Looking for suggestions and experience here. My '08 E320 Bluetec needs some tires. In the U.S., the diesel w211 cars are shod with 225/55/16 using 8" wide wheels on all four corners. This is apparently not a very common tire size, as the selection is rather limited.

Within the factory tire size, what have folks selected? Down here in Dallas we are primarily interested in dry weather traction, noise, and comfort, with reasonable rain handling and minimal snow use. The car currently has Michelin Pilot Exalto a/s. While OK, they seem a bit high performance for a diesel sedan and also have a directional tread, of which I am not a fan. They are also on the expensive side, even for Michelins.

Has anyone gone to a different tire size to get a better product selection? It appears that 225/60/16 is one option. Although taller, these should fit without difficulty in the w211 wheel wells. The Michelin Primacy MXV4 - my favorite boring passenger car tire - is available in this size. Has anyone gone this route? Will the taller tire cause any problems beyond 1 or 2 percent error in the speedometer?

Your thoughts appreciated.