I've just roasted my 6th 20" wheel in 18 months on potholes in NYC -- love my E63 wagon -- but officially done with big wheels in the NE USA even with high tire pressures. How many have you guys bent?

Oh and If anyone happens to have the 19" staggered winter set kicking around -- hit me up I'd love to buy.

How come you didn't get the forged wheels? Hopefully those don't crack or less susceptible?

I had a hairlines crack on my e63 forged. It was welded for the fix.

Are these made in Germany wheels? What size 20" tire have you been running?

I went aftermarket. Luckily where I live even though the roads are rough, we don't get large potholes that can break wheels. Good choice to find some 19s. That'll give you more tire (hopefully enough).

That stinks, didn't expect forged ones to be cracking in a way mb cast ones do.

Sadly sounds like aftermarket is the only way to go. Pothole city : ( ?
OP even inflated the pressures higher than normal.

Not ideal to drop tire size, won't look as good, won't handle as good.

The oem wheels didn't come with runflats right? As you already know, runflats with the stiff sidewall is more susceptible.

6 cracked wheels in 18 months likely makes looks/handling less important.
Low profile tires look cool but lack the pothole resiliency 70 series tires had.
I went aftermarket and learned how important being careful around curbs was the hard way. There just isn't a good for all roads/seasons/driving solution. Well, there is the flux capacitor with a portable fusion reactor and levitation but the tariffs on that is out of this world.

Never cracked a wheel. I slightly bent the lip on my current AMG lightweight forged wheels due to driving over pavement that was raised in one place and I didn't see it in the shade. We don't have all that many potholes around here, but yes you wanna avoid those. 4500+ lbs car with low profile 20" wheels and potholes is not a good combination. Forged wheels are not necessarily stronger. They can be made much lighter compared to a cast wheel and still be as strong, but not necessarily stronger. Making a wheel stronger means adding more material, which means adding weight, regardless of forged or cast. Forged just means it's stronger to begin with, so less material/weight is required to make it as strong as a comparable heavier cast wheel. But it remains that these cars are not pothole warriors. They are made for mostly smooth roads. Probably not the best choice for a daily in NYC. You may wanna have your suspension inspected as well. The forces to crack this many wheels likely took a toll on the suspension as well.

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