When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
If you're considering an E-Class in E450 form, pair the standard 18-inch wheels with the air suspension—otherwise, consider the more performance-oriented E53.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
As old Gomer Pyle would say “SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!” Our 2019 E450 LUXURY TRIM Wagon, with Air Suspension, Acoustic Comfort Pkg., riding on 18” wheels, shod with Bridgestone QuietTrack, non-run flat tires, drives, rides & handles superbly. It is a VERY quiet car. Too bad the idiots at MBUSA decided that starting in 2021, we here in the USA no longer warranted being able to order a Luxury Trim E Class sedan or wagon. If we want a new E Class, it is the AMG Line or nothing at all, complete with the lowered sport suspension for a “sporty” ride. For me, that pretty much ended our interest in any new E Class. I thought I might do an All Terrain, but I canceled that order and went with what I feel is the last of the truly comfortable MB’s, the W223 S Class. My wife loves her E450 Wagon and says she NEVER wants another car.
Those Bridgestone Drive guard are suppose to be one of the more comfortable riding runflats around. I am surprise at the performance aspect of these tires since they are not known for performance. One of the factors might also be how bad the Goodyear eagle sport tires are. I had a set of GY eagle sport a while ago, they were noisy and had short thread life. I might try these Drive Guard once my Pirelli P7 wears out.
I don’t like RF. For these cars what are best spare options for regular tires? That’s where this gets tricky. A doughnut would be best, but HTF do you know if one would work, and not void your warranty?
What are you guys doing?
I’ve been driving on 18” RF the last couple days, the whole time deciding which part of the ‘less than ideal’ is the RF. I can’t wait to lose them. They arent THAT bad, just not as good as regular, as far as comfort. IMO. Then again, I wont know for sure until I swap them.
Also could be the brand of RF. But I don’t see the downside of just using regular, except truck space (which is a big deal obviously), but there it is.
Last edited by Mac Jones 55; Apr 12, 2022 at 01:51 PM.
G Man is correct; this should be more about how poor the OEM Goodyears are rather than any praise for the Bridgestones. The Goodyears are categorized as a high-performance all-season; that they perform measurably worse than the Bridgestones, categorized as a grand touring all-season tire, is pathetic.
It would have been great if they also tried it with a set of good quality non-RF tires before making the recommendation for 18s. A non-RF tire weighs ~5 lbs less per tire, and has a less stiff sidewall, both of which directly benefit ride quality.
Mac - here are your MB part numbers:
B6685079128 - Jack and tools
A2134000600 - Donut spare+wheel
A0005850100 - Snazzy canvas bag
So I’m going for the Quitetrack myself. What gets me is that the Tirerack has mobile installation with free shipping.
This makes it easy
Kind of a surprise, and a great idea.
Btw, if anyone has a decent explanation WHY MB is strictly RF now I’d love to hear it. Seems a bit odd that i would need to swap out new tires because the ride suffers.
Possible reasons would be, trunk space, and the idea that changing a tire isn’t for the everyone, which makes sense perhaps, but then again. Support AAA.
Last edited by Mac Jones 55; Apr 12, 2022 at 07:46 PM.
I have the Continental Pro Contact SSR Run Flats and 19's on my 2021 E450 Wagon and the ride is really smooth! Even on our crappy Michigan roads! A perk of the All Terrain is that the Air Suspension is standard.
I have the Continental Pro Contact SSR Run Flats and 19's on my 2021 E450 Wagon and the ride is really smooth! Even on our crappy Michigan roads! A perk of the All Terrain is that the Air Suspension is standard.
There is really not a big difference from 19" to 18" ride quality wise, if you would compare 19" to 17", then one would notice a big difference. I find that the 19: does tend to get more sidewall damage than the 18", but then again, I also had a few sidewall bubbles on 18" conventional tires in my other cars. Air suspension does help the ride quality quite a bit but I would never own a car with air suspension out of warranty.
Btw, if anyone has a decent explanation WHY MB is strictly RF now I’d love to hear it. Seems a bit odd that i would need to swap out new tires because the ride suffers.
Cost savings, weight savings (every little bit counts towards corporate fuel economy numbers), and space savings to allow more room for batteries.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by Mac Jones 55
Thanks!
So I’m going for the Quitetrack myself. What gets me is that the Tirerack has mobile installation with free shipping.
This makes it easy
Kind of a surprise, and a great idea.
Btw, if anyone has a decent explanation WHY MB is strictly RF now I’d love to hear it. Seems a bit odd that i would need to swap out new tires because the ride suffers.
Possible reasons would be, trunk space, and the idea that changing a tire isn’t for the everyone, which makes sense perhaps, but then again. Support AAA.
Very simple: with RF you do not need a spare, jack and tools which all add weight.
Also fewer and fewer people even know how to change a tire never mind actually changing it! This is no longer taught. If you have a flat on a deserted road and it is raining, MB feels most would rather drive to a gas station than either wait for roadside assistance to come change the tire or change it themselves.
