My dealer was not too clear on tires. We are awaiting our car and don't know what type of tires will be on it!

There is no reason the All-Season tires could not also be runflats. The standard equipment spec does not say that tires are NOT runflats. It just doesn't say. But perhaps code R02 means standard all-season? If so, that would probably be better for us.

I am waiting until we get the car, but one thought would be to put a temporary spare on the back end of the roof rack. We would just do this for long trips. Perhaps one would even fit in roof carrier? Another idea, was to have a bracket made that would fit in trailer hitch. It could even be made to fold down like a bike rack.

One idea I saw years ago in a large Chemical/Plastic company magazine, was plastic wheels that could be mounted between wheel and hub. Smaller diameter than tire. Idea must not have taken off

But I agree we should not have to be solving this problem on a $50k vehicle.

 

I like the idea of having very narrow spare tire for long trips. What will be the size for such a tire? Price? Can be very cheap tire with metal rim.
I would not place it on a roof nor mount it on a bike rack. But rather store it in the trunk. So it should be as small and light as possible...

 

My fear is that I would get GLK250 now and MB will solve spare tire problem in 2015 model.

 

Here we go:

 

Excellent! I would like just one like that. Can it be purchased? With compressor. I would definitely will ask my dealer.
I would rather not depend on MB roadside assistance. Especially somewhere in upper NY state or Vermont.
And one would wonder endlessly why MB couldn't find a space for such a tiny spare.

 

Seems a bit expensive, but this place is selling them on kijiji (Seller is a small Euro parts store in Toronto). I would shop around.

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ527577647

This link describes the tires in more detail.. Anyone have a picture of the GLK250 spare tire area with the Bluetec container in it? Would this tire fit?

This video shows better how tire deflates once you have used it.

 

I believe with run-flats, you can't mix with this collapsable spare? Have to wait to switch entirely before this spare could be used?

How to really know this particular model is safe to use? Since MB doesn't even publish this optional equipment. Ie. Think these are from the older GLK's with 17" tires, will it be suitable with the 19" 2013+ models?

 

I think such a spare tire should be used when you don't have any other choice. And so far all comments in internet concerning this tire are good. Although with price tag $350 it is a bit pricy.

 

Those collapsible temporary spares are pretty slick. They are actually standard on some Audi models - including our Q5. Even though they are rather compact, they still require a fair amount of space under the cargo floor. Certainly better than a full size spare, but I'm not sure I'd want one taking up residency in my cargo area on a permanent basis.

 

No, the tire will not fit.

 

MB MOE tires are not international spec run flats because I understand MB wanted a tire that would provide a comfort ride without significantly reducing MPG.
International Specs call for a full load run flat to travel 50 miles however MOE full load will do 20 at full load and 50 light load. The differnce? Still provides runflat characteristics with modified distance full load along with better mileage and comfort.
Refernce.. Tirerack Continental CrossContact UHP 235 50 R 99v for MB details.
I like the MOE tire and reasons.

This is why MB calls the tire MOE (MOdifiedExtended)

 

A friend just received his 2014 GLK250 here in Canada. It is equipped with Continental tires. The spec sheet says they are all-season, but he said he "thinks" they are run-flats. I will have to check them out!

Continental make a compact spare. Don't know if we could find a spot for this, perhaps just for long trips.

 

Saw this ad for a 2014 GLK250 from a dealer in LA.

It says it has a compact spare on a steel rim located below the cargo space! Presumably they are mistaken!

http://www.keyesmercedes.com/common/...&condition=new

 

I spoke with quite a few reps at different dealers in my area and many doesn't have a clue or perhaps play me with unclear answers concerning spare tire.
I keep asking:
1) Is there a spare tire on GLK250?
2) if tires are run flats.
3) what exactly should I do it I have a flat tire. Especially after roadside assistance warranty.
All sales reps were not ready to answer clearly.
I am looking to sign papers for GLK250 and very much afraid MB will come back next year with spare tire.
Today I was crossing US-Canada border and I saw one guy with spare tire on a roof. It was not MB SUV, I think it was a Toyota RAV, and don't know the reason for doing so, but I couldn't help but picturing myself with ugly spare on a rails. Sad. Very sad.

 

Next year or the year after will be a new GLK shape, so I would not be surprised if a spare shows up.

Another option is the tow hitch, I think there might be something u can attach a spare onto?

The best compromise I can think of is to buy the collapsable spare and custom build a trunk floor thats 4-5 inches higher to accomodate it.

 

I think they just don't know, rather than that they're playing you. There has been a lot of confusion about this.

This in particular is confusing because the answer is not a strict yes or no. The answer is "Sort of." The 250's tires do not meet the specification requirements to be marketed as "Run Flat" tires; however, they do have "run-flat-like characteristics" that allow you to safely drive the car on a flat tire for some certain distance. They're actually called Extended Mobility tires. You cannot drive as far as you could on true Run Flat tires, but the Extended Mobility tires have a far better ride quality than Run Flats under normal driving circumstances.

