This is my second post. Sorry about the duplicate post on the Tire Rack thread, but I didn't get any replies after two days.
I just bought a 2008 C300 Sport 4Matic in Iridium Silver with P2, Multimedia, iPod adapter and Panoramic roof. I should take delivery this Friday.
I would like to know whether anyone definitively knows the reason the 18" AMG 5-Twin-Spoke Wheels are not offered as an option on the 2008 C300 Sport 4Matic. The wheels are available as an option on the C350 Sport and on the C300 Sport RWD models, but not on the C300 Sport 4Matic.
The bolt pattern, offset and wheel width are the same on the 4Matic and RWD models, so it isn't a matter of fitting, unless there is something different about the brake rotors on the 4Matic.
I've done some research online and have seen various theories proposed. One person suggested that it is a requirement on 4Matic models that the front and rear wheels are not staggered (that is, that the front and rear wheels are the same width). I don't think that theory is right, however, since I looked at both 4Matic and non-4Matic models at the dealership and the C300 Sport and C300 Sport 4Matic have the exact same wheels on them - both had 17" wheels with staggered widths.
I also shopped at the Tire Rack and saw that the same size wheels are available for both the C300 Sport and C300 Sport 4Matic, with no apparent limitation on wheel availability for the 4Matic version.
Therefore, my theory (which I am hoping to have confirmed or refuted here) is that M-B simply doesn't offer the 18" AMG wheel option when purchasing the 4Matic because the type of tires they put on the AMG wheels are too performance oriented to work well on snow, despite the capability of the all wheel drive feature of the 4Matic. But this is just a theory.
Any information would be helpful.
I just bought a 2008 C300 Sport 4Matic in Iridium Silver with P2, Multimedia, iPod adapter and Panoramic roof. I should take delivery this Friday.
I would like to know whether anyone definitively knows the reason the 18" AMG 5-Twin-Spoke Wheels are not offered as an option on the 2008 C300 Sport 4Matic. The wheels are available as an option on the C350 Sport and on the C300 Sport RWD models, but not on the C300 Sport 4Matic.
The bolt pattern, offset and wheel width are the same on the 4Matic and RWD models, so it isn't a matter of fitting, unless there is something different about the brake rotors on the 4Matic.
I've done some research online and have seen various theories proposed. One person suggested that it is a requirement on 4Matic models that the front and rear wheels are not staggered (that is, that the front and rear wheels are the same width). I don't think that theory is right, however, since I looked at both 4Matic and non-4Matic models at the dealership and the C300 Sport and C300 Sport 4Matic have the exact same wheels on them - both had 17" wheels with staggered widths.
I also shopped at the Tire Rack and saw that the same size wheels are available for both the C300 Sport and C300 Sport 4Matic, with no apparent limitation on wheel availability for the 4Matic version.
Therefore, my theory (which I am hoping to have confirmed or refuted here) is that M-B simply doesn't offer the 18" AMG wheel option when purchasing the 4Matic because the type of tires they put on the AMG wheels are too performance oriented to work well on snow, despite the capability of the all wheel drive feature of the 4Matic. But this is just a theory.
Any information would be helpful.