JTK44

Did a quick search of threads on this forum but was unable to find the answer – if it is already out there please let me know and I will attempt to close this thread.

My 2019 E450 came with run flat (RF) tires and of course did not come with either a spare or a doughnut. Just returned from two long road trips - one to upstate NY the other to Vermont for a week of skiing. On each trip I had a bit of apprehension: If I had a flat I was more than 100 miles from a Mercedes dealer or tire store that carries RF.

In the trunk is a huge compartment very similar in size to the compartment of my 2016 E350 which had a doughnut in the compartment.

Before I knock myself out, has anyone figured out whether or not a doughnut will fit in this compartment? My tires are 245X45X18.

I realize that the wheel will have to have enough offset to allow the brakes to operate and lug bolt pattern to fit.

Thanks!

JTK44

Almost 200 views and no suggestions?????????

Am I the only one worried about getting a flat with no spare and being more than 100 miles from the nearest Mercedes dealer or tire store that carries RF?

rbrylaw

Sorry, not ignoring you. I just didn't worry about it with the previous cars with RFT's and I'm not overly worried with the current cars.

Cao Black

Not an easy answer. Below is a link to a compact spare for W213...which has now been discontinued according to that site. Maybe still available elsewhere, or has been replaced/upgraded. Check with your dealer. Not sure, but I think TireRack sell some generic types. I have no idea about the fitment into the trunk well.

https://www.mercedesbenzpartscenter....ItMGwtbDQtZ2Fz

Here's a repair kit. Other sources have similar choices, but be aware that there are some potential negatives to using this stuff.

https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/12v+tire+inflator+repair+system.do?from=Search&cx= 0

There's always MB Roadside...and I suspect that is what most of us are relying on (but hoping we never need).
Both of this links, BTW, came from searching previous threads.

Good luck.

ua549

There are many posts on this forum regarding spare tires for the W213. I'll save you some time. Here is a link to my repository of posts regarding W213 maintenance and other interesting tidbits. Look for the W213 Spare Tire file.

As Cao Black posted the lower well in a W213 will NOT hold a spare tire. To verify this simply measure the width/height of the well and compare it to the diameter of the spare tire.

gfmohn

In May I bought aftermarket wheels at the same time I replaced the runflats. The old wheels are stored at my local independent shop, wth the old tires still mounted on them. My AAA+ membership will tow (on a flatbed truck) my car back there from as much as 100 miles away. A 100 mile radius from our suburb west of Boston takes in most of southern New England. And a real New Englander would ask, "Why would anyone want to go anywhere else?"

However, I am not a real New Englander, so I understand that 100 miles does not go nearly as far in the larger states west of the Hudson. Even within 100 miles of Boston, Also, the pleasure of a a Mercedes owner's trip would be seriously reduced by an unexpected end, with he and his partner having to endure a ride back to their neighborhood auto shop in the cab of a tow truck. A ride like that that wouldn't work at all for a family. And some trips don't take well to being expectedly ended, such as trips to a wedding or funeral or trips to an airport.

(Added 01/15/19, 19:33) I forgot to mention that I also have a ContiComfortKit, by Continental. This is a compressor and a bottle of sealant. This was made in Germany; It was the only such kit that did not get reviews like, "broke on first use." The ContiComfortKit has been discontinued and replaced by the ContiMobilityKit. Note that the specifications of the ContiMobilityKit include, "Ensuring an unaltered driving performance for another 200 km at a maximum 80 km/h." That probably also applied to the ContiComfortKit, and I think it is unlikely that any of the lesser, competing brands do any better.

