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[WRichieX]

Hey guys, We were hit pretty hard yesterday with snow and I am desperately in need of winter tires. I've read here that a square set up is the way to go on stock 189. I've also read that you guys are running 225/40/18 all the way around. I just talked to a tire shop and they said that they cannot put 225 on my car since the rear is 8.5. They said they have a 245/40/18 and that I should go with that. Can I get someone to chime in and confirm or deny?

I'm also looking at the blizzak ws70. Good tires for heavy snow conditions? Thanks in advance.

[MonacoBlueE90]

225/40/18 with 245/40/18 would be bad combination. Diameter difference over 2.4%.

You can easily use 225/40/18 on 8 and 8.5 wheels and most guys here seem to use the winter setup like that. The rear tyre just settles little bit differently on the wheel. Narrower tyre is also better at snow. Here is comparison picture of 225/45 on 17x8 and 17x8.5 http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85623

[flip4335]

Originally Posted by WRichieX

Hey guys, We were hit pretty hard yesterday with snow and I am desperately in need of winter tires. I've read here that a square set up is the way to go on stock 189. I've also read that you guys are running 225/40/18 all the way around. I just talked to a tire shop and they said that they cannot put 225 on my car since the rear is 8.5. They said they have a 245/40/18 and that I should go with that. Can I get someone to chime in and confirm or deny?

I'm also looking at the blizzak ws70. Good tires for heavy snow conditions? Thanks in advance.

No need to pay more for larger tires that you will only use four months out of the year. I have a separate set of wheels that I swap for the winter for only $20 because they are already balanced and mounted. You might want to consider that. Blizzaks are a good winter tire, especially the non-runflat. I have been looking for 8.5 inch rims front and back so I could install 225/40 all around, myself because 225/40/18 tire size fits widths up to 8.5 inches. I have 8.5 inch wheels in front and running standard 225/40/18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports.

Check out this link to determine min/max rim size for each tire size:

http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp

Here is my ride, with 225/40 on the 8.5 inch front wheels, with no stretch, whatsoever:

[MonacoBlueE90]

Originally Posted by flip4335

225/40/18 tire size fits widths up to 8.5 inches.

In fact 225/40/18 is approved to 7.5-9 widths. Standard is 8.

Here is my ride, with 225/40 on the 8.5 inch front wheels, with no stretch, whatsoever:

The PSS runs wider than most tires...almost any other 225 on an 8.5 in rim is gonna look stretched.

OP - the idea of running 225/40/18 on both 8 and 8.5" wheels for a square setup has been discussed at least 10 times on the front page alone...do a search.

[VMRWheels]

If your tire shop is telling you that, you should find a new tire shop. They don't know what they're talking about.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....WS70&tab=Sizes

If you look at the rim width range for this tire, it's between 7" and 9", so an 8.5" wide wheel will be perfectly fine.

[WRichieX]

Oddly enough I got more confused, when i called tire rack and they said the same thing that 225/40/18 won't fit in the rear. After reading this your guys response, I called back to tire rack and the guy I talked to stated that the last guy didn't know what he was talking about. lol. So I placed an order. Feel better now. Thanks.

[cdgatti]

Originally Posted by flip4335

No need to pay more for larger tires that you will only use four months out of the year. I have a separate set of wheels that I swap for the winter for only $20 because they are already balanced and mounted. You might want to consider that. Blizzaks are a good winter tire, especially the non-runflat. I have been looking for 8.5 inch rims front and back so I could install 225/40 all around, myself because 225/40/18 tire size fits widths up to 8.5 inches. I have 8.5 inch wheels in front and running standard 225/40/18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports.

Check out this link to determine min/max rim size for each tire size:

http://www.rimsntires.com/specs.jsp

Here is my ride, with 225/40 on the 8.5 inch front wheels, with no stretch, whatsoever:

Are those the M3 rims? Do they fit a non M?

