[Resipsa]

Hi everyone! First-time poster here. I am moving to New England from the Bay Area and need all-season tires for my 2024 540i xdrive with M-Sport package (M brakes, etc.). Currently it has a factory staggered summer tire fitment with 245/35R21 in the front and 275/30R21 in the rear. I cannot find any set of all-season tires in these sizes (in fact, I couldn't find all-season tires for 275/30R21 at all). My local dealership suggested that I swap the front to 255/35r21 and the rear to 275/35r21, which would give me more all-season tires options. Would this be an okay setup in terms of handling and safety? Any better setup available?


Thanks!

[tturedraider]

If I were you I would plan on getting a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires. Get a square set of 19” or 20” wheels and a good set of winter tires. You will NEVER have the slightest problem getting around. You can probably find a 19” or 20” square setup on the G20 forum if you don’t have luck on the G60 forum. Probably 235 or 245 tires. You need to watch the sidewall aspect ratio and diameter. The diameter doesn’t necessarily have to be quite as big as with your 21” setup, but it needs to match front and rear, which, of course, a square setup will.

You can use this calculator to make comparisons of what you have to what you’re looking at. https://tiresize.com/comparison/

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Hi everyone! First-time poster here. I am moving to New England from the Bay Area and need all-season tires for my 2024 540i xdrive with M-Sport package (M brakes, etc.). Currently it has a factory staggered summer tire fitment with 245/35R21 in the front and 275/30R21 in the rear. I cannot find any set of all-season tires in these sizes (in fact, I couldn't find all-season tires for 275/30R21 at all). My local dealership suggested that I swap the front to 255/35r21 and the rear to 275/35r21, which would give me more all-season tires options. Would this be an okay setup in terms of handling and safety? Any better setup available?

Bad advice from the dealership, I think. You want the overall diameter (or revs per mile) of front and rear to be close -- within one percent or so. The dealership's suggestion varies from that standard.

I know having an extra set of wheels & tires can be a hassle, but tturedaider's advice is spot on for your New England location. An alternative would be to start over with a set of 19s or 20s. Four wheels and four performance all-season or all-weather tires.

[Resipsa]

Thank you both for your input! Just curious, would a 255/35R21 square set up be okay? I think this would control the rev difference that might damage xDrive. My front wheels are 8.5-inch wide (8.5jx21) and rear wheels are 10-inch wide (10jx21).

[DrFerry]

Resipsa See screenshot below for tire sizes recommended for your vehicle. Keep in mind all of these sizes are Xtra-Load = XL and use different size wheels. Tire Rack sell steel wheels for winter fitments. This is a common solution in snow and rust belt areas to have a unique set of wheels and tires for winter snow and ice driving.
https://www.tirerack.com/content/tir.../packages.html
.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Thank you both for your input! Just curious, would a 255/35R21 square set up be okay? I think this would control the rev difference that might damage xDrive. My front wheels are 8.5-inch wide (8.5jx21) and rear wheels are 10-inch wide (10jx21).

For driving in snow narrower is better. Outside of that in my personal opinion 255 is just too wide for the front. And you might have rubbing issues in front with that width. But I really think if you had a square setup of all seasons at 255 width you would have problems driving in snow.

[tturedraider]

Do you know if 19” wheels will clear your brakes?

This guy is in Maine. https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2154470

I forgot for a minute that you are currently in Cali.

If 19” wheels will clear your brakes these and those tires in the next link, in Kansas City could be a perfect match!! This guy is in Anaheim. https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2169192

$700!!! This guy is in LA! This is a square setup, which is really the best choice, but they wouldn’t work with the Kansas City tires. https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2157175

This is an absolutely incredible deal on a staggered set of 19” winter tires!! https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2163222

This guy is in Culver City. You could ask if he would sell just the wheels or you could buy the whole set and sell the tires yourself. Because they are practically new you could probably sell the tires for around $1,200 - $1,000, but that’s about all because folks aren’t willing to pay a lot for used tires, even when they are practically new. https://g20.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2132499

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

Resipsa See screenshot below for tire sizes recommended for your vehicle. Keep in mind all of these sizes are Xtra-Load = XL and use different size wheels. Tire Rack sell steel wheels for winter fitments. This is a common solution in snow and rust belt areas to have a unique set of wheels and tires for winter snow and ice driving.
https://www.tirerack.com/content/tir.../packages.html
.

