tab545

My BMW dealer sent me to a tire shop here in Chicago for a winter setup. (He said I'd save a ton of money over buying it from him. I appreciate the frank advice!)

He said I just shouldn't blow the money on OEM BMW wheels, because every set of winter wheels he sees gets all dinged up, from potholes, curbs, etc. He recommends simple Borbet Type E wheels. I don't know those, but they look like simple, 5-spoke wheels. Does anybody know them?

He says Dunlop Winter Sport M3 runflats are great, will last a long time and are better on dry pavement than some winters. (I know somebody else recommended those tires on this board recently.) Right now I start with the stock 18" 245 front/ 275 rear setup on my 545iM, but he recommends 17" 225/50s on all four wheels for winter. Narrow tread to bite better. Same outside diameter, just more sidewall for impact protection.

He says my car, with this stock setup, almost will not move in a real snowfall in Chicago. He has people who have had their BMWs towed in to get snows put on. We don't get big snows here that much, honestly, but I do need it to work in the winter. He'll sell me four wheels, four tires, and store the off-season set for $1,364.

These guys seem pretty honest. They aren't recommending the most expensive option. Does anybody have advice on this?

530E60NL

Sounds okay to me. Personally I would chose OEM wheels because they look much better on your car then the cheap looking borbet wheels. I found my winterwheels on e-bay and only paid 900 euros for them. These are oem wheels with the dunlop wintersports M3 tires with dsst..

wolverine

That sounds like a good price. You can go to tirerack.com and build a winter package with the Dunlop M3's (non-runflat) for $1069 with ASA rims. With the runflats, $1300 or so sounds like a fair price with balancing. I don't know anything about the Borbet type E rims.

Bedford530i

I just purchased the following from TireRack:

ASA JH3 Silver Painted: $129 ea
225/50R17 Dunlop Winter Sport M3(not runflats): $139 ea

Total was: $1,196.31 (including shipping and tire road hazard)

I'm supposed to get them tomorrow!

Now I just need to wait for snow!!

tab545

I looked them up, and like those ASA JH3 wheels better than the ones I mentioned. Don't look as cheap. Thanks!

Member545

I looked them up, and like those ASA JH3 wheels better than the ones I mentioned. Don't look as cheap. Thanks!
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Got mine today, decided on the Run Flats. They look very good. I think I will be happy with these.

gdavis

I just received my snow tires from tirerack which are the Bridgestone Blizzaks. They're supposed to be really great in snow. They make 2 kinds the '50's and the '22's. The 50s are supposed to be the best for snow, but a bit soft handling. The 22's are for faster driving with a bit better handling, thought slightly less grippy in snow and the 22s are the ones that I got for our moderate snowy winter.

Bring on the snow!!!!!!!!

(now I just want to get a good set of tools for swapping out the lug nuts)

Member545

I have the 50's on our Minivan. They are a great tire. I read some good reviews of the Dunlops and I like the idea of a run flat, especially in the winter. No fun getting stuck when it's cold out.

tab545

I have the 50's on our Minivan. They are a great tire. I read some good reviews of the Dunlops and I like the idea of a run flat, especially in the winter. No fun getting stuck when it's cold out.
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That's the point on the runflats. Brutal to be stranded on a snowy highway at night. Just somehow not as bad to be stranded on a hot highway at night. It's one of the "safety" selling points that I keep pointing out to my wife!

kigerka

Member 545 and Gdavis,
How much was your set of wheels and tires?