Frenetic

This is my first time owning run flats and I hate them. They’re so stiff even with lowered pressures and the grip isn’t good. They’ll slide over manhole covers on slow speed turns. I have the Pirelli All-Season MO Run Flats with noise dampening. I assumed the technology has improved over years considering the bad rap they had years ago but it doesn’t seem that way to me.

I’m ordering new tires soon and saving these wretched things for my lease turn in. I’ll take my chances with an air compressor and fix-a-flat.

chassis

Agreed, runflats are garbage. If you have time to kill, try surfing the German-market product configurator to see which wheel size and tires are offered on S-Class in Germany. It would not surprise me if 19" wheels with non-runflats are the default base/lowest model wheel and tire.

Responsibility for many stooge-ish product decisions like runflats-as-standard lay squarely on the shoulders of country Sales management, in this case MBUSA.

Streamliner

Actually, you can order a new S580 4-Matic in Germany with 18” wheels and run flat tires are OPTIONAL. MBUSA decided to shove the larger brakes down our throats, so 19’s are the smallest available with the bigger brakes. As one who drives at reasonable speeds, I would have MUCH preferred the standard brakes, 18” wheels, conventional tires and RWD. I am quite sure ride quality would be reasonably superior with such a setup. My opinion is that the larger brakes, larger wheels, run flats and 4-Matic should have all remained options, as they were on the W222 models, with the exception of the run flats. Run flats should NEVER have been part of a true luxury sedan. AND, there should be a full size, matching spare under the trunk floor, where it belongs!

E63SAMG2014

I’ve ditched mine at full tread. Absolutely trash!! Never RFT!!!

chassis

Even better. Lower unsprung mass from smaller brakes and more sidewall with 18" wheels, plus air suspension, would deliver a sublime S-Class ride.

Streamliner

The amazing thing is that we are minorities. Most W222 & W223 folks here are still on the RFT and they will be happy to tell us how pleased they are with them.

Frenetic

There actually isn’t too many options for 20s vis-a-vis Tire Rack and Discount Tire. I’ll probably get either Michelin Pilot Sport 4S or the Continental Sport Contact 5P. Or maybe the Pirelli PZero.

tbirdvet

Not all RFT ride and handle the same. If you do some Google search you will find some comparison tests. I have Conti RFT and they perform very close to my non RFT on my other MB. However, i do run the lowest air pressure permitted which does improve the ride with my 19" wheels.

S_W222

You can't go wrong with the CONTINENTAL EXTREMECONTACT DWS 06 PLUS.
Useful thread below with some good discussions. I have them on my S560 and I love them. This is my 2nd S-class and my 4th set or type of tires I am trying since I had my pervious S-class. They are extraordinary soft.

Forgot to attach the link: https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...tal-one-4.html

MBS63AMG

On my Audi S8, my 21" wheels with Pirellis P Zeros (non RFs) are as smooth and quiet as any tire/wheel combo I've ever experienced; even better than on my 20" Michelin combo of my previous '19 S560. For some reason, certain cars don't work well with this combo but keep in mind, I found out that there are over 20 different P Zero styles, not just one! I spoke with my tire discount guy about this and I told him how so many W223s were having blowouts and all and he pointed it out to me about the different variants of P Zeros. I don't know off-hand exactly which P Zeros I have.

MBS63AMG

I personally never had issues with RFs but I am aware of the increased noise they produce (like Streamliner described them, it sounds like the ringing sound of a large rubber ball when bounced on a gymnasium floor, but a constant ringing sound). I did hear that sound but it just different bother me, plus I drove my MBs a lot out in the country for work purposes, where you didn't see a town for many, many miles and for me, I needed the RFs. With my Audi, I keep a flat tire kit with me and a strong, but small, compressor in the trunk at all times.