yarukc

I came across some post that said that, I am in the market for a new GL, and was wanting what to look for and wanted to know about any potential problems with the GL450.

sraza

from what i know... the 20s work just as well as 18s or 19s, if not better.. mine has 18s- i'm looking to upgrade to 20s.. i drove the one with 20s.. i think it drives a little better with 20s.. slightly wider tires help.. plus 20s look better..

storm10

I personally don't recommend 20"s, because you will loose smoothness.
This website does not recommend getting Appearance Package:

" (!) BenzOnly.com does not recommend getting Appearance Package! 20" Wheels reduce comfort ride and increase road noise. Plus, they are a lot more costly to maintain or replace. Run Flat tires are not proven to be very reliable either! They are also very expensive to replace. If you are completely in love with 20" wheels and running boards appearance, then take BenzOnly.com advice: buy "Wheel & Tire protection" at the time of vehicle purchase. This will save you a lot of money in the long run. (!)"

You can read the full article here: 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV Changes and Updates! - it will also give you the breakdown of 2012 model specs and changes with color chips.

aeggroup

Hi.

I got 20s on my bluetec and they are RFT. I wouldn't say tires are expensive. They cost about $250 each ( Bridgestones). The car drives very smooth, probably because of air suspension. I've heard that regular tires even smoother, but haven't had it on my car yet. I remember when I changed RFT to regular on my X5....the difference was huge, but that SUV didn't have air suspension.

Good Luck.

aeggroup

This is false statement. Zero vibration.

emdem

I was posting in what I thought was GLK, not GL - you're statement may be true... I deleted my post... sorry... M.

LEOSOPHIE

I feel if GL has ADS the ride will be good regardless of tire style or size. The 21's on the 550 ride great even in sport.

storm10

One thing I noticed when I test drove GL450 and 550 is GL450 feels a lot more comfort-tuned. GL550 felt more rough and loud especially while cornering, accelerating or going over bumps. The explanation was 20" wheels.

troymir350

You should clarify your point here. The 550 doesn't have 20" wheels. Comes standard with 21". I agree the 450 is more "domesticated" than the 550 in that the 550's entire setup is geard more toward on road performance than more "utility" as in the 450s tire/wheel options.

We bought the 450 with the 19" just to avoid the runflats. I changed to MB accessory 20" with NON runflats and the ride is even better than the 19" tires. And we have a spare tire! Go figure. I posted pics with the standard wheels and the new setup in the forum if you search.

storm10

Yes, I don't remember for sure if it was 20" or 21", but definitely started with 2. On 550 AMG wheels are standard with low profile tires and it even looks a bit awkward. SUV's of this size have to have more meat on the rubber.

sraza

i agree with meat on the rubber.. with a 20" rim on the gl i think you've gotta go with 50 sidewall.. plus it keeps it factory height that way.. with the body style of the gl a 21" rim with a really thin sidewall does look kinda odd and its real easy to scratch up your rims.. my personal opinion 20" wheels with 50 sidewall looks just fine on a gl- also fills up the wheel well better.. keeps factory height and comfort..