I've just got a new 530i (E60) for my wife with European delivery. While the car is being transported from Germany, I'm busily looking for a winter wheel solution (a necessity in PA).
The TireRack site says that this car (unlike the older E39 series) only accepts 17" rims. And there is very little tire choice within the 225/50-R17 size, all tires being exactly the size of the summer ones, i.e. 225 wide.
And I was looking for a winter set with smaller rims and narrow tires (like 205 or 215), as we sometimes get plenty of snow... Browsing through sites, I've come across the link (Performance Plus - at the bottom) that actually says that M3 Replica OEM 16" Wheels should fit the car (2005 and 2006 model years do not differ as far as it comes to wheels).
(Vehicle Selected: 2005 BMW "5 SERIES 525i, 530i, 545i", Factory Tire Size: 225/50-17, Factory Bolt Pattern: 5x120 | Hub: 74.1 | Offset: MID | Lug: 12x1.5B.
New wheels: Wheel Replicas M3/DM3, Size: 16x7.5, Bolt Pattern: 5x120, Offset: 13).
I've checked with the car manual, and it actually DOES specify correct pressures for tire size 225/55-R16 for 530i. Which presumably means that such there are R16 rims that fit the car...
This could give me much better flexibility and wider choice, and I could go with 205/60-R16, for instance, getting more suitable winter tires and saving money on a smaller size. (And choose my favorite Michelin Alpin PA2, unavailable in the original size.)
Does anyone have a clue if these will really fit?
(My gut feeling is that they should definitely fit, as M3 is a more powerful car and has got bigger brakes etc., but what about the offset???)
Also, what is the recommended compromise between dry-road handling and snow traction? (Blizzaks are very short-lived and handle poorly on dry road, Pirelli's 210 handle great but have the worst traction in snow, Dunlops M3 are so-so in every aspect, I've never tried Conti's...)
Thanks a lot in advance!
Leo
Performance Plus Tire
The TireRack site says that this car (unlike the older E39 series) only accepts 17" rims. And there is very little tire choice within the 225/50-R17 size, all tires being exactly the size of the summer ones, i.e. 225 wide.
And I was looking for a winter set with smaller rims and narrow tires (like 205 or 215), as we sometimes get plenty of snow... Browsing through sites, I've come across the link (Performance Plus - at the bottom) that actually says that M3 Replica OEM 16" Wheels should fit the car (2005 and 2006 model years do not differ as far as it comes to wheels).
(Vehicle Selected: 2005 BMW "5 SERIES 525i, 530i, 545i", Factory Tire Size: 225/50-17, Factory Bolt Pattern: 5x120 | Hub: 74.1 | Offset: MID | Lug: 12x1.5B.
New wheels: Wheel Replicas M3/DM3, Size: 16x7.5, Bolt Pattern: 5x120, Offset: 13).
I've checked with the car manual, and it actually DOES specify correct pressures for tire size 225/55-R16 for 530i. Which presumably means that such there are R16 rims that fit the car...
This could give me much better flexibility and wider choice, and I could go with 205/60-R16, for instance, getting more suitable winter tires and saving money on a smaller size. (And choose my favorite Michelin Alpin PA2, unavailable in the original size.)
Does anyone have a clue if these will really fit?
(My gut feeling is that they should definitely fit, as M3 is a more powerful car and has got bigger brakes etc., but what about the offset???)
Also, what is the recommended compromise between dry-road handling and snow traction? (Blizzaks are very short-lived and handle poorly on dry road, Pirelli's 210 handle great but have the worst traction in snow, Dunlops M3 are so-so in every aspect, I've never tried Conti's...)
Thanks a lot in advance!
Leo
Performance Plus Tire