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We just placed an order for a GLC 43 AMG and have a few days where adjustments to the order can be made. What is the ride and handling difference between the 20" and 21" wheels?
I know the 21's are summer tires and the 20's are all season tires. What brand of tires are supplied per wheel size?
Any comments on which is the preferred wheel size?
With the airmatic suspension the ride is excellent on either of them. I would base this purely on what you like the look off the best.
My 21" wheels came wrapped with Continental SportContact
Thanks for the info. I like the look of the 21's better than the 20's. What is the actual size of the tire? I can find online the size for the 20's but not he 21's. May have to pick up extra wheels and tires for winter driving.
I also have GLC43 with 20" wheels/tires. Not that I had a choice as I purchased dealer stock vehicle. That said, much of the wheel size discussion I've seen focuses on aesthetics. Of course this is subjective, but I kind of agree the 21" wheels look a bit better.
However, with the 21" wheel comes summer tires, problematic in my region (northeast US) and lower profile tires. My experience with low profile (sidewall) tires in my area is trouble. Unfortunately, poor road surfaces (read pot holes) particularly in winter months are brutal on low profile tires and wheels.
I also have a BMW 335 with low profile tires, and in 3 years I have lost 3 tires and 1 wheel to poorly maintained road surfaces. Yes, I have tire insurance ($50 deductible for BMW) so cost is not the issue.
It is the inconvenience of finding a dealer with specific brand and size tire/wheel then driving on run flats until service is available.
Bottom line from my experience, if you live in northern climate, stick with 20" wheels!!!
The 20" black accented wheel look much better in person than they do on the config website. We were able to do a side by side comparison at the dealership and we chose the 20s. The concave effect of the 20s is much more pronounced in person.
As far as the 21s go. We have the same wheel pattern in 19s on our C450. They look awesome right after I clean and polish them and for the next 5 seconds or so A soon as they pick up a little dirt they loose luster and don't pop the same way they do on the showroom floor. I still like the design but I'm not going to go down that same road with the GLC43.
I haven't the opportunity to drive in snow as yet so I cannot comment on stock traction performance, but to me changing wheel size has both advantages and disadvantages.
The obvious disadvantages include additional expense and ongoing storage/changeover hassle.
The advantages include selecting a winter tire with aggressive winter tread and a wheel/tire size narrower than stock tires. The combination will greatly improved winter traction and safety.
Nothing blasphemous about improving safety!
As I said in previous post, appearance is subjective and in my area where roads are regularly treated with salt, my black 43 looks a mess with speckled white salt spray. Wheel size aesthetics is a minor issue in the winter!!
Please do post pics - Thanks
Mine will be on 19 inch wheels as standard, prefer comfort to looks, just had a call from dealer to confirm delivery on 1st March, getting excited now.
I just posted a new thread, then found this post.. here was my question
I have a 2016 GLC300 4Matic and I'm thinking of replacing my 19" wheels with 20" AMG wheels. I like the staggered setup on the GLC43, which is 8.5" front and 9.5" rear.
Is there anything I must change before installing the wheels (spacers?). basically are there any differences between GLC300 and GLC43 (maybe GLC43 has wider fenders!?). I was told by a friend it's not recommended to have a staggered setup on an AWD cars, but I'm not sure if this is true or is it because the GLC 300 has 45/55 power distribution and the GLC43 has a 35/65 power distribution.
I don't think the part about "not recommended to have a staggered setup on an AWD cars" is true. For example, I have an X5M and comes in a 20" staggered setup, but for winter its recommended to go to a square setup. Actually, the only OEM winter wheels are 19" square wheels. But, it gives a slightly tucked in look in the rear so many ppl just stick to staggered. I think its more important you use the right tires - ie don't use summers in the winter / snow and expect good performance.
looking at the availability of tires for the 20" vs 21", it seems like the 20" has more choices - including all season or summers. With the 21", you can only get summers - don't see any other option.
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A soon as they pick up a little dirt they loose luster and don't pop the same way they do on the showroom floor. I still like the design but I'm not going to go down that same road with the GLC43.
