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  #1  
Old 07-07-2001, 05:57 PM
jwiles
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The used 1994 E320 Wagon that I just purchased has 205 size tires on it instead of the 195 size recommended in the manual. What is the difference, and should I stick with these or go back to 195 when I get new ones?

Thanks,

jack wiles


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  #2  
Old 07-08-2001, 04:30 PM
pmizell's Avatar
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Houston, Texas
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How does a 205 tire look on a '15 inch rim, intended for a 195 tire?

I have stock 105/65/15 on my '300 E and want to increase the width just a bit for looks.

Maybe a 205/60/15 tire as the original poster has?

Thanks

~~Paul
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  #3  
Old 07-08-2001, 04:58 PM
jwiles
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The look and ride great. I just got the car about a month ago, so I don't have anything to compare them with. I suspect that it is safe to use them in the stock 15" rims. If not, I'd appreciate someone on the list letting me know ASAP.

jack
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  #4  
Old 07-08-2001, 05:51 PM
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yal yal is offline
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I guarantee that you might not like the look of the 215 tire on a 6.5 rim. You'll get a bulging sidewall that tends to be a matter of taste visually speaking. Stick with the 205/60/15 to be safe or move to the 8 hole rim with 7" width for a 215 tire. Just my 2 cents....
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  #5  
Old 07-10-2001, 03:11 PM
Bigshot
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I put 225/60/15's on the rear of my E420 until I order a set of either 205/60 or 215's. The bac were shot but the fronts still have some good meat, figured I'd see since I had them in my garage off my old mustang. The 225's looks a bit big but bad from the rear. I have better traction too. But I think 215's would be perfect.
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  #6  
Old 07-13-2001, 04:41 PM
makakio
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Thoughts from a 205 guy

1993 190 2.6 w/ 15" OEM rims. I went from stock 185 to 205x60x15. Looks great, rides great and handles GREAT. The sidewall bulges a little but looks aggressive and visually "fits" the rim and wheel-wells better. Have seen 215s on my OEM rim (I think the same as yours) and they've got so much sidewall bulge that it looks as if tires are half-flat all the time. Plus, I can only imagine that the sidewalls roll really hard on fast corners and give the car a 'drifting-drifting-drifting-now-slowly-hooking-up' turn-in feeling.

205s are a tad taller than OEM and speedo will read 5mph slower than actual speed at about 60mph. Tradeoff is that you'll run lower RPMs at cruising speed and won't notice any trace of slower acceleration (then again, if you like to drag race you definately bought the wrong car). High speed on-center feel is much more solid and crosswinds have less effect. PLUS, you've got more rubber to brake and turn on, and therefore shorter panic stops and safer emergency maneuvers.

On stock-setup 190: 215s will rub when turning sharply (on wheel wells) and at the bottom end of suspension travel (against strut). Don't know if that holds for E-class bodies or if you got a wide rim from factory (don't think so).

As for ride, can only speak from experience going from old crap Conti's in 185 size to new Mich XGTs in 205. New tires gave a much more compliant but detailed (surface and grip) ride, especially over broken pavement and expansion strips. Turn-in was much sharper and lateral hold *vastly* improved over OEM. Plus, they go from grip to slide as predictably as you could hope versus the "snap-the-whip" personality of the hard old rubber I replaced. Not a downside to it.

Random: I think that all MBZs from about 1995 and earlier were tremendously under-tired in OEM applications, given the capability of their suspension and powertrain. I have to think that it had something to do with fuel economy (skinnier tires = better mpgs), because why any luxury-marque auto company would embarass itself by putting over 4k pounds of SEL on wimpy little tires is beyond me.

BTW - I bought the XGTs in H-rated form as I rarely spend more than a minute or two at speeds above 110mph (of course, it feels like it takes fifteen minutes to get up there in the first place). V-rated will have a stiffer sidewall and will handle the higher top-end speeds that the Es can generate. I've heard this comes with a ride-comfort disadvantage, but on the bright side you also get sharper turn-in.

And the XGTs, while rated as a 30k-mile tire, have at their best held up 16k miles (and at worst 13.5k miles) under my *spirited* driving habits (then again I have two fun commute options: fifteen miles of fast and curvy mountain highway or twenty-two miles of scary-fast and switchback-ridden mountain two-lane). I'd bet they go 30k for a normal driver who also gets 50k out of their brakes (getting about half that, too). Still, and although praise for anything other than TireRack is blasphemy on this site, I'd consider buying from a place like Americas Tire or somewhere you can inexpensively ($7) buy a lifetime warranty on failures and get rotation, balance and flat fixes for as long as you own them. PLUS - and this is key - if you buy a tire rated for a certain mileage and they wear out prior, you get a depreciation break on the next set. Every time. So after my initial $300 investment I'm now getting full sets for less than half that. And all you have to do is get them balanced and rotated every 5k miles (that's standard-practice anyway).

205 are allllright.

Maka
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  #7  
Old 07-13-2001, 05:09 PM
jwiles
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Thanks JS,

I've really learned a lot about tires since starting this thread. I'd still like to know how much of a difference in ride/handling/long-term-wear/safety etc. The 205/65/R15's make over the 'factory' size. So far, it sounds like it doesn't make much difference.

Thanks again,

Jack Wiles
1994 E320 Wagon - and loving it!
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  #8  
Old 07-13-2001, 06:00 PM
makakio
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Blackmerc:

So what was fitted with a 6.5 and what was fitted with a 7? Did the 300 come with a 7 and the 190 with a 6.5?
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  #9  
Old 07-14-2001, 05:09 PM
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From 1985.5 on, the 190E came with 15x6, ET51. The 16V came with 15x7, ET41 or ET44 can't remember.
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  #10  
Old 02-08-2002, 02:28 AM
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My MB service manual lists the 205/60 along with the 195/65, and others as stock. I use the 205/60 Bridgestone RE950 and adore them. Lots of tore for the money. Using the specs on the TireRack, this the only tire in its class with an appreciablely bigger contact patch. All others only increase in shoulder width.
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1986 300E Anthracite + ECodes + MB Mileage Award
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  #11  
Old 06-02-2002, 05:32 PM
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Makakio,

So you have a 93 190E (not Sportsline) with 205/60 on factory 6" wheels that do NOT RUB OR CAUSE ANY OTHER PROBLEM?

I have a 91 and wish to mount 205/60.

brookspw
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1994 C280, dark green metallic
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1991 190E 2.6, Black
191,500 miles
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2003 Chevy Tahoe LT, Redfire Metallic
105k miles

1989 Mustang GT Cobra Convertible
43k miles
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  #12  
Old 06-02-2002, 05:42 PM
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blackmercedes -- my 1991 190E 2.6 came with 15hole 15x6, not 6.5.

brookspw

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1994 C280, dark green metallic
105k miles

1991 190E 2.6, Black
191,500 miles
(sold to another forum member)

2003 Chevy Tahoe LT, Redfire Metallic
105k miles

1989 Mustang GT Cobra Convertible
43k miles
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