MarkFrank

In August of 2020 I had to replace the original tires on my 2015. I had Mavis tire order the same Continental that came on it, it even has the MO stamp on them.

Now I need to replace the front two to pass inspection. I know they were worn on the inside but they also told me they’re dry rotted. They offered to sell me Goodyear Assurances but I rather stay with the Conti’s. They have 38k miles on them.

I’m curious should I switch to a different brand? What do you run on your GLK’s? I have to special order the Conti’s, and they want them paid for up front

habbyguy

There are lots of options, and it is normally more a matter of preference than of "better / worse". I'd hesitate to re-buy a tire that dry-rotted in three years. Also, it's generally considered good practice to replace all four tires on an AWD vehicle if they're worn much. There is a lack of specifics (that I've been able to find anyway) on how "different" the front and rear tires can be without causing problems with the AWD but based on my experience with the transfer case, I suspect that the GLK isn't as sensitive to a minor (~1%) discrepancy as many / most other AWD vehicles.

The most important thing is to buy tires with tread that matches the kind of driving you'll be doing. I have two sets of wheels / tires for different kinds of driving (summer tires with little tread, winter "all-season" tires that I'll mount when driving to the frozen north, along with the wheels I don't care about as much).

You might check out the ratings at tirerack.com - that can be very helpful in determining which tires work best. You can usually find a number of owner reviews for any kind of vehicle (including GLKs).

MarkFrank

Thank you for the feedback. TBH I did not see any dry rot on the tires but I did know the front were worn down on the inside. The rear look like full thread.

Odd Piggy

I don’t know what Continentals your 2015 GLK was fitted with from the factory, but ours had 235/50 R 19 4x4 Contacs. They were perfect for our kind of driving: 25k miles/yr; mix of interstate, secondary roads, and unpaved surfaces. They were rugged, highly compliant, had good traction with Continental’s CH95 tread pattern, and not very expensive. BUT, they only lasted 25k miles and were changed at every B Service. Definitely not for everyone.

2 tires that are engineered for long life and compounded to avoid dry rot are Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza+ and Goodyear Assurance MaxLife. Use habbyguy’s suggestion and check their references on TireRack. Note that if you live in a very hot climate, the Duelers have a higher temperature rating.

John CC

Did you rotate them appropriately? Worn on the inside is an alignment problem, but if you rotate them then either all four would be worn on the inside, or something happened to the alignment since or around the time of the last rotation.

GLK-K

I have Michelin Premier 235/50R19. Other good ones are Michelin Defender and Goodyear Assurance.

MarkFrank

After reading the recommendations as well as the tire rack reviews, I had them put the Goodyear Assurance MaxLifes on the front. The Conti’s are still good on the rear.

I had the alignment done and it was just off a bit; not bad when I clipped a corner a bit too hard, hard enough to kick the truck to the side. I figured that was what caused the wear on the tire.

It seems quieter; one thing I was disappointed with the Continental was they were noisier than the ones they replaced for the exact same model (Contact 4X4)

Mmr1

Ok you did the job, but new tires go on the rear! Did you even see the dry rot? If two were rotted then 4 are rotted or they lied to you. I’ve seen dry rot when a tire is deflated , but I think you were conned. My experience is tire dealers are the biggest scammers out there,.

MarkFrank

I really didn’t believe the dry rot at all either but I did see the insides of the tires worn smooth so I knew they had to be replaced. I’m ok with buying the two for that reason. Was I conned? Maybe, but I don’t regret replacing the two tires that were severely worn out.

As for where they go, I wasn’t sure if they should go in the rear or not. I can always switch them back there.

If I move them do the TPMS sensors have to be reprogrammed to show their position changed?

Odd Piggy

Up to 2005 Mercedes recommended placing new tires on the front wheels of 4Matic and rear wheels of RWD. After that, they conceded to industry experience and now recommend placing new tires on the rear wheels of all vehicles.

The TPMS sensors do not need to be reset after changing position of the wheels. After a few minutes of driving, they will register the wheel position correctly.

Also strongly suggest rotating tires every 6000 miles. Front tires take the turning forces and it would be a shame to wear out the two new 80k mile tires early.

John CC

The tires with the best traction should always be on the back. Even if it's front wheel drive. Spinning or locked back tires make the car unstable. It's always preferable to be able to see where you're going as you leave the road....

calder-cay

Responding mostly about my opinion about inspection stations. I ONLY go to stations that ONLY do inspections. If you go to a tire and / or auto repair place that does inspections, they ALWAYS look for things that are questionable, so they can sell more work. Your "they offered to sell me" is proof!!

My normal routine is to go a ma-n-pa independently owned inspection-only station.

But to stay on topic, last year I had Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II installed on my wife's 2014 GLK Base (no 4wd). Great tires and so much less expensive$$$.

I wanted to buy the MB recommended tires, but even the tire store recommended this newer tire. The Pirellis have better longevity and traction, and today, slightly over a years worth, they still look brand new.

To conclude my opinion, tire choice is mostly about your environment. Hot and humid most of the year, with not much winter ... or in a region that requires special traction because of snow and ice and bouncy temp changes ... plus overall cost and how much you drive.