Why should I go staggered for my new set of summer tires and rims?

Other than looks that is.

I'll admit, I love the look of a big pair of meaty rear tires. I started my search thinking I would go staggered, then after reading various forums and reviews I decided square was the way to go.

Here is what I have learned. Please add to my list both pro and con.

the PROs for staggered are:
1. looks
2. straight away traction

the CONs for staggered are:
1. cost more than square
2. can't rotate tires
3. promotes understeer - from another forum "Staggered set ups are for show cars, not race cars"
4. messes with the handling characteristics set up at the factory (I confess, I don't even know what this means)

BMW offers both staggered and non staggered setups from the factory. Do they change the suspension setup accordingly?

My car does not have sport suspension but does have the dynamic handling package option. I'm all for improved traction and handling, but did not want a staggered set up to mess up what I have now. Am I just out to lunch on this?

 

Hi

No brainer, go staggered, I did never looked back

Cornering no noticable change, maybe on the track but not on the road. Wet roads far more more grip, especially regarding traction - I felt a huge difference went from square OEM 225 Run Flats to the full monty 245 front and 275 rear OEM sizes, with no LSD it transformed the car.

Re the comment show cars verses race cars, clearly that well informed poster has never seen any open wheel, le Mans, Aus V8s race cars.....

Cheers
stu

 

i tried the non-staggered setup on my old 540 and QUICKLY found out why they went to the trouble. a 550 with anything less than 275s in the rear is just going to be wheelspin (or DSC) city anytime you nail the gas. there is far less understeer difference than you imagine, and since you have the active roll bars you're not even going to feel the difference as the system will stiffen up the rear anyhow.

 

+1

My car has staggered 245/275 on it, and it's great. My summer car came with 235's square, I quickly changed that to 255/305 staggered, and the straight line traction is incredible, with VERY little understeer difference. Try it, you'll like it. Plus it looks mean as hell.

 

No question. Staggered. Look great. Price not an issue here.

 

I never understood why BMW went with a staggered setup, the e60 has a near 50/50 weight distribution, perhaps it's a safety reason. Understeer is safer then oversteer.

Since my car is relatively new, I don't need new tires yet but when I do I'll do more research on possibly going with a "square" setup. As a previous reply had stated, for the street there's no noticeable difference. I do autocross my car, the understeer is noticeable but no as bad as I thought.

 

if you have a 550, there is quite a difference on the street- anything more than 50% throttle from a standing start and all you're going to get is DSC activation and little forward motion. i'd say get a dedicated set of "square" track wheels/tires, you can pick up some stock 18s around here pretty cheap.

 

go staggered, where ever you heard that staggered is for show only must have been a front wheel drive forum. For rear drive cars which naturally oversteer you want the staggered setup which promotes understeer to correct the oversteer by providing more contact surface with the pavement. Staggered or not staggered doesn't have anything to do with the suspension I don't think, and if it was a bad thing in terms of performance bmw would not offer it as a factory upgrade. If you have an xi though then yes a staggered setup would be more for show then for function.

 

Oh yeah.. Forgot to take into account xi.. My comments about staggered setups only apply to RWD cars, not xi models..

 

Go staggered.. It definitely helps with performance and looks.