Ok, I've looked at/read countless threads on wheel size & lowering modules. I purchased an s550 a few weeks ago, would like to customize it in a fairly modest way.. Starting with wheels of course.. I don't feel like making monthly trips to the wheel repair shop, (been there dont that), & don't feel like putting my CPO extended warranty at risk.

I'm pretty convinced on what wheel I wanna go with, (staggered 20" MRR HR3) 20x8.5, 20x9.5, Tire size 255-35-R20 front, & 275-35-R20 rear. I'd just hate to get them on there, & they look like crap cause the car sits too high.

Can anyone PLEASE post some pics of there wheel set-up with a NON-dropped install. It can't be as bad as people say it is.. Could it?

 

I am in the same dilemma as you so I posed the same question. Look at the s63 amg's. They have the same setup as yours with 20's and no drop.

I"ll be dropping my car with ghostlinks as I heard it doesn't change the ride (thanks phatisfy) and just looks better.

I'll have pics of my ride dropped and no dropped in a few weeks.

 

I've stared at s63's till I was blue in the face.. Several posts mentioned that the s63's have a slightly lower stance from the factory, for that aggressive look, so it's not a real comparison. Here's what further confuses me... I've seen a few stock s550 shots where the fender to wheel gap was pretty significant. On my s550, I can barely squeeze 2 fingers between the wheel & fender on the rear, & barely 3 fingers on the front with the stock 18's. & that was on a fairly level ground... Is that normal?? This might be a stupid question, but will the car raise a bit when I get the 20's or something??

 

ramos, do you know what the "S" and "C" option do for the car? Does it raise it or lower it?

Do you have this on your car?

Update: S or C does nothing to lower or raise the car. s = sport c = comfort

 

also ramos, i decided to put on my 20's this weekend on my s550 4matic with no drop....i'll let you know how it looks and will take some photos.

I have the same tires coming in...255/35/20 and 275/30/20 on 8.5 x 20 and 10 x 20.

 

Well.... Wheels are on order... Should have them mounted in less than 2 weeks. If they look like A$$, I guess I'll just have to deal with it.. I found this pic of my wheels online, that appear to me mounted with a stock suspension height. I love concave wheels & the solid look make the rims look like 22's, while maintaining the comfort & drivability of 20's. In my opinion, I think it looks hot. A nice classy, smooth, executive look... I refuse to Ghettorize my new benz & drive on rubber bands..

 

So i put the 20" wheels on my car with NO drop yet. After looking i have mixed feelings. Seems the suspension has a mind of it's down. Some angles I like but other times it looks like it needs a drop. What's your opinion?

Thanks.

 

That car really swallows up a 20" wheel.

 

Totally up to you, but I would absolutely NOT drop it.. It looks nothing like that pic you uploaded on your posting.. That other one looked like they raised the damn thing. 22's are sweet, they look good, but the minute you bang that first pothole, you'll be kicking yourself in the *** while you sit on the side of the road. Take a 100k vehicle, sit it on 22's with nothing more than a rubberband between wheel & asphalt, Drop it so it's .25" from rubbing? hmm... Unless I'm single & all my friends weigh less than 12lbs each, It aint gonna happen. This is my daily driver, I''m married, & my 11yo daughter is a tad over 12lbs...I'll stick with 20's & no drop. Looks good to me bro.

 

Couldn't agree with you more...actually my goal was to buy a 550 and put 22's on it and use it for a weekend car only. But after buying the car, it was so nice that I would think that 22's will ruin the car since I live in NY and I wanted to enjoy it with my family as well. I have a 10 and 5 year old and my wife in the car.

Thanks for the feedback. The other comment is that it swallows 20's. I agree but look at how a drop would change this...

Take a look at this amg with stock 20's but still rethinking the drop.

 

No doubt that it looks better dropped. You just have to ask yourself.. What's more important? If you do it, get one that can be adjusted on the fly.. People on here are always talking about that Rentech module.. Don't forget we got seasons to battle... sleet & snow + drop that you can't reverse = pain in the donkey..

 

Its true but the reason why his wheels look super small compared to the amg cars is becuase of the mult-piece look of the wheels.

Any time you have the bolts and lip multi-piece look, you are essentially losing one inch in your wheel size visually because the spokes dont extend out to the rim of the wheel. The amg wheels spokes extends to the rim's edge therefore making the wheel appear larger.

 

I don't know but the car look's really high? IMO you should drop it and get rid of the wheel gap. Your wheel will look better...

 

Yes I want to do it so badly also..it's just that my car was just purchased and still under warranty.

Phat, when you pull into gas stations or driveways, do you scrap underneath?

Thanks.

 

My guess is, to get as low as phatisfy, you gotta cut, snip, grind, roll, smack it up, flip it AND rub it down... Looks bad azz tho...

 

I don't scrape, all my car's are lowered so I'm used to driving it low.

 

phat, i hate to sound like a broken record as I asked this many times ( to you privately to)..but ride is not bouncy at all and feels like stock? My wife will be in the car too and if it has slight hint of a dropped bouncy car, she will hate it and that'll be the end of it for me

btw, how are the roads in boston?

 

Happy wife, happy life... Don't risk it

 

The roads in Boston is not so great either.I hit pot holes here and there.I'm not going to lie. If you lower your car,lets say 2.5inches front,and rear.The car will not be bouncy. When I had my stock 19's on.My car was lowered as mentioned, and my car was not bouncy at all. Why don't you just mess around with the ride height and have a feel of where you're comfortable with?

 

I'm with Phat on this one, I dropped my car quite a bit a little less than phat's car. You cannot tell the difference, you gotta remember that you're lowering the suspension using stock air components, nothing is changed by doing this. It's not like changing out shorter springs, the shorter springs need to be stiffer to compensate the shorter springs.

 

+1
And also why ur car looks higher and the amg one lower is because of the amg bumpers which are bigger and wider, they make car look bigger which makes wheels look smaller, which balances out the look of the car and wheels.
When i first put 20s on my non-sport s430 they looked too big and car looked higher, after amg kit they looked more proportionate.

 

If you're worried about warranty issues, research the Magnusson-Moss Act. MB has to prove that you lowering the vehicle is the cause of any damage they try to deny a warranty claim on.

I vote 20s with a drop. 22's are too big in my opinion.

 

When it comes to warranty it seems to be different in the country I live. My car is lowered using SDS by the Mercedes dealer I bought the car from. The lowering do not affect the warranty as long as it have been done by mb.

 

22" even look small on our cars, stock 19's? forget it.

 

Yeah, My MB dealership is WAY too tight assed. They looked at me like a had 6 heads when I asked if they could lower mine after I decide on wheels.. They basically told me Absolutely Not!, in a nice a way.. I think it's pure