Jaeger

I switched my S430 factory 16" rims and Continental tires and wheels to 18" AMG staggered tires and Yokohama tires. The specifics are A220 18"x8.5" Offset 44 (Front) and 18”x9.5” Offset 46 (Rear) with Yokohama AVS ES100 245/40 WR18 (Front) and 275/35 WR18 (Rear).

Now it feels like the car is dragging. I.e., if I take my foot off the accelerator on a flat road it really slows down. Tire inflation has been checked. Is this simply what happens when you go to a wider/softer tire, or is something wrong? It almost feels like something is rubbing, but I raised the car and can't see anything.

I suppose another possibility is that it's all in my mind, and the car did this with the 16" tires too. I never paid much attention.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Luke@tirerack

the added weight of 18" wheels would make your car feel this way but, in reality it is not that dramatic or different from your 16's but, with the lower profle tires you are currently using makes it more noticable than it was before

Jaeger

In addition to posting here, I took the car to the dealer for a check out. They found nothing. The guy even test drove it and said it felt normal. He said it was the result of softer, wider tires.

Then I mentioned it to a friend. He said "maybe you have them on the wrong side." What? Tires don't have "sides." Do they?

I have asymmetrical tires and the fronts were on the wrong sides. Doh! Car rides fine now.