Winter Tyre Info and Discussion Thread ( Keep related chat here please)

[bonerp]

I thought OE wheels were around £2100...hardly cheap (in my eyes )

I will check with insurance to see if they sting me for after market winter wheeels that are in fact a safety item!

[Hammy]

[quote=""bonerp""]I thought OE wheels were around £2100...hardly cheap (in my eyes )

I will check with insurance to see if they sting me for after market winter wheeels that are in fact a safety item![/quote]

Only if you buy new rims. I see no point in wasting a set of shiny new wheels in ice and snow conditions. A combination of the increased chances of clipping a curb and the corrosive properties of road salt make it a no-brainer to me. I bought a secondhand set of genuine BMW 19" alloys (style 63 I think) off Fleabay for £250 which are in good condition.

My winter tyres are actually being fitted later today, I know the temperatures are still a bit high, but the car is heading for the Bavarian Alps and I want to drive with the tyres on for a few days beforehand to make sure they are ok before setting off, as I'm in Scotland Mon-Wed next week this is the last chance I've got to get them on.

[dirtymonkey29]

I too used eBay And got a set of 17's with mud and snow tyres already fitted for £160.01 still got 4mm left so should do for this year. Most people say 4mm is minimum tread for winter tyres. I would still speak to insurance once you have put them on even though they make the car safer for the conditions they can still say it's a modification and use that in there defence in a claim. Should not affect your premium either. I read thus on the AA website and I'll try and find the link

[dirtymonkey29]

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/sa ... he-uk.html

[bonerp]

[quote=""amacman""]Fixed the offsets for you all in this colour

[quote=""CondorX5""]Winter Tyre and Rim recommendations: BMW OEM

I’ve made a summary of the official BMW recommended wheel and tyre combos for X5s as per their June 2010 Brochure……..

There are usually many posts about winter wheel issues over the Autumn / Winter months so this is an effort to keep all of them in one ongoing discussion thread so that info is easy to find and does not have to be repeated ad nauseum. The idea is that we maintain an open discussion on the subject of winter wheels which can be updated or added to as time goes on.

Please remember that these are just guidelines and do not represent an endorsement of what should or should not be done to your car – that is for you to decide alone or in consultation with a dealer / mechanic.
I am certainly not an expert in any matters pertaining to wheels and tyres and speak only as an owner/driver of an E53 X5 who has done some research on appropriate and safe winter driving.

I'll of course try to help with any queries, as will other technically more knowledgeable forum members, I am sure, and we'll build up the knowledge base in time.

Hope I’ve covered most of the most obvious questions!

E53 X5: models 3.0D, 3.0i (NOT the V8 models)

EDIT: 4.4 models apparently excluded - 17" rims fit as per Lez' post below. So all E53 models except 4.6is and 4.8is suitable for 17" wheels. Obviously if brake fitment has been modified with oversize Brembos etc, this will change things. All recommendations assume standard factory brakes.
I fitted oversized Brembo . need 20mm spacers to fit the space saver spare . 19 inch and 20 inch wheels clear the outer side of caliper by 1mm without spacer.
TYRES: 235/65R17
RIMS: Star Spoke 57
OFFSET ET40 7.5J X 17

E53 X5 4.4, 4.6 and 4.8 models (17” rims will NOT clear the brakes on 4.6 & 4.8 models)

TYRES: 255/55R18
RIMS: Star Spoke 99
OFFSET: ET40 8J X 18

Note that Runflats are NOT recommended for ANY E53 model.
Tyres recommended by BMW include Continental 4x4 Winter Contact in 17” fitment and Dunlop Grandtrek WTM2.



E70 MODELS:


Note that runflats are officially recommended for E70 models.
18” and 19” Combos are recommended for E70s:
18”: Cross Spoke 177, OffsetET46 8.5J X 18, Tyres 255/55R18
19”: Yspoke 211 , Offset ET48 9J X 19, Tyres 255/50R19


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:


1. Will other rims fit other than those mentioned above?
Yes, most OEM 17” rims will fit the diesel and 3.0i models, but worth checking if other members have any direct knowledge of the particular rim. For instance, the original Style 56 Ellipsoid rims fit and are usually sourced for a modest sum. Non-OEM rims and those from other vehicles such as Range Rovers are a minefield and best left to individuals to decide upon, so not included here.


2. Which make of tyre is the best?
We all have individual preferences, but dedicated winter tyres from any major manufacturer are suitable and price and availability will in some cases determine the choice. I and many others are great fans of Vredesteins, but there are winter tyres available from all major manufacturers all of which are suitable for purpose.



3. Can E70 wheels be bolted straight onto an E53 X5?
No. It is possible to use E70 wheels on an E53 but you will need the correct spacers.



