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Re: E36 Tire Selection
- Subject: Re: E36 Tire Selection
- From: "Anthony Dusovic" <ad-@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 20:38:25 -0400
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Steve Wrote:
>I need advice from the tire experts on the Digest. I have a 1994 =
325is=20
>with the sport pkg. This includes the alloy sport pkg wheels that use=20
>Michelin Pilot HX 225/55/15 tires. These seem to be very good tires =
for=20
>this car, but my tire alternatives are extremely limited.. Almost =
nobody=20
>makes this size.
=20
You are right, your choices for 225/55/15 are limited and way too =
expensive for what you get.
>A tire shop has suggested that I can use 205/55/15 tires, but I am not=20
>sure that this would be an improvement over what I presently use. I=20
>don't plan to replace the wheels and would like to keep the speedometer =
>fairly accurate and minimize tramlining.
I have a 94 325i without the sport package and the standard tire size is =
205/60/15. A 205/50/15 would be too short, don't listen to them. The =
sport rims are 15x7 just like my standard rim, it just looks a bit =
fancier so if you decide to open your options, that is the size to go =
too. My feeling is that even though you lose some width, you can =
compensate with a better tire (stickier) and keep a bunch of money in =
your wallet especially if your suspension is stock or near stock. I =
have H&R, Bilstein, RD swaybars and the car feels pretty good, of course =
not like a 17", but you get what you pay for. I also put 132K on my car =
so comfort is also important to me since I spend a lot of time there.
>Would going with a 50 series tire make a significant difference in =
speedo=20
>reading? There seem to be more brands with a 225/50/15 tire. I am=20
>looking for improved dry performance with decent wet performance. I =
live=20
>in southern Arizona and it doesn't rain very much : ) and it =20
>*RARELY* snows here : ))
The 205/60/15 is 24.7 inches tall, so the next size tire which is that =
tall (after the 225/55/15) is a 245/50/15. This possibility fascinated =
me but, I received many mixed answers on whether or not they fit on the =
7" rim so I played it safe (BTW Dunlop SP 8000 has this size if they =
fit). Calling all digesters again!!! I looked at all the possibilites =
when searching for tires and decided to stay with 205/60/15. The =
225/50/15 tire is only about 23.8" tall, this is approximately 1" =
difference so it will probably make a little difference. FYI, BMW uses =
225/50 on 16" rims. My concern when I bought tires is that the extra =
inch will not only throw my speedo off, but the tire will look lost in =
the wheel well even though my car is lowered a la H & R.
I ditched the all season tire and went to a performance tire because I =
use snows (NY winters). I ended up with the Dunlop D40 M2 because it =
was a good tire for the money. This tire is now discontinued (RIP) and =
just today, I ordered Yokohama AVS intermediates to replace them.
=20
Your best choices ($ vs. performance) for 205/60/15 if you decide to go =
this way are (IMHO of course) as follows:
=20
Bridgestone RE71: $80 ea @ tirerack.
Yoko AVS intermediate $99ea ".
=20
The Yoko have a longer tread rating (140 vs. 160) and they are =
supposedly stickier, I will find out soon enough. Keep in mind that all =
of the above tires suck in the snow (I got caught in the first snow of =
the last winter with the Dunlops and I literally drove home sideways), I =
did not have any problems driving in the rain with the Dunlops though.
=20
P.S. I wanted so badly to find a 225/55 but was heart broken at what I =
saw.
