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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > Regional Forums > UK > Anyone had 16 inch wheels and swapped to 17 " / 18 " ?



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      12-17-2006, 06:40 AM   #1
nomis
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Anyone had 16 inch wheels and swapped to 17 " / 18 " ?

Hi, I m new to the forum so a big hello to all you fellow E90 owners out there !

Had a look at the E90 gallery and was gobsmacked at how awesome the E90 looks especially with the 18 " ellipsoid alloys

I currently have 16" wheels on my 320D and was thinking of upgrading to 17 " or hell forbid 18" !!!

Just want to know what the ride / handling is like compared to an E90 on 16" wheels ?

Any comments appreciated
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      12-17-2006, 09:08 AM   #2
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do you have sports suspension?
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      12-17-2006, 01:43 PM   #3
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No, just standard suspension.
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      12-18-2006, 02:39 AM   #4
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Nomis, I've got the 18" ellipsoid alloys with sports suspension. Its obviously a firmer ride than the standard suspension and on 16's or 17's, but to be honest, I'm really please with the ride. Its smooth and comfortable and not too hard or firm at all. If you come to the next UK meet which we normally hold at Donington Park in Derbyshire, you can check out the alloys in the flesh. A number of e90post members that come along have the ellipsoids. Check out my gallery for photos of my car and the last UK meet.

Get them!! And blacklines, oh and a short shifter too!
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      12-18-2006, 05:00 AM   #5
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I've heard different opinions so the only way you'll tell is to try them - go for a test drive. Depends on what kind of roads you're driving aswell. I want 18's but just can't afford them!!!
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      12-18-2006, 05:38 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nomis
Hi, I m new to the forum so a big hello to all you fellow E90 owners out there !

Had a look at the E90 gallery and was gobsmacked at how awesome the E90 looks especially with the 18 " ellipsoid alloys

I currently have 16" wheels on my 320D and was thinking of upgrading to 17 " or hell forbid 18" !!!

Just want to know what the ride / handling is like compared to an E90 on 16" wheels ?

Any comments appreciated
I had 19 inch rims on my 530d SE (non runflat) and have 18inch runflats on my 330i m-sport.

I like a good firm ride (as the actress said to the bishop) with no body roll. The sports suspension plus 18 inch rims work well and I don't find it uncomfortable at all. In fact I find it rather better than the old 320cd sport coupe ride.

If you are going to upgrade I would go for 18 inchs not 17 inchs. If you are going to all that expense you might as well go the whole hog.

They will look great on the car and I don't think they will bog down the handling at all.
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      12-18-2006, 06:03 AM   #7
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Very nice motor Beauforty!!

Appreciate all your comments. Tough decision to make now. I ve narrowed it down to the 161's (17") and the 18 " Ellipsoids
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      12-18-2006, 01:26 PM   #8
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Agree with NFS - go with 18"s
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      12-18-2006, 01:49 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nomis
Very nice motor Beauforty!!

Appreciate all your comments. Tough decision to make now. I ve narrowed it down to the 161's (17") and the 18 " Ellipsoids
Just in case you need any further persuasion to go for the 18" 162s, nomis:

Paul (beauforty aka the MF) will tell you just how unbiased I am regarding our cars, won't you MF?!

As you can see from the 1st shot, below, both the MF & I have 162s on sports suspension.
Having them on a non-sports suspension should ease the ride a little bit, but you really need to test the set-up out for yourself- don't take our unbiased word for it!

All the best.

Viv
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      12-19-2006, 01:43 AM   #10
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A firm ride doesn't really bother me; the handling / roadholding side does.

As much as I love the 18" ellipsoids, I m not sure whether to put them on the 320D because it may attract the wrong kind of attention Hence my (slight) reservations and tendency to go for the 17" 161's

Will keep you all posted.

Cheers

Last edited by nomis; 12-19-2006 at 08:19 AM..
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      12-19-2006, 12:21 PM   #11
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I normally say nothing smaller then 19s,but since this is a queution about 17 or 18, then you should go with the 18s, they also look better.
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      12-19-2006, 01:06 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by remmib
I normally say nothing smaller then 19s,but since this is a queution about 17 or 18, then you should go with the 18s, they also look better.
Do you have bad roads in Norway?
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      12-19-2006, 03:54 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nomis
A firm ride doesn't really bother me; the handling / roadholding side does.

