The Official Winter Tire thread ... all winter tire questions go here !!!

[P!NK.BENZ]

Hey, I have a 2005 C230 Kompressor Sedan location: north jersey tires only or winter package: please advise for both =) on your website, it suggests the Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero tires, which are for performance.. does it make a huge difference whether i go for performance or studless, handling wise? obviously the studless are better in bad weather but as for dry days, will it affect the handling dramatically? thank you in advance for your help! considering where you live I actually like the recommended package for your car and the stdless tires do sacrifice a good deal of dry road handling

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[rentawreck]

Hi Luke,

My car is a 1998 Volvo S70 GLT and I'll be driving it in Boston - some bad snow & ice conditions from time to time, but mostly dry or slightly wet pavement days.

Also, can I just put snow's on the front and leave all season Goodyear triple treads on the backs? Thank you!

When you put winter tires on your vehicle, always put them on in a set of four. If you were to put winter tires on only the front or rear of your vehicle, you would create a vehicle with a split personality. The traction capabilities of the tires on a vehicle play the largest single role in determining how that vehicle will react in any given situation. And with the great difference in traction capabilities between Winter tires and All-Season or High Performance tires, you can understand the loss of control when one end of the car performs very well and the other end just seems to have a mind of its own. Consider the fact that leading automobile manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Nissan and Toyota recommend in their owner's manuals that you install four winter tires for winter driving. By installing four winter tires, you maintain the most balanced and controlled handling possible in all winter driving conditions. It is imperative to keep the same level of traction at all four corners of the car; otherwise, the full benefits of ABS or traction control systems will be lost.

[Y2KE320]

Luke,
I have an 08 E550 (rwd) with the AMG package, the tires sizes are 245/40/18 front and 265/35/18 rear. Please provide 2 options, 1) keeping my current wheels 2) wheel/tire package

Thanks,
Bob

option #1.) at this time there is only 1 choice Blizzak LM25 and it is a very good tire

option #2.) you can get the same Blizzak LM25 but in the 245/45-17 size along with the MSW Type 14 wheels which would offer even better performance in the nasty weather

I would choose #2 if it was my car

[Perodogo]

Hello Luke.

I just took delivery of a 2009 MB C350 4Matic and I'm looking to purchase winter wheels and tires, and as such your help is appreciated.

Year: 2009
Make: MB
Model: C350 4Matic
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Package: Winter Package (17" rims + winter tires)

I would like the vehicle to look sporty still so a nice set of alloy wheels is preferred. Do you ship to Canada, and how long will it take? Can you tell me the minimum and maximum offset (for 17" rims) that will fit in my car.

Thanks again for your help.

Regards,
Rico

The amount of snow Calgary gets along with the terrain you definitely need a serious set up so, here's what I would do

17"x8" MSW Type 15 wheels on all four corners


and then team them up with a set of 225/45-17 Blizzak WS60

The Blizzak WS60 is Bridgestone's Studless Ice and Snow winter tire developed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, minivans and crossover vehicles looking for traction on winter's slushy, snow-covered and icy roads. The Blizzak WS60 represents the third generation of Bridgestone WinterBiter tires designed to deliver wintertime traction and control that inspires driver confidence by getting the most out of the vehicle's potential.

The Blizzak WS60 features a dual-compound tread with Bridgestone's silica-enhanced Tube Multicell compound layered on top of a standard winter compound. The Tube Multicell compound is comprised of thousands of microscopic tubes and cells (which resemble the consistency of Swiss cheese when examined through a microscope) that wick away the water that often forms between the tire's contact patch and the surface of snow-packed and icy roads. This flexible tread rubber compound improves the tire's grip, allowing the biting edges to adhere to the surface with less interference. The bite particles attached to the tubes of the Multicell compound with a special coating, bite into the surface of packed snow and ice to provide extra gripping action. The pores and tubes are uniformly distributed throughout the compound and are constantly being exposed around the tread as the tire wears. This unique tread compound is molded into a directional tread design that features independent tread blocks with 3-D zigzag sipes to disperse water away from the tire's contact patch, further enhancing grip. The result is enhanced hydroplaning resistance and greater driving and braking force on snow-covered and icy roads. Featuring Bridgestone's UNI-T Technology, the Blizzak WS60's internal structure includes twin steel belts reinforced by spirally wound nylon to provide the desired high-speed durability and ride characteristics.

