What do german M3 owners fit to their rims in the winter?

[MPETT]

I recently found a few places selling part worn snow tyres from Germany. So far I can't find the correct sizes to fit on the 19" wheels for mt e46 M3. The closest I can find is 255/50/19. I think they will fit within the wheelarches, but will they rub?

Any thoughts?
Cheers,

Martin

[DennisCooper]

I'd suggest buying new winter tyres in the correct size?

Part worns are dependant on supply, and as such the right size just might not come along!

I 'think' the right size is 255/40/19 so going up two profile sizes is most likely to rub or at the very least be much closer to the wheel arches and increasing the risk of rubbing to quite high.

cheers, Dennis!

Edited by DennisCooper on Monday 20th December 12:53

[mmm-five]

BMW's recommendation for winter wheels is a standard 18" wheel with 225/40r18 tyres on - and you don't tend to see many 19" low profile winter tyre offerings anyway.

The Germans with optional 19" wheels on their e46 M3s have the same options as you:

1. BMW winter tyres (225/40r18 on their winter set of standard wheels)
2. Pay the £200-£300/corner for 19" winter tyres (235/35r19 & 265/30r19)
3. Pay the £150/corner for 18" winter tyres in summer tyre sizes (225/45r18 & 255/40r18)

Edited by mmm-five on Monday 20th December 13:44

[MPETT]

What about these?


Winter / cold weather tyres on my tyres:

Vredestein Wintrac xtreme: 176
235/35 ZR19 91W XL with rim protectionleiste *
only £ 151.40

Seems very reasonable. Could I get away with the same size on all 4 wheels?

[mmm-five]

MPETT said:

What about these?...Seems very reasonable. Could I get away with the same size on all 4 wheels?

Sounds like a good fit as the fronts will probably be the same as you'd run in the summer, and you'd normally put narrower tyres on the rear for snow anyway.

Don't forget that while you'll have more rear grip in the snow/slush, you will have less rear grip in the dry due to the narrower tyre.

Depending when you need them, you might find that some places will struggle to deliver them - as couriers have as much backlog as Royal Mail.

Edited by mmm-five on Monday 20th December 19:03

[bertie]

I'm just looking at picking up some smaller boggo wheels of eBay to stick some winter tyres on my M3.

Are all 3 series the same wheel stud pattern?

Can I pick up any 3 series wheel in say 18" and they will fit the M3?

Also interested in recommendations on winter tyres.

Cheers

[mat205125]

I'd advise you to take advantage of the really low value that the standard 18" M3 rims fetch on ebay at the moment. A set of presentable rims with borderline tyres should be yours for about £300, then wrap them in new winter rubber ......... or leave the M3 on the drive, and drag something else through the snow, grit, grime and slime of winter!!

[bertie]

mat205125 said:

I'd advise you to take advantage of the really low value that the standard 18" M3 rims fetch on ebay at the moment. A set of presentable rims with borderline tyres should be yours for about £300, then wrap them in new winter rubber ......... or leave the M3 on the drive, and drag something else through the snow, grit, grime and slime of winter!!

I have been browsing ebay, any pointers?

The M3 IS my sensible option!

[MPETT]

bertie said:

I'm just looking at picking up some smaller boggo wheels of eBay to stick some winter tyres on my M3.

Are all 3 series the same wheel stud pattern?

Can I pick up any 3 series wheel in say 18" and they will fit the M3?

Also interested in recommendations on winter tyres.

Cheers

Hi Bertie,
The standards e46 wheels have a different offsets/suspension to the M3, so you need 'original' M3 alloys. Watch out for the replicas as these are often for the standard e46 and therefore will have the wrong offsets for the M3.

What I'm looking at is buying a set of 19" m3 alloys that I can use for winter and track use (my old sp2 for the track). I've found the 235/35/19 Wintrac xtremes to be cheaper than the 18" snow tyres out there.
Cheers,
Martin

[bertie]

MPETT said:

bertie said:

I'm just looking at picking up some smaller boggo wheels of eBay to stick some winter tyres on my M3.

Are all 3 series the same wheel stud pattern?

Can I pick up any 3 series wheel in say 18" and they will fit the M3?

Also interested in recommendations on winter tyres.

Cheers

Hi Bertie,
The standards e46 wheels have a different offsets/suspension to the M3, so you need 'original' M3 alloys. Watch out for the replicas as these are often for the standard e46 and therefore will have the wrong offsets for the M3.

What I'm looking at is buying a set of 19" m3 alloys that I can use for winter and track use (my old sp2 for the track). I've found the 235/35/19 Wintrac xtremes to be cheaper than the 18" snow tyres out there.
Cheers,
Martin

Hi,

I'm talking current V8 (59 reg) M3, is that e92?