I once drove my previous Mercedes (see my Signature, below) to Denver and back. It had a spare. If I ever follow my dream to visit my sisters in Rochester, NY, Asheville, NC, and Phoenix, AZ (and back!), I guess I will have to use most of my trunk for one of my old wheel/tire sets.

threeMBs

OP:

1. No wheel/tire (donut or not) will fit in area under floor.

2. I took a spare from my former C218 '14 CLS550 (same spare was used in my former W212 '14 E550 as well), MB P/N A 2124013302 18x4.5 et36, removed 155/60-18 (25.3" diameter) donut tire, installed on it bought from the TireRack 135/80-18 (26.5" diameter which is close to W213 OEM diameter) donut tire, and carry the donut assembly (25 or less lbs total weight) in the trunk. Does it take some space? Yes, but less than a full size spare wheel/tire, and I do have piece of mind that am not getting stranded.

ua549

The tires are easy to purchase. Finding a wheel other than at a MB parts counter is difficult. Tire Rack has tires but no wheels.

threeMBs

Check eBay. There are several listings. Also online MB parts dealers may carry it under A2124000202 (must be 18" and fitted to E550 TT and CLS550, those only for E350/250, E/CLS400 will not fit E450 front, because E450 has same front 14.2" rotors and calipers as 550s).

c4004matic

Gave up trying a long time ago. It simply does not exist. I have a compressor based can of "fix a flat" type system in my trunk. The other option is putting a spare in the trunk that takes half the space. If you have a major tire failure your only option is the MB SOS or a tow truck. The fact, is that in the last 30 years and 100s of thousands of miles I've only had to change a tire 1 time. Those are pretty good odds.

JTK44

Thanks guys!

The tire fix, "fix it flat" in a can, I have decided against: In other forums it was posted that unless you scrap the stuff off within 24 hours, the tire and wheel are basically toast and even within 24 hours the TPS sensor must be replaced.

Dear Cao Black: the link to the spare tire: when I changed to 2018 E400 it said the spare tire was not compatible. It was for the E300.

I really do not want to give up the trunk for a spare tire - I need that space for my ski gear!

I will check with my local tire store (Mavis) and tire rack to see if they have a solution. In the meantime I will buy small compressor to try to keep the tire filled, albeit stopping frequently to do so, so that I do not run on the sidewalls of the RF and destroy the tire, and limp to a tire store to have the tire removed and patched.

gfmohn

Does anyone know if MB SOS provides any kind of emergency spare tire? Your SOS call must have the ability to identify your year and model to the MB dispatcher; they do greet you by name. If they don't supply a spare, do they do anything? Their own pump-and-slime system?

threeMBs

They will put on your spare if you have one, otherwise they will tow.

Cao Black

I was just giving you a reference to an online supplier of OEM parts. There are many others, most of which ask you to enter a VIN to guarantee fitment. Or, you could use the old fashioned way and just call them. As confirmed by others, it will not fit in the trunk well. Keep us posted, good luck.

Couple more choices:

https://parts.mbfm.com/p/Mercedes-Be...134000600.html

https://www.oemercedesbenzparts.com/

gfmohn

Thank you. How far will they tow? To the MB nearest dealer? Out in the Great Plains of this great land of ours, that can be a mighty long way, podner. When I drove to Denver and back in 2008, I took a look in the booklet of dealerships that came with my Mercedes (the 2007 C280 shown in my Profile). I noticed that in the huge state of Nebraska, there were only two MB dealers, in Omaha and Lincoln. There are several MB dealers in Colorado, but all are either in Denver or else north or south of the city (on or near I-25). So for an MB owner approaching Denver from the East, MB of Denver was the closest dealer -- 495 miles from Lincoln! From a point halfway between Lincoln and Denver, a tow could be up to 247 miles!

2thfxr

I live in Denver. In 2 weeks I am driving to Phoenix, there is a dealer in Colorado Springs and then Santa Fe before Albuquerque a total distance of 467 miles, then it is 411 miles to the next dealer in Phoenix. How far will MB tow me with a flat tire? Do they send a truck from the nearest dealer's location? That will take 3 or 4 hours if I am half way. MB is obviously used to the compactness of European cities distance wise.

threeMBs

Those with real possibility of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere IMHO should really consider giving up part of the trunk space for a full size spare (since donut has very limited capabilities). Even though I have zero chance of getting stranded in the middle of nowhere, over the years I learned to rely on myself as much as possible for anything, hence I carry a spare wheel/tire assembly in the trunk.

Just a sample of several available on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-MERCEDES...7wsk:rk:1:pf:1

ua549

Be happy that you are a lucky one. I got 1 or 2 flats a year every year since I started driving over 50 years ago. It is the same with every car whether its a town car or highway car.