[optimizer]

Hi Luke,

Looking for your suggestion for the following:

Year: 1993
Make: MB
Model: 300CE (RWD, no ASR)
Location: Ontario, Canada
Package: Tires Only (rims are MB standard 16" x 7.5" - I'd be looking for 205/55/16's)

I'm really doing half city / half highway. For the most part the city is pretty good about clearing snow within 12 hrs of falling, but I'm on the road quite a bit (100mi / day) so I need to be ready for anything. People have been suggesting to me Bridgestone WS60, Hankook W411, and Nokian Hakkas. I'm wondering what your thoughts on these are or alternate suggestions?

Also, how do you handle shipping to Canada? And to get pricing would that be through PM? Thanks and great thread.

The Blizzak WS60 is the winter tire I use on my own car and call me for Canadian shipping and taxes ... wait ... Canada ... how do you drive "(100mi / day)" I thought you guys did kilometers

[Alex396ss]

Hi Luke!

I´ve got the eurospec 19"s on my C63 and would like to put some wintertires on them.
I know 255´s isn´t preferable for snow, but would it work ok?

Thanks!

Alex

none of the tire manufacturers we deal with make a 255/30-19 winter tire> I would recoemmend going down to 18's and 225/40-18 tires. you would then have many options

[mdncn2762]

Will a 225/45-17 winter tire on all four stock 17'' rims work?

2006 C230
Thanks

Yes it will fit on both the front and rear wheels

[mvp81]

Hey Luke,

I'm interested in the Pilot Alpin PA2s for my 2004 CLK500. Although, the only tire size that seems available for my car is the 225/45 R17. Given that my stock specs are as follows:

Front: 225/45/R17 (17 x 7.5" )
Rear: 245/40/R17 (17 x 8.5")

Would I be able to stretch on a PA2 225/45/17s tire on my stock rear wheels, thereby running 225/45/17son all four wheels? Would this be a safe setup?

What other tires could you recommend for my setup?

Thanks for your help

Yes the 225/45-17 can be installed on an 8.5" wide wheel

[Kar don]

2008 CLS550 with AMG sport (18 inch staggered)

245/45 17
255/40 18

I would mount the 17s on 2003 SL500 17 inch wheels... (think these fit the CLS) like these

but my question is will a 95Q rating be ok? Or do I need the Load rating XL 99. I was looking at the blizzak WS-50.

The 255/40 18 I would mount on my stock staggered 18 inch AMG rims. What do you think I should do? Also can I run without TPMS sensors? Can the error be disabled and re-enabled when I put my factory setup back on?

the "95Q" rating wouild work fine but, I would recommend the WS60 as the WS50 has been known to cause issues with the traction control on Mercedes Benz vehicles.

you can put on wheels with no sensors but the warning light will always be on and there is no way to disable the system

[Kar don]

Also, concerned about V-rated snow tires. I have used michelin pilot alpin (the original version) on my old IS300 and thought they were absolutely horrible. Reduced braking performance was the most noticeable from stock summer tires.

agreed I do not now nor have I ever liked the original Pilot Alpin tire. Sonce its' introduction it has been reworked a few times so Michelin must have also agreed

[erifly]

I am looking to get new tires (245/40/18) tires for my 2003 e320 (rwd, with 18" rims). I live in Missouri where there is about 20+ inches of annual snowfall and the weather is pretty erratic in temperature. In the winter season one day could be a sunny 55 degrees and the next day be an icy 2 degrees. Maybe a few times a season we will get more than 2-3 inches of snow. I also take about 2-3 trips(Average 400 miles per trip) during the winter season. I am not an aggressive driver, I'm fairly moderate. I'm looking for a super QUIET ride with good grip during winter. I rather have an all season tire but won't mind if I have to get winter tires. Any tire recommendations(Can you give me two tire recommendations, or three thx).


winter tires are automatically noisier than others due to the aggressive tread design. On the quieter sdie of winter tires the Michelin Pilot Aplin PA3 and the SottoZero from Pirelli are tops. You may want to look at the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity though it may be a better fit for you

[Bagger]

Hey, Luke ...

My wife has a 2008 CLS550 this year. It's a lease car (2 year lease). She's used to the E350 4matic and is concerned with the RW drive of the CLS.

I'm trying to get some winter tires only for this car.

OEM tires/rims are:

Michelin Pilot HX MXM4s
245/40 - 18s front (8.5" rim)
275/35 - 18s rear (9.5" rim)

I know that 275 rears are out of the question, but I did find Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3s on your TireRack site in the 245/40 - 18 and 255/40 -18 for the front and rear respectively.

I spoke to the installer and he was concerned that the 255/40 would "be stretched too far on the 9.5" rim and give you problems with ride comfort".

Any concerns from you about this or anything else?

I had these tires on my M5 and they worked quite well. My wife does not drive far to work (7 miles) and the roads are typically plowed or only light snow covered.

