HELP!! Fear in The Wet. W203.

[SAFC]

BrianWH and Chrishazle,
Thank you (and everyone) for your input.

I've ordered a Goodyear Efficient Grip replacement for the SUNNY. I'm told the Efficient Grip is an upgraded version of the NCT 5's I have on the other three corners and is compatible.

I'm going to put the best tyre (tread depth wise) on the back with the new one and give it some beans in the wet to see what happens. So if you don’t here from me for a while then obviously all the theories are wrong or it's just not raining!!!

I think the front bushes might need doing soon but I don't think the back-end slip will be caused by them - they're not that bad anyway.

OK, new tyre next week, brand new SUNNY goes in the bin (or the shed) and I'm hopeful I'll see some better road-holding before the ice comes. (Not that M-B's with any kind of tyre like snow and ice!!).

Thanks again, SAFC.

 

[Bellow]

The new Goodyear should cure it, but if not...
Some cars have incredibly sensitive ESP systems and react even to the diameter difference between new and quite worn (but still legal) tyres. When it occurs, the ESP intervenes and pulls the car this way and that and lights up the dash warning light.
Your mention of 'wobble' I took as a possible description of this.
Definitely though, you are doing yourself a favour by ditching the Sunny.

 

[jon browne]

Got Pirelli P6000 tyres on my W203 new last November ran thru winter including minus12 at Glasgow over new year and Yorkshire snow ! Grips fine and good in wet fast motorway use. Very pleased with them. Anyone else got them on?

 

[kwakdonut]

Personally, I would have changed a pair (inc the Sunny) and kept the better tyre in the garage. Obviously, if budget doesn't allow then fair enough!!

 

[Nasco12]

Got Pirelli P6000 tyres on my W203 new last November ran thru winter including minus12 at Glasgow over new year and Yorkshire snow ! Grips fine and good in wet fast motorway use. Very pleased with them. Anyone else got them on?

Lucky you! I have them on my W202 and I was all over the place in the snow.

 

[Sonny Burnett]

If its a pre update 202 then tires wont help much there crap in the snow due to esp my update 202 is great in the snow with cheepos on it.

Just checked your car and seen its a 99 funny you have this problem i have useless nangkangs on it and its fine

Sent from my X10i

 

[timskemp]

Best tyres on the back is the only way to go with any car for on-road driving. I'm not a brand snob when it comes to tyres and have found very little difference in daily handling and wear between the better of the mid price tyre brands and the cheaper of the major brands - I tend to go with a fitters recommendation, and ask what they have on their car...

Uneven grip across the rear axle will be causing your ESP to make the car wobble, the less grippy tyre will slip, the ESP will brake that wheel and then the car will grip and wobble a bit. Drive more gently...

I'd suggest if this is your first rear drive car you go and find some skid training before winter hits, on a very slick skid pan you'll get the idea of what fresh snow is like, and being forewarned is better than discovering it out on the road!

 

[Nasco12]

If its a pre update 202 then tires wont help much there crap in the snow due to esp my update 202 is great in the snow with cheepos on it.

Just checked your car and seen its a 99 funny you have this problem i have useless nangkangs on it and its fine

Mine doesn't have ESP, only ASR. And I seem to remember I had to turn that off to get myself up a snowy ramp. (The car had stopped - which I presumed was the ASR kicking in.)

 

[SAFC]

Thanks again, everyone.

New tyre coming tomorrow (internet order sent to local Kwikfit garage - much cheaper than driving in) and if this improves things then I might stick another new one on the other side and keep the oldest tyre in the shed - but not the SUNNY !!

 

[Sonny Burnett]

Mine doesn't have ESP, only ASR. And I seem to remember I had to turn that off to get myself up a snowy ramp. (The car had stopped - which I presumed was the ASR kicking in.)

that would be it then, i have whole heartedly never had a problem in the snow in any of my cars apart from the 208

 

[renault12ts]

Thanks again, everyone.

New tyre coming tomorrow (internet order sent to local Kwikfit garage - much cheaper than driving in) and if this improves things then I might stick another new one on the other side and keep the oldest tyre in the shed - but not the SUNNY !!

