Guys, I just noticed something weird on my W210 e55. All 4 tires are the same spec - 245x17. My stock monos had been changed by the previous owner and apparantly he got all 4 tires the same size instead of the OEM spec of 245 for the front and 275 for the back.Well its time for me to change all 4 tires and I would like some advice.

1. Having all 4 the same size provides the benefit of being able to rotate them and squeeze more life out of them.
2. Having the OEM spec would be better for handling? How long do the OEM spec tires last (you cant rotate them obviously)?
3. Would I be able to mount OEM spec on the same set of rims or were the OEM rims fatter in the back to accommodate the wider track?

Thanks a lot.

 

Having a 245 in the rear vs the 275 is going be a traction issue, not just or even necessarily a handling issue. I would guess that the rims are not staggered, so you can't just put OEM sizes back on. The swing from 245 to 275 is pretty big and not recommended to both be on the same width rims.

You may want to consider going back to a staggered setup, if you want better traction in the rear.