JTK44

Dear threeMBs:

Checked you link to Ebay: I assume that a doughnut that fits an E300 17" tire will also work with and E300 18" tire and and E450 18" which I have all being W213. What do you think?

In your opinion will the doughnut on Ebay work with my 2019 E450 (W213)?

If it does, I have to get the dimensions to see if it fits in well in my trunk.

Thanks

nycebo

Get rid of RFTs. With regular tires, a quick tow to any service station, a new tire and you're on your way. Easy peasy.

threeMBs

See above in bold.

An other possibility (I have done it myself many times over - had full size spare in wheelwell of E550 and CLS550) is to purchase the cheapest 18" that fits E450, currently $118 at the TireRack, and mount the least expensive full size 225/50-18 tire (no typo here, you want to take the least amount of space possible) about $110 at TireRack. Full size spare for E450 all under $230 shipped.

Following are also required: jack A1645800218 and its handle 4145810049.

One more thing. If one is going spare wheel/tire route from W212/C218 550s, do not forget to get five 27mm OEM bolts because for W213, MB decided to use 45mm bolts like they do with S-class and SUVs.

JTK44

Dear nycebo:

Changing to non RF does not help: You have a flat in the middle of nowhere and you wait and wait for a flat bed to take you to the gas station and then wait for a new tire - our 18" tires are not usually in stock.

With RF you can either do the same (wait) or "limp" in to gas station and then wait for a new tire - having driven to the gas station the RF is not destroyed. So having the RF is actually better not worse than having non RF.

What I was trying to accomplish was, after having a flat is either change the tire myself with a compact spare or wait for Mercedes service to come and change the tire. By changing the tire for a compact spare, I then would be able to drive to the gas station and have the RFfixed and then be on my way.

But this may all be academic: If three MBs is correct and the compact will not fit in the well then I have to look for other options as I do not want to give up all that trunk space for a spare as I need it for my ski equipment.

nycebo

@JTK44 Unless the blowout is catastrophic, then ContiComfortKit will allow me to "limp" to a service shop. And, I have a much better shot of tire replacement than you do. Indeed, most of the photos I have seen in this forum recently are of catastrophic failure to RFTs. I agree, it's not practical to change it for most drivers, especially if they live in metro areas. However, I hate that MB doesn't give us a choice.

PS - a doughnut won't fit in the underbelly of the trunk. In my wagon, their is a cross beam structure that would block it even if the circumference and diameter were correct.

JTK44

In other threads I have read that using the "fix it can" makes the tire useless (too costly to remove all the gunk from the tire) and in addition you must replace the TPS and then pay to have the wheel cleaned - get the gunk off the wheel. Those total costs, the cost of cleaning the wheel and replacing the TPS, will be about the same cost of replacing the RF. The advantage to non RF is that the replacement tire may be more readily available.

The doughnut, I think we can all agree, is the better solution.

gfmohn

I agree with you, but what if you really need the trunk for the all-American family road trip? Then, MB has simply screwed you. MB must figure that in the socio-economic level of MB owners, you can just take your other vehicle, the SUV. If you don't have an SUV, you better trade in your sedan in for an SUV. Get the roof rack.

For those who are counting on a ride to the nearest MB dealer, then what? If it is a Sunday or a holiday (when a lot of family trips happen), nothing happens. This problem was discussed in another thread in MB World. One owner commented that he had had to wait for three days for the dealer to receive a tire that fit. It wasn't really compatible with his three remaining tires, so he had to buy another tire when he got home. Certainly, that will be true, if all you can get from the dealer is a runflat. Many dealers will refuse to put a runflat on a car with non-runflats.

The one time I used MB SOS, it was in a suburb close to Boston. I was in my previous MB (see my Profile), so I had a spare. They sent a kid in a subcompact. He couldn't have "towed" a motorcycle. It appeared to be his personal car (no logos or anything).

Bottom line: on a long trip with a family, you really have to rent a car. It need not have a spare. If it does, that's a plus. Even if it doesn't, you can count on the rental company's own repair/recovery service to have a tire tire that fits. Of course, you give up the driving pleasure of your King of the Autobahn that you paid for. Thanks, Mercedes.