 suspension, alignment and tire choice questions
Hello Dan:
I am the first time owner of a SLK 350, 6 speed manual, 2005, bought used from local dealer, I love it.. The car has 16000 miles on the clock. It still has the original Bridge Stone Potenza Re050 Run Flat. The front tires has these wear patterns as seen in the pictures, but still have lots of tread left. The rears are very thin, but no un-even wear patterns, and probably good for several more thousand miles before the wear marks start to show. On some very flat road with rough texture, there is some kind of friction noise from the tires, like "wo wo wo ". I can also feel some vibration when drive over 70mph. So, I have the following questions:
1. what are these wear pattern tells you? Do I need new alignment? Or does it indicate worn suspension parts?
2. I read from a webpage states that MB-SLK's alignment is a $500 process and replace the shocks will cost $6000?! Sounds too high to me. What is your take?
3. Should I change the front and rear tire together? or the front tire can stay on. I really hate to wast if something can be used still.
4. I recently drove some road with pot holes and rough patches in Detroit area, every time the tire hit a hole or a patch, I not only feel the "bump", the car also feel un-settled laterally. No excessive noise though other than the "bump". Is that normal? I just recently have the car serviced by local MB dealer, and they did not mention anything wrong. Is that because the stiff run flat tire? Please advice.
5. Please also tell me the difference in ride between a run-flat and normal tire? Do the run-flat tires give extra harshness in ride when drive on patched roads? Should I switch to normal tire for a change?
Thanks in advance
Song |