pejorative

My car came equipped with the 22" summer rubber. I am not a big fan of $400+ tires. The fronts are 285/40-22 and the rears are 325/35-22. I can get 285/40-22 M&S tires (good for using in the mountains to go skiing), but there are NO tires available in 325/35-22 that are available with M&S (mud and snow) badges.

Does anyone know if I just put 285/40-22 on all four wheels whether that would interfere with the traction control etc? Or would the car run just fine.

Thanks

GLE43_Sube

Yes, that will work.

Page 346 of the Operator's Manual:

Mercedes-AMG vehicles with
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel: only
use the "Minispare" emergency spare wheel
on the rear axle. If you mount the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel on the
front axle, this could result in damage to the
brake system.
If a tire on the front axle is defective, an intact
wheel from the rear axle must first be
replaced with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel. The damaged wheel on the front
axle can then be replaced by the undamaged
wheel from the rear axle.


If they're telling you it's OK to put a wider tire up front, then it should be OK to put the same width tires all around.

cadman_ks

I know enough about tires to be dangerous, and to know that they are indeed expensive.

However, I think in this case, it's not the size of the tires in this case, but the offset of the rims that is the issue, but I could be wrong there.

BUT, the real deal is that the diameter of the 285/40-22 ALL AROUND on the STOCK rims will not be the same. That's because the rear rim is wider, and this will make the overall diameter of the tire slightly less, since the tire will "expand" to go on the wider rim.

Now, what I don't know if this difference is enough to really make a difference in the way that it works or not.

Again, I'm no tire (or axle master) by any means, so take what I say for what it's worth, just my opinion...

GLE43_Sube

I've been doing a little research on tires for the rear of the GLE43 Coupe. These are 325/35 R22. The fronts are not as wide, so we have a little more variety in choice. I don't know about you guys/gals, but I wasn't given a tire choice. My car came with the Pirellis. Being that the P Zeros are pretty much the standard in ultra-high-performance tires, I didn't complain. From what I've found, there are only two tires that fit the 22" rims. Links below.

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/...#EULabel-modal
http://www.continentaltire.com/produ...535zr22-110y/?

I contacted Pirelli regarding cold weather use of their P Zero tires. Below is the response I received. I have to admit. I was a little naive about summer tires. I was under the impression they just provided poor traction on snow and ice. No problem for me, since we really don't get much of either in NC. Right? Wrong! Here's what I learned:

• Most tire manufacturers (including Pirelli) don't recommend driving on summer tires in temps below 40-45 degrees.
• The rubber compound in summer tires becomes hard and brittle in cold temps. This causes diminished grip and a risk of cracking, thereby compromising safety and longevity respectively.
• In warm temperatures, summer tires offer better traction than all-season tires on both wet and dry roads.
• The tread rubber of all-season tires is considerably more flexible than that of summer tires. The same pliable rubber that adds traction in the winter, causes accelerated wear in warm weather.

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...king/index.htm


Hello –

Thank you for reaching out to Pirelli.

We do not suggest using summer tires below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. For more information regarding the different types of tires including load index and speed rating information, please see the Tire Care and Service section of the attached warranty in printable format. In addition, you will find tips on how to maximize the life and performance of your Pirelli tires.

Kindest regards,

Pirelli Consumer Affairs

If you read the Pirelli warranty (attached), there are so many exceptions, it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

• The mileage warranty does NOT apply to tires fitted as original equipment on new cars. WTF!
• Tires which have been run on a dynamometer are NOT covered by warranty.
• For vehicles equipped with different size tires in the front and rear, the mileage warranty for the rear tires will be 50% of the stated mileage warranty for that tire.
• Tires injected with liquid sealant are not covered by warranty.

Personally, so far I love the P Zeros. They're ultra quiet, smooth and have provided excellent traction. However, I haven't had the opportunity to test them much in cold weather. Some of the pros are:

• They have a speed rating of a whopping 230 mph (https://www.caranddriver.com/features/pirelli-p-zero).
• They have special “s-shaped” grooves in the tread for a quieter ride.
• They use the "Pirelli Noise Cancelling System". This is a layer of polyurethane sponge adhered to the inner liner of the tire, designed to absorb vibrations, and thus reduce cabin noise.

So what's the moral of this story. There is no one tire that performs best in cold and warm temperatures. Will I replace the P Zeros with the same tire when the time comes? Only time will tell. Do I plan to garage my car during the winter months? Hell no! I'll just be cognizant of the reduced traction until the tires warm up. How do the P Zeros compare to the Continental ContiSportContacts? I have no personal experience with the Contis. The reviews at the above link are all over the place, so it's hard to make a determination. Anyone who has them on the GLE43 Coupe, please feel free to jump right in here.

cadman_ks

So, I just put Contis on the rear after about 13,000 miles, and my rears were slicks.

But, what I don't understand, is the logic that MB used when they sourced a rim/tire combo that ONLY had summer tires available. This is our daily driver, and it gets cold here. Like -3F cold the other day.

None of this stuff about don't drive below 45 was ever said to use ever when we bought the vehicle.

I really like the looks of the 22" rims, but don't like the tire options...

GLE43_Sube

See the attached Continental warranty. It's just as bad as Perelli. They don't even mention a specific temperature. They just say, "Extreme Temperature Exposure" is not covered. Being that the word "extreme" is purely subjective, this gives them the right to deny warranty claims at will.

cadman_ks

LOL...