Any tho'ts and recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanx in advance.

Bagger in Central CT-land

here's what you could do 255/40-18 on all four corners using the OE wheels

here's a couple of pictures of E60 M5's using 255's on all four corners with the OE 8.5 and 9.5 weels




see it works

[Blcksvt]

year: 2002
make: MB
model: E55
location: Columbus, OH
tires only or winter package: Winter Package

18x8 Sport Edition ST3 wheel




and the 245/40-18 Dunlop Winter Sport 3D

Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D and SP Winter Sport 3D RunOnFlat (ROF) tires are Performance Winter tires developed for sports cars, coupes and sedans that come from the factory equipped with low profile tires mounted on large diameter alloy wheels. They are designed to provide dry, wet and snow-covered road competence by delivering traction throughout winter's cold temperatures.

The SP Winter Sport 3D utilizes Dunlop's new reactive silica mixing process to enable its tread compound to provide high elasticity at low temperatures resulting in dependable grip in winter driving conditions. This compound is molded into a directional tread design that reduces the chances of hydroplaning and helps maintain good traction on wet and slush-covered roads. Three different types of high-density sipes define three distinct traction zones in one tire. The central tread blocks features "pulling" sipes to provide traction while accelerating and braking, especially on ice and snow. The intermediate blocks use high-amplitude sipes to enhanced lateral stability and control in wet and slushy conditions. And finally, the 3D sipes in the shoulder blocks interlock to increase dry road stability and handling while continuing to offer the flexibility necessary to grip snow and ice. The SP Winter Sport 3D tire's structure includes twin steel belts reinforced by Dunlop's JointLess Band (JLB) of nylon to optimize the contact patch and minimize tire growth at high speed.

[Kar don]

Luke, Can I put 245/45 18 continental wintercontacts on all 4 corners of my car with 8.5 and 9.5

Also what kind of traction control issues does the WS-50 cause?? I am confused.

no ... max wheel width for the 245/45-18 is 9.0"

the WS50 tread elements are so flexible it confuses the traction control

[erifly]

I actually didn't see this but I already bought the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D from tirerack. I actually looked at the Michelin Pilot Alpins but the reviews for the dunlop sp 3d seemed to better. Hope I made a good choice. thx for your help.

Originally Posted by erifly

I am looking to get new tires (245/40/18) tires for my 2003 e320 (rwd, with 18" rims). I live in Missouri where there is about 20+ inches of annual snowfall and the weather is pretty erratic in temperature. In the winter season one day could be a sunny 55 degrees and the next day be an icy 2 degrees. Maybe a few times a season we will get more than 2-3 inches of snow. I also take about 2-3 trips(Average 400 miles per trip) during the winter season. I am not an aggressive driver, I'm fairly moderate. I'm looking for a super QUIET ride with good grip during winter. I rather have an all season tire but won't mind if I have to get winter tires. Any tire recommendations(Can you give me two tire recommendations, or three thx).


winter tires are automatically noisier than others due to the aggressive tread design. On the quieter sdie of winter tires the Michelin Pilot Aplin PA3 and the SottoZero from Pirelli are tops. You may want to look at the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity though it may be a better fit for you

[cdd]

Luke--

I have a 2006 C55--can I run 225/40's all around--even though the stock wheels are staggered 18" 7.5/8.5.

If yes, what tire do you recommend?

Thanks.

while not the absolute best idea it does work and look at the dunlop Winter Sport 3D

[HSESL500MB]

Luke:
I'm interested in snow tires as well - your thoughts are much appreciated.

year: 2005
make:MB
model:SL500
location:Central NJ
tires only

Thanks, Scott

Having lived in Rockaway several years ago I would highly receommend the Blizzak LM22's for your SL and I would problably do a 17" wheel and tire package with 235/50-17 tires and MSW type 14 wheels

[Kar don]

245/40 18 and 265/35 18 Blizzak LM22s be ok for a CLS550 with oem staggered wheels?

the traction control will be extremely invassive with that 265 rear size you would better off with 245/40-18 or a 255/40-18 on all four corners and yes you can do that with the OE staggered wheels

[taranch]

Hello Luke,

I just took delivery of a 2009 MB R320 Bluetec 4Matic and I'm looking to purchase winter wheels and tires, and as such your help is appreciated

Year: 2009
Make: MB
Model: R320 Bluetec 4Matic
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Package: Winter Package (17" rims or 18" rims + winter tires)

Ideally, I would like a rims + snow tire solution. Please keep in mind that it currently sits on 255/50/19 run flats (no spare). Do you ship to Canada, and how long will it take? Can you tell me the minimum and maximum offset (for 17" rims or 18") that will fit in my car.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,
Tasso

I have not had a R320 BT 4M here yet but, the fitment for the R350 4m is the same according to my sources so, here's what I would suggest

235/65-17 Blizzak LM25 tires along with the Rial DF wheel in a 17x8 ET48

it takes approximately a week to get stuff across the border and we also handle all of the brokerage, duties, taxes, GST, HST, PST nationalized healthcare and everything else up front so there are no surprises.

