Discussion
Hallo,
I have an X5 Xdrive 40D MSport, 2012, and I want to change the tyres and/or wheels as the ride is so hard. I definitely want to change from run-flats, but should I also change to smaller wheels, and if so are there any compatibility problems? I have 21.5" rims (is that right?). Can I assume that the tyre types printed on the sticker inside the driver's door is the list of what is compatible. I guess EBay is the best place to find replacements.
Thanks for any help. Alistair
I have an X5 Xdrive 40D MSport, 2012, and I want to change the tyres and/or wheels as the ride is so hard. I definitely want to change from run-flats, but should I also change to smaller wheels, and if so are there any compatibility problems? I have 21.5" rims (is that right?). Can I assume that the tyre types printed on the sticker inside the driver's door is the list of what is compatible. I guess EBay is the best place to find replacements.
Thanks for any help. Alistair
Changing the wheels and tyres will have virtually no effect on the ride except the very low speed bump / thump of cats eyes and pot holes and will ruin the handling and general road ability , fitting say a 50% aspect tyre will make the thing very bouncy at speeds of over 40 mph . Fitting the springs from the basic model will change the characteristics but you also may need to change the shock absorbers but bear in mind this is circa 2 tones of car !
I have an E70 with 20" summer wheels and 18" winter wheels. Have run the 20" wheels on both normal and RFT tyres. Had the car since new in 2007.
When I first bought the car the ride on the RFT's was really awful over speed bumps (lived in London), changed to normal tyres and there was a difference but not a massive one. I then bought some winter wheels with 18" RFT's which broadly felt the same as the 20's with normal tyres.
Then my wife managed to hit a kerb and puncture a rear wheel one Friday afternoon with us going on holiday the next day. Needed tyres at short notice we had to get RFT's....this was about three years ago and they were much better than the RFT's that were on the car when I originally bought it. In fact given my wife was using the car more than I was and the fact the ride was that different we moved back to RFT's.
Long story short a lot of what you are noticing int he X5's ride is how the suspension is set up, if you really want to change it I'd look at KW suspension set up but that's probably £3k or so. Smaller wheels will make a difference but you'll need to switch to normal tyres to make it worthwhile...and then because they're narrower they won't fill the arches properly. (smaller wheeled cars don't have the wheel arch extensions).
When I first bought the car the ride on the RFT's was really awful over speed bumps (lived in London), changed to normal tyres and there was a difference but not a massive one. I then bought some winter wheels with 18" RFT's which broadly felt the same as the 20's with normal tyres.
Then my wife managed to hit a kerb and puncture a rear wheel one Friday afternoon with us going on holiday the next day. Needed tyres at short notice we had to get RFT's....this was about three years ago and they were much better than the RFT's that were on the car when I originally bought it. In fact given my wife was using the car more than I was and the fact the ride was that different we moved back to RFT's.
Long story short a lot of what you are noticing int he X5's ride is how the suspension is set up, if you really want to change it I'd look at KW suspension set up but that's probably £3k or so. Smaller wheels will make a difference but you'll need to switch to normal tyres to make it worthwhile...and then because they're narrower they won't fill the arches properly. (smaller wheeled cars don't have the wheel arch extensions).
AlistairGroom said:
Hallo,
I have an X5 Xdrive 40D MSport, 2012, and I want to change the tyres and/or wheels as the ride is so hard. I definitely want to change from run-flats, but should I also change to smaller wheels, and if so are there any compatibility problems? I have 21.5" rims (is that right?). Can I assume that the tyre types printed on the sticker inside the driver's door is the list of what is compatible. I guess EBay is the best place to find replacements.
Thanks for any help. Alistair
19" was the standard wheel for this model. dependant on where you are, I may be able to help with a set of these. (I bought some to use as winters, not realising I wouldn't be able to get wider rears)I have an X5 Xdrive 40D MSport, 2012, and I want to change the tyres and/or wheels as the ride is so hard. I definitely want to change from run-flats, but should I also change to smaller wheels, and if so are there any compatibility problems? I have 21.5" rims (is that right?). Can I assume that the tyre types printed on the sticker inside the driver's door is the list of what is compatible. I guess EBay is the best place to find replacements.
Thanks for any help. Alistair
Style 223

Style 209's are designated as the smallest winter option (18's)

KrisP said:
AlistairGroom said:
Hallo,
I have an X5 Xdrive 40D MSport, 2012, and I want to change the tyres and/or wheels as the ride is so hard. I definitely want to change from run-flats, but should I also change to smaller wheels, and if so are there any compatibility problems? I have 21.5" rims (is that right?). Can I assume that the tyre types printed on the sticker inside the driver's door is the list of what is compatible. I guess EBay is the best place to find replacements.
Thanks for any help. Alistair
19" was the standard wheel for this model. dependant on where you are, I may be able to help with a set of these. (I bought some to use as winters, not realising I wouldn't be able to get wider rears)I have an X5 Xdrive 40D MSport, 2012, and I want to change the tyres and/or wheels as the ride is so hard. I definitely want to change from run-flats, but should I also change to smaller wheels, and if so are there any compatibility problems? I have 21.5" rims (is that right?). Can I assume that the tyre types printed on the sticker inside the driver's door is the list of what is compatible. I guess EBay is the best place to find replacements.
Thanks for any help. Alistair
Style 223

Style 209's are designated as the smallest winter option (18's)

I had the 209's on my X5 for winter set and in a lot of ways I preferred the ride & handling compared with the 20" summer set.
It wasn't quite as planted on the 18s but the difference in unsprung mass was very noticeable and it turned in far better and also rode a lot nicer, whilst still being controlled unless you were pushing on hard.
We actually ended up keeping our winter set on for a lot longer in the final year as the overall experience was so much better than on the 20s (aswell as saving us a small fortune in new summer tyres!).
It wasn't quite as planted on the 18s but the difference in unsprung mass was very noticeable and it turned in far better and also rode a lot nicer, whilst still being controlled unless you were pushing on hard.
We actually ended up keeping our winter set on for a lot longer in the final year as the overall experience was so much better than on the 20s (aswell as saving us a small fortune in new summer tyres!).
To the owners that bought a set of Michelin Latitude sport 3, did you notice any issues when accelerating in your X5? As in the transfer case slipping to allow for all four wheels to rotate at the same time.
And were your tyres sizes the same as:
Front 275/40R20
Rear 315/35R20
I can see that Michelin have a homologated (BMW *) 275/40R20 tyre in that model, but the rears are not.
Really don't want to purchase them, only to find that i will be suffering from transfer case slipping again.
Thanks
And were your tyres sizes the same as:
Front 275/40R20
Rear 315/35R20
I can see that Michelin have a homologated (BMW *) 275/40R20 tyre in that model, but the rears are not.
Really don't want to purchase them, only to find that i will be suffering from transfer case slipping again.
Thanks
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