E350d Wheels and Tyres. Can anyone help?

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Hamish1

New Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
4
Location
Glasgow
Car
E350d AMG Line Saloon 2016
Can anyone help with my problems as described below? Do you know of any similar issues?

My problem is the tyres and wheels on the car. I was not told when I agreed to the lease that this car has ‘Run-flat’ tyres. In fact I did not even know what ‘Run-flat’ tyres were until I was in Inverness and had a flat tyre after taking delivery of the car. I took the car to Kwik-Fit but they said they could not help me as my car had ‘Run-flat’ tyres it would have to go back to Mercedes. I drove along the road to the Mercedes Dealership as the Kwik-Fit specialist told me that as I had ‘Run-flats’ I could drive with a flat tyre.

The Mercedes Dealership told me they couldn’t help as my tyres were ‘Run-flats’ and would have to be ordered up as nobody in Scotland stocked them. They suggested I phoned Mercedes Breakdown from my car which I did. They told me to go to my nearest Mercedes Dealership and I explained I was sitting outside a Mercedes Dealership and they couldn’t help me. The situation went from bad to worse until at last 24 hours later I waved my car off at Inverness Airport (the only place with hire cars) as it went on a transporter to Glasgow and I got into a hire car provided by Mercedes Breakdown.

A week later I was repatriated with my car in Glasgow and had to part with £1,145.99 to pay for a new tyre and a new wheel which apparently was damaged also.

So without boring you as I am sure you get the drift of this saga I will list the costs incurred so far on replacing tyres and wheels

07/10/2016 £1,145.99 for a new wheel and tyre. Car off the road for a week
28/01/2017 £ 293.78 for a new tyre. Car off the road for a week.
16/02/2017 £293.78 for a new tyre. Car off the road for 3 days.
28/06/2017 £308.28 for a new tyre. Car off the road for 3 days.
25/10/2017 £1,182.13 for 3 new tyres and alignment. Car off the road for a week.
19/12/2017 £1,187.89 for a tyre and a wheel. Car off the road for a week.
23/01/2018 £899.75 for a new wheel.
31/03/18 £1,200.00 for a new tyre and wheel. Car off the road for over a week.

Total £6,511.60

Car off the road for 6 weeks and currently is sitting in Aberdeen. I am in Glasgow with a hire car supplied by Mercedes Breakdown Service.

Please note that not one of these tyres that needed replaced was worn, every single one was damaged. A ‘Run-flat’ cannot be repaired if punctured and there is not a stock of the tyres or wheels kept at any dealership in Scotland. The car has been fully serviced according to Mercedes specification hence my surprise at having to pay for alignment on the 25/10/2017. I do a high mileage at 45,000 since June 2016

Response from Mercedes (word verbatim)

"Thank you for your patience whilst I have investigated your concerns. I am sorry that you have experienced such a high number of incidents needing your tyres to be replaced.

The tyres fitted to your car from production are Mercedes-Benz Original Extended Tires (MOExtended or MOE). Tyre manufacturers that produce MOE tyres for Mercedes-Benz vehicles include Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli. We recommend that the correct size, make, suitability and tread patterntyres are always used for optimum performance of your car.

Tyres branded with MOExtended or MOE on their sidewalls identify them as being specifically tuned for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The “Extended” element to the name of these tyres identifies that they feature run-flat-like tyre characteristics by offering temporary extended mobility. These are detailed as “Tyres with run-flat capability”, andare not branded as run-flat tyres.

It is unfortunate to hear about the repeated problems which you have had. I have spoken with Mercedes-Benz of Glasgow who confirmed that the damage to your tyreswas caused by elements outside of our control, such as poor road surface. As you have said, these tyres were damaged and not worn. I am sorry that this has caused you inconvenience and cost in arranging for these to be replaced. That said, I would like to arrange for your car to have a full tyre geometry and alignment test to ensure that it is operating as it should. I will ask Glasgow to arrange this directly with you, and we will cover the cost of the diagnostics. Should any concerns be found, we will also cover the cost of rectification.

I understand that in December, due to an error with the RAC dispatch team, a flatbed recovery truck was not requested as it should have been. Whilst this was an accident,I completely understand the frustration caused. In addition I would like to offer you a further £250 as a gesture of goodwill. This can be used towards your next service or can be used for products from our Mercedes-Benz Boutique (Collection Site - United Kingdom) If you would like to order any items, please let me have the details and I will place the order for you).

If you are unhappy with this final decision or feel this matter is unresolved, you can seek advice with an CTSI Certified Alternative Dispute Resolution provider. We are prepared to engage with The Motor Ombudsman to resolve your dispute. Further details can be found at www.themotorombudsman.org, or alternatively their telephone number is 0345 241 3008 selecting option 1."

detailed as 'tyres with run-flat capability and are not branded as run-flat tyres'

What does that mean?
 
Over £6500 for tyres on a 2017 car is horrendous and eye watering.

