mrankovic

OK, I need some urgent tire advice. My stock Contis have been getting close to worn out, and I have just under 15K on them so I'm happy with that wear. And I was planning to get some new PS2s in the next couple of months but now I have to accelerate that plan as my front left tire totally shat itself on the highway today.... In fact over the last couple of weeks I'd noticed a very small bulge in the tire wall where the tread joins the wall and yesterday I clipped a raised manhole as they are tearing up streets near my house and they have taken the top 4" of ashphalt off the road and I've been super diligent about steering around them all but I slightly misjudged one yesterday and dinged it. Anyway, I drive about 40 highway miles today and went boating with a friend and then on the way home I started feeling some serious pulling on the highway and when I pulled over she was totally flat.... Once I changed it, I had a quick scan of the tread and couldn't see anything in the tire so I'm guessing the wall/tread joint just gave out. Lucky I have a spare (unlike what appears to be the case for some people that I've been reading posts from recently). So I fitted that (and even had a visit by the local cop who nicely parked his car behind me to avoid me getting clipped by passing traffic) and headed home. Kind of cool those space saver tires - you fit them and then inflate to 51 psi and they kind of inflate outward like a balloon.

Anyway, so much for the story - now to the advice I need. I have totally decided to go PS2s, so no need for advice on that front. But I am an Aussie living in the US and I have not had to buy and fit tires on a car since I've been here (managed to trade cars at just the right time to avoid this). So I would like some advice on the preferred way to get tires in the US, as I see a lot about mail order from Tirerack and we don't really do that in Australia. In Australia, a typical dealer would not treat you particularly well if you took tires in to have them fitted, even if they charged you to do that, as they'd like to make money on the tires too.

So if I put aside price, availability and shipping time (if I use Tirerack), is there any reason I would use NTB over Tirerack (or vice versa)? And once I have opinions on this, I can then factor in price, availability and shipping. I literally live 0.5 miles from a NTB and since I have that emergency spare on the car I don't want to drive on it for too long, so the local NTB (if they have tires) seems desirable over waiting at least 24 hours or more if I order from Tirerack.

Finally, I live in Waltham, MA, so does anyone have any other recommedations that are reasonably local for either full tire supply and fitting, or just fitting if I go with Tirerack.

Much appreciate your urgent advice.

W210

I would order from Tirerack and ask them for a friendly installer in your area! Or, if you rather pay more, even a MB dealer may be happy to install them for you?

I would find out the name of the installer first and then have Tirerack directly ship to them.

amdeutsch

If you decide to go the tirerack route please speak with Luke, or click the link in the Marketplace tap on top and help to support this forum.

Thanx

AMGfan

Just go to their site and click on Installation tab. You can get a local installer by typing in your zip code. I tried it and they listed a number of Tirerack friendly shops.

http://www.tirerack.com/installer/index.jsp

vraa

Yeah but the parent poster is in Aussie Land.

AMGfan

Ricky...he's living in US (Mass.) now.

vraa

That's because I'm a friggin idiot!

If you're living in the states, I'd just order through tirerack.com or tell me what tire you're looking for and I'll see if I can get a better price through our suppliers.

amdeutsch

Read it again.

<duckundrennwegschnell>

vraa

Hey man, cut me some slack, fifth grade was hard!

AMGfan

Yeah...I was hard too in fifth grade...but she was a nun and destined to be unrequited love.

vraa

I'm not replying anymore to this thread!

Vetluver

PS2s have been hard to get recently. They were backordered at several sites. I had a local dealer track some down in Georgia. No breaks on the price. I haven't checked tire recently but this might still be the case.

stevebez

Anyone gone slightly wider on rears to try and extract some more grip on acceleration (I think 285's are standard). Anyone gone wider ? What width can rims and bodywork handle on rears ?

Rgds Steve.

W210

Most of us went 265 to 275 on stock 18 inch rims with any problems.

MB Fanatic

You can go 285 with no problems on the stock rims if I am correct.

onesixeight

Michelin only makes the original Pilot Sport in 285/35-18. No PS2 in that size.

vraa

I bet you could go 295/30/18 or 275/35/18?

OzE55

As a complete side track - whats an Aussie doing in Waltham. MA?

I lived in Burlington MA (worked at Lahey) for a few years.

Enjoying being home but still visit friends in Boston every now and then.

Can't believe the cricket!


OzE55

mrankovic

Well getting to own the Beast for less than half the price of back home, of course

But seriously, working in the software industry. Sorry, haven't been following the cricket this year - presumably we've fallen apart based on your comment.

OzE55

Way less than half price - new E55 is $250k. I was offered a CLS55 for $265k - that's why I got a second hand E55 for $50k off.

Thrashed the Poms in the first Ashes test.
Lost the second test yesterday by 2 runs - nail biting.

Good luck in MA.

Jakpro1

Totally agree about the tire dealers. I would take them to Benz Dealer to have installed...at least they won't give a rat about losing the profit. Make SURE you take some digital pics of your rims before taking them in.....one of those punky kids nicks them and you are definitely gonna get " ***** duuuuuude they were like that when they came in."

onesixeight

Fletcher Jones Honolulu wouldn't fit my PS2s that I ordered from tire rack. They claim that they are a MBUSA tire reseller and they wouldn't fit the tires if I didn't buy from them. I tried to explain that they didn't sell PS2 and I wouldn't pay their 200% markup...He also said it's the policy for MBUSA dealers that resell tires. Such a joke! My service advisor is cool though and he brought them somewhere close by that did the job for way less than what the dealer would have charged.

W210

What a joke! I dropped off my PS2s to the MB (factory owned) dealer in Vancouver and they installed them without a problem.

May not hurt to call first.