But, these are full on snow tires. Not so good in the summer. But really good in the winter. Have had several sets over the years.

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by snowbimmer

But, these are full on snow tires. Not so good in the summer. But really good in the winter. Have had several sets over the years.

Agreed. The O.P. already has a set of summer tires and he's moving to New England where snow tires can actually be needed as a safety improvement.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

Agreed. The O.P. already has a set of summer tires and he's moving to New England where snow tires can actually be needed as a safety improvement.

Also agreed. I prefer dedicated summers and winters. But, he said he wanted all seasons. I actually have all three available. Summers for summer, winters for winter - but, sometimes I take a 4,000 miles trip in the early spring, or late fall, and I have to go over 10,000' passes with the threat of snow (or actual snow), but I don't want to give up the handling. So, all-seasons - sometimes for just a month.

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Hi everyone! First-time poster here. I am moving to New England from the Bay Area and need all-season tires for my 2024 540i xdrive with M-Sport package (M brakes, etc.). Currently it has a factory staggered summer tire fitment with 245/35R21 in the front and 275/30R21 in the rear. I cannot find any set of all-season tires in these sizes (in fact, I couldn't find all-season tires for 275/30R21 at all). My local dealership suggested that I swap the front to 255/35r21 and the rear to 275/35r21, which would give me more all-season tires options. Would this be an okay setup in terms of handling and safety? Any better setup available?


Thanks!

There aren't a lot of 21" all season options. You might have to go down to a dedicated 20" set of wheels.

I wouldn't do a square set up unless it was just for a pure winter set. I had a 245 square set-up on an M550, but I missed having the 275s in back. 255s would probably work. Maybe get an offset that would push the outside of the wheels out a little bit. Wouldn't need much.

I wouldn't want to lose the rear 275 width and the handling loss if they were all seasons. Because, you still want to have fun when the roads are nice, right?

Also, a 255 is way too narrow for a 10" wheel. There will be too much stretch and it will look dopey.

My 2 cents.

[Mavus]

Originally Posted by Resipsa

Hi everyone! First-time poster here. I am moving to New England from the Bay Area and need all-season tires for my 2024 540i xdrive with M-Sport package (M brakes, etc.). Currently it has a factory staggered summer tire fitment with 245/35R21 in the front and 275/30R21 in the rear. I cannot find any set of all-season tires in these sizes (in fact, I couldn't find all-season tires for 275/30R21 at all). My local dealership suggested that I swap the front to 255/35r21 and the rear to 275/35r21, which would give me more all-season tires options. Would this be an okay setup in terms of handling and safety? Any better setup available?


Thanks!

For New England suggest to consider winter perf tires and dedicated wheels. Tirerack shows the following 19” option for your car with M perf brakes:

PIRELLI WINTER SOTTOZERO SERIE II
Size: 245/45R19 102V XL
BMW, Run flat

This is for square wheel set.

[BeEmVe]

As others have said, get a square setup and go with dedicated snow tires. We run summer and winter shoes doing the swap is not big deal especially if one has a floor jack.


There are tires shops that will store your tires and do seasonal swaps. That said, if doing so make sure you wash your wheels and tires beforehand so to get all of the road grime and more importantly the salt off the wheels. Also see where they are stored, there needs to be ventilation. Salt does a number of wheels.

[tturedraider]

So, the big question that is yet unanswered is whether 19” wheels will clear his M Sport brakes. Does anyone know?

[snowbimmer]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

So, the big question that is yet unanswered is whether 19” wheels will clear his M Sport brakes. Does anyone know?

The 540 has 19" wheels as an option, but the configurator won't let you have them if you order the MSport option. However, the 19" wheels were an OEM snow wheel option on my M550 (G30). I also used the same wheels on my M850. The service advisor said they fit over the calipers, but were tight. I encountered no problems with them. If they fit over M850 MSport brakes they would most likely fit on a 540.

But, there is really only one way to know for sure.