I am just giving you reasons - not saying I agree. I for one would prefer a doughnut, jack and tools plus RF: that way I would have options. But I realize I am in the minority and the extra weight of RF plus a doughnut would hurt CFA.
Finally, and I know others will disagree, I find the ride with RF, Pirelli P7 MOE, wonderful: But again I have 18" wheels!
Runflat is a safety feature, if you get a flat in the middle of nowhere, most Mercedes owners will not or cannot change their own tire. Runflat allows you to drive to a safe area or a tire shop, it is a much safer alternative. With most safety items, there are compromises, in this case, its the extra cost and ride quality. For those new comers to runflats. the modern day runflats are much smoother than say 15 years ago. My first set of runflats was on a BMW 5 series and those runflats ride like the car had no shocks. Runflats are still not perfect but if I get a flat tire on the road, I would much rather have runflats than trying change a flat tire on the side of the highway.
Runflat is a safety feature, if you get a flat in the middle of nowhere, most Mercedes owners will not or cannot change their own tire. Runflat allows you to drive to a safe area or a tire shop, it is a much safer alternative.
The safety of hobbling along with a flat tire, runflat or not, is debatable.
Mercedes owners would not or could not change their own tires long before runflats...that's why Roadside Assistance came to be...
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
The safety of hobbling along with a flat tire, runflat or not, is debatable.
Mercedes owners would not or could not change their own tires long before runflats...that's why Roadside Assistance came to be...
Well with a non RF, you cannot even hobble along: You will destroy the wheel.
GMan is on point: RF are a compromise and as with any compromise there are tradeoffs: My nephew has a 2021 Subaru STI: it used to come with 18" summer tires. Now it comes with 19" summer tires: yes the handling is marginally better, but the ride is terrible. For the winter he had to go out and buy 18" wheels with winter tires. The ride is better - even with winter tires - but he gives up some handling.
Same thing with all season tires: How many owners of MB want summer tires to have to switch over to winter tires? Few if any - except those that live in snow country. A good compromise is all season tires.
So with RF, a little compromise on the ride - but nothing like 10 years ago - for the safety and convenience of not having to change a tire if there is a flat. BTW, I carry a high quality air compressor in the well of my trunk. If I have a slow leak, I can stop, fill up the tire and proceed to have it repaired rather than traveling on a deflated RF which will destroy the tire.
The safety of hobbling along with a flat tire, runflat or not, is debatable.
Mercedes owners would not or could not change their own tires long before runflats...that's why Roadside Assistance came to be...
I would not call 50 MPH hobbling.
Rather you could change your own tires or call for road side assist is irrelevant, Runflats are safer because in the event of a flat tire, runflats could get you to a safe area to seek help. Sitting on the side of the highway waiting an hour for road side assistance is very dangerous these days. There is also the safety aspect of a high speed blowout, runflat could make a high speed blowout seem uneventful, otherwise with a conventional tire, you would lose control of the front end of the car. If runflat technology keep improving at the current rate, in 10 or 15 years, there will be very little ride quality difference between the two.
Even with the runflats, I carry a air compressor and tire sealant kit in my trunk.
Last edited by The G Man; Apr 13, 2022 at 01:43 PM.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by The G Man
I would not call 50 MPH hobbling.
Even with the runflats, I carry a air compressor and tire sealant kit in my trunk.
I too have thought about a tire sealant: From videos I have seen, the sealant if not removed quickly, the labor to remove it cost more than a new wheel. In any event, assuming you are able to remove the sealant you must replace the TPM.
Also some RF have sound deadening built in. If you use a sealant, then the sealant gets into the deadening which destroys the RF.
Because of the above I have chosen not to use the sealant and rely on the air compressor to keep the tires inflated until I can have them repaired.
Like you, I used to change tires: too old to do that now and I agree there is a safety issue about changing a tire along the side of a road. Wouldn't want to do it on an Interstate or at night.
I too have thought about a tire sealant: From videos I have seen, the sealant if not removed quickly, the labor to remove it cost more than a new wheel. In any event, assuming you are able to remove the sealant you must replace the TPM.
Also some RF have sound deadening built in. If you use a sealant, then the sealant gets into the deadening which destroys the RF.
Because of the above I have chosen not to use the sealant and rely on the air compressor to keep the tires inflated until I can have them repaired.
Like you, I used to change tires: too old to do that now and I agree there is a safety issue about changing a tire along the side of a road. Wouldn't want to do it on an Interstate or at night.
Thanks for the info, the tire sealant is my last line of defense. If the leak is too big for the compressor and the tire shop is more than 50 miles away, the sealant will hopefully get me there. I have had friends who had flats on a runflat tire and drove over 100 miles at highway speed to a dealer, so these 50 MPH and 50 miles max distance recommendations are pretty conservative.
