Mercedes-Benz C 250 Problems

You don’t have to fit run-flat tyres to your car, but it can be a lot more convenient. A decade or so ago, it was quite common to replace run-flat tyres with more conventional tyres as the ride quality of run-flats was relatively poor. These days, that isn’t the case to the same extent, and run-flats have come a long way.

But if you can’t get them in the correct size, then you have a problem that can be solved by fitting conventional tyres of the correct size, speed rating and load rating. A tyre shop should be able to sort this out for you.

The catch, of course, is that a conventional tyre won’t get you home if it deflates for any reason (as a run-flat is designed to do). The knock-on problem there is that a car designed for run-flats will not only not have a spare tyre, it won’t even have a physical space to put one. The solution then is to find a repair kit of the type found in many cars today. This amounts to a tin of repair solution which is added to the tyre through the valve and the tyre reinflated with the attached compressor.

I assume the noise you are unhappy with is road noise. You could try a Michelin tyre, which is probably your best option, but the tyres are run-flats, so you won't get a soft ride whatever the brand you fit.

We often criticise cars for excessive tyre roar on country roads. You're another victim of big wheels and low-profile tyres on a C250, which is the sportier model below the C63 AMG, multiplied by the harshness of runflats. You need to get back to 18-inch rims with higher-profile regular tyres to reduce the road roar, perhaps test driving a basic C200 for a noise test.

Mercedes-Benz Australia admits there is a problem but has no timeline yet on a solution. I'm not a fan of the Keyless Go in any case and my solution is to plug the electronic key into the slot beneath the silver start button. Remove the plastic cap first.

If you want to have your cake and to eat it too, then you need Airmatic. It will improve comfort, and also agility in the Sport suspension setting, but it will cost you around $2500.

If you're retiring and you have the cash, you should reward yourself. I would recommend the excellent Mercedes-Benz C-Class, but not a diesel unless you do more than 30,000km a year.

A second-hand C-Class is a great choice but, if you can, stretch to the latest C200. It's a landmark car, gets The Tick from me and was an easy winner in our 2014 Car of the Year.

It's a great car and gets The Tick. But why spend extra on the C250 when the C200 is perfectly fine, and cheaper?

The Benz is so far ahead of the Lexus that it's not even a contest. The C-Class gets The Tick and is also one of the favourites for our Car of the Year award. I wouldn't bother with the C250 unless it has some standard features you like, because the C200 is a brilliant car.