bubbavorenkamp

Has anyone had to replace a Gl 550 tire while traveling? I picked up a bolt in the tread of one of mine and the shop said it was too large a hole to be plugged. ( about the size of a pencil). Discount tire said they are on back order and it would be arrive in about a week. I got thinking what if I was on a road trip going back east east ( i live in AZ) and needed a replacement while crossing New Mexico or Oklahoma. I could be down for a week or more. Anyone have any experience with this.

Also, because the tires have 15,000 miles they want to replace all 4 because of the 4matic. They have more than adequate tread but according to the tire people because of wear the tires are a different diameter and will create a potential problem.

Finally, I have a 14 Gl550 on order, and my build sheet shows all season tires. I assume that means the the car will come with pirellis because the continentals are not all season. Anybody know the answer to this.?

wamochi

I had a bolt in a different car that was gigantic, Maybe 1/2" diameter hole. The top of the bolt was so large and kept the air in while I drove but you could hear it clicking on each revolution of the tire

Discount was able to to repair it no problem. The problem is not the size as much as it the location. Too close to the sidewall and it's not repairable. If yours is smack dab in the center then I would say they see your nice car and want to make some money off you...

cookstar

I would replace all 4, your tires are not at the end of their life yet but I think its a safety issue for one tire to have way more thread than another, especially since it has 15k on it. Iam no expert on getting a flat but they could be trying to rip you off as well. $$$$

fabbrisd1

Common to replace GL550 tires - by tread wear - at 15K depending on tire inflation pressure and/or driving style.

Most - if not all - Mercedes dealers will meet competitive pricing - so recommended you get quote THEN go to a dealer.

The better news is this - replacement set of tires "should" have road hazard - where original tire sets from auto manufacturers does not.

bubbavorenkamp

I didn't seem to accomplish must with this post although I appreciated the input on the plug in the 1/4 hole. I agree that the tire should have been patched since it was in the center of the tread.
What I was hoping to hear from fabrisid1 was that Mercedes has a program under Mbrace that would be able to locate the nearest set of tires.

I had considered not ordering another Gl550 because of the single tire vendor issue.
The Gl550 and now the Gl63 sit at the top of the Mercedes Benz the best or nothing food chain. In my opinion it is unfortunate that they chose a tire that has only one vendor in that size for an all season tire. So the question becomes what can Mercedes corporate do to support that decision. Relying on calling dealers with whom I have no relationship when 1000 miles from home seems like lack of a plan to me.
I was also hoping to receive more detailed technical information on the 4matic question. At what point must all 4 tires be replaced due to wear on the other three.
Regarding the Pirelli wear characteristics. The 1 set was replaced at 30000 mile and still we're not showing wear indicators. I was traveling and decided to replace them prematurely. So at 15,000 miles I would anticipate another 15000. Since the tires are 500 a piece plus tax and install at the dealer we are no longer talking about inexpensive tires.

Finally, rather than buying individual hazard insurance on the tires, I will point out that my 13 Ml bluetec has the tire and wheel warranty as will the new gl. However that only covers the damaged tire, and if I had better input on when the other three need to be replaced because of the 4matic it would be useful. My service rep is under the opinion that if I simply replace both tires on the same axle I will be fine. Any opinions?

cyclrder

You actually have a summer tire choice of the Pirelli Zero and two winter tires from them...

As for 15k in miles.... You could replace two instead of all four and put the newer tires on the rear.

Having uneven worn tires from side to side will cause alignment issues...the 4matic can handle the situation with no problem.

Not buying a car I because of a tire choice is crazy.... Then buy the 450 and get all the choice in tires you like.

cookstar

Tire and rim warranty cover damaged tires that are beyond repair as well ( at least in Canada)

Replacing both tires is not fine, it will effect your braking.

cyclrder

Sir Cookstar.... You are wrong. Having a set of 2 new tires on the back and a set with 15k will not ruin your braking. Having one new tire and 3 older tires will effect alignment though and obviously the traction of the newer tire might in theory be different... But the ABS and other systems will adjust accordingly or have enough tolerance so that it won't make a difference.

I have gone through a number go tire dilemmas living here in NYC... Running high performance michelin pilots on a staggered setup with my E500 wagon that I ran to 70K and my GL550 that I just traded for a GL63 that I ran to 87k... I use to buy the whole set.... But after a while...I'd simply replace pairs if the mileage wasn't to wacky.... And it was fine.

Consider what porsche 911 people do when the wear out the rear tires in 8-14k ...do you think they buy a whole set? noooooooo!

cookstar

I did not say it will ruin your braking, rather it will effect the braking behavour, 4 matic or no 4 matic it will still effect your braking, there is no tire in the universe that will perform the same way at 15,00 Miles versus 0 miles, even with the best flat roads there is a difference between 15 k and 0k miles.

better not to be a cheapo when it comes to tires. 2 grand in tires or potentially $$$$$ in a repair shop after an accident. Of course all I said was related to winter driving, for summer I would not be concerned.

bubbavorenkamp

Thanks cyclrider, exactly what I was looking for. Ordered two scorpions for the rear. Got a proration on the damaged one. So 750 out the door. Considering it is going away when the 166 gl550 comes in in February it seems like the best plan.

How is the gl63 compared to your gl550? I can only assume it is awesome. It looks to me like that car is fitted with 295/40 21's. Which is interesting because the Ml63 comes with 295/35 21's. You got to wonder what was involved in the decision process to go with the higher or lower aspect ratio's. I thought the ml63 rode fine. You would have thought that with the higher center of gravity that they would have used 35's on the gl63. I still wonder how they got the gl63 to such increased connering numbers over the gl550 with active curve. My wife's 13 Ml bluetec with active curve on 19's out rides and out handles my 164 gl550 all day long. But to answer the guy who said why don't I buy a 450, I will simply say nobody buys a 100,000 Mercedes SUV because they need one. My point is that as the spending goes up, the options and support should go up, not the other way around. Thanks again and I would love to hear more about your 63.