Again in last Saturday's Telegraph, someone in the letters column damaged his brakes because Mercedes, to their eternal shame, have supplied a steel spare that is thinner than the alloys, so that unless you use the shorter bolts supplied, they hit the caliper causing expensive damage. The same thing happens on cars fitted with steel wheels because the bolts are too long UNLESS the hub caps are replaced when the spare is used. (they act as washers)
I think this is a really bad design fault. They claim you should read the hand book. Yes of course, but it means that anyone borrowing the car has to read it too. Get real Mercedes. Bum design is what it is.
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Hear, hear! I changed one E320 Coupe for a newer one recently and am glad I remembered to insist that the dealer swapped the alloy spare in the old one with the steel in the new one. What possessed MB to do this? Surely not saving costs?
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I guess it comes down to cost. I know of one manufacturer who is contemplating not supplying a spare wheel, just a can of get you home puncture repair aerosol in the boot!!
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This is Mercedes standard in th A class just a tin of gas.I had a puncture in a hired A class the tyre was ripped to shreds the gas was useless in such a case.Result a five hour wait .
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This is yet another consequence of the switch from wheel studs to bolts, the reason for which someone out there is bound to tell.
Bolts have a practical disadvantage for the ordinary motorist.
Whilst they may be easy in a workshop, lining up the bolt holes whilst sitting in a puddle in the dark on a wet night, especially if the wheel needs to be supported during that operation, is far more difficult and time-consuming than simply hanging the wheel onto the studs and slipping the first nut on to hold it in place.
My wife can change a stud-type wheel in no time. With bolts I have to get out of the car to help her!
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Bring on Les Dawson.........please.
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Brian,
Not the first time the great man's humour has lit this pages .. tee hee.
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Thanks Gwyn, but there is a serious point. My wife is missing half a lung and does find bolts far more difficult to deal with (when she is on her own).
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It's not just Mercedes: most cars that come with a space-saver spare (or a steel spare if alloys are fitted) need and are supplied with shorter bolts. These shorter bolts are found with the tools used to replace the wheels.
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With exception of Vectras which use the same bolts for the alloys as for the steel spare.
regards
john
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Surely it is in the interest of manufacturers (except Vauxhall) to consider redesigning their spare wheels so that they don't need to supply an extra set of bolts.
There were an estimated 2.22 million cars sold in the UK last year. That's 8.88 million unnecessary bolts in the UK alone.
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