I just bought a GLC300 and had a flat tire. The car has run flats and personally do not like them. But my question is does the car come with a Jack? I mean I have no way of taking the tire off and take to stealer/dealer to get fixed or replaced. What if this happens out in the middle of nowhere, what is someone to do?

Can you please verify that the car does not come with a Jack or my dealer/stealer forgot to put one in it?

Thanks

Sanjay

 

You can drive up to 50 miles on the tire to get to your dealer. The GLC does not come with a jack.

 

Yep I had the same concerns when receiving the GLC.
No jack, no tools, no spare wheel and no inflator when you have run flats.
My stealer said either call Mercedes assist to help or the car can drive with a flat tyre for 50 miles - but surely this must damage the alloys?

 

Our cars have extended run flats. Without air can go 50 miles. Also when looking at them might be hard to tell they are flat. TPMS will have gone off. There should not be damage to alloys based on configuration of tire.

 

From my previous experience with run flats on my mini (3 flats in 9 months driving around a city with construction everywhere) I decided to buy the tire and wheel warranty. Also, on cars with AWD, once you get past a certain tread depth, most dealers will insist on changing out all 4 tires (highway robbery, I say!).

 

If your vehicle is delivered with runflat tires it will not have a jack, lugwrench, inflator kit, spare tire or anything else to change a tire. Why? Because with runflats you will probably never be in a situation where you will need to change a tire.

Should you get a TPMS warning, stop, inspect the tire and surrounding wheel well to ensure there is nothing more serious going on. If the tire is deflated but otherwise intact, at reduced speed continue on to the nearest MB dealer or tire shop. The beauty of runflats. You don't end up on the muddy shoulder of a deserted road in the middle of the night.

Not to worry about damaging the expensive alloy wheel as the stiff tire sidewall will not allow the wheel to come into contact with the pavement. As a matter of fact, when looking at a car with runflats and one of the tires is at zero pressure you will not be able to tell which tire it is because it will look normal. I recently saw a photo of a runflat with a hole in the sidewall large enough to stick your fist through. Even with such massive damage the driver was able to drive to the tire shop.

If a tire has had the inflator kit used some tire shops will refuse to attempt repair. The reason being the material left by the kit must be thoroughly cleaned, a tedious and time consuming task I'm told.

There have been several posts disparaging runflat tires. These comments would have been true 15 or 20 years ago. However, todays modern tires such as on our GLC, possess none of the undesirable characteristics of early runflats. Treadwear life, ride quality, durability and cost rival any non runflat. And the best part, I don't need a damm jack and lugwrench.

My thought is, runflats are the best thing since canned beer!!

 

Larry how long would you guess the thread life on the Mercedes runflats to last.. For 18 inch wheel? For 19 inch? And for the AMG 20 inch which come with tires 255/45/20?

 

Tires could be the most expensive "consumable" parts on the car. I would also like to know the life of runflats on GLC. 3 years? 50K miles? or?

And, what would be the cost if replace the same runflats for 4 wheels? Or we just go to Costco and get regular tires for SUV?

 

At Tire Rack the OEM Pirelli 19" run flats are $235 each

 

Discount tire has them for a similar price

 

The issue with driving on the run flat is that you destroy the tire. So its best to stop as soon as you can, plug the leak with a plug kit and pump it up. Pretty easy to do if your semi handy. Most local tire shops will show you how to do this.

Jacks are cheap I would buy one and stow it in the car some place.

Also just be aware a flat Run flat driven at speed on a AWD mercedes also can damage the AWD system. The awd will tollerate slower speeds and a short distance with a flat but higher speeds and longer distances can cause the awd system to heat up and damage parts.

 

I respectfully totally disagree.

I think the point of runflat tires is being missed.

The sole purpose of runflat tires is to allow you to drive your vehicle with the tire totally deflated, thereby, allowing you to drive to a place of assistance. Otherwise, why would such a tire exist and why would it be described as a runflat. Further, if the tire is not to be driven with zero pressure why would MB not supply a spare and the tools to change it. It seems ludicdrous that Mercedes-Benz would expect buyers, upon delivery, purchase a spare tire and the ancillary tools to change said tire, incurring considerable additional expense. It should be noted that no manufacturer selling cars with runflats provide such cars with a spare and tools to change it. Why is this?

Driving on a zero pressure runflat will not destroy the tire. Its designed and constructed to do just that. A caveat is that it should not be driven further than 50 miles and at reduced speed.

I have found nothing in the Operator's Manual concerning damaging the 4Matic if driving with a zero pressure runflat tire. Not surprising when considering there is no difference in wheel rotational speed. Further, assuming the driver is following published guidance heat will not be an issue for the tire or the 4Matic. Anyone who ignores the guidance and drives at speed with a zero pressure runflat is testing fate.

The bottom line is we are talking about an abnormal situation, so caution is the word of the day. Drive at a slower rate of speed and not in excess of 50 miles distance. While this may be somewhat of an inconvenience it sure beats being stuck along side the road faced with the predicament of changing a flat tire.

 

Thanks for all the posts.

Can I get a jack from the dealer and will it fit in the trunk?

 

There is a jack illustrated in the Operator's Manual. Evidently there are markets where the GLC is delivered without runflat tires.

There is a cubby on the left side of the stowage compartment beneath the cargo compartment floor.

Not sure what your intentions are but you may want to consider a lug wrench.

