MTrauman

On this forum it is well documented that on the '14 and '15 S550 Sport Package with the 20 inch wheels many people are having issues with the runflats.


I on the other hand have a '14 S550 4matic Sport Package with the 19inch AMG wheels and have not had any problems with the horrible PA roads.


I do not believe our roads in PA are like Manhattan in NY since I was there a month ago and I thought my cab was going to be swallowed by the rotten Manhattan roads. With that said a number of years ago I crushed a wheel on a MB E class 4matic on the PA turnpike.


Other people appear to have decent luck with the 19inch AMG wheels and the standard 18inch wheels on the '14 and '15 S550s.


Hope this helps some!

Vik888

Taking delivery of a 2015 S550 w/ the 20" wheels next week. I'm not sure what to do. I'm in SoCal and the car is for my parents.

Part of me wants them to have a better ride w/o runflats although they are happy with the ride quality because the roads here are not bad.

Part of me is worried about bubbles, etc. but if they do have a flat, it is nice to know they don't have to pull over and replace a tire.

DaveVY

If you have decent roads I would not expect any problems with the tires. We have a little over 5k miles on our 2014 S550 (w 20" wheels) and have not had any bubbles or other tire malfunction issues. But we are in central FL with nice roads (unlike what we read about or see in pics from NY). Yes, the non-run flats would give a better ride but I wouldn't be worried about tire malfunction on stereotypical So Cal roads.

michaelslx

MTrauman,

Thanks for the reply! :-) You're driving a 2014 S 550 4Matic, have you have any issues? How long have you had your car? What wheels do you have? I also want the S 550 4Matic, I was just going to get the standard 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels wheels that come with the car, to avoid any problems. But when I found out about the run flats, I chose to wait and do a little more research. I would definitely want a nicer set of rims, but I know they'll be a problem.

But I guess it's too early to tell, since there aren't many S550s on the road yet..

Not all the roads here are great, some have huge pot holes. I'm on Long Island, But drive in to the city for work all the time.. The FDR, Downtown Manhattan, etc..

I'm trying to decide if I do move forward, what is less risky for cracked rims? A 20-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels or the 18 inch?

MTrauman

I have a '14 S550 4matic with 4,000 mile on it. I picked it up in early February. No issues to date. The car has the Sport Package with the 19 inch AMG wheels. I have hit some pretty big pot holes with no problem. Unfortunately for me, I too live where potholes are all over the place. I do not think you would have a problem with the runflats on the 19 inch AMG wheels if you get the Sport Package with them. If you get the Sport Package with the 20 inch wheels that appears to be where all the problems exist.


Personally I do not like the 18 inch standard wheels but many people do. So my best advice is pick either the 18 inch standard wheel or the Sport Package with the 19 inch AMG wheels and avoid the Sport Package with the 20 inch AMG wheels. I have not heard a lot of discussion about the 5 spoke 20" wheels--sorry.

AppleFan1

For what it's worth, I decided to get mine with the standard 18 inch wheels and I'm happy with them. I have hit some pot holes here in Des Moines, IA, but have had zero issues.

SB_NYC

Update-

mbusa said they will not swap my tires to non runflats. However, they are offering me a credit of $800 towards the dunlop non runflats and I may keep the runflats on the car now.

Should I keep pushing for a full no cost swap or take the 800 and use it as a back up set?

Chucky300

Yes - push till they swap for free. Show them this forum thread.

jrpisha

I agree with Chucky; keep working with your Dealer until you resolve this to your satisfaction. Armed with the fine work and documentation provided by the folks on this board, I was able to work my SalesPerson / Dealer into absorbing 100% of the cost of the swap to non-runflats for my yet-to-be built 2015 S550 4MATIC. I don't get to keep the runflats - but I didn't want them in the first place.

My car is supposed to be produced next week - very exciting... I can't wait to meet her...

michaelslx

Wait, if they swap the run flats, to Non-Run Flat Tires, then you won't have a spare tire.. What's the back up plan?

sagers2

Def keep pursuing this. My service rep used the $2500 dollar keep the customer happy cushion built into every car to get this done for me. He called Mercedes himself and they were no help but I got it done this way no cash out of pocket. He also included a tirekit in case of a flat. It is a legitimate complaint as I feel it was misleading not telling me that my 20" tires were run flats which I hate. They are listed as performance tires in the brochure.

steve4922

I considered a new S550 until I heard MB was using runflats. I have a 2011 BMW 750Li with 20" runflats, and the tires are a nightmare. A big, heavy car + runflats with thick, inflexible sidewalls + low profile, 20" rims + Houston potholes = 9 replaced tires (and two wheels) during 36 months/14,000 miles.

