Mercedes Tires: MO Spec, Pros & Cons

Hello,

The text is about a set of Conti Sport Contact 3 tires in size 225/45 R17 W MO FR. The tire was ordered without the "MO" designation. However, the "MO" designation was unfortunately shipped without any inquiry. The tires are intended for use on my Golf IV 96 kW TDI. Unfortunately, I only noticed the two letters after the tires had already been mounted.

What disadvantages should I expect from the MO-type specifically for the CSC3 on my vehicle?

Hi Roger, according to my information, this is an MB (Mercedes-Benz) identification code. It means Mercedes-Benz recommends using their own parts. You shouldn't expect any problems with the TÜV (German technical inspection), driving characteristics, etc.
The tire profile might be slightly different.
Since MB generally sets high standards, I wouldn't worry about that.
The decision was probably influenced by the EK price.
It is slightly cheaper at MO.

There used to be a certain type of tire, although I don't believe they were made by Continental, that had an "MB" designation and were simply junk.

The ADAC was extremely upset about that.

I don't remember the exact details anymore...

m;

That was here:
http://www.adac.de/Tests/Reifentests/Sommerreifen/Hersteller_225_45R17_032006/default.asp?TL=2

I made sure to pay close attention when placing the order to get the standard tire. It's not easy with Reifendirekt because the abbreviation indicating the tire type is subtly placed at the end. The displayed price was the same for standard, BMW, or Mercedes tires when I placed the order, but it's different now.

I filed a complaint. The lady tried to tell me that they only had MO-type tires in stock. I got very upset. Then she understood and announced a possible refund. Mounted tires are not usually returned . I also don't want to risk damaging the polished rims again.

What is fundamentally different about the tires?

The lifespan of Mercedes-Benz vehicles is known to be a key factor, and it seems to be longer when the wet grip performance is lower. So, what do you value more?
When you buy a Michelin tire, it's also proven to be similar in performance; in terms of wet grip, other brands have often performed better.
If you think you received a lower-quality product, exchange it. What did it cost, 120?

120 what??
EUR, for a 225? Why do I only have 235s ?

But I see it differently. A different product was delivered. The ADAC article shows that not only the name, but also the properties can be different in some cases.
Okay, let's get rid of it.
To be honest, I'd rather have more tire wear and fewer encounters with "things" on the road when it's wet!


At Mercedes-Benz, it's likely driven purely by economic interests. If a standard leasing customer never needs new tires for their C-Class during the leasing period, they're satisfied and will lease another Mercedes-Benz.

m;

@martin:
Yes, they really are "only" €116.80 including shipping. Some tire dealers have even asked €153 for them.

@teileklaus:
Thank you for your assessment. The "Zurück" model is excluded because it is already mounted on rims (see terms and conditions), although it has not been driven yet. The issue of wear is very important to me, as I drive a lot currently, and I have been using the previous, very hard, Dunlop 9090 (-> by the way, also a VW special version instead of SP 9000) and have adjusted to their performance in wet conditions. Nevertheless, I would like to know precisely and reliably whether the compound is actually different, or if it is only the noise (see the quote below). In any case, I will negotiate a discount, which the woman from customer service has already partially confirmed.

@Hatdriver:
"For clarification, I'd like to quote a statement from the 'Sterndocktor' on the Motor-Talk forum."

If you were to believe what is being said, then the ADAC, with its test linked above, would be completely wrong, by a margin of 120%.

Here's something general about the MO versions:

The difference being limited to the rim protection bead only applies to the specific tire mentioned, in the specified size. With other sizes of the same brand, and with tires from different brands, the difference between the MO version and the standard version is different again.

I'm writing this to clarify that the "MO" designation doesn't necessarily mean that a tire is completely without rim protection. For sizes that are typically mounted on aluminum rims, the "MO" version can certainly have rim protection, and there are also "MO" tires that do include rim protection.

There's always some small difference, otherwise there wouldn't be a separate "MO" version. But it's always just something "small," like the wheel rim protection example I mentioned earlier.

For other dimensions or different brands, this could sometimes be just a minor change to the tread pattern. For example, if we find that a particular tire performs very well on a specific model overall, but the noise level isn't quite optimal, the difference might be that, for example, an edge on the tread blocks is rounded or beveled differently on the "MO" version, or rounded or beveled in a slightly different way, or that an additional edge is present. These are differences that would be hardly noticeable visually; the tire would look essentially the same as the "normal" version.

Anyway, these are always just minor changes, and we're not developing any completely new tires. If a tire is generally not good, there won't be a "MO" version (Mercedes-specific), and it won't even be suitable for a Mercedes from the factory.

For example, the rubber compound was slightly different, which, as far as I can remember, has only happened once before. This was because the tire, overall, was very good, but it was geared a bit too much towards dry performance for our taste.

And because this could be corrected with a small and simple change, and the tire still had very good wear characteristics, the focus was shifted slightly towards wet performance. This was achieved by using a bit less highly active carbon black and a bit more silica.

"However, this is the absolute maximum we're willing to change. If we were to modify the tire structure or tread pattern, we might as well develop our own tires from scratch. As I mentioned before, if a tire isn't up to par, we won't try to modify it; it simply won't be used on a Mercedes - that's it."

That's why the changes to the MO are always limited to very small things that don't fundamentally alter the tire!

@diesel pd:

Basically, it's quite simple. The tires that we install as standard equipment on that particular model in each size are all good choices, and you really can't go wrong with any of them.

To provide a specific and personalized recommendation, I would need to know the exact Mercedes-Benz model, the tire dimensions, and what the person values most.