[JettaGuy]

year: 2007
make: MB
model: E350 Sport RWD
location: Calgary, Alberta
tires only or winter package: Winter Package

The car comes with the Conti M&S 18's but rather than just getting winter tires I would like to change out the wheels also.

I would like to go with 17 x 8 Alloy Wheels and Blizzak
WS60 225/45/17. 225 should fine for my vehicle, no?What do you recommend Luke ?


great idea ... the WS60 on 17's would be my first choice but, you need 245/45-17 tire size to maintain the proper load capacity.

[soysauce021]

Luke,

I take about 10 trips to the snow yearly. I drive about 3 hours until I start hitting snow (San Jose, CA to Lake Tahoe, CA). Most of the roads I drive on are plowed. Are snow tires a necessity at this point? Or should I just make sure my all season tires are in good condition and have enough tread?

year: 2004
make: MB
model: E500 4matic
location: San Jose, CA
tires only or winter package: Winter Package

high perforamnce winter tires are for more than just "snow" grip. When temps drop below 40 degrees the grip of all season tires degrade and the colder it gets the more it degrades. the increased cold temp cornering, accelerating and especially brake ability of a performance winter tire is very noticable.

[Kar don]

after looking at this picture it basically says blizzak LM25s are no better than say michelin hx mxm4s. This high performance snow tire vs. all season is very confusing to me.




agreed, it is a little misleading but, the advantage of a studless ice and snow tire over everything else is huge. While the difference between the high performance winter tire and one of the best all season tires doesn't look to be that great in this picture it is quite noticable .... good find I haven't seen that pixcture for a couple of years.

[mvp81]

Originally Posted by mvp81

Hey Luke,

I'm interested in the Pilot Alpin PA2s for my 2004 CLK500. Although, the only tire size that seems available for my car is the 225/45 R17. Given that my stock specs are as follows:

Front: 225/45/R17 (17 x 7.5" )
Rear: 245/40/R17 (17 x 8.5")

Would I be able to stretch on a PA2 225/45/17s tire on my stock rear wheels, thereby running 225/45/17son all four wheels? Would this be a safe setup?

What other tires could you recommend for my setup?

Thanks for your help

Yes the 225/45-17 can be installed on an 8.5" wide wheel

Hey Luke,

Would the PA2 225/45's on the rear 8.5's provide sufficient load capacity? Also would you suggest the Pirelli Sottozero's (in the same size: 225/45R17) over the PA2s for the CLK?


yes, it would offer enough load capacity but, I would opt for the SOttoZero as the PA2 is in the process of being dicontinued and replaced by the PA3 and the SottoZero is a brand new tire which just came out

[taranch]

Originally Posted by taranch

Hello Luke,

I just took delivery of a 2009 MB R320 Bluetec 4Matic and I'm looking to purchase winter wheels and tires, and as such your help is appreciated

Year: 2009
Make: MB
Model: R320 Bluetec 4Matic
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Package: Winter Package (17" rims or 18" rims + winter tires)

Ideally, I would like a rims + snow tire solution. Please keep in mind that it currently sits on 255/50/19 run flats (no spare). Do you ship to Canada, and how long will it take? Can you tell me the minimum and maximum offset (for 17" rims or 18") that will fit in my car.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,
Tasso

I have not had a R320 BT 4M here yet but, the fitment for the R350 4m is the same according to my sources so, here's what I would suggest

235/65-17 Blizzak LM25 tires along with the Rial DF wheel in a 17x8 ET48

it takes approximately a week to get stuff across the border and we also handle all of the brokerage, duties, taxes, GST, HST, PST nationalized healthcare and everything else up front so there are no surprises.

Thanks Luke! Your the best!

[rckhe]

Hey Luke,

2003
BMW 4.4I
Vancouver, BC
Winter tires

I am deciding between Grantek, Goodyears, Triple Treads or Pirelli's 255/55/18's.

Which decision do u think I should make? Or if there are any other tires that would fit my budget of 1500-1600 tax incl.

I would opt for the Triple Tread as they are one of the few all-season tires qualified to carry the severe snow branding