Winter tyre sizes and suppliers?

[Griff Boy]

HI Guys,

Anyone know what sized tryes to get for a 3.0i X3 sport? Its fitted with 255/45/18 and 235/50/18 on the front. But im told that you cant get winter tyres in these sizes? Anyone know what alternative sizes will still work with my car or a supplire who does these sizes?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Cheers
Ian

[theboss]

Griff Boy said:

HI Guys,

Anyone know what sized tryes to get for a 3.0i X3 sport? Its fitted with 255/45/18 and 235/50/18 on the front. But im told that you cant get winter tyres in these sizes? Anyone know what alternative sizes will still work with my car or a supplire who does these sizes?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Cheers
Ian

Here's what BMW are offering... not sure about your 3.0i but I know our SD requires the 18" set (to clear discs presumably).

I just ordered a set and there were 4 remaining in stock in the UK, the guy nearly fell off his chair as apparently all winter tyres are now in very short supply. Will cost an arm and a leg though, as you can see. I can't afford to be rendered immobile though, if this weather persists and snow becomes more widespread.

Edited by theboss on Monday 29th November 12:08

[Griff Boy]

Hi,

Thanks for the link, but Ive just tried BMW and they tell me that they have no stock at all, and even Germany dont have any stock either. I tried all different sizes and styles, but no joy!

Any other suppliers or links?

Cheers anyway!

Ian

[D6GMB]

You could look on mytyres but think you may be a bit late in trying to buy these.
www.mytyres.co.uk

[theboss]

Griff Boy said:

Hi,

Thanks for the link, but Ive just tried BMW and they tell me that they have no stock at all, and even Germany dont have any stock either. I tried all different sizes and styles, but no joy!

Any other suppliers or links?

Cheers anyway!

Ian

Thats odd, I'm having mine fitted tomorrow.... before I committed the guy said there were 4 18" sets in stock in their UK warehouse. Sounds like your dealer may not be getting the right info. If you want email me and I'll pass you the contact details at my dealer, I appreciate you may not want to travel to the Midlands for them but they may be able to help regardless.

[phelix]

Stocks will disappear quickly this year - I was in Germany last week and the vehicle code was changed on Friday to require the use of winter tyres in areas where there is ice and snow. A tyre dealer was interviewed and he said he couldn't keep up with the demand as it was and that the change in the law would make it even more difficult. Better get them now or don't bother.

[dan101smith]

D6GMB said:

You could look on mytyres but think you may be a bit late in trying to buy these.
www.mytyres.co.uk

MyTyres have put all of their prices up in the last week.

I ordered some last week, and they have since added £24 to the price.

[Stitch]

Could try Tyremen based in Hull.

They seem to be out of stock of Vredstein (or whatever they are called) but have others.

if you want to go Main dealer they can get them in from Germany in a week.

Twice the price though.

[theboss]

Stitch said:

Could try Tyremen based in Hull.

They seem to be out of stock of Vredstein (or whatever they are called) but have others.

if you want to go Main dealer they can get them in from Germany in a week.

Twice the price though.

Not as bad as it seems when you consider "twice the price" includes a set of genuine BMW 18" alloys (in the case of the X3 package).

ETA mine are on the car now, not bad seeing as I only enquired yesterday

Edited by theboss on Tuesday 30th November 14:32

[phelix]

try www.reifen.com - prices seems reasonable and shipping to the UK for 4 tyres looks to be 20 euros.

[Griff Boy]

theboss said:

Stitch said:

Could try Tyremen based in Hull.

They seem to be out of stock of Vredstein (or whatever they are called) but have others.

if you want to go Main dealer they can get them in from Germany in a week.

Twice the price though.

Not as bad as it seems when you consider "twice the price" includes a set of genuine BMW 18" alloys (in the case of the X3 package).

ETA mine are on the car now, not bad seeing as I only enquired yesterday

Edited by theboss on Tuesday 30th November 14:32

Pretty good price Id say, unfortunately you apparently got the last set in the UK! Still guy you reccomended is proving really helpfull with alternatives for me. Cheers for that!

[theboss]

Griff Boy said:

theboss said:

Stitch said:

Could try Tyremen based in Hull.

They seem to be out of stock of Vredstein (or whatever they are called) but have others.

if you want to go Main dealer they can get them in from Germany in a week.

Twice the price though.

Not as bad as it seems when you consider "twice the price" includes a set of genuine BMW 18" alloys (in the case of the X3 package).

ETA mine are on the car now, not bad seeing as I only enquired yesterday

Edited by theboss on Tuesday 30th November 14:32

Pretty good price Id say, unfortunately you apparently got the last set in the UK! Still guy you reccomended is proving really helpfull with alternatives for me. Cheers for that!

Oh bugger... sorry about that... It's just dawned on me that when the chap said "you're in luck, we've got 4 left" he may literally have been referring to four wheels, not four complete sets as I assumed.

