SnowCub

I took a trip to Vermont last Fall and found myself in some very odd situations exiting curves. I felt like the front of the car and myself were on the same page but the rear end wanted to keep going, like some type of over steer situation. I have a 2013 S350 4Matic, with the AirMatic Standard suspension. Even with the suspension in sport mode it was doing something weird. Well if that happened last Fall, why am I posting now, you ask. Well I had snow tires on all till mid April (yes, Boston was still getting snow) and now that I'm back on regular tires and getting used to them again. I guess I'm exploring the limits. Today while getting on the Mass Turnpike, I really stomped on the go pedal. It was an entrance ramp that I have taken hundreds of times in my old 2006 E320 CDI at high rates of speed, but that car was very balanced and fun. Today, in my S, not balanced at all and yes, the suspension was in Sport mode. It felt very squirrely and unsettled.

I will be replacing my tires soon and I'm hoping that the oddness is from the tires. So I was wondering what other people have experienced when pushing these large cars through curves, exit/on ramps, etc? Is this normal? Or am I over cooking the corners on a non-AMG car?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Jaap

Get an alignment.
Have them check the suspension components for play while the car is up in the air.

Welwynnick

Tire pressures?

Strut bushes?

Ball joints?

Sub-frame mounts?

Nick

becosemsaida

I kind of had the same problem when i bought my S-class.... Checked tire pressure: way to low, checked tires for wear and they were good. Inflated with a bit more are and improved drastically, since i had a set of Michelin tires, that i don't like due to being too soft, i replaced them with a set of Falken (the same i tried on my BMW and was very surprised with the outcome) and since then NEVER had problems again. I now enter corners and it handles like an arrow.....

SnowCub

My tire pressure is 40 psi all around. I guess I'll put on new tires and get an alignment and see what happens. Going to try the Continental DW06. I'll report back with what I find.

S430AMG

Check your tires, but in general these are not sports cars. They are VERY heavy...I wouldn't push the limits, especially on turns.

If you like corners I would recommend a Miata

SnowCub

Miata is too small for me. When seated, I am looking over the windscreen.

SnowCub

After much back and forth, I decided against the DW06 because I have dedicated snow tires and don't need all-season tires. Instead I went with a set of Firestone Indy 500 (Ultra High Performance Summer) tires. They were really cheap and I had them installed in the parking lot at work by My Tire Guys, a mobile installer that was recommended on tirerack.com. The car is literally transformed. I am amazed at how different it feels than the OEM Continentals. Its now neutral in turns. Still heavy but doesn't feel like its going to fly into the weeds. I've only got 200 miles on them but so far so good. The ride is a bit firmer as well but not bad.

compaddict

iTrader: (1)

99% of cars understeer I can imagine our cars being any different. Something is wrong!