Does that make any differance?

[MPETT]

Am pretty sure the latest M3 has different offsets/suspension to the standard 3 series. Have a quick scan of the net and you'll soon find the offsets for your car.

[bertie]

19" Style 220
Front 8,5J ET:29
Rear 9,5J ET:23

So I can see there could be a trouble fitting M3 allony to normal 3 series with widths and offsets, but how about the other way round, ie fitting normal narrower wheels to an M3, which is what I want to do with the winter tyres?

The PCD, hole size and centre hole seem the same, only the offset changes and since we're talking winter tyres with winter use, do you think it would really make much odds?

[MPETT]

I've chatted about this with a chassis engineer at work (jaguar) and he has advised against it saying it could encourage oversteer. I'm not saying ti will, but there is a chance of upsetting the balance.

[Retset]

There is an M3 specific 17" winter wheel set (Style 68) which a Dutch friend of mine uses.

He says the fronts fit any E46 but the rears are bespoke offsets for M3. More info, inc tyre sizes, is available on this site: http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/

[Nur Links]

I'm in my second winter with M3. I'm running the standard 18" M3 wheels (so not the "winter" option) with standard sized 18" winter tyres. I use Pirelli Sottozero II. IMHO an 18" setup in original sizes offers some advantages:

- 18" are more compliant than 19" due to the higher and softer sidewall, which is great when grip is low
- 18" offers more options in winter tyres than 19"
- on 18" there is enough (barely) clearance to fit Snowsocks or an other alternative to snowchains
- the original size offers more grip in dry (winter) weather than the narrower "winter option" wheels
- the original size winter tyres have a higher speed rating than most of the "winter option" wheels

I've done quite some snow/slush driving last year and this year (including skiing trips) in up to 4 inches of snow. I must say I'm really happy with the setup, as it is (for me) the ideal compromise in mixed winter conditions. I've been able to drive in conditions where many other cars were stranded.

The Pirelli's wear out quite quickly (8.000mls max on the rear) but that will happen to any winter tyre on a 400bhp car. I also admit to having quite a heavy right foot (when traffic allows) and I like to slide a lot when it's snowing. Obviously this does'nt help wear. Last year I drove one week in the snow on summer tyres and the difference is night and day. The cash outlay is really outweighed by the increased safety, confidence and "driving pleasure".

[s99ane]

New shape e92 m3 offsets are totally different to other 3 series

Either purchase the kit from BMW at 2k or get some 18 m3 with winter tyres. The original 18 are like rocking horse dodo at mo.
Might be cheaper to buy vrederstien wintertrac at approx £200 a corner.

[bertie]

Hmm, getting some wheels to fit the E92 M3 is all sounding like a PITA.

I was hoping to just get some 18" 3 series wheels like these...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

But from what I gather they won't fit, is that right?

I also spoke to my local tyre dealer who said winter tyres are like hens teeth and I've no chance of getting any.

Hmmmmmmm.

Next thought, the Porsche is about due some tyres.....

[ian in lancs]

I priced it up for my Z4M as I have a spare set of OE wheels in the garage - circa £250/corner just for the tyres. Makes it a very hard decision at that price! Be cheaper to rent a 4x4...

[gareth h]

ian in lancs said:

I priced it up for my Z4M as I have a spare set of OE wheels in the garage - circa £250/corner just for the tyres. Makes it a very hard decision at that price! Be cheaper to rent a 4x4...

And to tax, and to insure etc etc. Look at it this way.
The tyres will last 2-3 years poss longer depending on use and you'll sell the rims when you're finished with them.
Vreds for mine were £700 ish and while they are on the car I'm not wearing my Michelin PS2s which are about £700 ish / set.
So really the winter tyres aren't costing a bean, and you can be confident of getting home when the weather changes, I'd have thought it was a no brainer.
Just one tip, the tyre manufacturers suggest the same pressures as summer tyres, at these pressures the car handles like a pig, increase pressures by 3-5 psi and it makes a huge difference.

[MPETT]

Have just forked out for a set of VREDESTEIN WINTRAC XTREMEs 235/35/19" at £600 from mytyres. Coming in this morning was so stressfull driving over all the slush and ice. I figured that >2 days off work and no invoicable time would cost m more than these tyres, and I don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Gonna stick them straight onto my current rims, that are getting a bit old and need reconditioning/relaquering. I figured I'd buy a set of refurbed wheels for the summer tyres in Jan (after all the xmas bills are paid!).


Re the tyre pressures, that seems odd to up the pressure and make the tyres harder? Surely softer and more flexible would help traction?