jtigerjr

Hello all. I just bought a 2011 535 x-drive with sport package including 19" rims. I'm concerned about the wheels and tires after reading all the horror stories about owners bending rims and bubbling RF tires on their cars, when equipped with 19" rims. Mine has 19" rims so I am seriously considering buying a set of 18"s with all season tires (I live in upstate NY). My questions:


1) Are my concerns valid? I have a friend with the same car and same BMW 19" rims who lives in northern IL (potholes like upstate NY I'm sure) and he says not to worry, he's owned his for 1-1/2 years with no issues. However I have read many reviews of this car and the tire/wheel issue is often cited.


2) Will 18" rims fit on this car (will they fit over the calipers)?


3) Are these rims worth considering, and is the specification (offset, etc.) correct?
18" Wheels Gunmetal Machine Face M5 Style Rims Fits BMW Z4 2003 2008 All Models | eBay


4) Are these tires a good choice:
http://www.mavistire.com/ProductCart...4&idtire=33461


Thank you in advance for your help.


John Tiger

JayArras

See responses below.


19's are the most popular size for our cars, so no concerns there. Runflats are very UNPOPULAR among owners because of there rough ride, but potholes are going to cause potential damage no matter WHAT tire/rim you have. True, the smaller the rim diameter, the higher profile tire you can have, and that will help prevent rim damage. But my best advice would be to just drive carefully.

You can even get 17's to fit the xi. In fact, on my '07 530xi, 17's come standard. It's all in the offset. The xi requires a rim that's ET 35-45 mm. That's what get's you over the calipers. I'd keep the runflats for your summer tires (unless they're snows) and get a set of 17's for winter, which will let you get a narrower tire that's better in snow.

The rims you provided the link for won't fit because they're M5 wheels. The M5 offset is much smaller, down in the 20's.


You'll get as many opinions on this as there are members of this board. Go to a place like TireRack.com and read the reviews from people that have your make and model. Narrow down a few choices and then come back for opinions. (Or just go with your gut.)

Good luck in your quest!

Thank you in advance for your help.


John Tiger[/QUOTE]

jtigerjr

thanks, jayarras. One thing, the ad for the wheels says the offset is 35mm and they are staggered just like the factory rims. The fronts are 18x8 and the rears 18x9. I called the store and spoke with a guy for a bit; he seemed to be knowledgeable and confirmed the measurements for me. These are styled after M5 wheels but are not really M5s, they're aftermarket. For $558 for including BMW center caps and M decals, it's tough to beat. I've looked everywhere for wheels and these seem to be a good deal. I'm still not sure, I will probably wait a week or so and research it more before buying. But I thank you for your response!

luigi524td

18" wheels will allow you to fit a slightly higher profile tire that might help you survive a pothole hit. No guarantees but 19" with 40 or 35 profile tires (staggered to fit) could be as lucky. Probably the only thing (short of parking your car until Spring permits SOME pothole repair) to protect your tires from the pain is checking tire pressure to ensure they are properly inflated (per the door-jamb sticker) and very very careful driving technique.

Good luck!!

Josef Strauss

I like the trx rims that come on the stampede with anaconda tires on them u have to cut the body out abit but they look wickid....

ModBargains

We offer a huge variety of wheels for your f10 as well as a completed tire package. shoot me over a message if you have any questions regarding fitment and pricing!

sdg1871

I live in pothole ridden Manhattan and have never had a bubbled tire or bent rim. My secret: I replaced the run flats with conventional tires one sidewall size taller than stock. The wheels still fit (even with the larger wheel diameter) and the combo of extra sidewall and conventional tires with more flexible sidewalls than RFTs have survived countless brutal pothole impacts. This is based on more than two years with the car.