So a few weeks ago I purchased a 2018 E63S (Sedan) with 11k miles. First AMG since my 2003 SL55 which I sold in 2011.

The E63 came with a set of PZeros. The tires were put on at 9,800 miles so they were still pretty new. The problem with the car in general is that it is too harsh (otherwise it’s the most fun I’ve had on 4 wheels in a long time).

To mitigate the harshness I took the advice of several on this board and reduced the tire pressure to 35PSi. This helped a lot, but I was still not satisfied. So I ordered a set of Michelin PS4s after reading/watching a multitude of reviews.

They were installed a couple of days ago and here are my first impressions:
-when I picked up the car they were just as bad, but the installer had the pressure at 60 PSi(!!)
-after dropping the pressure to 35PSi, I can say they are smoother than the PZeros at that pressure, but not by orders of magnitude
-as to road noise, I measured the PZeros and now the PS4s using the sound app on my Apple Watch (not the most precision instrument). I drove on the same stretch of road, at the same speeds on a day with no wind. At 30 MPH the sound level was identical, at 70 it went from 68dB to 66dB. Still worse than our Audi Q8 (with 22” Continentals) at 64 dB. Even though the sound level at slow speed is the same, and at higher speeds only slightly improved, the tire noise is more pleasant than with the PZeros (personal opinion).

As an aside my car does have the Acoustic Comfort Package. Based on how noisy it is with that, I can’t imagine buying one without this package. Also several reviewers have said that Mercedes always provides cars with this package for reviews (FWIW).

So the question is, was it worth replacing perfectly good tires with new ones at a cost of $1,700? I would say yes, but it isn’t a night and day difference. If I knew the difference was this small, I would have opted for the following option right away.

Since I plan to track the car, I am also thinking of getting some 19” rims and even more subtle tires for daily driving and keeping the others for the track. Will update if and when that happens.

As an aside, I also tested a 2021 recently and it is a HUGE improvement in comfort mode if with 20” rims. May end up going for that in a year or so.

Hopefully this helps someone with the same concerns.

 

35 psi for the front would be way too low. The front is heavier than the back, I put mine at 40 psi at the front and 35 psi at the rear (PS4S). You have to do some trial & error type of tire pressure adjustment to find the sweet/acceptable range to your liking.

 

I have 19" rims with winter tires, 40 psi front / 35 psi rear. They do make a noticeable/worthwhile difference in the overall harshness.

Ivan MacKenzie.

 

Just for reference, is that at cold or warm temps?

 

Cold

 

Thanks Bobblehead. I will go with 40 in the front. If anyone has ideas for 19" wheels (without spacers), it would be much appreciated. Also, if someone is interested in the PZeros that I have, they would be located in Dallas.

 

https://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/me...oke_wheel_5448

if you want factory 19 setup, you can consider this example.

if you go aftermarket, try to get them as close to the factory specs, esp. the offset. I do not recommend to get any aftermarket wheels that gave deep concave design, esp. the front ones because it could cause fitment and clearance issue with the big brake calliper

 

Tires always set cold (race teams aside). I set mine to the factory recommended 41 front / 33 rear. So far no bent rims.

My car came with Pirelli tires and I eventually put on Michelin. I think the ride and noise from the Michelin are somewhat better than the Pirelli, but the grip and wear of the Michelin are so far much better.

 

My car was delivered today and has the Pirelli's. I plan to keep them until they need to be replaced. I am glad you posted your thoughts. I don't feel like buying new tires for a new car. I will get the pressures straightened out tomorrow morning.

 

I always set my pressures between 40 and 42psi all the way round for most of my cars. I just realized that my current E is set at 50psi from the factory.
I wonder if MB sets it that way for the boat ride here the dealership mistakenly thinks that the best pressures and replicates that for delivery???

 

^ yeah. That’s the best explanation. Because once they are produced, the vehicles can sat idle at port, rail yard, etc for weeks and weeks. By inflating yo the tire’s allowable maximum at near 50psi, the tires would not result in flat spot. This would be the same procedure for winter storing the car.

 

I have Pzeros on my 2019 E63S. I went with 19” Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 tires for my winter setup and while the car did not handle as well, it was MUCH quieter and MUCH more comfortable. I almost now regret swapping them out for the summer! I plan to get PS4 to replace my Pzeros this summer and was hoping for an improved ride.

has anyone tried All seasons?

