting for you.

 

Yeah, they went to run flats all right, but they only put the inflation kit in some cars and mine is not one of them. This is the kind of thing that really makes me wonder what is going on with the manufacturer. Who thought this was a good idea to implement in the US? I am in Germany now and the roads are in very good condition here. That is not the case in the US where flat tires are common.

The tools I currently have to buy are going to be expensive. Not sure I can even buy tools to fix a flat.

 

Some 2020 models are now offering an optional spare. A search will find many threads on the subject.

 

Modern Spare sells a donut spare with jack in a kit for for approx $400 https://modernspare.com/complete-spare-tire-kits/

 

The MB optional spare is priced at $200 in the US.

 

Yeah, but where do you put it (on an E)?

 

MB does not sell a spare for the E class. Wish MB would carry a $200 spare but they do not

 

I just checked the web site you posted. MB is not on the list of available options. BMW, Tesla yes, but no MB

 

This is on my list of Do Not Purchase things. MB assumes you will call MB Roadside Assistance, but how long will you have to wait. And at some point, it expires depending on rules in effect.
I know one guy who purchased an S class and made the dealer throw in a spare and tools. That was a couple of years ago.

 

If the specific model came with runflats, then there is no tire mobility kit in the car. That's the whole point of runflats. You can drive on them to the next tire shop. If the model comes with regular tires, then there's either a spare or tire mobility kit. I suppose it depends on where exactly in the USA one lives. I've had my share of punctured tires, but only ever needed a spare tire twice in over 20 years of driving. Short of a complete blowout, there's usually time to drive the car to a tire shop and get it fixed or worst case use the inflation kit. I haven't had a car with a spare tire since 2012 and it has never been an issue. In that time I had several punctures and even a damaged tire that needed to be replaced. Most of the time I discovered the puncture before even TPMS alerted me and I just took it to my preferred shop and had the tire fixed. A big reason for the move away from spare tires is weight savings. Lugging around a spare tire for the one time you might need it, isn't really worth it. Besides the inflation kit in my AMG, I also keep a mushroom tire plug kit. I'm not a fan of the gooey tire sealant, so if I ever get caught with a flat outside of cell coverage, I can plug the tire and drive back to civilization.

I would say, though, in the USA a big problem is that most folks don't regularly check their tire pressure and visually inspect the tires while they are at it. Those same folks most likely wouldn't know how to change the wheel, either if they have a flat. The result is blown out tires along most interstates. Not too long ago I was passing a BMW on I-5 and one of their tires blew while I was next to them. Had to gun it to avoid being hit by the tire tread that separated and started roiling across the lanes. These big events can be easily avoided by properly inflating one's tires, replace them when they are worn and fix any damage early. Waiting for the TPMS to go off is not good enough. At that point the tire is 20-25% low.

 

The MB $200 spare tire option is on the MBUSA 2020 GLC web page here.
The wheel specs are similar for the C class and E class with a bolt pattern 5 x 112 and a CB of 66.6.

 

Within two years of purchasing my E350 I had a blow out when I hit an obstruction in the road. Sidewall was ripped so no repair possible, much less something with a foam or plug. Would have taken 1-2 hours for MB Roadside Assistance to get to me and then they would have had to "tow" my car in if there was no spare.
Other problem is finding a tire repair facility when you need it. They are damn few and far between, especially after 5:00 PM or on Sundays.
There are only two reasons to NOT have a spare. First, it saves the manufacturer the cost of the wheel, tire and tools. More importantly to them though is that it reduces weight and therefore improves MPG. So, in order to sell far more expensive cars with big, powerful low MPG engines, they punish everybody.

 

i think the biggest plus for MB is they dont need to send someone to change your spare tire. thats huge for them!

 

Maybe, but that assumes that the vehicle operator does not know how or want to change the tire.
Also, if the run flats don't work or there is no nearby tire repair facility, MBUSA has to send a flat bed tow truck and carry the car somewhere. That costs a whole lot more than a driver in a van.
Of course, they could just stop Roadside Assistance it that is a problem for them.