=20
Cheers for Now,
=20
Anthony [email protected] or [email protected]=20
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<DIV>Steve Wrote:<BR><BR>>I need advice from the tire experts on the=20
Digest. I have a 1994 325is <BR>>with the sport =
pkg. This=20
includes the alloy sport pkg wheels that use <BR>>Michelin Pilot HX =
225/55/15=20
tires. These seem to be very good tires for <BR>>this car, but =
my tire=20
alternatives are extremely limited.. Almost nobody <BR>>makes =
this=20
size.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>You are right, your =
choices for=20
225/55/15 are limited and way too expensive for what you =
get.</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR>>A tire shop has suggested that I can use 205/55/15 tires, =
but I am=20
not <BR>>sure that this would be an improvement over what I presently =
use. I <BR>>don't plan to replace the wheels and would like to =
keep the=20
speedometer <BR>>fairly accurate and minimize tramlining.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#000000>I have a 94 =
325i without=20
the sport package and the standard tire size is 205/60/15. A =
205/50/15=20
would be too short, don't listen to them. The sport rims are 15x7 =
just=20
like my standard rim, it just looks a bit fancier so if you decide to =
open your=20
options, that is the size to go too. My feeling is that even =
though you=20
lose some width, you can compensate with a better tire (stickier) and =
keep a=20
bunch of money in your wallet especially if your suspension is stock or =
near=20
stock. I have H&R, Bilstein, RD swaybars and the car feels =
pretty=20
good, of course not like a 17", but you get what you pay for. =
I also=20
put 132K on my car so comfort is also important to me since I spend a =
lot of=20
time there.</FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT color=3D#000000><FONT =
face=3DArial><FONT=20
size=3D4><BR></FONT></FONT></FONT><BR>>Would going with a 50 series =
tire make a=20
significant difference in speedo <BR>>reading? There seem to be =
more=20
brands with a 225/50/15 tire. I am <BR>>looking for improved =
dry=20
performance with decent wet performance. I live <BR>>in =
southern=20
Arizona and it doesn't rain very much : ) and=20
it <BR>>*RARELY* snows here : ))<BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>The 205/60/15 is 24.7 =
inches tall, so=20
the next size tire which is that tall (after the 225/55/15) is a=20
245/50/15. This possibility fascinated me but, I received many =
mixed=20
answers on whether or not they fit on the 7" rim so I played it =
safe (BTW=20
Dunlop SP 8000 has this size if they fit). Calling all digesters=20
again!!! I looked at all the possibilites when searching for tires =
and=20
decided to stay with 205/60/15. </FONT><FONT size=3D4><FONT =
face=3DArial><FONT=20
color=3D#000000>The 225/50/15 tire is only about 23.8" tall, this =
is=20
approximately 1" </FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D4>difference so it will probably make a little difference. =
FYI, =20
BMW uses 225/50 on 16" rims. My concern when I bought tires =
is that=20
the extra inch will not only throw my speedo off, but the tire will look =
lost in=20
the wheel well even though my car is lowered a la H & =
R.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#000000>I ditched =
the all season=20
tire and went to a performance tire because I use snows (NY =
winters). I=20
ended up with the Dunlop D40 M2 because it was a good tire for the =
money. =20
This tire is now discontinued (RIP) and just today, I ordered Yokohama =
AVS=20
intermediates to replace them.</FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT =
color=3D#000000><FONT=20
face=3DArial><FONT size=3D4></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4><FONT face=3DArial><FONT=20
color=3D#000000></FONT></FONT></FONT><FONT color=3D#000000><FONT =
face=3DArial><FONT=20
size=3D4></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>Your best choices ($ =
vs. performance)=20
for 205/60/15 if you decide to go this way are (IMHO of course) as=20
follows:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>Bridgestone RE71: $80 =
ea @=20
tirerack.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>Yoko AVS intermediate=20
$99ea ".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>The Yoko have a longer =
tread rating=20
(140 vs. 160) and they are supposedly stickier, I will find out soon=20
enough. Keep in mind that all of the above tires suck in the snow =
(I got=20
caught in the first snow of the last winter with the Dunlops and I =
literally=20
drove home sideways), I did not have any problems driving in the rain =
with the=20
Dunlops though.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D4>P.S. I wanted so badly to find a 225/55 but was =
heart broken=20
at what I saw.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>Cheers for =
Now,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D4>Anthony <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]</A> or <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[email protected]";>[email protected]</A>=20
</FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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