[MonacoBlueE90]

Originally Posted by WRichieX

Oddly enough I got more confused, when i called tire rack and they said the same thing that 225/40/18 won't fit in the rear. After reading this your guys response, I called back to tire rack and the guy I talked to stated that the last guy didn't know what he was talking about. lol. So I placed an order. Feel better now. Thanks.

Probably some trainee. It would have been fun to ask him what he thinks about my 225/40/18 on 18x9.5 wheel. So did you order the 225/40/18.

[WRichieX]

Originally Posted by MonacoBlueE90

Probably some trainee. It would have been fun to ask him what he thinks about my 225/40/18 on 18x9.5 wheel. So did you order the 225/40/18.

I actually told him that it seems that the BMW community are all going 225/40/18 all around. His response: "You're probably mistaken. I sell tires for a living and I should know." lol

I did go with the 225/40/18 with the second guy I spoke with who pretty much said the first guy was an idiot. lol.

[flip4335]

Originally Posted by cdgatti

Are those the M3 rims? Do they fit a non M?

Yes, those are OEM Style 219M wheels, and they certainly fit a non-M, pre-lci 3-series vehicle, with minimal to no modifications to the rear fenders, although many incorporate a fender roll, just to be sure. The specs for my ride are:

Front: 18x8.5, ET29, Michelin Super Sport @ 225/40/18
Rear: 18x9.5, ET23, Michelin Super Sport @ 255/35/18

[MonacoBlueE90]

Originally Posted by cdgatti

Are those the M3 rims? Do they fit a non M?

At this point i will say that E90 Lci will definitely need fender roll to rear to fit those 18x9.5 et23, because it's the same as 18x9.5 et15 on pre-lci. Also would go no more than 255/35/18 tyre at rear. Front is no problem.

[Gary@TireRack]

Originally Posted by WRichieX

Oddly enough I got more confused, when i called tire rack and they said the same thing that 225/40/18 won't fit in the rear. After reading this your guys response, I called back to tire rack and the guy I talked to stated that the last guy didn't know what he was talking about. lol. So I placed an order. Feel better now. Thanks.

I'm sorry to hear that the first guy didn't know this... that's pretty embarrassing.

[WRichieX]

Originally Posted by Gary@TireRack

I'm sorry to hear that the first guy didn't know this... that's pretty embarrassing.

No worries, you guys came through in the end. I'm getting them installed today. Can't wait to feel invincible in the winter again. lol

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by VMRWheels

If your tire shop is telling you that, you should find a new tire shop. They don't know what they're talking about.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....WS70&tab=Sizes

If you look at the rim width range for this tire, it's between 7" and 9", so an 8.5" wide wheel will be perfectly fine.

Yep, I run 225s on my 9's. looks a bit stretched but I dont care, they are winter tires

[ken1137]

Btw...had the WS 70s on my 135 and I thought they were great in snow but sucked balls when the roads were dry. Handling was not good at all. I switched to the LM 32 performance winter tires this year. They work pretty good in snow and a ton better when the roads are dry like today.

[WRichieX]

I ended up going with the Dunlop Winter Max. The ride is a lot softer than my nitto summer tires on 19s. Although I haven't gone too crazy since I've only had it on since last night, handling seems ok. I don't plan on going too crazy in the winter so this should be good. I've read another user review from here that these tires do very well in the snow so that's what I'm mainly looking for.

[gary88]

Tire shops will be hesitant or will just outright not put anything on other than recommended OEM sizes because of liability concerns. My first winter with winter tires I went to a Firestone to have 225/40/18s put on my staggered 189s and the guy there literally said "you won't even make it out of the parking lot with that before it explodes"

I've been running that setup for the past three winters with no issues whatsoever. My Blizzak LM-60s stretched a bit in the rear on the 8.5" wheel, but I have Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4s this year and they're just about perfectly flush with the edge of the wheel in the rear.