[simm31]

Ok, so three months in and still on my winter tyres as such a cold, long uk winter. Anyway I'm running 16 inch steel wheels with plastic bmw wheel covers.

Managed to squeeze a quick wash I'm today and I have to says how impressed I am with simple plastic wheel trims. They cleaned off easily has zero damage and look really nice, and at just £17 per trim I thought are large alloys really worth the hassle?

I know when I put my summers on kerbing will be the thing I'm trying to avoid, no doubt i'll be flamed to death on here, but just wondered if anyone else thinks alloys are just expensive hassle. The tyres are the most important things, look second to me...

[Kerr]

A nice set of wheels are hugely important on a car.

Just pay attention when parking not to kerb them and find a good tyre fitter to change the tyres.

Wheel trims seriously cheapen the look of the car.

They aren't that hard to look after if you use a sealant to protect the alloys and clean them on a reasonable basis.

[jammy78]

Alloys makes or breaks a car looks!

[manchesterman]

as above, bigger the better.

[harry171]

Not sure about bigger the better but for sure wheels are fundamental, one of the most important parts in my eyes and as said can very much make or break the look.

[gman3msport]

Alloys are very important, a nice set can make even a basic car look the dogs, make the car handle better to over a set of 16".

[BanziBarn]

Alloys are a must! Some hub caps can look OK these days but it's still no substitute for a nice set of rims (IMO)!

[Rich330D]

I have to agree a good set of alloys makes a car just look WOW I think one of the most dramatic changes you can make to a car just my 2p's worth

[Triggster]

If you don't care what your alloys look like then what do you care what your car looks like? You could drive a clio, it'll do the same job and would be alot cheaper than the BMW but would you really want to?

As said wheels can make or break a car, to me plastic covers are insta-break on any car.

[hobo mofo]

Simple answer YES! A nice set of rims really set a car off.

[gangzoom]

I didn't use to think wheels made that much difference to how a car looks, but after seeing the different my car looks with a different set of alloys on I have changed my mind completely!!

So that's another YES, alloys are worth it

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by Triggster

If you don't care what your alloys look like then what do you care what your car looks like? You could drive a clio, it'll do the same job and would be alot cheaper than the BMW but would you really want to?

As said wheels can make or break a car, to me plastic covers are insta-break on any car.

That's nonsense.

The problem we now have is the style is degrading the handling, we are seeing more and more 19" wheels as standard and they don't improve anything other than looks.



I went from the 17" M-Sport Alloys to some 19" BBS CH's on my E91 and immediately you could feel the car was not as good, it had lost its composure on the road as the roads are not track smooth, and there just wasn't the bite going into fast corners.

In the end I went with the 18" M3 wheel, it was a compromise on looks and handling, but still think the 17's had the best handling.


On my CSL the 19's were better than the 18" track wheels I had, but when I swapped for a normal M3 the 18" wheels were much better overall than the 19s I put on it. So I got the 18s finished in graphite and put them back on, kept the 19s for when I sold it.

A 17" non staggered set up with around 225 width and certainly no run flats seem to make the E90 sing, 18" if you want a bit firmer, anything else is just show, which is fine, but don't think for one minute that it adds to the handling.

[Bungle009]

What he said....

[xPETEZx]

I agree that Steel wheels / Hub caps ruins the look of a car imo.

However, I would never get alloy wheels which compromise the cars practicability or handling.

IMO, bigger is not better. I love the 313 alloys, but would never want to own them in 19".
Not only is it going to be a harsher ride, but the rubber to go on them is going to cost more too.
Just to look slightly better, this is just not worth it to me.

Practicality, handling and comfort come before looks in my books.
Especially when there are so many great looking 17"/18" wheels.

[HighlandPete]

gIzzE makes some very good points. "Fashion over form" is the norm these days, not the finer aspects of ride and handling balance. I run 17" wheels in winter (on an M-sport 5-series, 18" in summer). Makes perfect sense, both for enough rubber and improved ride quality in poor conditions, extra protection from unseen road damage, particularly in the dark or water filled potholes. Can't see anything wrong with steel wheels and trims. See it quite often up here, where function is more important "even" in a BMW.

Don't follow the argument if you don't care what a car looks like you had just as well be in something like a Clio. I would reason the other way. If you don't care for the finer aspects of how a BMW drives, (all rims and no tyres) you had just as well be in a Clio.

I recall a trusted and very experienced BMW Master technician who was telling me he can't understand why so many customers buy a superb BMW chassis and then ruin it with over sized wheels and/or lowered suspension.

HighlandPete

[gIzzE]

I actually prefer the look of cars on proper sized wheels these days, seeing an M3 on 18's for example and I think, that guy really knows his onions, he is for the handling before any thing else, and because of that it now appeals more looks wise than bigger rims.

This was my e91 with 18" M3 wheels and oversized tyres, the comfort was excellent, but the grip and handling were even better...


Plus it just looked purposeful too.


This was the 19" CH's, looked good but handled like a bag of nuts.....

[xPETEZx]

Those M3 wheels on the E91 look amazing!
IMO, they look better than the 19's below.

[BanziBarn]

I'm kind of digging the big tyre look now actually!

[whizzkid11]

Disagree with the bigger the better - You need to factor in a lot of things like running costs, maintenance costs as well as the looks.

The larger the wheels, the lower the profile of the tyres and the worse the ride comfort, and quite possibly the handling.

Personally, on a 320d, I would not go any larger than 18" wheels. I think 18" will give you the optimal looks and the cost of tyres will still be affordable (although relative - no mortgage needed).

Other factors to remember are the larger the wheel, the wider your tyres will need to be , and that means the your MPG will go down as well.

That said, I have just purchased a 320d E91, and currently running standard alloys, I am looking to upgrade to 18" wheels with slightly wider tyres as I feel I need better handling/train track feel on the motorways.

If you go larger than 18" then you may get into clearance issues, and possbly need your arches rolling etc.

Its all about getting the right balance of everything.

GL

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by whizzkid11

If you go larger than 18" then you may get into clearance issues, and possbly need your arches rolling etc.

Unlikely, as BMW offer 19" wheels as an option on all models,so as long as you stick with OEM offsets,clearance will never ever be an issue.

Oh, and steel wheels suck,with plastic Halfords trims or not,just so you all know

[Triggster]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

That's nonsense.

The problem we now have is the style is degrading the handling, we are seeing more and more 19" wheels as standard and they don't improve anything other than looks.



I went from the 17" M-Sport Alloys to some 19" BBS CH's on my E91 and immediately you could feel the car was not as good, it had lost its composure on the road as the roads are not track smooth, and there just wasn't the bite going into fast corners.

In the end I went with the 18" M3 wheel, it was a compromise on looks and handling, but still think the 17's had the best handling.


On my CSL the 19's were better than the 18" track wheels I had, but when I swapped for a normal M3 the 18" wheels were much better overall than the 19s I put on it. So I got the 18s finished in graphite and put them back on, kept the 19s for when I sold it.

A 17" non staggered set up with around 225 width and certainly no run flats seem to make the E90 sing, 18" if you want a bit firmer, anything else is just show, which is fine, but don't think for one minute that it adds to the handling.

My answer was in regards to alloys vs steelies as per the question, not 19 vs > smaller.

[simm31]

These are only my winters, I have a set of 18 m sports to put on too....