[Stitch]

theboss said:

Not as bad as it seems when you consider "twice the price" includes a set of genuine BMW 18" alloys (in the case of the X3 package).

Edited by theboss on Tuesday 30th November 14:32

Isn't it?

I suppose if you live in the dream world where BMW OEM parts are produced in some exclusive factory and in the case of wheels, that BMW has some patented, top secret design that no one can get near then I supposed paying double for what is essentially a round piece of metal is OK.

The rest of us suspect that "genuine" wheels are fired down the same production line as wheels for lots of other marques and after market suppliers.


In which case £700 or £800 for the BMW roundel seems a bit steep.

[Sonic]

Stitch said:

theboss said:

Not as bad as it seems when you consider "twice the price" includes a set of genuine BMW 18" alloys (in the case of the X3 package).

Edited by theboss on Tuesday 30th November 14:32

Isn't it?

I suppose if you live in the dream world where BMW OEM parts are produced in some exclusive factory and in the case of wheels, that BMW has some patented, top secret design that no one can get near then I supposed paying double for what is essentially a round piece of metal is OK.

The rest of us suspect that "genuine" wheels are fired down the same production line as wheels for lots of other marques and after market suppliers.


In which case £700 or £800 for the BMW roundel seems a bit steep.

Not so fun when your insurance company counts it as a modification though, albeit probably not to the tune of 800 notes.

[theboss]

Stitch said:

theboss said:

Not as bad as it seems when you consider "twice the price" includes a set of genuine BMW 18" alloys (in the case of the X3 package).

Edited by theboss on Tuesday 30th November 14:32

Isn't it?

I suppose if you live in the dream world where BMW OEM parts are produced in some exclusive factory and in the case of wheels, that BMW has some patented, top secret design that no one can get near then I supposed paying double for what is essentially a round piece of metal is OK.

The rest of us suspect that "genuine" wheels are fired down the same production line as wheels for lots of other marques and after market suppliers.


In which case £700 or £800 for the BMW roundel seems a bit steep.

What exactly is your problem? I sense a bit of a chip on your shoulder about something?

Cost of tyres delivered from mytyres = £772

Cost of tyres and alloys from BMW = £1660

Difference between two = £888

Bear in mind BMW package includes fitment and storage, lets call the difference £850

So I'm choosing to buy a set of four 18" manufacturer supplied alloys for £850. You're saying I'm paying £700-800 "for the roundel" so I presume you can enlighten me as to where I can buy the same unused alloys, from the same original manufacturer, but without BMW mark of approval for £150 ?

No, thought not.

[allan108]

Just a thought, I have had bfgoodrich all terrains on the x5, perfect in the snow, great on the road in winter, I've seen 30000 plus miles out of a set on a puck up as well!
They fit 18" wheels.

[allan108]

Just a thought, I have had bfgoodrich all terrains on the x5, perfect in the snow, great on the road in winter, I've seen 30000 plus miles out of a set on a puck up as well!
They fit 18" wheels.

[DSM2]

Sonic said:

Not so fun when your insurance company counts it as a modification though, albeit probably not to the tune of 800 notes.

Which, of course, they wouldn't.......................

[ANOpax]

Griff Boy said:

HI Guys,

Anyone know what sized tryes to get for a 3.0i X3 sport? Its fitted with 255/45/18 and 235/50/18 on the front. But im told that you cant get winter tyres in these sizes? Anyone know what alternative sizes will still work with my car or a supplire who does these sizes?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Cheers
Ian

Apologies for being late to this thread - but in case you haven't sorted out your winter tyres yet...

I have a 3.0d X3 sport and I bought a new set of 4 non-BMW alloys for £280 (M6 double spoke imitations look quite good on a black X3) from an ebay trader. They're all the same size so I was able to put 235/50/18 vredestein wintrac 4 extremes on them (for around £300 IIRC). The X3 SE has this tyre size on all four corners and I checked with my dealer that the Sport suspension geometry is no different to the SE. The advantage of this is that you're running a narrower tyre on the rear axle which will cut through slush better and you can rotate fronts/rears if you need to at a later date. My insurer charges me extra for non OEM alloys but it's still a lot cheaper than buying OEM alloys.

Last winter, the X3 was brilliant in the snow with summer tyres on (OEM fit Dunlop Sp1). Even our farming neighbours (who'd resorted to driving around in tractors) were impressed. This winter, the car has been unstoppable through slush (the summer tyres' weak point last year), ice, 14" of snow and up serious gradients.

Edited by ANOpax on Thursday 30th December 13:22

[4rephill]

ANOpax said:

Apologies for being late to this thread - but in case you haven't sorted out your winter tyres yet...

Then your probably too late!.

Most the forum sites (BMW ones at least), are reporting that winter tyres are incredibly hard to come by at the moment due to the sudden demand.

Best advice: If you want winter tyres, buy them in the summer time when the demand is low!
(Be aware however that after this winters demand for them, a lot of owners may have the exact same idea, so get in early!).