Peternovi

I am looking to purchase rims and I am not sure whether to get 20" or 22".

Benz-O-Rama

Does your 350 have airmatic? I would think if you have a 350 with base suspension and you upgrade from an 18 inch wheel to a +4 22" wheel, you're gonna compromise ride quality. You're gonna be running a very thin tire on a 22 inch rim. I personally, wouldn't do it. Maybe 20's ... maybe.

My airmatic equipped R500 has 19's on it, and I can feel the difference from the 18 inch wheels.

My $.02

Peternovi

Benz-0 What do you think of these rims on a white chrome package r350

f-rod

Is the difference good or bad?

Benz-O-Rama

Not a big fan of chrome but I think on a white R with chrome package it should look pretty damn good.

Benz-O-Rama

Both.

Little bit better handling and a bit stiffer over bumps.

RDriver

I second Benz-0-Rama on better handling / stiffer over bumps. To get a real experience of this, try to take out a C230-Sport (thin tires) Service Loaner the next time you bring your car in for service.

Last month I drove a C230-Sport for 5 days:
- Felt quiet a bit different the first day.
- Got excited and had fun in cornerings and felt the firm/responsive handling the 2nd, 3rd, 4th days.
- Started to feel the stiffness on the ride (ie. less comfort) by the 5th day.
- Was glad to return the C230-Sport for my R on the 6th day.

Benz-O-Rama

You never said if your R has Airmatic or not. The airmatic will help a bit. I have it on both my E500 and R500 and love it. My E is lowered with 19's and the ride stiffened up a little...well, maybe more than a little. My R500 has factory MB 19's and I'm still at stock height. If you put 22's on there, There is going to be an unsightly fender gap. You're most likely gonna lower it, I'm assuming. So, if you go from stock 18's at factory height to 22's with thin rubber on shortened springs, it's definitely gonna be stiff. See where I'm going with this? But if you have the airmatic it will help a bit. My suggestion is 20's and lower it 1" and it should look killer.

Whatever you do, make sure to post some pics.

Peternovi

Thanks Benz-O & RDriver. I am not sure about the Airmatic. My R has a P2 package if that means anything. What do u think of a suspension kit to lower it?

Every aftermarket rim shop keeps telling me the 22" is not a problem but when I call Mercedes they say 19" is all they recommend. I am sure the aftermarkets are looking for the extra $. I am waiting for a service manager who I know through a friend to call me. RIght now I have an Infiniti FX 45 with 20” rims and it looks great but the wheel base on the FX is about 14” less then the R. If I go 20", then I will get the ones attached.

What to do, what to do.

Benz-O-Rama

The way to tell if it has airmatic is easy. Do you have a button on your center stack that when pressed will raise the whole vehicle up about 3 inches? If not, then you have standard springs. It's about a 1500.00 option, so I'd think you'd know if you had it. If you have the airmatic, check out www.adjustableairride.com ($250.00) for lowering. If you have springs, check out www.hrsprings.com ($369.00)

Either way, you can definately go bigger than 19's. It's just how much of the silky smooth ride are you willing to compromise?

Peternovi

Well Benz-O you the man! I am getting the chrome MRR GT-1 20". This is the first time I noticed you had those rims. I liked your rims but never really knew they were MRR. I just found the MRR rims on the net.

DannyM383

dont go with 22's, I dont know about the R, but I have an S550 w/ sport package, I took the wheels off and put 22" on it and it looked great, after 2 months I hated the ride, good thing I kept the original wheels in my garage. Its one of those thing you wanna do until you actually do it and then hate it.Good luck and do what makes you happy

Peternovi

Thanks all. As soon as I get the rims on which should be in about 2 weeks, I will post a pic.

Benz-O-Rama

If you haven't ordered them yet, talk to Derrick at D2autosport.com

He's a sponsor of this board and tell him Clayton sent you.

Good luck!

WhiteBlazer01

I am currently working on a R 500, which has 22's. I can post some pics if you like (possibly tomorrow). I haven't driven it to explain the ride quality, but I can ask the owner. As far as looks, well... yea, it looks good.

-Paul

Benz-O-Rama

Yeah man, post some pics!

WhiteBlazer01

Here you go! (Sorry Benz-O-Rama, my background is not as nice as yours. )

(Click on the picture for a full size image)

MERCEDES_R63AMG

i have a r350 4matic with 22's and i will tell you that it will kill your suspension. my car drives like **** now because i put those on but it looks hoootttttttttttttttttttt!!!

R. Reyes

The biggest rim option that MB has for the R is 21". And that includes the R63. That should give you an idea.

However, 22's and even 24's will fit, and for sure will alter the ride characteristics dramatically (24's). The 22's will for sure stiffen up the ride w/out the lowering, as Benz-O said, after lowering, well it's not quite C230 or M3 ride stiff, but close. Speed bumps in parking lots become a major headache, much less pot holes and rough two lane roads.

I had 22's for about 3 days, before taking them off and putting the stock back on. The next ones will be 20" max.

rollnsf

I put 20" brabus replica wheels on mine.

I like the ride MUCH better than the stock 18", as it's removed some of the flex from the higher profile sidewall of the stock tires, so the car feels more stable at high speed, especially on twisties. But the ride remains very comfortable. I wish I had gone with a little larger tire to eat up some of the wheel gap.

I am debating lowering the vehicle. I have no doubt it will look better lowered, but I also like a little bit of softness to the ride. If I were going to lower the car, I would definitely want to stay with 20s. I am guessing the ride with 22s lowered would be way too stiff.

I got the R for big loads or long trips, I have an SLK if I want to tear up some backroads.

rollnsf