Staggered Alloys - pros/cons?
Discussion
There's a set of alloys I'm currently looking at for the E36 which are available as a staggered set up - 8 inch upfront, 9 inch at the rear (both 17 inch diameter).
I am however whether it's worth going down the staggered set up. The alternative is 8 inches all round.
Pros?
- Looks better
- Superior RWD traction
Cons?
- More expensive rear tyres
- Would not be able to rotate wheels
- Spare would likely be 8J
Anyone else got a staggered set up on their car? More trouble than it's worth?
Opinions?
I am however whether it's worth going down the staggered set up. The alternative is 8 inches all round.
Pros?
- Looks better
- Superior RWD traction
Cons?
- More expensive rear tyres
- Would not be able to rotate wheels
- Spare would likely be 8J
Anyone else got a staggered set up on their car? More trouble than it's worth?
Opinions?
jason61c said:
Gaz. said:
Trying to find a full set of staggered tyres can be an absolute b
d of a job.
How? You buy 2 one size and 2 another??d of a job.
I've been buying 2 sizes for my MR2 for the past 4 years and it's not much more of a hassle than buying 4 identical sizes for my other car.
g3org3y said:
Cons?
- More expensive rear tyres
- Would not be able to rotate wheels
- Spare would likely be 8J
Anyone else got a staggered set up on their car? More trouble than it's worth?
Opinions?
50% of the cars I've owned have had staggered wheels, never had any trouble with them- More expensive rear tyres
- Would not be able to rotate wheels
- Spare would likely be 8J
Anyone else got a staggered set up on their car? More trouble than it's worth?
Opinions?
To answer your cons, my view is:
-If you're that worried about spending a few more pounds on tyres then I doubt you'd be the kind of person who buys a car with staggered wheels in the first place as it would typically be a car with higher running costs than run of the mill stuff
- I fail to see the issue here. When they're worn, I replace them. If it means replacing the rears twice as often as the fronts then so be it, overall within car ownership the tyres get replaced at the same rate. It's like people who only put £20 in their fuel tank instead of brimming it, overall there's no real saving.
- Luckily I've never had to use a spare so far, but if it means using a narrower tyre for a week or so until I get it replaced, it's no big deal. All the car's I've had have had the original tyre on the spare. The tyre is therefore 10+ years old, so in any case its not the safest option and you're better off getting it changed whether it is the right size or not.
Ozzie Osmond said:
Given the E30 325i deserved reputation for a lively rear end (ooh Matron!) I'd tend to avoid over-wide rear wheels/tyres. You'll find wet grip significantly reduced with little weight to push the bigger contact patch down onto the road.
It's for the E36 and I'm looking at a set of Alpina Softlines. Previously had an 8 inch all round set on my old 328i.The E30 will remain on standard 15 inch BBS alloys.
I have the staggered set up on my E46 M Sport 330 Convertible on both my sets of wheels, 19 s for summer and the original MV2 s fitted with winter tyres for winter, all M Sport BMW s have the staggered wheel set up and BMW do it for a reason as it enhances the handling and complements the lower M Sport suspension .However it s really down to personal choice and the non staggered set up is an option you can easily take and if you go this route you could easily fit spacers at the rear to give the staggered look , yet still be able to rotate your wheels for more even tyre wear and slightly cheaper tyres .
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