Jud Chapin

These S550 coupes come with run flats I'm told. I'm in the process of buying a '16 and am having them put new tires on. They're Michelins and I guess I could have them put on conventional or the run flats. Any opinions on which to get? FWIW, I've been driving for over 50 years and never had to change a tire on the road.
(Knock on wood)

ron104

Michelins are an excellent choice. Runflats are horrible tires. I never accept a car that has runflats installed. They ride hard and you will find the ride quality improves 100% with the Michelins. The BS the dealer tells you about driving 50 miles with a flat tire only applies when the tire is new. As the tire wears down the distance you can travel on a flat decreases dramatically. A runflat CANNOT be repaired, it must be replaced. The reason manufacturers provide runflats is they save the cost of a spare wheel and tire. When you produce a million cars/year that amounts to big bucks. The M-B service dept. has portable repair kit for fixing regular tires on the road.

Jud Chapin

Thanks. The car's a CPO and MB dealer says CPO cars must be replaced with run flats. Guess they don't want someone stuck along the road with no spare.

drbeck13

So, agree I am looking at a 2018 c43 with Pirelli Run Flats. What to suggest to replace then with?

ron104

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 or 4.

okbarnett

I have the pirelli run flats. They ride is pretty good I dont tell much difference in any other tire. The handling for more performance driving may not be as good I will find out next time Im in the mountains.

ron104

I concur in that runflats are acceptable on a SMOOTH road. The runflats gain their capability due to the lower half of the sidewall is conventional however the upper half of the sidewall is extremely stiff to support the car when there is no air in the tire. Therefore, when encountering a pothole/bump the entire car is jolted and it reminds me of Fred Flintstones car. In addition to poor ride characteristics the other deficiencies are: the tire cannot be repaired after a flat the tire MUST be replaced and the runflat range decreases as mileage on the tire increases. Dealers will try to sell you tires insurance because the tire must be replaced every time you have a flat or slow leak. This is insanity!!! Further, my personal experience is that I have found significant improvement in ride quality and handling when switching to a conventional tire. My dealer knows upfront that I will NOT accept a new car with runflats and they gladly install conventional tires( Michelins) prior to delivery.

2014CL600