Winter Tyres are a must on a rear drive Merc

[snoop51]

Also figure in the cost of the insurance premium due to the modification of your car......

I put different wheels and winter tyres on before Xmas, told insurance company (Privilige) no change in premium, just got modified certificate and told to ring when changed back. The wheels and tyre were supplied by Alloywheelsdirect who only supply OEM parts I believe.

 

[spayette]

Looking into buying an SLK 280 for Canada, does it handle properly with proper snow tires?

 

[renault12ts]

Probably. If you mean does it drive well on snow with snow tyres.

 

[moonloops]

Looking into buying an SLK 280 for Canada, does it handle properly with proper snow tires?

Yes, even my V8 500 on winter tyres didn't get stuck or anywhere near it.

 

[John]

Has anyone tried the snow in an E55K?

I had a Saab 9-5 Aero HOT and I had to turn the traction off to have any kind of fun - it was superb in the snow with standard tyres (FWD).

However, despite the weight of the E55K, I imagine it will be a tricky bugger.

 

[effbee584]

Fitted a set of Matador Nordicca winter tyres to our Micra, which we need to use very day. The Merc stays at home in snow. Checked out the Matador brand, made in Slovakia and a top seller there, they know thing or two about winter tyre needs I guess. Only £50 a wheel fully fitted - top deal! Then bought cheap alloys for summer tyres, now stored in Garage for fitting in November/December.
The driving improvement is amazing, if you only have one car and must be out there in snow, plenty of ways to cut the cost - see above posts - don't hesitate, fit them!

 

[Sp!ke]

I'm still running winter tyres on my W201 and all season winter tyres on the S60.

I'll report back on treadwear come autumn.

 

[Lorinser]

Old skool rules in the snow... I lost count of how many moderns were defeated and stranded by snow last year. V8, LSD and none of that electronic sh1te does the business.

Huge fun too!

 

[grober]

Michelin in talks with finance minister.

Reports in the Scottish press this week about talks between Eric Le Corre managing director of Michelin tyre UK and Scottish Finance Minister John Swinney concerning the future of Michelin's tyre factory in Dundee after Michelin suspended manufacturing last year. Despite all Michelin's factories now working at capacity to meet unprecedented European demand for low rolling resistance and winter tyres MiCHELIN were said to be pressing for further Government grants and the possibility of bringing German style compulsory wearing of winter tyres at temperatures below 7C to Scotland following last winter's roads chaos. As they say up here "Aye! it's an ill wind?? "

 

[gIzzE]

I have a set of 17's from a w211 avant-garde with winters on the, around 5-6mm all round for £350 if anyone is interested?

 

[Paddcomp]

Will they fit a W203, do you have any more details? Pictures, wheel type, tyre make?

 

[gIzzE]

Hmmm, not sure, let me have a look.

 

[gIzzE]

W203 fitment 17x8 30 225/45R17

W211 fitment 17x8 30 245/45R17

Those are two sizes from the alloywheelsdirect site.

So the tyres on the E Class are slightly too wide, approx 10mm on the inside and outside.
However, because they are winters I went with 235/45/17s so there is only 5mm difference on width either side, so no issue on that front really.

However.....not sure what bolt sizes the C203 has compared with the W211??



Edit: Tyres are Dunlop Winter Sports.

 

[travelininstyle]

Will they fit a W203, do you have any more details? Pictures, wheel type, tyre make?

Hello - I have a set of 4 Nokian WRG2 Winter tyres.They have only been on the car twice and have approx. 6mm wear.The tyre spec. is 205 55R16 91H
They have a great deserved reputation - as mine is a W203 - C180K - would have thought these were okay and I am in East Lancashire.

 

[travelininstyle]

Hello - I have a set of 4 Nokian WRG2 Winter tyres.They have only been on the car twice and have approx. 6mm wear.The tyre spec. is 205 55R16 91H
They have a great deserved reputation - as mine is a W203 - C180K - would have thought these were okay and I am in East Lancashire.

Sorry should have stated - I am looking at about £150.00 for the set,if picked up/meet.

 

[Mercy1]

Well I have changed tack and as we are now a two car family have decided to fit winter tyres to the second car which is a Fiesta Mark 7. So the Merc will stay in the garage during the frost and snow. I have purchased the Nankang Snow SV-2 which seems to have good reviews. mytyres sold me a set INCLUDING the steel wheels for £360 all in. Mytyres prices have been going down for a little while, but the clincher was a further 5 per cent May discount on all tyres.
I am hoping that with front wheel drive and winter tyres, we should get a better winter driving experience - and the option is much cheaper than going down the same route with the Merc. Price wise, I don't know whether I have moved too soon, perhaps they'll get even cheaper before they get dearer, who knows?

 

[travelininstyle]

Sorry should have stated - I am looking at about £150.00 for the set,if picked up/meet.

Looking at other posts - I think £120.00 for the set would be acceptable.

 

[Matt's Dad]

This was my first post. Well i must confess that it has made interesting reading with many valid and many invalid points. To be honest personally i was excited about the difference that the tyres made and i know it makes a difference (Fact not theory), in the hope that people who were standing on the fence (like I was for three weeks) could make a positive decision. If you think you don't need them don't by them it's your choice. There is no point telling people that they do not need them because you don't. Anybody who chooses to buy winter tyres are just being plain responsible. If i could have bought tyres for less i would i have done so but got caught out by naivety of knowledge of winter tyres and the lower cost options were sold out and no more until next year. Now i know better through experience (fact). Give them a try if you can get any or need them, you will be pleasantly surprised. It is well understood that budgets vary and people have priorities but if there are funds available it is worthwhile.

Thanks for your useful posts My Wife's car is a W211 E320 CDI Saloon with AMG styling package and wheels (265/35-18 rears) - it is completely useless in snow/ice, and it's always a niggle at the back of my mind the traction is that bad, that I even got stuck in a wet muddy grass carpark - it was quite embaressing when an old Fiesta came past me with no trouble at all, while I was sat there trying to figure out to keep the ESP on or turn it off......

The E class is perfect for us/my Wife most of the year, but when it snows it just gets parked up and not used - and I would like to take it further into Europe, but have wondered how we would manage with traction.

I was looking at an Audi A6 Quattro last week week, and wondered if I should change the E class so I know it can be used all year and in almost any country - but I've never thought of trying narrow wheels and winter tyres and I've always wondered what they do in Germany when they get snow...... so I think I'll try a set and see what they are like!

I only logged on to get info on some new rear tyres that I need to replace now, and have now got distracted and will probably end up buying 2 sets of tyres BTW, do peoeple change the front wheels/tryes?? or just the rears?

 

[rf065]

BTW, do peoeple change the front wheels/tryes?? or just the rears?

Change all 4 tyres if you want to brake and steer as well as have good traction.

Russ

 

[moonloops]

BTW, do peoeple change the front wheels/tryes?? or just the rears?

Having a mix of snow tyres and "summer" tyres = disaster. There's a few videos on youtube showing what happens and it's not good!