I'm reasonably sure your MB dealer can order both for you.

 

Thanks Larry,
I will ask the dealer.

 

BigDee, Based on some rudimentary research, I'm encouraged the 235/55R 19 Pirelli Scorpion Verde all season tires that came on my GLC are going to be very durable and provide many many miles.

I'm basing I'm opinion partly on the 600 tread wear rating. Have never seen a tire with this high a rating. One should remember this number is arbitrary based on a government test preformed in a lab. So it should be used as a guide rather than hard numbers. All that said, a 600 number has the indication of a very long wearing tire. The Michelin tires on my Envoy had a rating of 440 and went 75,000 miles.

Another favorable indication is the traction and heat ratings are both A.

I have no experience with wear factors between different diameter tires, therefore, am not in a position to comment.

 

I beg to differ with sailcamp. You are not suppose to plug run flats!!!.

 

Thanks Larry.. I got the 20 inch wheels.. So I'm just hoping "besides getting a flat" that the thread on the tires at least last 36k miles when I return the car and I'll be fine.

 

I'm quite confident remaining tread will not be a problem at turn-in. That is assuming you don't go to the track too often.

There is no such thing as a flat on a vehicle with runflats.

 

Quote from a Aussie Dealer was Au $172 for Jack kit, assume wheel wrench for lugs.
Quote for spare tyre and rim, with Jack, etc in a bag was Au$1800. Tyre is thin 80km type with correct offset and lugs nuts, etc.
Replacement new OEM tyre, Pirelli20" here in Oz currently Au$770, if you can find one in the country ! Not much help if you are a long way from nowhere.
Insurance might be voided if fitting no approved tyre or rim here.
I think a Jack and wheel brace is essential, even to lift the car if in a rut or bog, sometimes you have to lift to avoid damage to undercarriage by filling depression before driving out.
Does anyone with 4 Matic rotate front to back to allow for even wear and tear with rears running quiet, whilst front taking stress out turns, etc. would front to back rotation extend tyre life ?

 

The Operator's Manual endorses tire rotation.

Tire rotation is one aspect of a program that results in maximizing tire life. On my Envoy I did front to back rotation about every 7,500 miles. This process was partly responsible for logging 77,000 miles on those tires. My intention is to do the same on my GLC.

 

There is a range of opinions on this. But if you think about it logically, why would it be any less safe to plug a run flat than a regular tire? You would only plug a tire in the tread. Doing so should have no impact whatsoever on the sidewall, runflat or not.

Unless, of course, you have driven on the runflat with reduced or 0 pressure. Doing so, I presume, slowly destroys the sidewall. So, my thought is: if you get a flat in a runflat, and plug it immediately and re-inflate it to normal pressure, you should be fine. If you've driven on the runflat any distance with significantly reduced or zero pressure, you should replace it.

I think the reason many tire dealers or mechanics will not plug a runflat is because they don't want to take the chance they are plugging a tire that has a dangerously weakened sidewall.

 

Teckno, Evidently, MB sells GLCs with conventional tires in specific markets.

I say this because my Operator's Manual, starting on page 269, contains detailed procedures, including illustrations, for dealing with a conventional tire failure.

It describes a tool kit that MB calls TIREFIT. This kit contains everything necessary to repair a flat tire to include an inflator with sealant. My GLC has a stowage area on the left side of the cubby beneath the cargo compartment floor for the TIREFIT.

As I read the procedure I was puzzled there was little or no mention of a spare tire. So I went back and read the section again, but this time, very carefully. To my surprise the procedure makes no mention of changing the flat tire. Instead, it focuses on repair of the tire. And if this attempt fails one is directed to call for help.

After reading the flat tire procedure for a conventional tire failure it seems that it matters not that your GLC has conventional tires. It will not come with a spare.

So, am guessing there won't be proper stowage for a spare tire. Important, since one does not want the spare rocketing around inside the vehicle in a collision or rollover.

A highly unsatisfactory situation. Although not a problem if the tire you discuss above is such that it will stow in the cubby.

The price for GLC runflat tires in Australia is outrageous. Hopefully they will come down as they become more common. The Pirelli tires on my GLC sell for about $225.00 USD each on the Tire Rack website.

 

This is the correct view.
For example I had a slow leak on my BMW. Checked the wheel and there was a screw in the middle of the thread. Kept the screw and filled more air then drove to the tyre place for a mushroom plug. Went fine until tore wore off.

 

In the past 17 years driving on extended mobility tires I've suffered two punctures. Both of which the tpms alerted me. And in both instances, after ensuring the problem was nothing more than low/no pressure, I simply got back in the car and drove to the repair shop.

At the time of the first puncture, extended mobility tires had only been in existence a couple of years. The shop supervisor advised me this was the first tire they had seen needing repair. And so they would need to seek outside advice. After what seemed a very long time the shop supervisor came and told me they were ready to proceed and would I like to watch? Of course. Although surprised I was allowed in the shop.

First the tech. plugged the puncture. He then demounted the tire from the rim and installed a vulcanized patch. Some years later I sold the car with this tire still on the car.

Wasn't present when the second tire was repaired so not cognizant of the details. However, the work order indicates the tire received a vulcanized patch. I subsequently wore out this tire.

In both instances the puncture was caused by a fastener (screw/bolt/nail) in the tread area.

My tale could be considered ancient history and so, with curiosity aroused, intend to inquire as to the current repair procedure.