I hate to get into this discussion as feelings and impressions are hard to argue with.

Seventeen inch factory wheels are less of a compromise than are 18 inch wheels. I am at home so I can't verify whether there are different part numbers for the AMG suspension control arms, but I can say from experience that all the control arms in the rear have changed numbers almost every year as they stiffen the bushings and links themselves.

Three and a half sets of tires. I won't ask how many miles. I just stress what a compromise it is to be driving on tires that need to be replaced. I haven't personally owned a car with less than 16 inch wheels on it in 14 years. They all were factory wheels and even at that I have had to put up with tire noise and driveability problems way more often than the higher profile tires. My current car is a 97 BMW 540i. It has the smaller wheel option with 225/55R16 tires. I have been real close to buying the factory sport wheels at 17in., but I'm not because I recognize it as a vanity issue and I'm not going to put up with the problems it causes.

When I upped the tire size on my 928 Porsche from 225 to 235 I had to increase the toe-in about 4mm (more than the factory tolerance) to keep the tires from wearing on the inside. The Carrera I had before that had perennial tire problems. BTW my wife has always driven the big MB which until the BMW was always our out of town car.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician