Banger-nomics/Euro-Tourer Project - Wheel advice

[mgmrw2003]

Right, the exercise in mild-tuning of a cheap and reliable work-horse in the form of a 320 tourer on a P plate has begun.... and after some direction/advice regarding wheels:



Apologies for bad pic, but that's best I've got currently.

Right the tyres on the car are all good, and all 4 wheels are in a good state, so am I better of getting creative and having them painted/coated in some different colour?

Or due to the fact that they're pov-spec items, do I just bin them off and find a set of M3 wheels/Alpina reps like the rest of the crowd?

I was debating a charcoal metallic respray of these or white powder coating for something different? Also they'd fit in with the lowered stance, bonnet bra, and chequered vinyl roof & mirror caps that are all on the way

thanks,

Matt

[DennisCooper]

My vote is to find some aftermarket wheels that don't follow the 'crowd' and are different!

Still only a handful of E36's running with Hartge and AC Schnitzer wheels for instance!

E36 on some freshly refurbished Style 5 wheels look fantastic !

Depends on what your style of preferred wheel setup is really! I personally like to have as rare or unique wheels as possible

Cheers, Dennis!

[mgmrw2003]

DennisCooper said:

My vote is to find some aftermarket wheels that don't follow the 'crowd' and are different!

Depends on what your style of preferred wheel setup is really! I personally like to have as rare or unique wheels as possible

Cheers, Dennis!

different - I like the idea of. Like dished ones off of Z3..........

BUT the "depends on preferred setup" bit.. CHEAP! The whole point of this one is "bangernomics" to appease my bank/OH/parents who's driveway my fleet reside on, after the 12grand dip into jap car ownership last time.


SOOOOO...... Ideally, I want cheap ideas.

The tourer already has a bonnet bra sat waiting in the boot, and is currently up on a 2 poster at a local indy having all new suspension and a 35mm drop added.

Vinyl chequered sunroof/mirror caps/tailgate handle being sorted next week

[griffter]

for euro look it should be on the bump stops, rolling on mint oe wheels imho. Or you could do that thing polo drivers do with narrow tyres stretched over ridiculously wide rims. But thats just silly.

[mgmrw2003]

Regarding ride height: for now it's dropped a mere 35mm

Wheels: OE was the way I was thinking, some form of BMW wheel, 17s preferably as 18s will get destroyed at work............ The narrow tyre thing, sod that seen it on a bloke I know's compact, not my scene.

[Matt Cyclone]

With regards to wheels, might want to go from tyre size as a starting point, depending on budget as wheels might be cheap, as finding tyres to fit that size might be expensive (speaking as an E30 touring owner, 17's are as big as I would go as the ride is harsh enough with those... I went back to 16's which cost more to put rubber on).

As for a chequered roof - I like it... Here's my shed...

[mgmrw2003]

It's on the 16s at the minute, which I'm going to keep as "winter wheels" I reckon (they're worthless).

Not going to be doing mad mileage, so some 17s and wet weather ditchfinders may well be a solution me thinks......... Chasing a set of Z3 wheels on ebay at the minute. Subtle, but enough to lift the pov spec looks.


As for your roof, who did that? and how much? I've had quotes of £170 for doing the E36 roof

[Gunk]

I like this look



Or this one with a late sport bodykit and Staggered Style 68M's (same size as the E36 M3 wheels)



Or this with M3 rims and again a late sport bodykit

Edited by Gunk on Thursday 21st April 15:43

[mgmrw2003]

68m's........ set on ebay Im watching. They're what im after.
Same bumper idea I'd had too


is your's on coilovers to get that low?

[mgmrw2003]

Right finally some progress was made, the stock 15s are now stacked in the back garden and the tourer has had the following:



17s off of a 2000 odd 3series, with 3x Goodyears on them (nigh on new) and 1x spanking Michellin. They were something different to the usual options and kept an OE look.



Wider wheels, better tyres, and less wobble of rubber, all adds up for better drive.
Especially with the host of new bushes, 4x shockers and lowering springs (rears to be changed as supplied too soft springs)




Now to find myself a Hellrot Red M3 front bumper

[Vladimir]

They look pretty good.

I'm a big fan of BMWs fairly simple designs. Not keen on their over fussy, fragile M Sport ones that seem very popular.

[mgmrw2003]

thanks, couple of lads I know with E36s wouldnt even consider them as an option, so I thought I'd offer them up and see.

Turns out the rear springs are too soft, hence the sagging stance.

Saturday is polish up time too