I sometimes drive the car to deep east Texas, where there are no BMW dealerships to be found. What if I blew a tire? The 50 miles you can safely drive the runflats would not get me back to Houston, and there's obviously no spare.

I will never, ever buy another car with runflat tires. My BMW lease is about to end, so I suppose it will be an Audi A8 or Lexus LS for me.

jrpisha

A couple options, really. None of these are sold through dealers in the US, so we're forced to gather from other sources. There's the Mercedes Benz TIREFIT kit option, , there are others here who are pursuing a "doughnut spare" along with a rudimentary tool kit (jack & lug wrench), or a space-saver tire & tool kit option.

michaelslx

Hi Steve, I have the same problem as you. I drive a 2012 750, and replaced about 14 rims, and 1 tire. I've had enough of it too.

I have always had the S class, so I wanted to go back to it. Until this week when I went to buy a new 2015 S class, they told me the car comes in the run flats.

So I was very disappointed and put a hold on my purchase. The whole point to get rid of my BMW, is to not have the run flats.. so I just couldn't go and buy a new S class, with run flats.. and I'm in New York.. so the roads here are horrible.

However, from my initial research, I found out that Mercedes does not have too bad of a problem with their run flats.. I wanted the standard "ugly" wheels that come with the car, to avoid run flats, but all S class vehicles are now coming out with run flats.

So, I am doing a lot of research, and joined this forum to see if anyone has had any problems with the standard 18 inch wheels.. But some of the guys here are in California, and over there, they don't have the bad roads like we do here...

You said you were going for a Lexus or an Audi? I'm not sure, but a friend of mine told me all luxury vehicles are starting to be released with run flats..

But getting this car, and these wheels, was the worse thing I did!! :-)

steve4922

I just took a test drive in a 2014 Lexus LS460 L, and that car has regular tires with a full size spare. The specs for the Audi A8 indicate that it also has the same setup.

I've no doubt that the S550 is a better car than the Lexus, but after my experience with my BMW 750Li, runflat tires are pretty much a deal killer for me--with the poor condition of the roads in Houston, I do not want to take the risk of going through that again.

Wolfman

I have never seen any BMW owner liking runflats but this an easy change. I changed to standard Continental Extreme DWS tires with a tirefit kit and am good to go. Best money spent

Cptdenny

I have the 20" five spoke run flats on my S550 which now have about 400 miles on them. Prior to purchasing this car last week, I test rode back to back to back a 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost, my now S550 and a 2014 Lexus LS460. The S550 with the 20" run flats were smoother riding than the other 2 vehicles mentioned. I don't know what type of tires were on the other two vehicles.

TomS

As you learned, you certainly should not take the dissent about the run flats expressed on this forum as universal. I have the exact same tires as you--53R 5-spoke 20" run flats--and I love the ride. Nor do I notice excessive noise. Granted, I too am in Florida (Tampa area) so the roads are considerably better here than in the Northeast (as my recent trip up the seaboard in the S550 can attest). I am very satisfied with the run-flat tires on my car and would not have any reason to change.

I had a trip report I posted in another thread where I said people in the Northeast should be demanding their money back if they pay gas taxes for road improvements. I cannot believe what passes for roads up there. They were awful! And I didn't even get the worst of it. I drove an extra 90 minutes to go around NY when I went from Hartford to Washington, D.C. via Scranton.

Enjoy the ride.

Cptdenny

Thanks Tom.
I figured I would just give my limited experience/input on these run flats. I'm reading all I can from everyone here on their advice & experience on their S550s.

BTW My roots are from the NYC area.

Besides, It's one way to get me off Face Book.

LovinMercedes

Are your run flats Goodyear or Pirelli?

Cptdenny

Pirelli P-Zero.

LovinMercedes

That was good luck for you. People seem to feel that the Pirelli's are more comfortable than the Goodyear.

I've mostly seen Goodyear on the cars. I sure hope my car comes with Pirelli's.

Cptdenny

It was bound to happen one day, I finally lucked out.

TomS

I have the Goodyear RFT so what I said before is relative to them.

LovinMercedes

That is encouraging. Thanks.