das

And just this morning (as I have wheels with the wrong offset on my car, LOL), I found this, which gives us final confirmation:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?mode...505&hg=36&fg=15

Note that BMW apparently makes a different version of each of the wheels shown for the xi models, all with a different offset!

In addition to sitting 14mm higher, the front and rear wheel offset is an additional 23mm!

Look at the Style 124 wheel for the xi series:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?mo...671&hg=36&fg=15

Front: 8x18 ET 43
Rear: 9x18 ET 55

Compared to the "normal" Style 124:

http://zoouz.free.fr/Wheels/style/style_124.htm

Front: 8x18 ET 20
Rear: 9x18 ET 32

For those following this, this means that the xi wheels are inset an additional 23mm. Assuming BMW kept all other dimensions the same, this means that the xi hub is placed 23mm further toward the outside of the vehicle than on a non-xi model.

I'm just kind of flabbergasted right now, because I can't believe I have been researching this for a month and a half and never was able to confirm this, and also that I never thought to look at a resource (realoem.com) that had been sitting in front of my face the whole time. And when I finally find out, it's a day after I pick up my car.

Anyway, thanks dgjk, for making me look into this again.

For what it's worth, on my car now, I have the non-xi Style 124 wheels, which essentially look like I have 23mm spacers on the front and rear. On the back it's not bad at all (and in fact looks quite good), but on the front it's a tad much. You'll see when I post pictures.

I'm glad we finally know the definitive truth about the xi hub placement difference.

Tuga

ATTENTION:

Do not exchange the wheels from a regular E60 to a "X" E60.
I have the information that the wheels have different serial numbers, they are different.
Confirm with the dealer.

das

Or, more accurately: unless you can confirm that the wheel offsets aren't going to be outside of reasonable bounds, don't guess. While the rear won't be an issue since the tire is ordinarily inset so far anyway, on the front there is not as much room to play with, and you're going to be 2cm off.

dgjk

das,
you ordered the new rims through the dealership, right? So shouldn't they have to replace them with the correct rims (same rims just for the xi)?

just as an aside, I do not lick rims out, I pick them out

das

No, I got them myself from a third party.

leeb3

This is offset.



Ok, I always knew the 525xi/530xi hub stance was wider, but never saw any figures or confirmation of this.

Do you have a source for the data? Which wheels are available in the different offsets?
[/quote]

Das,

I actually have to thank you for your previous articles on these XI offset issue. I would have made the same mistake if I had not read all your postings.

My 530XI is due for delivery Dec/Jan. I've ordered the XI with the Canadian M Sports package which includes 18 inch style 135 Rims. I needed to sort out rims for winter tires.

After talking with several wheel retailers, the dealer's parts department and reading your comments - I knew their was confusion over the wheel offest. I went in to meet a service advisor at the dealership who spent about 30 minutes with me and his comptuer - we realized that the offset was indeed different - 43 instead of 20 on regular 5s. He printed me off the page of available existing rims styles for the XI that are produced in the 43 offset specifically.

I have ordered 4 18" Style 124 rims for my winter tires, with the 43 offset.



Question?

I'm not sure what offset my rear 135 rims will be (the rims delivered with the car). It is a non staggered formation so each wheel has a 245 40 18 tire - so I am assuming 4 rims with 43 offset. If you order the style 135 separately from BMW they only come with a 43 offest. Guess correct?

Style 124 Comes with either a 43 offset or a 55 offset (rear) for the XI. I ordered 4 with 43 offset - as these will be for winter and I wanted to stay with the orginal set up of four same wheels and avoid a larger width in the rear. How do you think a 43 offset will look in the rear? Does the offset matter in the rear in this particular case? How will a 43 offset look compared to the 55 offset (8-18 versus 9-18) in the rear of the XI. I assummed it would be ok because I am assuming the car is delivered as above with 4 43 offset rims - so therefore should look ok?



Thanks Again

das

Well, remember that the 55 offset is on a wheel that is 9" wide vs 8"...when you end up calculating the actual offset of the outer face of the wheel from the hub, they're not that much different at all...in fact, they're almost identical. I also saw a vehicle with 8x18 Style 123 with 43mm offset (my own car, actually!), and that's the same as the 8x18 Style 124 with 43mm offset. It looked fine. Would it look better with spacers on the rear? Perhaps, but so does a 550i Sport. So I wouldn't say it's anything that really needs to be worried about: other than the ride height difference, it would look the same as a 530i would with the Style 123 wheel, or four of the non-xi Style 124 "fronts" (i.e., non staggered setup).

In the end, I'm very glad we all figured this out! And yes, your car with four 8x18 with 43mm offset will look great! Or at least how BMW intended it to look.

hoopsrob

I've read these posts and it's starting to come together for me but still a little fuzzy.

Is there a place on this forum that lists what the standard offsets etc as they come from BMW? My '06 530i will be coming with the sport package and 123 rims.

das

This site lists all of the standard (non-xi) wheels and their offsets: http://zoouz.free.fr/e60_wh.htm

dgjk

OK - I got it all figured out now. The main point is non xi drivers do not have much to worry about.
First - standard offset is 20mm
Second - look at it this way (not exact but an example) - the differentials in the xi are wider, by about 2cm on a sidez so the place where the wheel attaches sticks out 2cm further. To compensate for this BMW changes where the bolts of the wheel are onthe rim. In the xi they are 2cm further out - so the offset is 43mm - not twenty.
Third - changes in the rim width will change the offset
Fourth - Do not worry if you do not get it - keep trying - I have been in school my entire life and it took me forever to get it - so just keep asking what you do not understand
Fifth - yes there is a place that says the offsets of each wheel, but it is 20mm on an 8 inch non xi rim
Sixth - when das gets back he will be able to explain more and tie the link in - I have no idea how and I have to go because my wife is mad at me right now