Maxxpower

1st time Mercedes owner here and I'm trying to figure out the best tire combination for my 2015 S. My old Cadillac DTS is actually quieter and smoother than this car which pretty much stuns me considering the cost difference. Personally I think and am hoping it is all in the tires. Currently the S has the factory Continental run flats on it and they need to go! My question is what is the best tire available in the sizes required.. smoothest and quietest are my top concerns which I believe eliminates another set of run flats. My other question is.. can I get a space saver spare to throw in the trunk when I have the extra room? (I have read both that they are and aren't available for the AMG 19" wheels/brake package)

Any help or insight through experience would really be appreciated!

Streamliner

If they are available in your size(s), I HIGHLY recommend the Bridgestone Serenity Plus conventional tires. I have them on my 2015 S550, but I have 18" wheels and no AMG Sports Pkg. My car is "THE" best riding, quietest, most comfortable car I have ever owned, and I've had many Lexus, BMW, etc. to compare it to. I also have a 2013 S550 compact spare in my trunk. You never know when the worst might happen. Good luck.

ItalianJoe1

I would agree with those Bridgestone Turanza Serenity tires, they are fantastic if they are available in your size.

As for the spare, most S classes come with a full size spare or none. All the newer ones with runflats don't have spares. As mentioned above you could get something from another model but you'd have to test fit it over the brakes to be safe.

e55phil

Welcome! The run flats are a big issue for many people here. Many of us have looked for a small spare with no luck.

Next time I am in Europe I will try to visit a dealer and see what they have

For now the only option is to lose trunk space

As for tires I like the Contanential DWS. to me those are the best for your car

Maxxpower

Thanks for the replies!

Looks like both are available in my staggered 19" size if the Continentals are DWS 06's? From the ratings I see on Tire Rack the Continental seems to beat the Bridgestone in every category including noise. Not sure if I should believe it or not, but at least I have a couple of possibilities now.

Looking forward to hearing any other comments or thoughts.

ItalianJoe1

I worked at a Firestone store on miami beach for several years, dealing with all kinds of high-end tires. We sold many of the better Bridgestone tires, and as we were a Tire Rack certified installer and those DWS conti's are the cheapest option in a lot of sizes, they were popular as well. They are certainly not a bad tire, but no match for the better options out there.

I believe, from personal experience with a set of General UHP tires on my Cobalt SS back in the day, that tire-rack reviews are largely put up by people who have no idea what good tires are, so cheap tires get rated very highly by the general public. I bought the generals because they were extremely highly rated and well reviewed, despite the fact that they were half the price of the BFG KDW2 I had run prior. They were fine tires, but absolutely no match for the "older" BFG in any actual performance category. I regularly street raced the car, and had so little traction with the Generals I had to resort to running my dedicated drag tires on the weekends for racing, instead of using my normal tires except for special occasions as I had with the KDWs.

Just my opinion and experience, but I feel the ratings on the online sites are biased BECAUSE of the cost, where they should be exclusive of it.

e55phil

I liked the DWS because I live in the north east and I drive in the snow but I also want a tire that handles well on dry roads. Imagine it has a lot to do with where you live. If you live in the Northeast you might want tire that handles well in all weather. Maybe these other tires to as well and I just don't know about them.

I almost bought Michelin I forget the model I looked at but I think it was a Pilot, Sport, a/s but I might be wrong about that nomenclature.

In the end I stayed with continental because I had good experienced with them.

However when I bought my 2014 I was stuck with those run flats. I'm afraid to run with tires without any spare and I hate to sacrifice my entire trunk for a spare tire. Until I come up with a solution I'm staying with the runs flats even though I hate them

Maxxpower

Thanks for the thoughts guys. I know what you mean about being biased based on cost for some people, but reviews seem pretty consistent among a fair number of respondents?

I live in Southern Ontario, but drive an SUV in the winter so this car will only see wet/dry roads and virtually never ice/snow so that is not a concern.

If I can't find a space saver spare I might consider a new set of run flats if there is better technology that provides a better ride and less noise than the original Continentals? Would love to hear any thoughts about the best run flat for noise and ride quality?