I would love to get a set of OEM style rims on my 116 eventually. Wondering what the members here have on their cars and what it cost them roughly? I'd like to be able to do a direct swap without having to tweak suspension. The vehicle has stock suspension and rides well. I assume that would change with a narrower / wider tire and bigger rim. The aftermarket look is very tempting. Just not sure what other MB rims would fit. Hoping for a OEM set that I can swap directly over to without doing much.
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I have a set of 15" Penta style rims, which I haven't fitted yet. Still dithering over choice of tyres. I used to be dismissive of the original 14" Michelin tyres, reckoning that they weren't worth the cost, but some research leads me to believe that they are an important factor in the feel and ride of the car. So, I'm looking for their 15" counterparts! We'll see. Meanwhile it's still the standard 14" Fuchs.
I'm riding on 15" Bundt look-a-likes and Pirelli P600's, 235/70-15. The wheels are these:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284203420843?hash=item422bd80cab:g:3eQAAOSw44BYd4HU (https://www.ebay.com/itm/284203420843?hash=item422bd80cab:g:3eQAAOSw44BYd4HU) Not too expensive and no problems at all. The whole package rides and handles great, vastly better than the 14" Michelins that came on the car - though those weren't the right Michelins. Anyway, I'm a kind of originalist so I greatly prefer the OE Bundt look over other flashier wheels. Cheers,
Like some here, I also have 15" Bundts on my car. Riding on my favourite Dunlop Sport BluResponse 205/65R15 tyres. I've paid something around 700EUR for a set of five replicas (genuine 15" Bundts are 500EUR each...). I keep forgetting if they are ATS or ARC. One of those anyway.
IMO, it's the best value for money upgrade without destroying the look of the car. There's very few rims that do that - Bundt, Penta and BBS mostly.
Thank you for your responses! I guess I will get the OEM rims refinished in this case which will cost a lot less and maintain original look
Quote from: carzilike on 21 June 2021, 12:35 PM
Thank you for your responses! I guess I will get the OEM rims refinished in this case which will cost a lot less and maintain original look
If you mean getting 14" OEM rims refinished, I'd reconsider. I assume that would be expensive. But more to the point, getting appropriate tires will be a substantial problem, and one that will likely get worse. I'd seriously think about 15" Bundt replicas. Cheers,
In the end, I went for a stock Mercedes rim, but it's not for the purist. The W116 and R107 were originally designed side-by-side. The R107 was one of the longest-running model types (except the original G-wagen and Unimog), and it started life with colour matched hubcaps or Bundts. In 1980 along with minor styling and engine changes M-B now offered them with 'flat-face' alloys, which in my opinion suit the car just as well as the Bunts ever did.
I went with an even later version of these, (square vent holes as opposed to lozenge-shaped) off an R129. They're 16" and required 5mm spacers to sort the off-set. The rim worked fine on the rear, but wouldn't clear some of the suspension and braking components in the front. You also have to use the matching longer wheel-bolts.
I'm running GoodYear efficient grip performance 225/50 R16 92W. The car handles well and the tyre creates little road noise. My speedometer is only out by less than 1% due to the fractional change in the rolling diameter of the new set-up.
The catch: I still have a 14' Bundt (in fact I also have the 4 other originals in the loft at home on Hankooks) as a spare because the new rim is slightly wider and doesn't fit the spare wheel well. It makes the trunk carpet 'ride-high'. I also have to carry 5 spare Bundt specific lug bolts as they're a different length to the new alloys.
If it floats your boat... Why not?
Gavin
Something a bit different. Although I reckon it needs to be lowered a bit with those wheels to look just right.
Fill it up with four ample adults ;D
Excuse the paint correction process. These are 16 inch W220 rims. I think the looks are fitting however the high rear suspension has to be sorted after the paint.
Cheers.
Ryan