I have a 2010 ML350 BlueTec (Diesel). I was driving on a Sunday afternoon from Florida to Georgia and just as I crossed over the Georgia state line I had a rapid loss of tire pressure in a Run Flat Tire. The TPMS came on to warn me of the pressure loss. I was able to stop and put air in the tire, but I had to stop every 30 minutes for 200 miles to get home. As everyone knows, the problem is that with the Run Flat Tires there is no spare and the tires cannot be repaired. Additionally, there was no where in South Georgia on Sunday evening to get a replacement tire. Every 30 minutes the TPMS warning light would come, so I had to stop 6 times to fill the tire up with air. My other choice would have been to stop and spend the night in hotel but I had a important meeting to attend in Atlanta Monday morning. Today, I am considering my choices for replacement tires. This is ridiculous; each time that you have a flat tire it is a least a $700.00 repair. The dealer recommends that all 4 tires to be replaced since it is a 4-wheel tire but will let you get by with only replacing two on the same axle. The Bridgestone Run Flat Tires are $350.00 each at the Mercedes dealer. This is the second time that I had a flat tire on this vehicle. The Bridgestone Run Flat Tire does not come with a mileage warranty. I am now considering replacing all the Run Flat Tires with a traditional tire and carrying a pump and sealant kit. At least, I will able get the tire repaired when needed. If there is a catastrophic failure of tire, i.e. I will have to pull over and wait for a tow truck; but I would have to do the same with a Run Flat Tire. What I am missing? Is there anything else that I should consider before I make the switch?

 

A fellow MBCA member purchased non- runflats, a compact spare and lugnuts. He had his wife make a nice vinyl bag for the spare and never looked back.

 

Just a suggestion but if the roads in South Georgia are anything like they are in mideast Alabama, you're going to want to be able to repair those tires! I can't go more than about a half-mile without seeing the remnants of a big-rig's blown out recaps. Screws, nails, and minor tire damage seems to be normal around here...

We used Goodyear Eagle on ours when we replaced them, and they've been great. Cheap, handle well, and wear fairly evenly. No complaints so far...

As was said earlier, look into getting a spare. The previous CDI models had a space saver spare in the cargo compartment. A wrecking yard should have one lying around...

 

Which spare tires donut from what years and models fit a 2010 ML350 BlueTec with 19 inch wheels?

 

Update. After talking to the tire service manager about my options for tires. I decided to go with Michelin Latitude Tour HP ZP. The Bridgestone did not come with a tread warranty. I was told if i purchased non - Run Flat Tires they would not be warranted. According to the service manager the Michelins can be repaired; Bridgestones cannot be repaired. The Michelins had to be special ordered, 3 - 5 business days. In the meanwhile, I needed a car to get to work, so I attempted to the have the Bridgestone Run Flats repaired by tire shop; there was a 2-inch nail close to the sidewall. The repair performed by the tire shop lasted a day before the tire again loss all of its air. I was also told by the tire service manager, if I had used "Slime" tire sealant, the new tires would not be warranted and I could have damaged the TPMS. Hopefully, the Michelin's will give me better service. I did purchase the Continental ContiComfortKit for emergency repairs. I realize that this is not a perfect solution; but at some point feeling secure out on the road has to be paramount. I was always taught a spare tire is a critical safety measure for automobile travel. When I was in the Army, it would be severe punishment for any driver that left garrison without a serviceable spare tire. I cannot believe the Mercedes would sell a SUV that is designed to go off-road without a spare. Just does not make good sense. Now, I have a 2010 vehicle with only 80,000 miles that I am considering replacing only because it does not have a spare tire. I am at retirement age; I know that my driving with be less in the coming years. But I need a vehicle that will not leave me stranded on the side of the road. I think that this is my last diesel Mercedes SUV. The ML250 is not a replacement that I will consider, engine is too small, under powered and too little torque.

 

The spare from an 06-08 ML320/350 should work. Just make sure you get the proper lugnuts. I see you did find a solution. Its amazing the number of luxury cars that have runflats now. BMW is one that I believe puts runflats on all models regardless of fuel used.

 

There appears to be a lot of angst... yes it was inconvenient to add air periodically, but the damaged tire got you home. Yes, adding "slime" could potentially damage the TPS sensor, but that would be no different then your idea of " replacing all the Run Flat Tires with a traditional tire and carrying a pump and sealant kit". The TPS would be just as damaged. In fact, if you had used the "slime" method you most likely would have made it home without the need to add air to the run flat.
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Maybe I am just extraordinarily lucky, but I have driven over 240,000 miles on the run flats across both my ML's without a serious issue. In fact, the one tire that did pick-up a nail in the center of the tread was repaired at the dealer. The caveat being that the tire was dismounted and an internal "tulip" style patch was used instead of the traditional externally installed rubber plug.
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The fact that the tire can maintain its drivability with zero pressure is still a comfort to me as opposed to having to immediately change a standard tire, on the side of the road and in traffic.