2015 X5M Winter tires options

[WCH]

Originally Posted by cSurf

That was my hesitation, the OE 611 fronts have a higher offset than the 611 rears for winter. Not a big deal, but from an aesthetic perspective, sub-optimal.

I suppose you could use spacers but then you need different bolts...

I hope that the 491 package looks OK since I am going that route. I do give up the square configuration but from others it seems that this is workable.

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by WCH

I suppose you could use spacers but then you need different bolts...

I hope that the 491 package looks OK since I am going that route. I do give up the square configuration but from others it seems that this is workable.

They'll look great. And you'll be much safer.

[Serge944]

Originally Posted by WCH

I suppose you could use spacers but then you need different bolts...

I hope that the 491 package looks OK since I am going that route. I do give up the square configuration but from others it seems that this is workable.

The factory package should look better than running 4 "fronts." As posted elsewhere, the rear winter wheel is a 10.5" with 32mm offset, compared to the factory's front wheel of 10" with 40mm offset. This makes the winter wheel stick out about 14mm further out in the wheel well.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by cSurf

That was my hesitation, the OE 611 fronts have a higher offset than the 611 rears for winter. Not a big deal, but from an aesthetic perspective, sub-optimal.

I'll take sub-optimal looks in return for safety. There are limited options and this was the quickest fix. Under normal circumstances, I would have had my winter set up way in advance.

I just traded my '16 X6 50i for the M spur of the moment on Dec 28th. I bought my winter set up for the 50i back in August. They were 19s and wouldn't fit over the new calibers on the M. I was very surprised to see nothing was immediately available, and of course as soon as I took delivery, winter decided to show up. If it looks terrible, I'll deal with it for this season, get another set up when they are available and add these two wheels to the rest I need to sell. I'm just relieved to be on the right rubber.

[WCH]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

I'll take sub-optimal looks over safety. There are limited options and this was the quickest fix. Under normal circumstances, I would have had my winter set up way in advance.

I just traded my '16 X6 50i for the M spur of the moment on Dec 28th. I bought my winter set up for the 50i back in August. They were 19s and wouldn't fit over the new calibers on the M. I was very surprised to see nothing was immediately available, and of course as soon as I took delivery, winter decided to show up. If it looks terrible, I'll deal with it for this season, get another set up when they are available and add these two wheels to the rest I need to sell. I'm just relieved to be on the right rubber.

If it is similar to how my M5 looked, you should be OK and the looks aren't horrible. Just a little tucked.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by WCH

If it is similar to how my M5 looked, you should be OK and the looks aren't horrible. Just a little tucked.

Thank you

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

I'll take sub-optimal looks in return for safety. There are limited options and this was the quickest fix. Under normal circumstances, I would have had my winter set up way in advance.

I just traded my '16 X6 50i for the M spur of the moment on Dec 28th. I bought my winter set up for the 50i back in August. They were 19s and wouldn't fit over the new calibers on the M. I was very surprised to see nothing was immediately available, and of course as soon as I took delivery, winter decided to show up. If it looks terrible, I'll deal with it for this season, get another set up when they are available and add these two wheels to the rest I need to sell. I'm just relieved to be on the right rubber.

That is 100% the right approach.

Didn't mean to suggest otherwise- just pointing out the compromise that running four fronts requires. Also- probably an easy fix with 20mm spacers.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by cSurf

That is 100% the right approach.

Didn't mean to suggest otherwise- just pointing out the compromise that running four fronts requires. Also- probably an easy fix with 20mm spacers.

That's fine, I'm just so happy to have my snows. I know I've been pushing my luck. PM rush is supposed to be snowy. Glad I got the call today. Tires are being mounted now so I will have for the trip home.

[jcfay]

well, I FINALLY got the deal from my local dealer parts guy that my wheels were in, and he was kind enough to drop them off at my house. I think it took about 6 weeks. He was also kind enough to realize that BMW mislabeled 1 of the wheels (wrong side) and inspect all before delivery. I've got them on just in time for snow...

He said there were a lot of orders for the winter OEM wheel/tire set that they had to cancel because BMW simply didn't have them available. What's even worse is he said they had NO idea how many wheel sets had been shipped, and so he just had to wait and see what arrived. I was very lucky I got mine.

