Replacement tires

[Deleted]

I've got a 2006 E350 4Matic MB. It has 73k miles on it and the tires are shot. I've gotten estimates from the MB dealer on Continentals ($775, balanced & mounted), Pirelli's ($660 b&m), and Michelins ($975 b&m). All three are supposedly "Mercedes optimized" - what ever the hell that is.)
But I also have quotes for tires like Cooper's ($575 b&m).
Does it really make that much difference in the ride to justify the price difference?

[RoadToRiches]

Yes it does. It will make HUGE difference. Conti's are good which I believe come with your car.

Check into Toyo tires. Those are really good too.

[TD2K]

Did you check Tire Rack, they recommend tires for specific makes and brands. I've gotten my tires from Expert Tire but I had to know what I wanted, when I went in there to see what they had for suggestions, they were pretty useless.

Are there any MB online groups to get ideas for brands and models of tires?

[Opti]

Sept 19, 2011 12:08:55 GMT -5 hkguy said:

I've got a 2006 E350 4Matic MB. It has 73k miles on it and the tires are shot. I've gotten estimates from the MB dealer on Continentals ($775, balanced & mounted), Pirelli's ($660 b&m), and Michelins ($975 b&m). All three are supposedly "Mercedes optimized" - what ever the hell that is.)
But I also have quotes for tires like Cooper's ($575 b&m).
Does it really make that much difference in the ride to justify the price difference?

Yes. Think of it this way, do the shoes you wear affect how you walk and how easy it is to navigate pavement, gravel or snow? Tires are if you will are the "shoes" the car uses to grip and navigate the roads.

Mercedes optimized might mean some of the tires come in a Mercedes version which was created for Mercedes specifically. Tirerack.com is a great resource even if you prefer to spend more $$ with a dealer or local place. Read the reviews and get an idea of what kind of driver you are and what kinds of tires you'd be happy with. Do you like driving fast and stopping fast or are you more of a easy going luxury-oriented driver?

Brands while important are not as important IMO as the specific tire model. I loathe some of the old Continental tires but some of the newer models have great reviews. I have both summer and winter tires because I really notice the difference in traction and hate doing the equivalent of having my car wear mid-priced sneakers year around.

ETA: Skimmed a few reviews and given what I read the car is designed for a smooth quiet ride. Are the original tires Michelins?
If you get Cooper tires especially given I read the tire size was 245/45-17 your ride will be much rougher.