When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Greetings all. I have a GLK350 2wd. I'm planning to replace the Pirelli Zeros soon due to age. Does anyone have any recommendations on replacement? I'm considering putting the same tire back on but I remember switching to Michelin on my daughter's car. I'm just curious what the consensus is. Thanks for all input.
It depends on where you live , what type of roads you drive ,how you drive , what the weather dangers are. What you want and need, Tire Rack has a good tire selection and tire comparator to show your 4 picks side by side. I used to have my tires go slippery at 4-5 years even with ok tread. About 8 years ago Michelin came out with a compound that has Linseed oil in it and stated the traction remains as tire wears . I just took off a set of 8 yr old Michelin Premiers with minimal tread that still stick today. I’m surprised. I put on Michelin again. Tread life may not be as good. There are new designs and compounds coming out all the time at top tire companies that have changed tires for the better .
It depends on where you live , what type of roads you drive ,how you drive , what the weather dangers are. What you want and need, Tire Rack has a good tire selection and tire comparator to show your 4 picks side by side. I used to have my tires go slippery at 4-5 years even with ok tread. About 8 years ago Michelin came out with a compound that has Linseed oil in it and stated the traction remains as tire wears . I just took off a set of 8 yr old Michelin Premiers with minimal tread that still stick today. I’m surprised. I put on Michelin again. Tread life may not be as good. There are new designs and compounds coming out all the time at top tire companies that have changed tires for the better .
Thanks, I should have mentioned that. It's my wife's car and it's just city streets in SC. Some interstate highways but not much. She only drives about 3-4K per year so tread-wear isn't really important per se. I've looked at Tire Rack and used the selector but was curious what others were using.
2014 GLK350 base model (active) ; 2001 E320 base (retired); 2001 Wrangler soft-top
Not convinced about consensus 🙂 Some want looks, some want soft and grippy, some want longevity, some stay with originals, and so on.
We went the longevity route. In June 2022, bought four 235 /45 R20 PIRELLI SCORPION VERDE AS PLUS II (740 Treadwear rating, bought at Discount Tire).
Contemplated putting on originals (Michelin xxyyzz), but after speaking with associate, opted for Pirelli. The Michelins are grippier, but short lived. And heck, the Pirellis are less expensive 👍
Due to retirement, the majority of driving is to the grocery store. On rare occasions, an 80-100 mile round trip. So for us, we don't need grippy. And our Winters last about a month, no snow, and rare to get icey roads.
Greetings all. I have a GLK350 2wd. I'm planning to replace the Pirelli Zeros soon due to age. Does anyone have any recommendations on replacement? I'm considering putting the same tire back on but I remember switching to Michelin on my daughter's car. I'm just curious what the consensus is. Thanks for all input.
What Mmr1 and calder-cay wrote.
It's kind of like asking people what's the best engine oil to use and how often should I change it. In a case like this it might be better/more useful to ask if there are any tires/brands to avoid and why.
Greetings all. I have a GLK350 2wd. I'm planning to replace the Pirelli Zeros soon due to age. Does anyone have any recommendations on replacement? I'm considering putting the same tire back on but I remember switching to Michelin on my daughter's car. I'm just curious what the consensus is. Thanks for all input.
In deference to what others wrote, because every bit of it is true, I will tell you what I put on our 2015 RWD GLK350 from the time it was new until it was retired at 155,000 miles. Continental 4x4 Contac. Comfortable, sturdy, and reasonably grippy dry, excellent wet, and resist hydroplaning. They are in the lower price tier. They don’t last more than 25k-35k miles, but you don’t drive much either.
Now with that being said, if you’re not dissatisfied with what you have, I suggest going right back to them. Why? There are many tires to choose from and IMO your chances of being unhappy with the change are greater than being happier.
I suppose I was looking to improve the handling somewhat with the change in tires. These tires are from 2018 and seem to be a little harsh in certain situations on the road. I only have about 30K on the car and do not see any signs of leaking struts so I believe the tires are the culprit. I probably can't go wrong with any major brand but was just curious what others were running for reference. I'm not certain which tire was OEM but I believe it was Pirelli. Generally I have always thought Michelin was top tier although I'm sure others are equal in terms of performance.
2014 GLK350 base model (active) ; 2001 E320 base (retired); 2001 Wrangler soft-top
Originally Posted by srb1194
These tires are from 2018 and seem to be a little harsh in certain situations on the road.
