E46 wheels and tires

I borrowed this from a Bimmer E46 M3 web site:

The M3 sits on 18-inch M-style alloy wheels (8.0-inch wide front and

9.0-inch wide rear), with appropriately sized high-performance tires (225/45 ZR - 18 front and 255/40 ZR -18 rear).

Will I be able to successfully install this combo on my 330ci? Is there a reason why it won't fit? i.e. different diff :) larger/smaller wheel wells, different suspension width? I'm not saying I want to run this combo, but since I will be buying these wheels and tires via mail-order, getting it wrong would be expensive. I don't have the luxury of trying out different sets. I have to get it right the first time. The E46 M3 runs different size wheels and tires in the front and rear. Is there a reason why doing this on my car would mess-up my handling and not mess-up the M3 (as another said earlier)?

I appreciate your indulgence while I get my feet wet with a BMW.

Reply to
Planar1
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"Planar1" wrote

WTF??? How many times are you going to post the same question? You already got your answers. Don't like what you hear? Is that why you keep asking? Tell us what answer you WANT to hear, then we'll tell you exactly that and then you can go away.

Pete

Reply to
Pete

The reason they wont fit is because a 330 is not an M3. Im not sure whether the wheel wells are different or maybe there is an arch on the M3 or something else. Im not sure as I dont have either one, but what I do know is that it usually isnt smart to try something if it has already been suggested that you dont. There is undoubtedly some reason. If you dont have the luxury of being wrong I would suggest you go with what is suggested, try DTM Power forum. ask around and see what the concensus is.

Reply to
Corey Shuman

How many times are you going to ask this question?

There is no question on the front wheels, they will definitely fit. They will fit on all four corners, by the way. The only question is if the rear wheels will fit, and the question there is if they will fit inside the fenders. You have no issues with backspacing relative to the M Series wheels and your 330, but you may have issues with the fenders in the back.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Reply to
Dan Krueger

With respect, I have not been able to see any of my posts lately. I had no way of telling, so I apologize for the repetition. This is the first post that I have actually be able to see.

Reply to
Planar1

As stated before, I have M3 wheels on my 330 and they fit fine.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

Perfect. What size do you have?

I also have M3 wheels on my E36, but the front and back are all the same size.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

With respect, you replied several times to those posts that you didn't get.

And, you copied and pasted the same question several times. Usually, the verbiage changes when people absent mindedly ask the wame question over and over because they sit down and type the question from scratch each time. Your question is identical at least three times, and you replied to two of them. Now you are replying to the third.

The bottom line is, yes those rims will fit your car. They are an option for it. That is, the style might not be an option, but the size is, and it's the size that dictates if they will fit.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

225 on the front and 245 on the rear. No fitment problems and no negative effect re. handling. At least none that I can tell.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

Sorry, 255 on the rear. My mistake. :-(

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

The only other question I have is, why did you tell me this instead of posting under the OP's question(s)?

The guy that wants to know if the M Series rims will fit is the guy you should be telling, not me. I told him they would fit, but that he could verify it by locating his rims and his desired rims in the link that I gave him, and checking the specs.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

The comment was directed to him because he started the thread and to you as well, as you were wondering, apparently, about the different sizes effecting handling, etc. I meant no disrespect but I was simply pointing out that earlier in the thread, or in one of the other threads started by the OP, I had indicated as such, again.

I just picked your post to reply to the first time, and the second time I indicated that the tire/wheel combo would fit I was letting you know as it seemed that you had not seen the previous reply.

I told him they would fit, but that he

And I agree 100%, as I agreed with everything else you told him. Not your fault, or mine, that he felt the need to post the same question 3 different times. ;-)

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

Jeff,

Saw this link from you on another post on this same topic. Is this your 330 w/M3 wheels?

Nels

Reply to
Nelson J. Starbranch

Do you have to be called Jeff to participate here?

DAS Non-Jeff but could become one by deed poll

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

I did post the link to my car in one of the other threads started by the op. If the car is red, in the driveway with a lady in the car then yes, it is my car. ;-)

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

I don't think so. All are welcome...

Deed Poll? :-\

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

Jeff,

That's the one. I neglected to include the link in my post. Nice color! My car is red too.

I ask b/c those aren't M3 wheels. They look like chrome M wheels though.

Nels

Reply to
Nelson J. Starbranch

FYI, only the 1995 wheels were the same size... 17x7.5, in 96 the suspension geometry of the M3 was changed "in concert" with the change in wheel/tire combintaion of 17x7.5(front) and 17x8.5(rear) There is good reasoning for the extra inch, besides the extra inch or so of rubber you can stuff. Also, a matched set of 7.5s are far less expensive than a staggered set.

Reply to
Corey Shuman

Oof...

If I said they were M3 "size" would that work. ;-)

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Mayner

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