There simply isn't room in the current GLK for the AdBlue tank and a spare tire. The X204 GLK was not originally designed with an AdBlue tank in mind. They might design the X205 to accommodate both but the X205 likely won't arrive until the 2016 model year. The GLK has been tracking one year after the C on the same platform and the new C arrives for 2015, so expect the GLK for 2016. Also, the GLA arrives for 2015 and they don't need the brand new GLA and a new GLK competing at the same time, just as the CLA was not introduced at the same time as the new C.

Even for 2016, it's not guaranteed that the X205 will have both. The X205 should grow a little bit so I would think that they could fit both, but who knows, they could still have problems. Or they may just decide the current arrangement is sufficient and a spare isn't needed. BMW went that way a while ago and they're doing just fine despite the minority who say they won't ever buy one until the spares return.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry about seeing a GLK250 with a spare next year, but maybe in two years. Whether you want to wait or not is up to you.

 

I am in exactly the same situation. The GLK we ordered is probably in production right now. I think if I had given the spare tire issue more thought, I would not have ordered. Knowing about the AdBlue problem would not have helped either!

We did have a 2006 smart with no spare. It had the compressor/sealant pack but it was never used by us. However, previous owner did blow a tire. Not sure where or how it was repaired. car did have four winter tires/rims , so perhaps they were close enough to home to get one of those.

Friend who just got his 2014 GLK250 sent me email today to say his Continental Tires are run-flats. But they are probably Extended Mobility as described in this link.

Looks like we would need to buy something like this tire along with a steel rim. Tire is only 5" wide, so putting it in cargo area in say a carpet covered box or bag might be an option for long trips. We will probably get a roofrack box, so maybe we could put it in there.


Another option will be to see if we could mount the tire on our hitch mounted bike rack.

 

I asked Vredestein USA about the size and dimensions of the Space saver spare the GLK250 would need and this was response

I also emailed the guy advertising on KIJIJI. He didn't answer any of my questions. Just said to phone him. I wanted to know how a 185/75-17 tire would be suitable for the GLK250 which has 19" wheels. This is is what I found
185/75-17 - Diameter 27.93" (709.42mm)
235/50-19 - Diameter 28.25" (717.55mm)
This site seems to confirm that that Vredestein spare would be very close in diameter for the GLK
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tir...0r19-185-75r17

I wish the guy had given me the dimensions, but scaling off picture, it seems the deflated Vredestein tire is about 21" diameter and about 8.3" wide. That would take about 1/2 the width of the cargo space, wouldn't it? A Continental compact spare even more?

 

the spare size is very close. it is within 1.7% rule of thumb is to be within 3.0%. I used a tire size calculator: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

I used my stock tire size of 235/45R20.

 

For my 2013 GLK250, the manual states that the spare is:

Wheel: 6.0Bx17 H2 ET25

Tire: 185/75 - 17 98P

Please post of you are able to obtain a spare from Continental that fits the GLK. Out here in BC, it looks like my only option is to buy a spare from MB.

 

Thanks, that is useful information.

There is a guy on kijiji Toronto advertising the MB spare (see link in one of my earlier posts) - It is a collapsible Vredestein of the size you quote. $350 for wheel and tire. What do MB want for a spare?

Have you thought about where you would put it?

 

Just to confirm, can u let us know what tires come on your Canadian spec? 19 inch? etc etc.

 

"What do MB want for a spare?

Have you thought about where you would put it?"

I havent asked MB yet. I was thinking of getting one and using it only for long trips out of town.

"Just to confirm, can u let us know what tires come on your Canadian spec? 19 inch? etc etc."

MY GLK came with 20" wheels -- tires are 235/45-20

 

OK - I guess it must have sport package or optional 20" upgrade? The MBCanada site says standard wheel will be 19", so I presume that is what I will be getting (235/50-19 tires). But diameter and therefore spare will presumably be same.

I checked on epc-net and they quote only one spare - part 204.400.98.00 and it states it is a folding spare: RIM 6B x 17H2 TIRE 185/75-17. So presumably it is the Vredestein Space Master folding spare.

So decision needed is whether to spend $350 plus taxes on a folding spare (or more at dealer?) that will need to be inflated for use. It would presumably only be used if the semi runflat MOE tires cannot be sealed and inflated or if owner would prefer to use spare than perhaps damage the expensive MOE tire by running flat.

It would be ideal if someone would buy a spare and show us what it looks like when placed in cargo area!

Another option would be to find a full size used rim and tire and get one of these, just for long trips:

 

Are you sure it is a 19 inch rim, that tire will be too tall for a GLK. The spare tire in mine is 185/75R17 and it is the same as the one sold in Kijiji. The stock tires are 20's. All the 2014 GLK350 sold in Canada currently have 20's. The AMG upgrade is also a 20.