Tyre recommendations/advice, 2005 CLS 55 AMG

[JeremyC]

Dear all (but whitenemesis in particular)

Will be needing tyres very soon now and {naturally} want to get some recommendations/advice from you lot. This is the first Mercedes I've owned that needed tyres, so I've only just heard of MO tyres from reading posts on this forum. How do I find out what MO tyres there are for my car? Do Mercedes list them, or do ALL the tyre manufacturers do MO- versions?

Car currently has standard AMG Type IV 18" wheels:
8.5J X 18 ET 25 Front
9.5J X 18 ET 28 Rear

With Falken Azenis FK453 Tyres:
255/40/ZR18 99Y Front
285/35 ZR18 101Y Rear

Handbook says:
255/40 ZR18 99Y XL Front
285/35 ZR18 101Y XL Rear

I want something that gives better grip and handling rather than good wear (no point in having a 5.4 litre engine and worrying about costs :>) ), but I'm not looking for trackday specials, either.

I'm thinking about Pirelli P Zero Rossos - MO version.

Anyone got any recommendations /advice?

Regards

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I prefer Continental MO tyres, I had them fitted on my C32 and they were excellent; quiet in the dry and grippy in the wet.

 

[moonloops]

Forget MO spec tyres, the tyre makers pay MB a lot of money to get that marking based on follow on sales by people who know no different.. IMHO of course

 

[John]

Don't dismiss MO tyres - I found them cheaper than the regular equivalents for my Goodyear F1 A2s...

 

[Leabrooks]

The tyres don't have to be MO rated, but they do need to be of the correct speed and loadings or your insurance will be void. Falkens are good, noisy until worn in (say 300-500 miles) but superb afterwards, to be honest you're out of normal car territory (up to about 255) and into the supercar class (lucky you), personally I would read some reviews on 'Tyre reviews' and then make your mind up, after a quick look on on 'black circles' there not much price difference between brands at that size/speed and loading.

 

[whitenemesis]

Had Pirelli now have Michelin PS3, much better all round especially in the wet. Looking at approx 11k wear. Both sets MO1 AMG approved

 

[ChrisA]

Placed Eagle F1 asymmetric 305's on the rear......grips really really well :

Same ET and could have gone for 315's but will wait until next Spring

 

[rf065]

Don't be fooled into thinking MO means it is a good tyre, I've had MO Bridgestone Potenzas that were no better than a cheap budget tyre. Presently using Michelin Primacy MO that are not as good as the previous Falkens ZE912's with no MO rating.

Russ

 

[karozza]

Had Pirelli now have Michelin PS3, much better all round especially in the wet. Looking at approx 11k wear. Both sets MO1 AMG approved

Which Pirelli did you have??

 

[C240Sport97]

I have 18" on my CLS55.

What I really want to fit are Michelin Pilot Super Sports .. unfortunately, rear size not available, unless I go for 295/35 18.

Goodyear F1 A2 is available for rear but load rating is not high enough -- 97Y instead of 101Y on 285/35 18

I currently have Conti Sport Contact 3 MOs .. am on seond set on the front, and 4th set on the rears. They have been fine, if a touch noisy. MOs were not appreciably more expensive than non MOs.

The only other real alternative for me is Michelin Pilot Sport 3; they come in the correct load rating, and in MO too, just like Continental.

 

[karozza]

I prefer Continental MO tyres, I had them fitted on my C32 and they were excellent; quiet in the dry and grippy in the wet.

Which Continental type did you have??

 

[whitenemesis]

Which Pirelli did you have??

P Zero, still on the fronts and still only 1/3 worn.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Which Continental type did you have??

Sport Contact 5's.

 

[JeremyC]

The tyres don't have to be MO rated, but they do need to be of the correct speed and loadings or your insurance will be void. Falkens are good, noisy until worn in (say 300-500 miles) but superb afterwards, to be honest you're out of normal car territory (up to about 255) and into the supercar class (lucky you), personally I would read some reviews on 'Tyre reviews' and then make your mind up, after a quick look on on 'black circles' there not much price difference between brands at that size/speed and loading.

Thanks for the thought, but I'd already worked through the reviews - the trouble is, with tyres it seems to be very much a case of "one man's meat is another man's poison" - almost any positive review of any tyre can be countered by a negative review of the same tyre somewhere else. That's why I thought I'd ask here and get the opinions of those who actually drive similar cars.

Your other point about prices in that class of tyre is a good one, which I've just found out for myself - it's a funny thing, but no-one seems to do remoulds any more . . .

 

[JeremyC]

Dear all,

Thanks for the replies and for your comments and recommendations. The Beast now has four nice new Michelin Pilot Sport 3s:
Front 255/40 R18 99 ZR(Y) XL M01
Rear 285/35 R18 101 ZR(Y) XL M01

A local dealer did them for me - fitted - at blackcircles prices and there was no additional cost for M01 versions, so I'm a happy bunny so far (with an emptier bank account, admittedly, but that's what AMGs do, isn't it? ).

Initial impressions good - they're no noisier than the Falkens, better on some surfaces (we have an incredibly noisy concrete-surfaced stretch of road round here, which the Falkens used to howl very loudly on - the PS3s seem significantly better) - the steering's more positive.

BTW, I DO like the shoulder projecting to protect my wheels from kerbing . . .

Best of all, there's a Bank Holiday coming up which looks like it's going to be very wet indeed, so I can settle them in nicely and then try them out in the rain . . .

 

[C240Sport97]

Dear all,

The Beast now has four nice new Michelin Pilot Sport 3s:
Front 255/40 R18 99 ZR(Y) XL M01
Rear 285/35 R18 101 ZR(Y) XL M01

I am considering PS3 when I change tyres next, so would appreciate your views on them as you run them in.

 

[donshl]

I can highly recommend PS3.

Had them on when I had my 18" wheels and recently on the Europe trip. Grip is good in the wet and in the dry, they certainly give more feedback with the steering compared to the Pirelli's I had before.

The other nice thing is the great big rim protector on the PS3's

I'm running Conti 5P all around on the 19" wheels now, pretty similar to the PS3's in terms of grip, but seems a bit noisier.

 

[noy91]

Another thumbs up for PS3 from me - by far the best wet grip I've come across, even on a fairly light car.

On Pilot Super Sports now and they're a step up again in the dry but not quite as good in the wet, although admittedly I'm putting a lot more power through them.