Winter wheels

[dankoj]

I have an X6 (F16 40d 2017). I bought it with summer 20" 275/315R20 tires. I am going skiing, so I installed a 245/18 old wheel (from X5 E70) with winter tires. The problem is that 18" are not formally supported on F16, so it's not strictly technically legal. Also, 18" don't look so good on X6 (see my photo).

Now I face a trilemma for the future:
- option 1: get 275/315-20 winter tiers and use one set of rims
- option 2: buy 19" rims and 255/50R19 winter timers; use 20" for summer
- option 3: buy 21" rims, use 285/325R21 for summer, and 275/315R20 for winter.

What would you do?

[Qsilver7]

As long as the 18” wheels fit over your brakes...and don’t rub the suspension or the fenders...then they are “technically” usable.

So I say there’s a 4th option...keep the winter tires you have mounted to the 18” wheels (as long as the rolling circumference is within spec of the BMW recommended 19”/20”/21” wheel/tire combos. Then to fix the “look” to move the wheels further toward the fender...(i had to guess with this suggestion because I don’t know what the wheel style number is so I don’t know what your winter wheel/tire specs truly are)...you could run a HUBCENTRIC SPACER on the rear wheels (like 15mm-20mm). Then you could run your 20” wheel/tire combo in the summer months.

If the wheel/tire combo you have mounted are working for you during the winter months...keep using them. Just like most things in winter...sometimes you go with function over form (safety over looks).

I went with e53 X5 Style 87 wheels for my winter setup on my f15. I had to use 15mm hubcentric spacers to not only move the wheels out toward the fender...but to fix the hub difference (the e53 X5 has 72.56mm hubs...and the f15 X5 has 74.1mm hubs). I would have preferred downsizing to 19” square winter wheels/tires from the 20” staggered summer wheels/tires...but these wheels were free (sitting in my shed). And the 20” staggered winter tires (Yokohama BluEarths) did really well this past winter...even when we got hit with a 9” snowfall...then a week later...11” of snow fell on top....then the snow stayed around for a good month before melting all away. I was expecting worse driving experience with all the stories of fat winter tires vs thinner (which does have some truth in that the thinner tires can cut through snow better than wider tires)...but I never got hung up or stopped with the 315/35/20 tires in the rear. She performed like a mountain goat on the side of a rocky cliff.

You can see in the pics below how using the hubcentric spacers...moved the e53 X5 wheels outward to prevent the sunken-in look:

[jiggz]

I would go with option 3 - same setup I have

You could make the argument a narrower 19" setup is better in snow than a 20" setup (I'm talking OEM specs, so an inch wider with the 20"), but unless you're driving in deep snow, the 20's have been great for me when paired with a really good tire (I run Michelin Apline PA4). I know it's just a winter setup, but the X should look good year round, and 19's just don't look that good... IMO. I sometimes think 20's are too small on this chassis, that's why I have 21's for summer.

I notice you don't have the fender flares, you must have some poke with your 20's?

[dankoj]

Thanks for the suggestions!
The 18" sit well, the breaks look the same as on my old X5-E70. As it is not recommended by the factory, it's technically illegal in Europe, and one might have problems with insurance or even police (think Germany).
The chassis is a 2017 M-sport and 20" are factory mounted. No fender flares, but it's wide enough and 315/20 sit nicely.
Wheels specification photo attached.

[devlinsky]

If you live in Germany, the answer is simple:

- 19" for winter
- 20" or 21" for summer

You don't want to talk to your insurance after being involved in an accident when the police report will note you were on wrong size wheels.

[dankoj]

[QUOTE=devlinsky;27390128]If you live in Germany, the answer is simple:

I don't, but I travel through Europe, and Germany is somehow in the middle.

Anyway, why wouldn't 20" (factory spec) be fully legal in Germany in Winter?

BTW, my has been imported, as second hand, from Switzerland.

[devlinsky]

Regarding 20" in winter: It's not about being legal, it's about making sense. 19" winter tyres are easier to find and the selection of them is bigger, than of 20". Let alone the price.

I run exactly this setup: 19" winters, 20" summers. All factory sizes, no nonsense like spacers, no issues whatsoever.

[CanadianLurker]

Option 2. This is the best compromise amongst looks, cost, and tire choices/availability. This is what I do.

[P1]

If it fits...

[jiggz]

Originally Posted by P1

If it fits...

Are those 16's?

[P1]

Originally Posted by jiggz

Are those 16's?

In all seriousness: they are 18s I think!

[nate670]

Originally Posted by P1

If it fits...

Originally Posted by P1

If it fits...

[img]

View post on imgur.com

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Wheels look too small, almost like it's tip toeing.

No hate though, to each their own.

[dankoj]

Thanks for good discussion and nice photos.
Looking again at the data, I see option 4:

Lieve 20" staged for summer
Go 19", but staged for winter.
front 255/50ZR19 107W on 9Jx19 ET48
rear 285/45ZR19 111W on 10Jx19 ET21

That is fully legal (factory recommended) and should look better. See:
https://www.wheel-size.com/size/bmw/...ve40d-eudm-308