Good luck to all others who have them on order. Definitely disappointed in BMW that they couldn't get this together for all of us in time for Winter. Pretty poor showing on their part...

[WCH]

Congrats on getting the wheels.

I have to say BMW NA has screwed this up in an unacceptable way. They sell cars with summer performance tires in places where they know that they are suboptimal at best and dangerous at worse. There are threads all over the forums every winter about people crashing their cars on summer tires in cold weather. Although some of this is due to driver error or inexperience, having the wrong tires is going to contribute.

It's a simple calculation. They know how many cars of each type they generally sell in specific parts of the country and should be able to figure out how many winter wheel sets to make available. To not have them on hand is irresponsible.

If you go to a Porsche dealership, they will have a winter wheel set for every car in their showroom and where I live will beg you not to take the car off the lot without buying a set. If you buy a Cayenne with 21 summer wheels they will insist that you get a winter wheel package. It's not about the car but the physics of cold weather and tire compounds.

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by WCH

Congrats on getting the wheels.

I have to say BMW NA has screwed this up in an unacceptable way. They sell cars with summer performance tires in places where they know that they are suboptimal at best and dangerous at worse. There are threads all over the forums every winter about people crashing their cars on summer tires in cold weather.

It's a simple calculation. They know how many cars of each type they generally sell in specific parts of the country and should be able to figure out how many winter wheel sets to make available. To not have them on hand is irresponsible.

If you go to a Porsche dealership, they will have a winter wheel set for every car in their showroom and where I live will beg you not to take the car off the lot without buying a set.

Agree.

The worse part, there are no winter tires available in the OE 20" wheel size (the option to use alternate, non-BMW approved sizes not withstanding) and going with an aftermarket set up makes my pricey wheel/tire policy moot in exactly the months that I'm likely to need it.

In effect, there are no suitable alternatives (other than parking my X5M until the earlier of: my wheels/tires arrive, winter ends).

Which is ironic as this is the one hi-po BMW that buyers fully expect to be able to drive in the winter.

[jcfay]

Originally Posted by cSurf

Which is ironic as this is the one hi-po BMW that buyers fully expect to be able to drive in the winter.

Exactly. That's why I bought this beast. I wasn't unhappy in my AMG C63. It drove like a monster, but in the Winter it was simply a no-go (people on the Merc forums would argue the contrary but I saw absolutely no point in trying to drive that beast in the snow). So I went with the X5M, for many other reasons as well of course - but for year around, performance, SAV utility.

Good luck to all and hope some more folks get what they need!

[Tightt]

Originally Posted by cSurf

Agree.

The worse part, there are no winter tires available in the OE 20" wheel size (the option to use alternate, non-BMW approved sizes not withstanding)

Why not just buy the 285-40-20 Pirelli tires that BMW uses? Thats what I did.

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by Tightt

Why not just buy the 285-40-20 Pirelli tires that BMW uses? Thats what I did.

Because 285 is too narrow for an 11.5" rim. I'm sure it works...but, again, wouldn't be an approved set up.

[Tightt]

Originally Posted by Roundown

Because 285 is too narrow for an 11.5" rim. I'm sure it works...but, again, wouldn't be an approved set up.

Ah...gotcha. You're correct....285 would be way too narrow.

[Troy172416]

Here is my new factory winter wheel set

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by Troy172416

Here is my new factory winter wheel set

Woah! Nice. When did you order these?!

[Troy172416]

In mid December, from BMW in Sudbury. I really like them, here is a better picture.

[AwesomeM3]

Originally Posted by Troy172416

Here is my new factory winter wheel set

Looks like you had to suffer with the Summer set during some snow accumulation there. How did the Summers do?

[Troy172416]

I just picked up my truck yesterday, so I haven't tried the summer wheels/tires yet.

[AwesomeM3]

Originally Posted by Troy172416

I just picked up my truck yesterday, so I haven't tried the summer wheels/tires yet.

Ah, I thought you had it for a while. Congrats on your purchase, and welcome to the club!

[Serge944]

So I finally had a chance to try out my 275/315 Ice and Snow tires on factory 20" wheels on the way up to the slopes. Very pleased with the performance, but didn't have a chance to test them in deep snow (mother nature let us down on the several feet of snow promised).