Bluestreak

I have an 06 530xi, and live in Michigan where the roads are not the greatest... The plan is to ditch the stock 17"ers and get aftermarket wheels by spring. There is a certain style that comes in 19" I like the most, but I don't want to sacrifice to much ride quality (I don't need two trucks lol). Recommendations/thoughts are greatly appreciated. Will I feel every bump in the road going from 17" to either 18 or 19?

Lugnut2683

The lower your sidewall height, the harsher the ride. The difference you feel is really dependent on the individual. Some don't mind the firmer ride (and actually welcome it), while others will long for the compliance of an OEM 17" or 18" setup.

My previous 330 ran both a set of 17"s in winter and 19"s in summer. The car actually performed better (handled better, stopped better, felt more comfortable) with the 17"s, but obviously I liked the look of the 19". So it's really personal preference! The best of both worlds is ideal.

JChicago

I live in the Midwest too, and each summer, I exchange the BMW factory 17" wheels on my 545i (which I use for snow tires), with 19" wheels by Velocity Motoring--paired with Michelin Pilot SuperSports. The ride is only slightly more harsh than the 17s, and is certainly acceptable. Here are a couple of photos with the summer wheels and tires in place. I'd say 'go for it.' You won't be disappointed.

SoCal530

Ditching the run flats alone will help with harsh ride. So 19's shouldn't be too bad. Also, get good tires like some bridgestones. Michelins are pretty expensive. Bridgestones are cheaper and have a soft and quite ride like the super sports.

Bluestreak

Thanks for the replies, after looking at a ton of different wheels I "think" I am going with 18" F10 M5 replica wheels when I am ready because of all the tire choices (something I didnt look into before). I couldn't find a "all season" tire that would work with the 19" wheels, but there are a lot of really nice rated 245/40/18 tires that are all seasonal that work with the 18's.

akhtar

im ruunning 22's ..





ride not to bad but jus gota watch em potholes ..

pjinca

There are good All Season tires that come in 19" and even 20" sizes, the Falken PT277 (or something like that). They have a 40k mile warranty and are fairly inexpensive. Those are what I am going for next on my 20"s.
One bit of advice: 19's are an OEM size, so depending on tire choice, you should be fine. The difference in ride quality shouldn't be too drastic. It's when you make the leap to 20's or larger that the ride takes a hit. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make but some might not like.

Bluestreak

That looks really good!

Thanks for the advice, I will still consider 19's. Has anyone here went from a 17" to 19 that can speak from experience? The seriously crappy roads in MI still have me on the fence.

dj_rzn

I went from 17 to 19 and well, there is a difference but in my country, especially my city are pretty bad roads, I guess that even crappier than those in MI. I would suggest you go 18s if you want some comfort and a little more carefree, if you really want the looks go 19s.

I want now to change my shock absorbers with Bilstein B4 because are the most comfortable and it should be ok with 19s.

Anzafin

You can definitely go from 17" to 19"!

You'll feel the road a bit better but you'll get familiar with it in a week. Don't hesitate, go for it!

- Antti -