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[tiggers m3]

Hi All,

I have a couple of options for my winter set up. I'm using the stock 18's for rims.

1. Oem fitment for stockies as 235 front and 255 rear.

2. 245 squared.


Thoughts? Ideas? Any info would be great!

Thanks!

[gthal]

I ran a 245/40 square set up last winter and it worked very well. The best part is you can dismount and rotate the tires every year or two and extend the useful life as the rears get eaten by our cars.

[itf joegun]

I have square winter setup with "M Doppelspeiche M270" in 8x18 ET20 with Michelin Pilot Alpin in 235/40 R18 95W (click on signature for pictures). It works very fine, I think a good option, had no problems last winter where we had a lot of snow...

[pbonsalb]

Since my wheels were not squared -- stock 18 x 8.5/9.5, I did not square my snows and went with the 235/40 and 255/40. It is not like I would put the fronts in the back and the rear wheels up front if the tires were all the same size. Plus the factory set the car up for staggered in terms of the balance for the handling.

I can see buying aftermarket square 18 x 7.5 or 8 wheels and running all 225 width snows.

[BMW Fanatic]

Originally Posted by itf joegun

I have square winter setup with "M Doppelspeiche M270" in 8x18 ET20 with Michelin Pilot Alpin in 235/40 R18 95W (click on signature for pictures). It works very fine, I think a good option, had no problems last winter where we had a lot of snow...

THANK YOU! Finally I see somebody that has 18x8 with 235/40/18 all the way around. I was scared about running this set-up but it actually doesn't look bad. Can you tell me your offsets please? Mine will be 20 and I'm hopign yours are same or similar.

OP - Sorry to thread jack but just as itf joegun said, that would be the best option.

[itf joegun]

Originally Posted by BMW Fanatic

THANK YOU! Finally I see somebody that has 18x8 with 235/40/18 all the way around. I was scared about running this set-up but it actually doesn't look bad. Can you tell me your offsets please? Mine will be 20 and I'm hopign yours are same or similar.

OP - Sorry to thread jack but just as itf joegun said, that would be the best option.

Sure the offset is 20, this is what "ET20" means (ET = Einpresstiefe (ger.) = Offset (eng.)). The rim is OEM BMW M270, so don't worry about offsets... As far as I know this is the "official" winter rim for M3 E9X.

What I also know is that the pressure of the tires is NOT listed on the badge in the door for cars with the Competition Package (ZCP?). Front wheels are 2.3, back wheels are 2.5 my dealer told me so and it is ok to drive.

[BMW Fanatic]

Originally Posted by itf joegun

Sure the offset is 20, this is what "ET20" means (ET = Einpresstiefe (ger.) = Offset (eng.)). The rim is OEM BMW M270, so don't worry about offsets... As far as I know this is the "official" winter rim for M3 E9X.

What I also know is that the pressure of the tires is NOT listed on the badge in the door for cars with the Competition Package (ZCP?). Front wheels are 2.3, back wheels are 2.5 my dealer told me so and it is ok to drive.

Haha I know ET is offset, I must have missed that in your post. But thanks for the info, can't wait to mount mine on Tuesday now.

[tiggers m3]

Thanks for the info everyone!

My local guy here in Italy has square 245/40 18 NOKIAN WRG2. Anyone have any reveiws on these?? It's these locally or PIRELLI 240 Sottozero in the 235/255 set up. The local Nokian's are about $100 more than tirerack + shipping + mount/balance. I'll probably just do the local and then be able to switch front/rears in 2 years. I liked that idea from gthal.

[itf joegun]

Originally Posted by BMW Fanatic

Haha I know ET is offset, I must have missed that in your post. But thanks for the info, can't wait to mount mine on Tuesday now.

Which rims will you use? M270 OEM's or others?

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by itf joegun

Which rims will you use? M270 OEM's or others?

He's using an aftermarket wheel - Sport Edition A7 Black 18"x8" et20 which he purchased from TireRack

[mmm def]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Since my wheels were not squared -- stock 18 x 8.5/9.5, I did not square my snows and went with the 235/40 and 255/40. It is not like I would put the fronts in the back and the rear wheels up front if the tires were all the same size. Plus the factory set the car up for staggered in terms of the balance for the handling.

I can see buying aftermarket square 18 x 7.5 or 8 wheels and running all 225 width snows.

People square so they can swap the tires from the wheels front to back. Too much hassle for me, I'd just buy 2 new sets of rears for every front that wears out.

[BMW Fanatic]

Originally Posted by dbarnes

He's using an aftermarket wheel - Sport Edition A7 Black 18"x8" et20 which he purchased from TireRack

Indeed I am.

[Twinbo]

Originally Posted by BMW Fanatic

THANK YOU! Finally I see somebody that has 18x8 with 235/40/18 all the way around. I was scared about running this set-up but it actually doesn't look bad. Can you tell me your offsets please? Mine will be 20 and I'm hopign yours are same or similar.

OP - Sorry to thread jack but just as itf joegun said, that would be the best option.

Fanatic, I am running 235 all around here in Calgary. Let me know if you want to see what they look like. They are 18x8 wheels with TireRack recommended offsets (I believe +20).

[itf joegun]

I like the winter setup very much:

[IND-Distribution]

Being able to rotate tires is definitely a good argument in favor of the square setup. Overall I'd say that the difference in performance will be incremental so tire rotation may be the biggest factor in making your decision.

[tiggers m3]

Wie Gehts Jochen?!

Are you by Trier/Bitburg? My wife's sister and their family live there!

Originally Posted by itf joegun

I like the winter setup very much:

[itf joegun]

Thanks I'm fine, I hope your are also doing great!

No, I am 70 kilometers away from Trier, between Kaiserslautern and Mannheim. But Bockenheim looks very similar to the area around Trier...

[Crotchety Old Man]

Originally Posted by itf joegun

I have square winter setup with "M Doppelspeiche M270" in 8x18 ET20 with Michelin Pilot Alpin in 235/40 R18 95W (click on signature for pictures). It works very fine, I think a good option, had no problems last winter where we had a lot of snow...

That's a really sweet set-up. I ran 245/40-18s on four corners for two winters. Then I ran 245 front and 265 rear for a winter. I really liked the 245 all-around set up. Very balanced and noticeably better traction in thicker snow.

[itf joegun]

Originally Posted by Crotchety Old Man

That's a really sweet set-up. I ran 245/40-18s on four corners for two winters. Then I ran 245 front and 265 rear for a winter. I really liked the 245 all-around set up. Very balanced and noticeably better traction in thicker snow.

I agree, if you want to have function instead of beautyness then a square setup is the way to go. All other setups are a waste of money, because they are not working in the winter (deep snow) as good as the square variants with smaller rims and tires.

Also the point is, our house is on the top of a hill, so unfortunately no chance to go for the beauty way

[Subw00er]

I went square too (245/40-18) for the rotation ability and in the winter you dont really want a thicker tire. I didnt notice a huge difference in cornering or any issues.

[besiktas]

I am thinking of doing the same this year but i wonder how the rear wheel/tire combination will look at the rear since i am planning on putting winter tires on OEM 18" wheels and 245 will not fender well with 265 wheels

[tiggers m3]

The 245 should fit equally well on a 8.5 and a 9.5 inch rim. At least I'm hoping they do! My local tire guy said it will fit just fine. "Tutto bene!"