I like the part about their logic, there was NONE!!!

Our vehicle had P-Zeros from the factory, and I have replaced them with the Contis this go-round. My fronts will probably last 2:1 vs the rears. I still have about 1/2 (maybe more) of the tread left.

The thing that probably frustrates me the most in this whole thing is that I too pride myself on being somewhat of an "informed" consumer.

I never heard or read anything about these ONLY being summer tires, or there being any issues with them at all...

GLE43_Sube

The issue is not unique to these particular models of tires only. It's summer tires in general. The Pirellis P Zeros are the same model used on Lambos and McLarens. These cars can cruise at 200+ mph. I think this is what Pirelli had in mind when they first designed them, not a soccer Mom using the car as a daily driver. They just happened to size them for cars that are not exotic super cars as well. I guess we all learned something for future reference.

cadman_ks

...it's the fact in general that this is NOT a McClaren, it's a daily driver!

Consumers NEED to be able to drive this thing any day of the year, and have options that allow them to do that...

GLE43_Sube

I agree 100%.

Miki-SL500

Guys my coupe arrives in one week and I need a set of winter tires. The fronts are 285/40-22 and the rears are 325/35-22. Do we have consensus that 285/40-22 winter tires can fit on all wheels and not cause issues?

I was quoted a little over 7000 eur (almost $8k ) for a new 21' winter set (wheels+tires) and I really don't feel like paying...

cadman_ks

I don't think that would work. The rears will be a different overall diameter, because the rear wheels are 1" wider than the fronts, which will ultimately reduce the sidewall height.

I don't know this for a fact, though, as I haven't tried it myself...

GLE43_Sube

Yes, Cadman is correct. The 285/40-22 tires won't fit on the rear. There are only two companies that manufacture tires to fit the rear. Both of these are summer tires. There are NO winter or all-season tires that fit the 22" wheels. I guess MB figures you can't like the style of the 22" wheels if you live in a cold weather climate. Makes no sense to me.

http://www.continentaltire.com/produ...535zr22-110y/?

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/...#EULabel-modal

Miki-SL500

My dealer says a new 20" wheel+tire set won't fit, any ideas why ?!

GLE43_Sube

Did you mean 21"? 20" won't fit, but the 21" will. That's the base wheel setup.

Miki-SL500

No I meant 20". I'm looking for aftermarket wheels, I've seen GLE63's running 20" so how come they don't fit on a 43 ?!

GLE43_Sube

If it fits on a 63, it should fit on a 43. The main thing is to ensure clearance of the front calibers and rotors. I would recommend you check some of the wheel/tire websites online. You can usually input your model vehicle and they'll give you a list of compatible wheels. If no 20" wheels pop up, I'd say it's probably not recommended. Just because it might fit, doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea.

Gainzz

Stumbled upon this thread. I too wasn't aware that this car came with Summer tires. I had to have near accidents to figure this out. Any luck with MB making this right? This is the worst car I've driven in the snow by far.

cadman_ks

Call me a cynic, but I don't see MB "fixing" this issue. They need to get a tire company to make the size we need in A/S tires.

Incidentally, the 21" option DOES have A/S available, as well as snows and summers if you're so inclined....

Gainzz

This vehicle is leased. Not dropping thousands to downgrade to 21s. I'd rather just throw the car on swapalease and call it quits. Thanks for the heads up about MB not caring about this.

cadman_ks

Just so we're clear, those are my words, not MB's.

I wouldn't say that they don't "care" as much as it is that they designed a vehicle that ONLY has summer tires available.

YMMV

GLE43_Sube

I've never been shy about blaming MB where blame is due. But in this case, it's the tire companies that are at fault. MB doesn't manufacture tires. The tire companies don't manufacture winter tires in our size simply because they don't have enough of a demand to make it cost effective. It would take tons of people complaining to them directly for this to change. Incidentally, there are tons of other vehicles with 22" rims and compatible winter tires. The problem is, our tires are so wide. The rears are 325/35R22. Once you get to those kinds of widths, tire companies assume your vehicle is specifically performance oriented, hence the summer tires only.

cadman_ks

While I agree 100% with everything you've said, some of the blame still has to fall on MB, though, because their marketing has to know that consumers will want to drive this car in the winter, and some would probably prefer A/S tires as well. If it requires making the wheels narrower, then so be it. I LOVE the looks of the wide tires, BUT if I could have A/S tires on narrower rims, I'd take narrower tires.

In my book, that blame falls on MB...

cadman_ks

While I agree 100% with everything you've said, some of the blame still has to fall on MB, though, because their marketing has to know that consumers will want to drive this car in the winter, and some would probably prefer A/S tires as well. If it requires making the wheels narrower, then so be it. I LOVE the looks of the wide tires, BUT if I could have A/S tires on narrower rims, I'd take narrower tires.

In my book, that blame falls on MB...

GLE43_Sube

It would probably be a good idea for MB to list which tires come with which wheels on their website. I just now checked again and there's no mention of tire options. I can't remember where I found out about the different tires, but apparently it wasn't from the website. I do remember seeing various photos of the Coupe with 22" wheels. Some pics had Continentals. Some had Pirellis. If I remember correctly, this is what prompted me to investigate further.