Re: More questions for the list...rim size, bulb and radio code

[kohlbren-m-d@xxxxxxx]

Joseph T. Baptista Jr. <jbaptista@domain.elided> wrote:

> Hopefully, I will not insult anyone with these relatively simple
> questions....

Nah...

> I have a 1996 328i (E36).  The BMW rims on my car have the following
> information: 7J x 16 1S46   1182760-5.  The tires on the car are:
> 225/50/R16 Champiro 50 GT.
> 
> Does this mean I have 16" rims?

Yes.  It also means your wheels are 7" wide and I'll guess that the
centerline offset is 46mm -- how's that for mixed systems of units?
Your tires have a section width of 225mm and the ratio of the tire
height to width is 50%.  The "R" means radial.

> As I have no spare, I wanted to purchase the same rim and
> comparable tire for the car.  I have attached a picture of
> the rim.

You really don't need the exact same wheel and tire to use as a
spare.  The most important thing is to have a tire that is the
same diameter as the rest of your tires.  After all, it is only
for use in emergency situations and you should fix/replace the
bad tire as soon as possible.

If it were my car, I would first determine how big my brakes are
to determine if I can fit a 15" wheel over them.  Then I would
call up Tire Rack (tirerack.com) and have them mount a generic
all-season tire onto a steel wheel (either a 205/60/15 or a
225/50/16 -- they are both close to the same overall diameter)
and be done with it for less than $100.  Then I would stick it
in my trunk, check the pressure regularly (or not so regularly
since I have a 12V air compressor...) and get on with enjoying
the car.

Sorry I can't help you with your other questions.

Regards,
Mike Kohlbrenner

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