I would recommend a different brand to a "racing driver" than I would to someone who primarily values fuel efficiency (low fuel consumption) and long tire life.


Greetings

Quote:

Thank you for the link! A large US-based search engine didn't provide it, but the information is really well-written there!

After doing some online research, I found out that the Nexen WinGuard winter tires currently on my car (size 206) are completely criticized in all test reports. The only positive aspects mentioned are their tracking, braking, and handling on wet roads, as well as their low wear and rolling resistance. According to these tests, they are supposedly disastrous in snow and only usable in snow-free lowlands. However, why do I find these winter tires on so many Hyundai small cars?

Quote:

Why do I find this type of winter tire on so many Hyundai subcompact cars?

Because it's cheap?!

That's right! It includes everything a new car buyer wants: minimal wear and tear, low rolling resistance, and at least reasonably usable in moderately cold regions. They were standard on the "winter special models." These models also included features like fog lights, heated seats, sometimes wind deflectors on the front side windows, and other nice little extras, even with otherwise sparse equipment.

Considering their origin (Korea), there are also short delivery routes and associated costs.


...which now also means that my source for tires is no longer a secret.

"Hey hatfahrer, just saying "cheap" doesn't mean it's too expensive. There are affordable, good brands like Fulda that can last a long time."
On the other hand, I've had customers who absolutely wanted the durable Michelin M&S, drove it carefully for 8 years, and would have been better off with a more wear-prone tire that would need to be replaced after 6 years. Plus, it would be cheaper. But please, no advice, I want the Michelin, it performed well in the test...
There's still a whole world of tire brands out there, somewhere between Nexen, Wanli, and the top-tier brands like Michelin, Conti, Dunlop, and Bridgestone.
@roger: With the compound samples, I can't get any readings. I need to get a durometer for rubber; I think it's commonly used for slicks to get a rough idea of the compound's hardness when you're not sure where it stands.
I'll ask about it in the Boxer Speed Forum.

I just received a message from the sender. It's complete gibberish. But nobody wants to talk about a price reduction anymore. I will keep pushing .

Quote:

Dear Mr. ... MO - This marking on a tire indicates that the tire was originally supplied by Mercedes-Benz. MO = Mercedes ORIGINAL. This designation. states that the tire has been inspected by Mercedes-Benz. The tire can be mounted on all vehicles. You can use the tires without any worries. Sincerely

Whoever protects doesn't really matter to me .
Text snippets, and unverified ones at that.

Conti, in response to my written inquiry, stated that the driver would not notice "a significant difference." However, the recommendation is to "use the same type of tires on each axle." Aha . This, along with what Mercedes says about MO, is attached. From the Mercedes document, I understand that a significant point is the resistance to flat spots. There was a time when there were known problems with this on E- and S-Class models.

Well, I probably didn't completely misjudge it. The main areas of use are highways, country roads, and city traffic. The road surface is therefore usually cold and wet, and occasionally icy or covered with deep snow. Due to the lack of ground clearance, I probably would have lost traction quite early on. So far, I haven't felt unsafe while driving. The tires required very few balancing weights, and they also didn't exhibit any height or side runout.

After two winters and an estimated 30,000 km, the tread depth has decreased from almost 9 mm when new to 6.8 mm. There is still more than the same distance to go before they are completely worn out. I cannot test the rolling resistance myself; I have to rely on test results. However, it doesn't make sense to put a fuel-guzzling tire on a car that is designed to be fuel-efficient.

Die erheblich teureren Contis auf dem vorher gefahrenen Suzuki Ignis DDIS waren nach zwei Wintern und rund 40 Tkm unterhalb der empfohlenen 4 mm und fuhren sich dann auch so: Traktionsprobleme und entsprechend fruehes Rutschen beim Bremsen auf nasser Fahrbahn zeigten, dass sie ihr Lebensende bei 3,2 mm Restprofil erreicht hatten.

Although the vehicles are not directly comparable, the tires were the same size: 175/65 R14. The Ignis had more suspension travel all around and a significantly higher center of gravity. The axle loads are almost identical on both vehicles at the rear, but the Peugeot is lighter at the front. Due to the higher center of gravity, the tires on the Ignis experienced more stress on the front wheels during every turn and in every curve. The very soft Contis on the Ignis provided good grip in all weather conditions, but they wore out quickly. Additionally, despite correct axle alignment, they wore down faster on the outer edges. The sidewalls of the Contis are noticeably softer, while the Nexen tires are stiffer. This results in a more precise steering feel. You can't really tell that the Nexen tires are winter tires just by feel. They aim for quiet and inconspicuous rolling and are quite quiet.


The Suzuki's vague steering and handling were likely partly due to its 4.5-inch wide alloy wheels. At least, that's my opinion. The Peugeot rolls on 5.5-inch wide steel wheels. Both sets of wheels are original equipment and have standard dimensions.

I know, you only see such tiny wheels and tires in the old car game sets anymore.

Hello everyone,

Premium manufacturers all have their own "branded" tires. For example, Daimler uses MO tires, Audi uses AO tires, and so on.
These are the tires that the manufacturer has approved for use as original equipment and for dealer installations.
Only with these tires can the manufacturers guarantee the promised properties.
Comfort, braking distance, rolling noise, steering response, driving dynamics, mileage...
specifically designed for each model.
These tires are approved for use with the respective tire manufacturers.
Vehicles are developed. Using different tires can result in varying behavior, depending on the differences between the tires (compound, carcass, internal structure, sidewall stiffness, etc.).
While the use of other abbreviations or different brands is allowed, they may function completely differently. So, don't be surprised .

Regards,

heating fossil.