Correct...replace two tyres not just one.

 

[duncanh]

Got Pirelli P6000 tyres on my W203 new last November ran thru winter including minus12 at Glasgow over new year and Yorkshire snow ! Grips fine and good in wet fast motorway use. Very pleased with them. Anyone else got them on?

I have Pirelli P6000s. I think I am on my third set. When I first mentioned on the forum that I got them fitted, I got a load of replies telling me what a mistake I had made.

They turned out to be the quietest tyres I have ever had fitted. (Previous tyres were Dunlop, Firestone, Good Year, Avon and Continental).

Roadholding was comparable to the others, they seem to last a few thousand miles longer (I was used to 20K miles per tyre, now getting 23-25K with the Pirellis).

I now always specify Pirelli,, whereas I used to go for any well-known name tyre.

Sorry for hi-jacking the original thread.

 

[moonloops]

I have Pirelli P6000s. I think I am on my third set. When I first mentioned on the forum that I got them fitted, I got a load of replies telling me what a mistake I had made.

They turned out to be the quietest tyres I have ever had fitted. (Previous tyres were Dunlop, Firestone, Good Year, Avon and Continental).

Roadholding was comparable to the others, they seem to last a few thousand miles longer (I was used to 20K miles per tyre, now getting 23-25K with the Pirellis).

I now always specify Pirelli,, whereas I used to go for any well-known name tyre.

Sorry for hi-jacking the original thread.

yeah that is strange - I've had P6000's on a couple of cars (on them when I bought the cars) and had to change them as they where "dangerous" in the wet !

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

P6000s do have a poor reputation, although much of that is no doubt from the modern day equivalent of a bloke in the pub - that's the bloke/blokess on the superinterwebhighway.

I guess 99% of drivers would never push their car to the point where it became an issue, although many wouldn't wish to chance it.

I have favoured Pirelli P-Zero on my C-Class, but will switch next time around as the last set don't seem to have lasted anywhere near as long as the first few sets.

 

[timskemp]

My rover had P6000. Switched to Michelin Primacy, a much better tyre. P6000 was fine new but as they wore the wet grip was terrible.

 

[Brian WH]

Correct...replace two tyres not just one.

That of course is the Ideal position.

However it really depends on the other rear tyres tread depth. If it is 5/6mm + then no problem, anything less than that the the tyre should be swapped to obtain the same grip and water repellant qualities etc.

 

[SAFC]

Might as well do it properly....

I've had TWO Goodyear Efficient Grip replacements fitted to the rear wheels - seems to make sense.

I wonder how long I'll have to wait for the rain ...

 

[Bellow]

I wonder how long I'll have to wait for the rain ... [/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

How quickly can you get here?

 

[NISFAN]

Someone mentioned shocks.

At 65,000 miles would the shocks be suspect, does anyone think?

Yep, the W203 has puny little shocks on the rear, and by 65k miles, will be on their way out. My W203 rear shocks lasted about 60k. Easy way to tell, is to bounce the rear of the car (pushing down on the boot lid). Good shocks will see the car return to normal height in one smooth movement. If there is any overshoot or bounce, then the rear shocks need changing.

For info there is a big shock absorber retail company in Birmingham that sells them for the W203. Cheap as chips ( a pair cost less than 1 from MB), and a good brand Kayaba (KYB) Can't think of the name right now though They normally sell to trade, but will do additional discount for cash deals, or post with CC payment

EDIT* It has just come to me, company is Transhock Distribution Ltd.

It also isn't very difficult to replace the rear shocks on a W203, as they are seperate from the coil spring. Remove boot carpet to get access to upper bolt, remove aerodynamic covers on lower wishbone, undo nut/Bolt and replace. I did mine 20 mins a side (or would have done, but one of my shocks would not compress enough to get it out), and handling was vastly improved. Felt like a new car.

 

[SAFC]

update - grip in the wet is now much much better with the new goodyear efficient grips. Glad i changed both.

however, originally i talked abut "wobble" (if you can be bothered to look back thro' this thread) and i think it might be the shockers rather than the esp.
have i opened a can of worms?