4. When must I change to winter wheels?
Generally, when temperatures outdoors fall to around 7 degrees C consistently – winter tyres are a softer compound and perform at their best below 7 degrees C, although they are perfectly safe to leave on a vehicle at any time. It is said that the tyres will wear quicker in high temperatures and that “performance” will not be as good, although this has certainly not been everyone’s experience. Most people change wheels to winter sets around November and change back to summer sets again around April.



5. Can I stagger the fronts / rears to get a better “look”?
Probably, although not recommended. The winter wheels are the same on all four corners – no staggered fitment. Some people have fitted rear spacers to give the appearance of staggered tyres, but this is up to the individual and not endorsed by the forum.




6. When should winter tyres be renewed?
Winter tyres should be changed when they get to 3-4mm depth, unlike summer rubber which can go to 2-3mm. Be aware of this if buying part-worn tyres – most sellers are optimistic about tread depth on these, and any tyres of 4mm or below will last at best for only a single season.

7. What about a spare wheel if a winter tyre is punctured / damaged?
Probably good practice to have a matching spare winter tyre available (I doubt most of us do) - the spare wheel in the car (for those who have a spare) can be used for a short period (up to 50 miles) to get the car to safety, but obviously winter and summer tyres should not be used on the same axle or the same car in combination at any time. Availability can mean no winter tyres available for months on end in winter, so even a part-worn “spare” winter tyre can be incredibly useful if you have the space to store one at home as chances are you would not be able to find a replacement in the middle of winter.[/quote][/quote]

What speed rating is required for x5's? I have seen some Wintrac 4 extreme but they are H - is this ok??

[MJim]

The OEM style 177, 18 inch, for the E70 are £2000 exactly (BMW rrp). It's definately worth looking on eBay.de (i.e. German site) where winter wheels are a legal requirement so there's considerably more choice. Standard cost for near new condition style 177 / other BMW wheels seems to be €1100 / 1200 plus delivery (€100 / 150). I've just had a slightly alarmed call from my wife telling me they've arrived - in 4 enormous heavy boxes!

It's important to note that wheels aren't interchangeable between the E70 and E53 without an adapter.

Re insurance, my company told me that fitting winter tyres is commonplace now, and that there would no problem. But, when I mentioned that I was changing the wheels as well they tried to charge me due to the modification. The proposed charge was just £21, but on principal I gave the rep a polite earful (following manufacturer advice, less sporty, higher profile etc), and they agreed to drop the charge.

[MJim]

@bonerp: The standard continental winter tyres are H rated. The car can do more, but 130 mph is well above the speed limit. I guess you just have to be mindful if you do go on the autobahn not to go above that speed as I presume if you did it would invalidate the insurance.

[MJim]

Just to prove it:

http://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/owner/winter ... V0,00.html

For the X5 (E70) I see that whilst the 18s come with H (130mph) rated tyres, the 19s come with a speed rating of v (149mph), presumably due to the lower profile / less rubber spinning round the wheel.

[bonerp]

thanks - any idea what load rating should be?! Sorry for so many q's!!!!

[MJim]

If you look at the BMw link, the X5 wheels are 109 (18in style 1770) i.e. 1030kg and the others (19in style 211) are 107 i.e.975kg.

[bonerp]

I did - but thats for E70's. Couldnt see e53's.
Mines an e53. Also now considering 17's off the bay due to comments above and didnt realise the loads were tyre size specific...I'll check with tyre supplier.

[Hammy]

Just curious, what pressures do people run in their winter setups, and do you vary them dependent on conditions?

For example, I'm doing my next Bavaria trip in a weeks time, so on the way there and the way back I'll be "making progress", however they have already had a couple of snowfalls/melts in Garmisch so potentially very different conditions whilst there.

[squeaky2]

Have just had these delivered from tyremen. Not RFT's but have a puncture repair delivered with it





Now just need a chat with the insurance company

[X5Sport]

There's a lot of comment around Winter Tyres in this week's Auto Express (Issue 1187 if you're looking on a news stand) which suggests that really they should be called 'Cold Weather' tyres as this is a more accurate reflection of their role. 'Winter' tyres could be seen as for use in ice or snow when in fact you might need studded tyres. I can see their point.

Interestingly, there is an article that suggests those drivers who will only do low mileage might really be better off using cold weather tyres all year around. Yes there is some loss of performance in the warmest weather, but on the whole the UK Climate sits 'in between' the ideal temperature ranges for either type.

It also points out that whilst a cold weather tyre will take longer to stop a car in warm weather, that really only counts for comparing the performance of 'Premium' brand Summer tyres. Budget brands on average take 4-6 metres more to stop a car anyway so the difference is negligible. Three manufacturers all go with the 'you should not operate a tyre outside its correct environment' - the get out of jail statement - but all say that a compromise for low mileage drives is to fit Winter Tyres only and use them all year. This approach does not apply to average or high mileage use.

Ultimately it has to be driver choice.

[bonerp]

admiral didnt want to increase price of my insurance for winter wheels whether they are after market or oe