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[ATP]

I went to buy some Blizzak LM60s from Costco this weekend and got thrown a curveball that I was not expecting. Costco refuses to bolt a square tire set-up (225-40-18) on the staggerd rims that the 335 sport has on to the car. They will install the tires onto the rims but wont mount them to the car without a letter from BMW stating that the tire size will work.

Has anyone run into this issue? As of right now, I have not contacted BMW but I plan to. I dont expect much from them however. If I dont get anything from BMW, then I will put the 335 on jack stands and take the rims in individually.

FWIW, I dont want to buy a set of steelies, I want to leave the stock rims as the winter set up and get a summer set up next year.

[Tom K.]

Why not just buy the right sized staggered tires to properly fit your wheels?

Tom

[ATP]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Why not just buy the right sized staggered tires to properly fit your wheels?

Tom

There are hardly any winter tires made in 255/35/18. The ones they do make are crazy expensive and Costco doesn't sell them.

Besides, running a square, and narrower, set up is better on winter tires.

[Gary@TireRack]

I have heard from others that Costco will only install factory sizes.

[flip4335]

I solved my problem: kept summers on my staggered setup and bought inexpensive square setup from Tire Rack five years ago with nice winter tires already mounted and balanced and shipped to my local Merchant Tire dealer for tire swap at minimum price.

[domrep]

Originally Posted by ATP

There are hardly any winter tires made in 255/35/18. The ones they do make are crazy expensive and Costco doesn't sell them.

Besides, running a square, and narrower, set up is better on winter tires.

^ this exactly. Costco is insanely stupid.

I run stretched set up on my winters, with a 225 stretched on the 18" OEM staggerered set up...when the oem tire rear size is 255. I even have a stretched set up for summer.

[Rick4345]

Probably one of the best things you can do is buy a square set up from tire rack. Get yourself a set of wheels, TPMS if you need them, and a great set of tires. Already mounted and balanced and ready for the white stuff to fly. I have 18 inch summers on mine also. I use 225/45/17 blizzaks on mine. You go down an inch in diameter and a narrower width. They are the same diameter so your speedometer isn't messed up. Look online at the wheel selections on your car, then give Gary a call. You won't be disappointed.

[ATP]

Originally Posted by Gary@TireRack

I have heard from others that Costco will only install factory sizes.

First I hard about it. I wish they accepted a waiver from me instead of requiring one from BMW. Costco claimed some issue with liability and suspension.

Originally Posted by flip4335

I solved my problem: kept summers on my staggered setup and bought inexpensive square setup from Tire Rack five years ago with nice winter tires already mounted and balanced and shipped to my local Merchant Tire dealer for tire swap at minimum price.

I plan on doing something similar. Throw winters on the stockers and summers on a wider set up for when its dry. Probably could have bought 17s and sold the stockers but I am partial to the stockers.

Originally Posted by Rick4345

Probably one of the best things you can do is buy a square set up from tire rack. Get yourself a set of wheels, TPMS if you need them, and a great set of tires. Already mounted and balanced and ready for the white stuff to fly. I have 18 inch summers on mine also. I use 225/45/17 blizzaks on mine. You go down an inch in diameter and a narrower width. They are the same diameter so your speedometer isn't messed up. Look online at the wheel selections on your car, then give Gary a call. You won't be disappointed.

Thought about it but I like the stockers and didnt want to deal with the hassle of selling them. I got a good deal on the Costco setup installed (on sale). Road hazzard and all.

I called BMWNA, they just pushed me towards getting tires at the dealer, shocker. So, looks like I will bring in the wheels seperate from the car. They should do the fronts since 225/40/18 is the stock front size, I will just have to live with doing the rears myself.

[Rick4345]

Don't sell your stock wheels. Get a 17 inch set for the winter. Take a look at the wheels on their website. When you do this, all that you do is take the tires and have them switched. If nothing else, get a set of 17 inch factory wheels also.

[ATP]

Originally Posted by Rick4345

Don't sell your stock wheels. Get a 17 inch set for the winter. Take a look at the wheels on their website. When you do this, all that you do is take the tires and have them switched. If nothing else, get a set of 17 inch factory wheels also.

I plan to get a dedicated summer set up. So, it was either:

1) Put snows on the stockers
2) Buy 17s with snows, sell the stockers.

I didn't feel like selling the stockers and buying new rims, so I will keep the stockers as the winter set up. Once the tires are on the wheels, it will be a simple unbolt/bolt twice a year.