apricotscrub

What should i get for the SLK230? 18" would look the best, but would it affect performance to much? What happens when u put bigger wheels on it? What is the best thing to go with on this car, I have the money for the rims, just don't want to compromise the ride too much

Brian_R170

Unless you're autocrossing, you really don't have to worry about the performance differences that much.

Obviously, the larger diameter rims will have the worst ride quality. However tires can make a big difference, too. If you go with a bigger rim, make sure the tire you choose scores high in the area of ride quality. Check the ratings at tirerack.com

Here's my own experience.

I had a '99 SLK230 Sport with 17-inch rims and Continental SportContact tires. The ride was only just slightly more firm than SLKs with factory 16-inch rims and Dunlop tires. The suspensions are the same.

I now have a '02 SLK32 AMG with 17-inch rims and Michelin Pilot Sport tires. The rims and tires are the same size as my '99 SLK230 Sport, but the suspension is much stiffer in the SLK32. The ride is actually smoother in my SLK32 than it was on my SLK230 on most roads. The Michelins absorb the smaller road imperfections better than the Continentals. However, larger bumps are worse in the SLK32 because of the suspension.

RedSLKChic

I dont know about the SLK (personally I'm getting 18"s). BUT on my 2000 Cougar, I had 19"s. The only problem I had was bumps, bumps and MORE bumps. It wasn't as bad as everyone told me it would be (cracking and bending rims) but 19" rims put a whole other spin on the term SPEED BUMP!! lol. But is was bearable so I'm assuming 18"s will just be a slightly better ride quality. I didnt notice a difference in performance BUT I had the cougar pretty much slammed so I think that also had an impact on the ride. All cars are different though, so I THINK the ride quality would be better on a Mercedes than on my Mercury. I dont think I helped you out much, sorry lol

AJChenMPH

Where are you located? If you're in a warmer climate where the roads are good (i.e., no potholes), you can go as large as you want. I never put on aftermarket rims on my SLK when I had it, but I had 17" rims on my car and ended up downsizing to 16" rims recently because I was tired of bending rims and bubbling the sidewalls of my tires on potholes.

If you are concerned with performance, get the lightest wheel you can in the size you want. Generally speaking, bigger rims (coupled with tires) are heavier than smaller rims. More unsprung weight (especially spinning unsprung weight) does several things: (1) it slows down your acceleration, (2) it places more stress on the suspension and (3) it lowers your gas mileage by a little bit, among other things.

I ended up gaining about 12 lbs per corner when I first mounted my 17" rims, and noticed all of the things I described above. I've since lost about 5 lbs per corner (i.e., net +7 lbs) by going to the 16" rims, and it's a small, but noticeable difference in performance. I'm actually looking for lighter 16" rims still, since I like to autocross my car and go to track days.