As much as I love the 18" ellipsoids, I m not sure whether to put them on the 320D because it may attract the wrong kind of attention Hence my (slight) reservations and tendency to go for the 17" 161's

Will keep you all posted.

Cheers
I actually think that they are really restrained for 18 inch wheels.

I think this is because they are very similar to the old standard SE wheels for e46 bmws.

Classy rather than sporty.

I have to say (no offense to anyone here) when I see an e90 with standard 16 inch rims ... I personally think they look really odd on the car ... especially from the back.
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      12-20-2006, 01:21 AM   #14
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Just had a quick look at the E90 accessories booklet and the prices are as follows:-

18" Ellipsoids with tyres = £2320
18" M-Sport with tyres = £1995
17" (161's) with tyres = £1795
17" M-Sport = £1080 without tyres

There were quite a number of cool looking 19" wheels, all above the 3K mark.
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      12-20-2006, 02:23 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nomis
Just had a quick look at the E90 accessories booklet and the prices are as follows:-

18" Ellipsoids with tyres = £2320
18" M-Sport with tyres = £1995
17" (161's) with tyres = £1795
17" M-Sport = £1080 without tyres

There were quite a number of cool looking 19" wheels, all above the 3K mark.
Wow, and just think I paid about £700 for the Ellipsoids when I ordered my car. Glad I bought them then!
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      12-20-2006, 03:54 AM   #16
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Hi Nomis,

My previous car was an E90 320D SE with 16" wheels, a great ride. On my E92 I now have some very nice 17" 188s and I was concerned how the ride would feel.

Driving around town and up to 70 I dont notice any difference unless you hit something firm in the road like the dip around a manhole cover and then you notice its more firm than before.

The other thing I notice is more road noise above 70 on rougher sections of motorway, but this is as much due to the rimless windows on the E92 doors as it is the wheels.

Having made the change and two months in, I am completely happy with the result.
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      12-20-2006, 03:01 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nomis
Just had a quick look at the E90 accessories booklet and the prices are as follows:-

18" Ellipsoids with tyres = £2320
18" M-Sport with tyres = £1995
17" (161's) with tyres = £1795
17" M-Sport = £1080 without tyres

There were quite a number of cool looking 19" wheels, all above the 3K mark.
I can't believe they are so expensive for that money .. I'd probably swap cars and get an m-sport.
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      12-20-2006, 04:18 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Catscratch
Do you have bad roads in Norway?
Guess you are refering to my sig pics, and no that not a "normal" road in Norway

But we actually not have very good road here.
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      12-20-2006, 05:56 PM   #19
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Id go with the 18's, as beauforty said its a decent ride, smooth and comfartable enough.
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      12-21-2006, 01:33 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by needforspeed
I can't believe they are so expensive for that money .. I'd probably swap cars and get an m-sport.
As Beauforty said, it is much cheaper to upgrade when you're buying new (£1445 for the ellipsoids on a 32D SE).

I bought my car pre-reg'd and it had about 50 miles on the clock hence I didn't enquire about the cost of upgrading the rims as I thought I would have to buy brand new tyres to go with them as well. Maybe I should have enquired!

I think you ve all convinced me to go for the 18"s

E92-Mark, out of curiosity, why didn't you go for 18" wheels on your car ?
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      12-21-2006, 06:34 AM   #21
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Nomis

Which bit of NE Derbys are you in then?I'm in Chesterfield....

By the way, I run a 330d Se on the std 172 wheels that you get on 6 cylinder SEs. If I had been able to spec anything else (its a company car and I was at my lease limit!) I would have gone for the 18" ellipsoids. But then my car is TiAg and it just reminds me how good it could look...

I'm guessing your real name is Simon, by the way.....
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      12-21-2006, 11:57 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by isleaiw
Nomis

Which bit of NE Derbys are you in then?I'm in Chesterfield....

By the way, I run a 330d Se on the std 172 wheels that you get on 6 cylinder SEs. If I had been able to spec anything else (its a company car and I was at my lease limit!) I would have gone for the 18" ellipsoids. But then my car is TiAg and it just reminds me how good it could look...

I'm guessing your real name is Simon, by the way.....
You guessed right isleaiw !

I'm in Renishaw which is classed as N.E Derbyshire but with a Sheffield postal code.

I know Chesterfield fairly well. Purchased the car from your local BMW dealer -Stratstone....

I know the wheels you're referring to (star spoke design). Nice design but perhaps a tad small for a car of that class

Last edited by nomis; 12-22-2006 at 12:59 AM..
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