markpgizmo

If you are running winter tires what kind are you using?

I am thinking about the 235/60R18 Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1.

Any experience with any other tires?

lkchris

Your owners manual in technical data section specifies which winter tires to fit.

u001elg

I have a 2006 ML350... I have been using Goodyear Ultragrip (235/65R17) for winter driving. We live on a rather steep winding incline in rural PA that is poorly maintained by the local township... at least at the times we have to use the road.

As discussed before in this forum, the M&S tires are generally plenty good for winter driving.

I have maintained that the extra piece of mind for the one or two times each season that the roads get really nasty the use of dedicated winter tires make all the difference for me.

Benzo 003

I keep the same wheels and switch out the rubber for winter....Conti Extreme Contact DWS. Love em, great wet/snow traction, yet whisper quiet on dry pavement. The tire meets "MO" standards and speed rating.

roadrutz

Don't buy a particular brand of winter tire just because somebody else loves it. The brand, model, and size you buy depend on the conditions in which you drive: deep snow vs packed snow vs ice vs wet roads, etc. What may work wonderfully for one person may be totally unsuitable for you, and vice versa. Also, remember that heavy SUVs can't always use the same tire as a lighter car -- many tire manufacturers make tires specifically for SUVs. (Same thing if you buy aftermarket wheels.) Tire Rack (with whom I have no connection) are exceptionally helpful when it comes to suggesting the best tire for you.

I run Pirelli Scorpions, which are a peformance winter tire made specifically for SUVs. They are not great in deep fresh snow, but I find them excellent for spirited driving in the cold on icy and snow-packed surfaces. They are a tad noisy in the dry. The only time I tried Blizzaks, they were fabulous for the first winter but rapidly lost their grip as they aged. But that was a few years ago, and Bridgestone doesn't stand still, so my experience may not apply today.

zemun1234

I am about buy new tires along with rims but I am not sure if I have to buy TPMS sensors ...In general, I don't have problem check tire pressure from time to time and I don't want pay extra ~500 $ for that ...I want to be sure that I am not going get stupid message on dashboard

Is somebody there to give me a little bit light on this question ?

10x thanks ...

A.

AKRMK

I have an 06 ML500 and am running Cooper Discovery studded tires on mine. Stock size, 255/55/18. They work great.

Benzo 003

You can deactivate the TPMS for the winter wheels....I would skip the sensors.

I run the factory 19 inch wheels...255/50/19

So roadrutz rags on my post then turns his into a Pirelli commercial....nice. I used tire rack and the tires are also for SUVs.

gsrjc

I run the Pirelli Scorpions and they are great as the ML went through 2 feet of unplowed snowed last year in the Snowmaggedon that hit Washington DC. The tires are also very good in light snow and rain.

roadrutz

Some commercial: "Not great in deep fresh snow... noisy in the dry..." I wonder what a dispassionate critique would look like!

You are too sensitive. I was suggesting to the OP that he should consider a number of factors when thinking of winter tires, not just what other people's favorites are. I wasn't picking on you.

Benzo 003

It's all good roadrutz, no beef.

Love my tires, thats all. I looked at the Pirellis and the written reviews were not so good.

RBP

I've got Blizzak DM-V1 on my ML and I love them...I could climb a ski hill in them. My primary concern was grip in the snow and ice and not performance and I believe these to be the best for the severe winter conditions.

@ ZEMUN1234 TMPS aren't usually sold in Canada so you probably don't have it anyway. Check your valve stems and if they're rubber then you don't haveTPMS. TPMS doesn't work in the extreme cold and so they are rarely installed on Canadian spec vehicles.

C-rod

Pirelli Ice and Snow's.....255/55/19's............Up here in southern Ontario, don't kid yourself..it is not southern, you need good winter tires....l have no complaints about this tire... l would recommend them to anyone...

CDNROCKIES

First off, the Conti DWS are not winter tires. They are high performance all seasons that are designed to handle dry, wet and light snow. I run them as my summers on my X5.

We had a massive blizzard last Monday while I had the DWS's still on. They performed admirably for what they are, but are nowhere close to as capable as the Pirelli Scorpions that are back on the X5.

On our ML we run the Blizzak LM 25 4X4 and they are excellent.

zemun1234

I have checked and I have rubber valve stems. Once I have your attention, I am thinking go with smaller set tires for winters and some people go with 17" (my stock tires are 19", airmatic). My question is: can I put 17" tires or I can go only with 1 size smaller ?

10xthanks

MB Dave

I have LM 25's on my ML500 aswell. These tires are fantastic. Last winter was a walk in the park with them and I dont expect any less this winter.

lkchris

Try to find a reputable and professional mechanic who will accept the liablity of defeating a safety system.

jemfrap

winter's such a pain. I've gone through a couple good wheels in the past just to make it through the season

RBP

I put on 17" rims for my Blizzaks and have have the stock 19" all seasons for summer. I called my dealer to see what they recommended and they had suggested 17" for their ridiculously expensive winter package...so then I ordered the same size 17" setup from tirerack.com (no TPMS). One caveat however is that the DM-V1 have a low speed rating so bear that in mind if you have a tendency to drive over 160 km/h in winter.

troymir350

After some thought, I went down to 18" OEM wheels and Michelin Latitude Alpin HP ZP for winter (255 55 18). I'll put them on this week and we'll see how they work over the Christmas holiday. We'll be going north along Lake Superior to try them out in some good snow. I'll let you know what I think.

By the way, it will be interesting to see if the ride quality is any better with the taller sidewall than the OEM 19" runflat Bridgestones.

Benzo 003

I have the option built right into the dash computer to activate or deactivate the TPMS....look it up.

slickdevil

Does anyone know if Snow Tires (or an extra set of Rims) are covered under the First Class protection plan....

I am thinking about getting a set of snow's but wondering if I get a blowout or something if they will be covered under the Mercedes First Class Wheel and Tire protection plan....

Does anyone have any first hand experience with this.

troymir350

I've always had good experience with Michelin tires, and never had any experience with the winter versions. I've had them on for a week plus now, and all I can say is WOW! Quieter than the all season Bridgestones on dry pavement, and the ride is much more compliant (but I'm sure this has to do partially with the sidewall being larger). But, for runflats, the ride improvement is noticeable.

One more week and we head for deep snow (they have had almost 2 feet so far) and the real test will begin. I'll let you know, but so far, better than expected. We should put about 1,500 miles on the tires on our trip over the holidays so it should be a good test with freeways, state highways, and city driving (ok small town driving) with steep hills.

markpgizmo

I ended up going with the 235/60R18 Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1. I also passed on the TPMS and I just ignore the tire light.

They have been great during the one snowfall we have had and I like them so far. More snow coming this weekend. Stopping and turning in slippery conditions is definitely much improved. They have a really deep tread 13/32 and are very soft. One person commented that they may wear quickly. I agree they may wear quickly and only last 2 winter seasons.

I have an old 323i and bought Dunlop winter sport 3Ds for it. They are not as good in the snow as the blizzaks but they are good in cold wet conditions but the performance/handling is not nearly as compromised as the Blizzaks on the ML. But we don't push the ML hard so that is not an issue.

am_beagle

MLs in Canada never had TPMS sensors on their rims as their counterparts in the US do. The valve stems with electronic sensor are made of silver aluminum.
The Canadian TPMS use the mechanical system, not electronic one.