I cannot remember the last time I had a puncture or replaced a tyre.

Either you are very unlucky or there is a problem with your car.

Maybe you should liaise with Bruce on the forum who is similarly afflicted.

It would maybe be cheaper to replace the runflats with normal tyres at this rate.
 
Over £6500 for tyres on a 2017 car is horrendous and eye watering.

I cannot remember the last time I had a puncture or replaced a tyre.

Either you are very unlucky or there is a problem with your car.

Maybe you should liaise with Bruce on the forum who is similarly afflicted.

It would maybe be cheaper to replace the runflats with normal tyres at this rate.

Many thanks,
Mercedes tell me I cannot put any other tyres onto these wheels? Front and back tyres are different sizes. They also tell me I cannot put any other wheels onto this car!
I'm so frustrated I would get rid of the car but for the lease I am tied into for another almost two years!
 
Mine is a 2016 E350 with offset sizes, I’m not sure about using normal tyres on your wheels but even so it would be cheaper to buy new wheels and tyres considering what it has cost you.

You could then put the originals back on when end of lease reached and sell the ones you purchased.

Of course hopefully you bad luck has finished.

Robin
 
Sounds like you have some nasty roads up there, it takes quite a blow to damage these tyres as they are reinforced more than a standard tyre.
Still, I would seek out a better tyre specialist rather than mercedes or kwik-fit, the costs involved here could of been significantly less.
 
It may help you to know that tyre companies will not repair run flats as they cannot tell how long and at what speed you have been travelling at while the tyre was flat, it could have damaged the tyre. That's why they insist you need a new tyre. On the other hand, they can be repaired like any other tyre just as easily. I've heard of garages that have repaired them because the customer brought it in with a slow puncture and told them it had never been run flat, it only lost a couple of PSI over a week and they have been happy to fix it.
As for not being able to change wheels & tyres, absolute rubbish, unless they mean because of your lease agreement?

Russ
 
You absolutely can get runflats repaired, for £8 when I needed one doing a couple of years ago on a BMW.

Just don't go to Kwik fit, ATS, mercedes etc.

A local back street tyre place is what you want.

£6.5k!!!! Staggering....you have been shafted, without lube.

Btw. I got a pair of MO rated conti sports, part worn with 6mm left for £80 fitted today. That was for a 2011 350cdi with 256/35 r18 on the back.
 
Is this straight up

How many tyres have you bought? - I count 9 (plus the four already on the car....)
How much cash did you have lying around just hand over / bend over £6k plus

Something's not ringing quite right here.....
 
Thanks all for your replies. I do appreciate it very much.

This has gone on for too long and is very expensive. I cannot afford for this to continue.

I have been legally advised and Trading Standards has also suggested an independent Forensic Mechanical Report be commissioned on the car. I am going through the procedure to find out what this will cost before making any decisions as to the way forward.

I would be very interested to know of any other "E350d AMG Line 2016 spec" owners and their experiences. Has anyone else has suffered similar issues?
 
I think you need to stop listening to what they tell you. You can replace with non-run flats, you can even mix them. Any tyre place should be able to supply a tyre for your 350 from £100 upwards. Oh and you CAN put other alloys on the car - again dont listen to them.
 
Thanks all for your replies. I do appreciate it very much.

This has gone on for too long and is very expensive. I cannot afford for this to continue.

I have been legally advised and Trading Standards has also suggested an independent Forensic Mechanical Report be commissioned on the car. I am going through the procedure to find out what this will cost before making any decisions as to the way forward.

I would be very interested to know of any other "E350d AMG Line 2016 spec" owners and their experiences. Has anyone else has suffered similar issues?

I also have a 2016 E350 AMG Night Edition with offset wheels fitted with normal tyres, mine was one of the last of the 212 series.

Are your wheels/tyres a factory option?

Just interested really.

Robin
 
Hi Robin,

My Spec, having checked my paperwork, is an E-Class (213) Saloon - E350 d AMG Line (FIS)

Tyres and wheels came factory fitted.

The wheels are 20" AMG Multi Spoke Light-Alloy in Titanium.

Tyres are Pirelli P-Zero 245/35/20 on the front and 275/30/20 on the rear.

Regards

Hamish
 
Just stick some normal tyres on it ffs. That was painful reading.
 
OP, do you have wheel & tyre insurance or have you funded this out of your own pocket?

I cannot believe that nobody has tyres for next day, never mind car off road for 3days at a time and even upto a week - in fact out of curiosity put them into a search engine and they come out at £271/each for the MOE in the size you have listed, at the top end of premium brands, inc next day guaranteed.

Must be unlucky to have gone through 3 rims to date.

You do realise that a very decent set of used rims plus brand new (non run flat) tyres would set you back less than £1500 in 20" inc different front/rear offset.

If I heard this story in the pub would assume that someone had got their facts wrong.
 

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