(snipped)
I'm not certain which tire was OEM but I believe it was Pirelli
Tires have a lifespan, in years. We could have replaced only two tires back in 2022, but I decided to buy four brand new, because the two "still okay" (thread depth wise) were over five years old. Five years is the accepted standard (and us being motorcyclists, I never would consider 5 years, most 3, for bike tires).
That's why you're feeling a harsh ride - the rubber becomes hard and brittle over the years.
The OEM tires on our 2014 350 Base were Michelins, but I don't recall the model #'s.
Last edited by calder-cay; Dec 30, 2024 at 10:48 AM.
If you improve handling, chances are that you will worsen stiffness. Those things tend to have an inverse correlation. But your tires are 6 years old and may be getting a bit stiffer with wear and age. Over the last 25 years the brands I have seen as factory fit (MO or MOE) on MBs are Continental, Michelin, Dunlop, Pirelli, and Bridgestone.
Your vehicle list indicates a lot of experience, but I would still caution against getting a tire that’s too sticky or tends to oversteer on any SUV.
Thanks for all the solid advice. I'm going to narrow it down to Michelin or Pirelli. I do think these tires being 7 years old is causing the poor ride quality.
Thanks for all the solid advice. I'm going to narrow it down to Michelin or Pirelli. I do think these tires being 7 years old is causing the poor ride quality.
Your pressure is causing poor ride. If you drive city and don’t pack the car with 500lb keep front rear the same at 33-35, where do you live? Temps are dropping 30/40f in a few days and weeks . Tire air will shrink so try 36 all around for a few weeks. Yes tires go hard as they age. Some more than others . Also shocks struts go Hard! Some go soft others get stiff. 43 lb is stiff tire pressure . 43 for street low load is overdoing it. Just lower the rears to the same 36 as fronts. I run 34lb all 4. There are two places that show tire pressure on an mb , in the gas tank door mine show 33 as minimum . That’s for comfort! 43 cold is for 75 mph with a full load in the rear like 4-600 lb.
2014 GLK350 base model (active) ; 2001 E320 base (retired); 2001 Wrangler soft-top
@Mmr1 makes a good point. Many months ago, we had a thread out here discussing the "proper air pressure" reference. It always been my experience to check the driver's door jam for the air pressure sticker.
Guess what - that's what I was using, not realizing the gas fill cap sticker. So, in the beginning, I was putting too much air in the tires (door jam only shows air for "extra load", until I discovered the filler cap sticker ... I show both below - filler cap, then door jam
BTW, I still adhere to my opinion the age of your tires is beyond acceptable.
.
Last edited by calder-cay; Dec 31, 2024 at 12:57 PM.
Well that's the beauty of a well educated forum. I've learned something in this discussion regarding the fuel door sticker. I definitely agree that I'm running too much pressure in the rear. I'm replacing all 4 next week to Michelin Pilot Sport 4 All Season. I'll make the recommend3ed adjustments with the new rubber. Yes, 7 years is just too long on a set of tires and I'm looking forward to replacing them. Thanks again for all the dialogue and education!
Well that's the beauty of a well educated forum. I've learned something in this discussion regarding the fuel door sticker. I definitely agree that I'm running too much pressure in the rear. I'm replacing all 4 next week to Michelin Pilot Sport 4 All Season. I'll make the recommend3ed adjustments with the new rubber. Yes, 7 years is just too long on a set of tires and I'm looking forward to replacing them. Thanks again for all the dialogue and education!
Very good choice. Hope you don’t mind me making recommendations for PSAS 4 tires.
I’ve had them. They’re absolutely fantastic performance tires. They also do okay on snow but they don’t replace winter tires.
They’re very aggressive. If your steering feels “light” you may want to have a shop set the toe-in to the max allowable within specs. I also recommend adding 2 PSI to the fuel door pressures. I don’t think that will negatively affect the ride because their compound is quite soft.
Last edited by Odd Piggy; Dec 31, 2024 at 11:41 PM.
My experience is, for an "empty" GLK 350 (just driver), 31 or 32 psi is correct. I've been measuring the tire tread wear on mine for 10+ years and the wear is even across the tire width - not wearing more on outside edges. That's for both my summer and winter tires/wheels. 20-inch and 17-inch.
My experience is, for an "empty" GLK 350 (just driver), 31 or 32 psi is correct. I've been measuring the tire tread wear on mine for 10+ years and the wear is even across the tire width - not wearing more on outside edges. That's for both my summer and winter tires/wheels. 20-inch and 17-inch.
That's solid information there. Thanks for contributing.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