The days of changing my own tires are over, either they are torqueing the lug nuts tighter these days or I am getting old, I am guessing it is the latter.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by The G Man
The days of changing my own tires are over, either they are torqueing the lug nuts tighter these days or I am getting old, I am guessing it is the latter.
Rather you could change your own tires or call for road side assist is irrelevant, Runflats are safer because in the event of a flat tire, runflats could get you to a safe area to seek help. Sitting on the side of the highway waiting an hour for road side assistance is very dangerous these days. There is also the safety aspect of a high speed blowout, runflat could make a high speed blowout seem uneventful, otherwise with a conventional tire, you would lose control of the front end of the car.
On a highway where traffic is moving at 75-80 MPH, a car traveling at 50 MPH is indeed hobbling and an unsafe obstacle.
On a road where traffic is moving at 40 MPH...or any speed, really...having to take an evasive maneuver with a deflated tire is unsafe.
I disagree that waiting for RA is any more dangerous than it ever was. I also disagree that having a high-speed blowout in a modern car results in any loss of control, regardless of tire.
And it is certainly possible to damage a runflat beyond its ability to work any better than a flat conventional tire when deflated. How 'safe' are you then without a spare?
We can argue this all day, but I won't. You may feel more safe and secure with a runflat tire, and are willing to put up with the sacrifices to do so, and that's great. But do not believe for a second that they are on your car for any reason other than those that I stated earlier...we have runflats to improve the manufacturers' bottom line.
2019 E 450, 2016 E350 4matic (retired), 2018 Ford Edge Sport, 2008 Porsche Boxster
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
On a highway where traffic is moving at 75-80 MPH, a car traveling at 50 MPH is indeed hobbling and an unsafe obstacle.
Actually no: you put on your emergency flashers, travel at 50 mph and keep to the right or on the shoulder. Then get off at the nearest exit, no more than 10/15 miles.
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
On a road where traffic is moving at 40 MPH...or any speed, really...having to take an evasive maneuver with a deflated tire is unsafe.
Again, actually no: the RF specify that they can be driven at 50 MPH for 50 to 100 miles: There is nothing to prevent you from going 30/40 miles per hour.
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
I disagree that waiting for RA is any more dangerous than it ever was. I also disagree that having a high-speed blowout in a modern car results in any loss of control, regardless of tire..
In our local newspaper almost at least once a month there is a story about either a police car that was pulled over on the shoulder or a motorist that was on the shoulder that was hit by oncoming traffic. So here again, No. Today it seems to much more dangerous to pull over on the shoulder than it used to be.
Your statement that "I also disagree that having a high-speed blowout in a modern car results in any loss of control, regardless of tire." is factually inaccurate.
Originally Posted by Alan Smithee
And it is certainly possible to damage a runflat beyond its ability to work any better than a flat conventional tire when deflated. How 'safe' are you then without a spare?
As everyone knows almost everything is "certainly possible": Here we are talking about real world conditions. Yes I suppose there are conditions where the RF will not work, but for 99% of the time they will function as designed.
On a highway where traffic is moving at 75-80 MPH, a car traveling at 50 MPH is indeed hobbling and an unsafe obstacle.
On a road where traffic is moving at 40 MPH...or any speed, really...having to take an evasive maneuver with a deflated tire is unsafe.
I disagree that waiting for RA is any more dangerous than it ever was. I also disagree that having a high-speed blowout in a modern car results in any loss of control, regardless of tire.
And it is certainly possible to damage a runflat beyond its ability to work any better than a flat conventional tire when deflated. How 'safe' are you then without a spare?
We can argue this all day, but I won't. You may feel more safe and secure with a runflat tire, and are willing to put up with the sacrifices to do so, and that's great. But do not believe for a second that they are on your car for any reason other than those that I stated earlier...we have runflats to improve the manufacturers' bottom line.
I guess you could disagree until the cows come home but people get killed changing tires on the side of the freeway all the time. If you read any of my post, you will would have saw that even runflats are rated for 50 MPH, you could easily do highway speed without issues or at least get off the highway safely onto a city road.
Sounds like you never had a blowout before, usually a conventional front tire high speed blowout, the tire will pull your car violently to one side. We all understand your displeasure with runflat ride quality, but please stop posting dis-information for the sake of your baseless arguments. A tire that could run without air will always be safer than one that could not and a tire that does not lose control during a blowout will always be safer than one that will lose control.
Last edited by The G Man; Apr 13, 2022 at 03:45 PM.
W For the winter he had to go out and buy 18" wheels with winter tires. The ride is better - even with winter tires - but he gives up some handling.
The ride is definitely better with winter tires because the compound is softer so it doesn't get hard in freezing conditions with gives it the traction and the benefit of a dedicated winter tire. The down side is, as you mentioned, handling is not as good because of the 'sponginess' of the tire feel. When I lived in MA I had dedicated winter tires and it was night and day difference, even on a front wheel drive car over all-season tires.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
