Will wheels made of steel for a W204 fit a W212?

franchcars · Mon Oct 05, 2026 9:16 am

Hello everyone,

Just got a 2013 E class and saw some steel wheels on eBay with winter tires. The seller claims they're from a C class, so I'm assuming they have the same 66.6 center bore and 5x112 PCD (I say'should' because the seller hasn't provided much info).

The dimensions are 16" and 6J, but according to the manual, the E220 requires a minimum rim width of 7J; however, is this information really relevant? They have a lower speed rating of 89H compared to the recommended 92, which is unclear if it makes a difference, and an offset of 39, which falls within the range provided in the manual (38 to 46).

Maybe MB is simply failing to "suggest" an item that would fit securely.

Your input is highly valued.

maturo99 · Mon Oct 05, 2026 9:17 am

Outside of the car's authorised range of MB sizes, I don't see any problems with any of that, the only possible issue being insurance. A potential drop in mpg could be caused by the increased unsprung weight of the wheels.

franchcars · Mon Oct 05, 2026 9:18 am

Regarding insurance, you're absolutely right that you need to let them know about the winter tires. I'll make sure to bring it up with them. It appears that there are no steel options available for W212s, so I may need to get some alloys instead, according to my research.

maturo99 · Mon Oct 05, 2026 9:19 am

There must be pauper/taxi specs 212 floating around somewhere, because I've seen them with tin wheels.

EDIT...
If the ones I've seen in Germany and elsewhere aren't on W212 steels, then they must be from a different model.

GURU4U2BUY · Mon Oct 05, 2026 9:21 am

Before I got my W212, I was wondering if the 16-inch W204 alloys that were in my garage would fit, since I might use them for winter driving. Upon reviewing the specifications, it became apparent that while the center bore and PCD were identical, the offset and width were not. I never went any further because I came to the conclusion that the W204 wheels might appear a little out of place in the W212's wheel arches and because I wasn't sure how the different offset would impact the steering geometry. Still, it's great to get some expert advice on the matter; I've got a spare set of alloys sitting in my garage collecting dust.