SL/R231: Are there all-season run-flat tires for W231?
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Joined: Jan 2012
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'11 BMW 328 / '07 911 Targa / '17 MB C300
Are there all-season run-flat tires for W231?
I am in the market to buy a W231 for my wife and I realized I have a practical hurdle to overcome: lack of all-season run-flat tire option. This would be a daily driver in NYC area so summer tires are not an option. Second, if my wife gets a flat, I want her to be able to get home and not be stuck waiting for a tow truck: hence a need for run-flats (which is what she had on her cars for last 10 years). Carrying a spare in trunk will not do.
For last two days I searched the Internet for all-season run-flat availability, called Tirerack, but nothing. Am I out of luck?
For last two days I searched the Internet for all-season run-flat availability, called Tirerack, but nothing. Am I out of luck?
Joined: Nov 2016
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From: Maryland
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2012
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'11 BMW 328 / '07 911 Targa / '17 MB C300
Over the last 8 years she drove '07 MINI Cooper on runflats - those saved the day more than once. For the last 2 years she has been driving a '17 MB C300 on runflats - no flat tires so far. My goal is not have her stranded on a side of the road waiting for a tow truck, or trying to get glue in a tire from a repair kit, or hope for someone to put a spare on (plus I doubt a big rear wheel would fit in the trunk).
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Joined: Jan 2012
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'11 BMW 328 / '07 911 Targa / '17 MB C300
I may have found an answer to my question although I do not like it:
Use MB OEM 17" Rims (appears to be a squared set up), which take tire size 255/45R17. In that size TireRack has 5 all-season run-flat tires.
Use MB OEM 17" Rims (appears to be a squared set up), which take tire size 255/45R17. In that size TireRack has 5 all-season run-flat tires.
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Joined: Oct 2020
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From: Catonsville, MD
2020 SL550
I may have found an answer to my question although I do not like it:
Use MB OEM 17" Rims (appears to be a squared set up), which take tire size 255/45R17. In that size TireRack has 5 all-season run-flat tires.
Use MB OEM 17" Rims (appears to be a squared set up), which take tire size 255/45R17. In that size TireRack has 5 all-season run-flat tires.
OEM Mercedes wheels are extremely expensive, as I'm sure you know. TireRack has 18" and 19" wheel and tire packages with a pretty wide choice of non-OEM wheels and a number of all-season runflats. You could mix and match to get a non-square setup with 19" wheels.
Alternatively, you could keep using summer performance tires on your existing wheels and get a TireRack wheel and tire package for winter tires. Your local dealer or one of the TireRack-approved installation centers could just swap them back and forth as necessary. If winter use is expected, this would be a much more effective approach than using all-season tires.
Rick F.
