mkoechel

Time to get new tires for our 2003 ML500 -- I've had Michelin Cross Terrain on our previous 2000 ML so I'm leaning in that direction.

The Bridgestone Dueler HL Alenza is also in the running per info from Luke at Tirerack.

Anyone running them? Cheaper than Michelin by quite a margin and the ratings look almost identical...

Thanks,

GeorgeF

On my new-to-me ML500 I have a Dunlop tire that I'm not entirely happy with yet, SP Sport 5000. The tread looks really "cool" but they seem to really follow grooves/cuts in the pavement at all speeds.

I will also be driving in quite a bit of winter weather, and I am concerned about how they will perform, as the car came from Alabama, and I would guess that snow/ice was not at the forefront of the PO's decision making process

straightSIX

Cross terrain.

E55AMG99

Bridgestone are absolute garbage tires. The set on my Denali howled at any speed and sounded 100x worse when braking or turning. My wife heard it from the outside and was so embarasses at how bad it sounded that she wouldn't drive it. They rode like I was on water baloons and caused my gas mileage to drop .2 MPG. I switched to the Michelins and all the problems are gone. Nice, quiet ride and fuel economy is back where it should be.

jswedberg

I put the Michelins on our ML at about 40,000 miles - at 70,000 they are still going strong. Quieter than original Bridgestones. They are more expensive though.

Stiggs

When I purchased my ML430 used it had 32K miles and brand new Cross Terrains. These babies are great in the snow! I love them. Of course I have nothing to compare them to because this is my first SUV. My ML now has 63K miles on it and I think I have maybe one more winter left in these tires. The tread is getting kinda low, but not bald yet. They still ride great!

zeke320

I have used multiple sets of cross terrains on two different ML, driving for a total of over 150k miles. They are great tires in both wet (including snow) and dry conditions. More quiet than OEM tires for sure. Always replaced them at 50k because thats what they were rated for but they seemed to have sufficient tread for many more miles.

psychocabbage

Yokohama makes a 275/55/17 tire that we just mounted up. They are far better than the stockers on our ML350..

As for tires going in the grooves.. that is common for better tires to lock on.. Porsche with cheesy tires showed no signs of following the grooves, add PZeros and BAM.. It followed every groove easily..

drummerboy

Michelins Cross........Absolutely!

For those with tracking problems, have your front end checked as well.
I found a bad tierod end.

paulxu

I'm really surprised!!

I just put on a set of Bridgestone Dueler/Alenza on my 2000 ML, and I'm more than satisfied with the tires, of course compared to the previous Dunlop Grandtrek.

The bridgestone tires perform much quieter than the Dunlops and I could hardly hear any obvious sound caused by them, not to mention hearing loud noise from outside?

I couldn't comapre them with Michelin X Terrains because I have never used them before, but I'd say those Bridgestone tires are definitely not garbage tires. As you can read the reviews posted on Tirerack.com, I don't believe people are paying hundreds to enjoy noise the tires make and give them good ratings. In addition, the Dueler is about $20 to $30 below X-Terrain's for each, and there was a $75 rebate with the purchase of 4 tires. I really don't see what is so bad about the tires. Hopefully not because they cost less.