All season tyres for S204

[Bermac5507]

Hello
New member so apologies if this has been covered already - did search but could not find. My S204 has front wheels size 225/45 R17 with rears size 245/40/R17. I can easily find all season tyres for the fronts but they do not seem to exist for the rear size. Does anyone have any suggestions, including whether separate winter wheels/tyres a better option ?
thank you

 

[mioba]

You can simply use the numerous online sites, blackcircles, camskill, asdatyres etc to see what you can find.

The issue with winters is you need to take them off when it warms up. All seasons as suggested in the name you leave on all the time.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hello
New member so apologies if this has been covered already - did search but could not find. My S204 has front wheels size 225/45 R17 with rears size 245/40/R17. I can easily find all season tyres for the fronts but they do not seem to exist for the rear size. Does anyone have any suggestions, including whether separate winter wheels/tyres a better option ?
thank you

Check your handbook Mercedes will probably recommend that you fit 225/45 17 on the front and rear if you fit wuuu by her tyres. I used to have a W203 C-Class with the same staggered tyre set up and 225/45 all round was the standard winter set up.

If you have the ability to switchover and store winter tyres then there will be generally less compromise than using all season tyres all year round. Some tyre fitters operate tyre hotels and store and switch tyres for a small fee. That’s what I do and it works well.

 

[Bermac5507]

Hello mioba and thanks for your reply. I have tried all the sites already - they just don‘t have that rear size for all seasons. For winter tyres I might consider getting a set of 16 inch steel wheels and just swapping over wheel/tyre combos when weather changes. Smaller wheels should mean cheaper tyres, but I still want to explore the all season option just for the convenience of it.
Bobby Dazzler - thanks for your reply. I need to work out if that is better than the 16 inch steels all round.
thanks

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hello mioba and thanks for your reply. I have tried all the sites already - they just don‘t have that rear size for all seasons. For winter tyres I might consider getting a set of 16 inch steel wheels and just swapping over wheel/tyre combos when weather changes. Smaller wheels should mean cheaper tyres, but I still want to explore the all season option just for the convenience of it.
Bobby Dazzler - thanks for your reply. I need to work out if that is better than the 16 inch steels all round.
thanks

In theory small wheels and narrower tyres make sense for winter use, but you need to make sure that smaller wheels don’t foul your brakes, it’s often the caliper which catches rather than the disc.

If you can buy 2 or 4 wheels the same as your front wheels then that would be ideal, as long as Mercedes recommend the 225/45 tyres on the rear in Winter. You may find that you can pick them up cheaply.

The first winter I put the narrower tyres in the rear wheels, but I then bought a full brand new set in the same size as my front wheels. That meant I could switch without removing tyres from the wheels.

 

[Chrishazle]

The OP has the same 17" staggered set-up that I have on both my cars. I fitted Micheling CrossClimates to the front of the S204 some time ago, and like him have searched extensivly without finding 245/40 all season tyres for the rears. I know I can fit 225/45 to the rear rims but it means loosing 20mm in the width of the rubber contact patch on the driven wheels. Closest size I could find in all season was 235/45, but that would lead to the speedo possibly under-reading (not sure where the speedo gets its feed from) and I also wonder what the ABS would make of the front and rear axles turning at different speeds due to the difference in rolling radius front to rear. Having sold the set of winter wheels/tyres I had for the S204 (snow is not that much of a problem down here!) I've tentativly decided to replace the GY Eagle F1 assym with either same again or Yokahamas, as rears are down to 3mm. For the SLK I've already changed the fronts to GY Efficientgrip Performance, will go for something similar when the hard riding rears need changing.

 

[markjay]

Just a reminder that any deviation from the tyre size that the car came with when new, will need to be declared to the insurer.

 

[Bermac5507]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Looks like I will need to buy either 2 rear wheels to get all seasons, or 4 wheels to allow easy change from summer to winter.
i don’t think I need to inform insurer as all the wheel sizes listed in the handbook are classed ad original equipment which could have been specced as new.

 

[Bermac5507]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Looks like I will need to buy either 2 rear wheels to get all seasons, or 4 wheels to allow easy change from summer to winter.
i don’t think I need to inform insurer as all the wheel sizes listed in the handbook are classed ad original equipment which could have been specced as new.

Recently came across Maxxis Premitra who make all season tyres in the size I want. Might give them a go later this year. Can be found at tyres-outlet.co.uk.

 

[Chrishazle]

I fitted 235/45 R17 Bridgestone A005E all season tyres to the rear wheels on my S204 a few weeks ago, really pleased so far, quiet and grippy, have only seen 1 speed monitoring traffic sign so far and the speed it showed was the same as my speedo so the 15mm increase in circumference has not messed with the speedo. Bought them online through F1 Autocentres £103.50 each fitted and balanced.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Recently came across Maxxis Premitra who make all season tyres in the size I want. Might give them a go later this year. Can be found at tyres-outlet.co.uk.

If you get snow , go for crossclimates 2 . The number one all season tyre for grip in snow.

I bought a 2nd set of wheels in 18 inch, as my originals are 19 inch I couldn't get all season in my size . I prefer summer tyres in the summer anyways.

 

[Chrishazle]

OP has staggered 17" wheels same as both my cars, Michelin do not do 245/40 mR17 Crossclimates hence the search for others - which I could not find for the S204 so as posted above have fitted 235/45 Bridgestones!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

OP has staggered 17" wheels same as both my cars, Michelin do not do 245/40 mR17 Crossclimates hence the search for others - which I could not find for the S204 so as posted above have fitted 235/45 Bridgestones!

Op also mentions buying new wheels ,so possible for correct size

Did you fit all seasons to the front also ?

 

[Chrishazle]

Already had Crossclimates on the front - 225/45 are available, just 245/40's are not!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Already had Crossclimates on the front - 225/45 are available, just 245/40's are not!

OK !!

 

[Bermac5507]

Thanks for all your replies. A lot if options to consider.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Thanks for all your replies. A lot if options to consider.

If you do fit tyres in a size against what the makers stated should be fitted , id imagine your Insurance may be void if you need to claim. Stick with what the fuel flap states

 

[NotFiona]

I'll resurrect this thread rather than start a new one as it's "all season tyres" time of the year! All the cars in our household that we use in winter have been fitted with Michelin Cross climates for a few years. The difference when it gets below about 5c is incredible, it honestly does make a 2 wheel drive car grip and perform better than a 4 wheel drive vehicle running on normal summer tyres. Anyway last year Cross Climates were unavailable so I fitted Hankook Kinergy 4S instead. They are brilliant, overall I reckon better than Cross Climates. Highly recommended for winter use but of course can be used all year round and although not quite as good as summer tyres at high speed on hot days, for a normal car rather than a summer sportscar they are fine.

 

[DanE350cdi]

Recently came across Maxxis Premitra who make all season tyres in the size I want. Might give them a go later this year. Can be found at tyres-outlet.co.uk.

Maxxis are also owned by MIchellin tyres, I had a set on a Volvo t5 a few years back and they where a great tyre.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Maxxis make some very good a well priced bike tyres too. Used them a few times.