Annual Winter Wheels Offer

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Chrishazle

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
5,419
Location
Nr Ashford, Kent
Car
2008 S204 C220CDI Elegance Estate Auto, 2008 R171 facelift SLK280 Auto.
Just had an email from my local main dealer with this year's winter wheels and tyres offers - no use to me as I have them for my S204, but anyone thinking of getting them, ask your main dealer for a price! A couple of years ago I bought 16" wheels for my (then) S203 for £800, including fitting and storing my summer wheels for the winter.
 
Are lookers of Ashford your local dealer? I actually requested this info from them about a month ago and am still waiting for the call back, and no email.
 
Are lookers of Ashford your local dealer? I actually requested this info from them about a month ago and am still waiting for the call back, and no email.

Yes, that's the one - although I think the emails come from wherever their main office is as they own Maidstone, Eastbourne, Ashford and a couple of others.
 
The winter wheel and tyre season is upon us, please feel free to contact us direct for all models and the best price combinations around.
 
The winter wheel and tyre season is upon us, please feel free to contact us direct for all models and the best price combinations around.

I'd be interested in a price for 17" alloys for my 2012 w212 estate with TPMS

Si
 
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I'm vaguely considering a winter set for our S203 but it gets a bit more complicated with the Sport pack as you need specific dimensions to clear the brake callipers. Cheapest/easiest option seems to be a second-hand set of original Adharaz from Germany ... everybody over there has winter rims, which they sell on when they change car. Downside is that the tyres are often quite old (DOT code).
 
Bill, pick up a set of any 17 inch wheels intended for the C-Class, ideally NOT staggered. The narrower 7.5 inch wheels usually fitted to the front are ideal for winter set up on the rear with 225 tyres, and they clear the brakes no problem.
 
I was seriously considering a set of winter wheels and tyres, purchased through merc for this winter, that was until I phoned my insurance company, RAC. At first they point blank refused to insure me if I changed the wheels and tyres, even though I was looking at going from 18's down to 17's. then when I spoke to someone higher up they eventually changed their mind but it would cost me £25 in administration fees every time I changed them and would increase the cost of my policy by over 20%. So much for making the roads a safer place, more like extra pennies in insurance company pockets.
 
Aviva customer. Just had an unproductive email exchange regarding this very issue.

Looking to move from 17" to 16" wheels with higher profile, narrower tyres. The combination is the same as the OE fitted on current vehicles with different trim, and entirely in accordance with MB Handbook recommendations.

And the verdict was.....

"We will not be able to insure you if you change the tyre profile"

Why are British Insurance companies so ignorant in this area? Are they simply stupid or simply cashing in at every opportunity?

Regards, Neil
 
You need to switch to one of the insurers listed in the pdf on this page: https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Products/Motor-insurance/Winter-tyres

I've always used LV=.

Be careful here. Aviva is listed.

This commitment for what it is worth only covers changing to winter tyres of the same size. If you want to change your wheels at the same time, this does not cover it.

I can understand where they are coming from if people are using this as a loophole to modify their cars and fit larger wheels, I even highlighted this in my discussions with them. They do not allow any change to tyre size and therefore do not allow you to fit smaller wheels.

Regards, Neil
 
elisetype25 said:
Be careful here. Aviva is listed.
I think they make it up as they go along.

When I was insured with Aviva two years ago I asked about their position regarding different size winter wheels & tyres and was told that as long as they were a listed recommended fitment by the manufacturer, then it was fine.

They really are a bunch of morons, the lot of them.
 
I think they make it up as they go along.

Call centre people often do that - as long as you're happy that what you've done is reasonable (and who could argue that fitting winter wheels and tyres wasn't reasonable?) then imagine the uproar if an insurer denied a claim.
 

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