I live in Barbados in the Caribbean and right now it's the dry season. I bought a C180 and started to drive it January 6, 2004. Within two weeks when the first rain fell for a while I was sliding all over the place. I lost control of the car three times in the same journey, with my two young kids in the back and my wife in the passenger seat. I figured it must be the tires (which are Goodyear - supposed to be good!) but talking to some others with C class Mercedes they say they have changed the tires, sometimes twice, and still the car slides on wet roads. All the time it's sliding the yellow triangle flashes on the dashboard telling me the traction control is kicking in! Ha!! I returned the car to the dealer with 300 mile son the clock and asked for my money back.
I wonder how many others have this problem?

 

Dear Kelly,</P>


What you are describing is what I have been trying to tell people - whether it is the tires or the car, something is wrong. I have also been told because of the rear-wheel drive that this does not help matters. </P>


Did the dealer take back the car? Did the dealer have an explanation for why this was happening?</P>


One would think that when buying a Mercedes, one would have a safe car. I feel that this is a major safety issue that Mercedes has not addressed and is opening themselves to a class action lawsuit. I also think that a class action attorney would gladly take the case. </P>

 

I too bought the car 100% on a safety issue. I recently ploughed my 5 series BMW into a rock wall and wrote it off but survived to tell the tale simply because I was in a safe car.
They said they'd take it back but as far as they were concerned it was "quite normal" to slide on a wet road and there was nothing wrong with the car. As far as taking it back is concerned they will have to workout a suitable depreciation for the 300 miles which is scary. Until I checked this board I was inclined to wait and see what amount they offered me, and if I thought it was excessive, to cut my losses and change the tires. Now I think I am safer to just dump it and sue them if they don't offer me a decent and fair cost for the 300 miles.
Added to my misery is the fact that thsi car costs US$85,000 in Barbados. I asked to upgrade to an E240 which costs US$125,000 and they are treating me with contempt.
Regards,
Nick Kelly

 

I returned the car and they deducted about 3% for the 300 miles I put on the clock and I now have a beautiful new E320 which does not slide at all. After talking to several people with a C class I would advise an upgrade to the E without any hesitation. It is a different animal altogether.
Good luck.

 

If you look at the stock tires on the C230 and C320 Sport Sedans and Coupes, you'll notice that the tires are "Z" rated tires. "Z" rated tires have no speed rating and CANNOT be used in rain or snow. Great on dry pavement, but keep it in the garage when it rains and snows. Once the original tires wear out, there are plenty of manufacturers of good quality all-weather performance tires in the exact sizes that you have now that will do fine in wet and snowy weather. Just remeber about rear wheel drive....not as good in the snow as front drive. You just have to go a little easier than you do when the road is dry.

 

Everybody here is knocking the Michelin Sports. They are high performance, low profile tires that are not meant to be used in the snow. Those are some of the best tires you can buy for performance uses but not for snow weather (of course). Mercedes would rather put the highest quality performance tires on a car rather than weak snow tires. If you live in snow, I suggest buying snow tires and save the Sports for the summer. But the Sports are excellent tires.

 

Actually, all speed rating means is how much speed the tire can hold. It doesn't tell if it is capable of snow or rain.
The U.S. Dept. of Transportation does test each tire's traction during wet condition. So if you look on tires sold in the U.S. the "grade" is given on the sidewall, AA, A, B, C
Many of the Z-rated tires scores AA, such as Michelin Pilot Sport, Pilot Sport A/S. But thats only for wet condition, NOT snow condition. So when looking for tires, look for "M+S", which stands for Mud + Snow.
The Z-rated tires are capable of reaching speeds over 149mph, so other speed ratings over 149mph, such as Y-rated, are subcategiories of Z-rated.