I still contend the major motivation is to lower costs to produce the vehicles and to lower the MPG to meet CAFE while producing more profitable AMG and other high performance vehicles. If you don't believe me, just look at the ads on TV.

 

And those runlet tires ride hard! I had a new E300 loaner from the dealer, which I drove upstate NY. The road department was doing some repair work and the road was milled for about 10 feet with a maybe 1/2" edge where the milling began and ended. The four of us thought we hit a pothole a foot deep so strong was the shock of hitting that small edge. I paid much closer attention to the next one, but it still was shockingly jarring.

I've had too many flat tires at odd hours of the day and on weekend, when it would have been nearly impossible to purchase a replacement tire. I'm okay with getting a quarter MPG less because of the weight of the space. I'll burn more running the genny on the boat so I can keep the A/C running for the dogs than I'd save all year driving a car without a spare. Unfortunately, there is no space for a spare in a new E. Even a space saving spare would require a substantial amount of space in the trunk and, of course, there's no provisions to secure it.

Not a good design feature.

 

the way im looking at it - does one spare tire save more money than 4 runflats? I do not think so. Each runflat retail is like $100 more than a standard tire. thats 400 vs 200 for a spare... and a spare tire is tiny and not even a real tire, only lasts couple of miles.




And having roadside assistance 24 hours on the road (MB salary) is more expensive than sending out a 3rd party tow truck. And im pretty sure the occurrence of a flat occurring on a normal tire is much more than on a runflat, which is the purpose.

just my thought.

 

This is a topic I have spent too much time thinking about. Firstly because I have a Jaguar F that has no spare, but a compressor and can of goo. Then I have an E 450 wagon with run flats. Then I have a Volvo wagon with a full size spare. Then I live in the desert and have to deal with long vacant distances.

The manufacturers are going to do what they are going to do. They get the tires virtually for free from the tire manufactures, and they save money on the spare and its needed equipment. Then there is a weight savings that contributes to their CAFE numbers. I can get a temp spare in the Jag, but it consumes all of the trunk and then where do I put the flat? In the passenger seat? The E wagon has a brace under the third seat that eliminates the possibility of adding a spare full size or otherwise. That Volvo wagon has the best answer. The solution is you upgrade your AAA membership to Premier and get 200 miles multiple tows. It is all I have figured out to do.

 

I've done pretty much the same as you after dumping the horrible RFTs that came with my car for a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, which are excellent riding and handling: bought an electric tire pump, a can of goo, and upgraded my AAA membership to Premier (auto insurance also provides towing coverage). Yeah, it's a bit of a risk, but the likelihood of me actually changing a tire is very close to zero, so I'm not really worried about it.

 

For the F Type the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are superb. The consensus is that they are the best choice for ride and performance. For the E wagon I am ok with the ride and performance of the Pirelli Centurato P7s surprisingly enough although my experience with Pirelli is not positive. The Volvo wagon came with Pirelli P Zero Rosso's and I could not wait to get rid of them. I went to Toyo Proxies 4 Plus on that car. They are just fine and very economical.

 

I've only driving a car in Arizona, Nevada, California, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.. In my opinion the roads in these states are generally in good condiiton.

It's not like Europe has roads of the same quality as Germanys main roads.. They have been skipping the spare tire for at least a decade now..

 

Hi, Hundens. Agree with your premier towing service AAA comment. An inexpensive car battery powered air pump will also be stored, for those situations where a small/slow air leak is detected (I've use this in the past to help others, by filling their flat tire thereby enabling them to travel to a nearby service station for repairs). Occasionally, I travel long-distance at places with very spotty cell phone service. For these occasional trips, I will opt to securely store a spare tire, tire jack and lug wrench, in the storage area. Not optimal, but better than being attacked by wildlife while waiting for an emergency vehicle for help.