 

The noise is predominantly tire nose, transmitted to the cabin via the firm suspension. This sort of noise is not affected by the Acoustic Comfort Package. My dealer said not to bother with it for this car and I haven't heard of any owners with it saying it makes a big difference on an E63.

 

yup. My 4s was worn out last fall, I’ve now replaced them with Michelin ps all season 4.

 

So I just went to Michelin's website, and the Pilot Sport All Seasons do come in the correct size for the rear (295/30/20), but they don't seem to come in the correct front size which should be 265/35/20. Did you get 265/40/20, or am I missing something?Also, if I went with the AMG 19s that you recommended, I believe the correct sizes would be Front Size: 19" 265/40-19 Rear Size: 19" 295/35-19. They don't have those sizes either. Is there a chart somewhere that shows what alternate sizes would also work?

 

I haven't driven an E63s without the acoustic package so can't say how much of a difference it makes. On a smooth road where there isn't much tire noise the car is very quiet and I can easily have a discussion with passengers in the rear seat without them raising their voices. I'm fairly pleased with it. Cuts down noise from other cars in traffic and generally reduces ambient noise compared to my other cars - though an E63s without the acoustic package is likely quieter than some of my other cars too.

One thing the acoustic package does do is reduce the sound of the exhaust inside the car. Occasionally I'll open up the pano roof and roll down the windows when driving around town at low speeds. I forget just how loud the exhaust can be in Sport+ when you put the spurs to it at a stop light.

 

265/35/20 is not on the list. I opted for 255/35/20. there is a 1% in speedo difference. I would have lost about 3.5mm in ride height. It is immaterial in variance to me.

If you go 19", then yes, those are the suggested/recommended tire size. The alternate size you may consider is 255/40/19 front and 285/35/19 on the Michelin PS A/S 4 which both will result in a 1% in speedo difference. The ride height of around 3.5mm would be lost on this setup.

https://www.michelin.ca/en/auto/tire...t-all-season-4

https://www.willtheyfit.com/index.ph...9-5&offset2=25

You are free to explore other brands (like Continental) as well if you do choose to go 19", the ride is likely be a bit better per se.

 

Anybody know if the Bridgestone Potenza AS980s are any quieter? I would actually love to have an all-season tire on the car for the rainy season here in the Bay Area and occasional trips up to the mountains. I'm sure I don't drive aggressively enough to REQUIRE the Michelins that are on the car now...

 

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests...y.jsp?ttid=241

You can use this as a general reference. It is a very close result among all the tires tested, mind you, the Michelin PS A/S 4 has been upgraded with some improvements over the 3+.

 

I had the Bridgestones on my 2018 E63S for almost 25,000 miles (removed the PS4s) and the noise level went down significantly. The tires performed well in the rain and also light snow here in Raleigh. I did wish that Michelin had the OEM tire size for the front wheels, though (only 255-35/20 rather than the OEM size of 265-35/20) so that I might have had a choice.

 

There is no difference in street driving. Apples to apples comparison: two same cars, different tires and same roads and conditions.
see my post from the last year
https://mbworld.org/forums/w213-amg/...ml#post8228066
Hope this helps.

 

New tires are almost always quieter than tires with some miles on them. For noise to do a apples to apples comparison both tire sets should be at nearly the same mileage.

 

Hi Ivan, just wondering what 19" rims are you using? I've been looking but there aren't a lot of choice out there due to the odd offset front/back.

Thanks!

Erik

 

I bought my winter tire package at the stealership, so I have OEM wheels:
Front: https://www.mbpartsworld.com/oem-par...21340126007x21
Rear: https://www.mbpartsworld.com/oem-par...21340127007x21
Tires are 265/40 R19 front and rear.

My invoice shows 213-401-46-00-7X21 as the part number for the rear wheels, which is different that what I linked above. I searched for the invoice part number but couldn't find it anywhere, so I searched for "Amg 10-Spoke Wheel 48.3 Cm (19 Inch) rear" and that's how I found the above link. Comparing the car image with the image shown for the fronts, I would say it's the correct part number.

Ivan MacKenzie.

 

i have Bridgestone AS 20" for 15000 miles. My reason was to add stability on wet roads I have here in ATL every 2nd day. Can't say it's quieter *I like high psi like low 40sh) but it wasn't my goal. Overall I like AS better.