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2016 S550 switching from 20 inch to 19 inch AMG wheels
I’m looking to downsize the 20 inch wheels on mine to 19 inch for better ride quality and to avoid the havoc potholes wreak on the 20s. Anyone have experience with this swap?
2018 S560 4matic Sedan. Official member of the 18" RIM CREW.
No experience with 20s, but my last W222 had the staggered AMG 19s, with Pirelli All Season Cinturato Run-Flat tires. In the pothole ridden Northeast (including a lot of Manhattan driving), I had a total of two sidewall bubbles over three years and twenty-something thousand miles. No "blowouts" that required immediate attention.
I am happier with the 18s I have now, but the 19s work very well.
Thanks. I'm in NJ too, so I can relate to the pothole ridden roads around us. The 20s look amazing but with the Pirelli RFTs, they are incredibly sensitive to potholes. I've already had my rim repaired once. The more annoying thing is the constant vibration over 70mph. I know I can get alignment and rebalancing done after each event, but it's a pain. I had downsized the 21s on my GL550 to 19s and I've been a happy camper since.
All Cars Lost To Hurricane Isaac (W124 E420 revived - added 88 Allante 14 S550, 17 S63
Originally Posted by PatentLawyer
First instincts are often right, especially this time.
you won’t regret it... do see my thread on the repair compressors... there are counterfeits all over the place... I think I have it explained In The thread ...search “tirefit compressor question” .....down the thread a bit on the fake MB compressors... I also have the plug kit in my trunk... hope I don’t need either but the ride is 1000% better on my 18’s..
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
20’s look sexy, but that’s where much of anything good about them ends. As this young woman has found out, “sexy” can be VERY uncomfortable!
Another vote for 18” wheels on a W222. “And the ride is SO SMOOTH..............you must be a limousine!”
I am thinking seriously about going to 19s with non-RFTs. With this set up I should be able to set it and leave it in 'Sport' mode and enjoy the car more without undue jolts or noise from the road.
A set of 19s that just came off a S550 located in FL. Negotiating shipping and final price with the seller. I'll post my impressions once I have these in hand and installed with new non-RFT tires. The 20s are apparently in a lot of demand. I had posted them on FB marketplace and got flooded with interest. Turns out my worldview is in the minority!
I also have the 20s and have found multiple slow leaks due to small hairline cracks in the rim... Will be taking them to a rim repair place soon. I originally was going to switch to the smaller 19 inch rims but found they look a little odd in the wheel well compared to the 20s.
I also have the 20s and have found multiple slow leaks due to small hairline cracks in the rim... Will be taking them to a rim repair place soon. I originally was going to switch to the smaller 19 inch rims but found they look a little odd in the wheel well compared to the 20s.
I've had the same issue with the rim crack leaking over a few days. My wheel and tire insurance haggled with me and didn't want to replace the rim. Instead, they used a repair shop to get the rim fixed. They fixed it alright, but the entire situation bugs me. The 20s look incredible thought and I'll miss the look but the slight loss in proportions is worth the trade off in terms of ride quality and damage avoidance.
I'm sure you car nuts can relate. I've used this wheel situation as an excuse to start talking to my dealer (MB Manhattan) about possibly ordering the new gen G63 or the new S ;-) I love my current S so much (it's a 150k spec that I got as a CPO with very low miles) that it'll be mighty hard to get rid of it when the time comes but it still doesn't hold me back from peeking around! Ugh. #firstworldproblems
2018 S560 4matic Sedan. Official member of the 18" RIM CREW.
I am close to Manhattan but never thought once to do business with MB of Manhattan (or to ever buy a car from a dealer in Manhattan, period). Good dealership?
I am close to Manhattan but never thought once to do business with MB of Manhattan (or to ever buy a car from a dealer in Manhattan, period). Good dealership?
Yes, they are the only MBUSA corporate owned dealership, so they don't play games. No unexpected fees, terrific sales staff, etc. Downside, they don't negotiate on price as much as the other dealers might, but their service is top notch. I also happen to be on good terms with the head of sales there, which always helps.
The Michelin Primacy Tour A/S is the leading contender at the moment. I'm happy to be guided toward something better.
The sidewall design of the front tires is really different than the rears on those and will look very odd, the fronts have a very pronounced lip in the sidewall, almost a triangular shape. I had them and sent them back and replaced them with the Primacy MXM4 non run flat. Still a little different but not nearly as dramatically so.
The sidewall design of the front tires is really different than the rears on those and will look very odd, the fronts have a very pronounced lip in the sidewall, almost a triangular shape. I had them and sent them back and replaced them with the Primacy MXM4 non run flat. Still a little different but not nearly as dramatically so.
Heres a pic of what they look like on the car
Front:
Rears:
The MXM4 by comparison:
Front:
Rear:
Wow. That would bug me too! You just saved me a lot of hassle. Thank you. I notice you’re a Diamond White fan too ;-)
You guys and your ultra-sensitive butts make me laugh. I've got 19" AMG knock-offs currently on for winter duty and I'm jonzing to get those beautiful stock multi-spoke 20's back on next month. Even with the crappy RFT's, I still think it's a smooth ride on the stock 20's. I'm sure it'll be even better when I put non-RFT's on them next month. IMO, 19's look too small in that wheel arch and 18's look downright cartoonish, silly, and cheap with those little wheels and huge sidewalls. They scream Honda Accord and look hideous on a modern S-class to me. They may have been fine on a W140, but not a W222.
It just depends on whether you want the best ride or not. The 18s look too small I agree, I think the 19s look fine and sure the 20s are the best looking. But, I bought the car because I wanted the best ride possible...
You guys and your ultra-sensitive butts make me laugh. I've got 19" AMG knock-offs currently on for winter duty and I'm jonzing to get those beautiful stock multi-spoke 20's back on next month. Even with the crappy RFT's, I still think it's a smooth ride on the stock 20's. I'm sure it'll be even better when I put non-RFT's on them next month. IMO, 19's look too small in that wheel arch and 18's look downright cartoonish, silly, and cheap with those little wheels and huge sidewalls. They scream Honda Accord and look hideous on a modern S-class to me. They may have been fine on a W140, but not a W222.
More than ride quality, the bigger annoyance is the regular trips to the dealer to get the rims and tires replaced (albeit under insurance coverage). I think 19s are a decent tradeoff. But hey, to each their own. I am glad we could bring some humor to your day ;-)
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