Bought my 330Ci on 19's. Bought a set of 18's for it not long after, thinking that was the perfect size aestheticly speaking. Drove around on those for a few years until I bought a set of 17 inch BBS's and I just completely fell in love with the look of the smaller wheels. I think 17s look the best, ride the best, and the tires are more affordable.
Had 19s from previous owner. Switched to 17s after losing about 1000 on 19s tyres from pot holes. Massive difference in prices for tyres also. 19s were 500ish 17s are half the price and work better.
Between unsprung weight and rotational mass the smallest wheel in the competitive tire/width is almost always the best option. That being said smaller wheels often don’t have as much tire selection.
I’ve been racing e46’s and spiritedly driven them on the streets of Ontario for over 10 years in coils over form, stock, and drastically modified suspension. This car for me is one of the best handling cars I’ve have ever felt in my hands. When I build any vehicle before power for me comes suspension always. I’d rather have a car with 150hp that handles Awsome then have a vehicle with 200hp that handles just okay. For me the e46 is the absolute benchmark of driver feel. And it probably also hold the best reputation in terms of drive communication with steering rack. Yes I am a huge Initial D fan, along with the 86. Sorry to burst your bubble kids the e46 platform will deliver the Toufue faster and more efficiently :)😮. In terms of chassis balance the ae86 got the nothing on a e46.
I just got a manual e46 sedan two weeks ago , I love the sedan for the e46 . Plus I already have a 370z so I needed a sedan . The first mods I'm going to do is definitely going to be suspension mods .
18" fit on F8x with steel brakes. If you have CCB you need 19". When downsizing you have to be careful however as not all 18" wheels will clear brakes. Apex is good. Bimmerworld is good too.
Currently in a 230i with 19. I’m definitely interested in 18s due to them being lighter and having lower running costs but something that concerns me is that the front and rear have different offsets so how can I ensure the car will run the same in between tire rotation?
Sounds like you have a staggered setup from the factory like my E92 328i had where the rears are wider than the front and will have different offsets front to rear so you'll have to buy a square wheel and tire setup where the wheels are the same diameter, width, and offset all around which is what I have.
I never understood the whole "gigantic wheel" thing. Also it's shocking how many people I've spoken to that think a larger diameter wheel improves performance, when it's just the opposite, assuming the larger wheels aren't also significantly wider than the smaller wheels and even then the increased weight has a negative effect on handling. The whole "dubs" era had a real detrimental impact on what wheels people put on their cars and what manufacturers put on them as well. At least spinners died out.
i run 20 inch wheels. idc about tiire llife but ive been on the same tire for 2- years and just had the wear checked the other da. theyre fine.... i only care about HP not treadlife
That’s the problem we had on my sons 80 Firebird, they don’t sell the same variety of sizes or manufacturers that used to be available, not sure what older corvette guys do now for their cars
@@xozindustries7451 it's weird, same with 16s. It seems like the variety is on 18"+ wheels. What they're saying about cost and performance makes sense though
@@flux_core_fx ya everyone wants the bigger brake look with big rims not realizing all the weight that goes with it, harder to accelerate and brake, harder to control the suspension with shock valving
16s being a dead category and 17s being a dying category is such a sad fact. That and the increasing size of brakes putting a strict minimum rim diameter on modern cars is such a punk move by the auto industry. When one ton diesel pickup trucks have brakes small enough to fit 17-inch wheels there's absolutely nothing that justifies modern cars coming with brakes forcing you into a set of 19s. TBH if I had my way I'd delete all the odd size wheels and just go with 10s, 12s, 14s, (first two really only for mini coopers and side-by-sides, 14s for old Miatas and basic modern small cars like Sparks or Fiat 500s), 16s, 18s, 20s, and so on since starting at 22 they move to 2-inch increments, anyway(21s and 19s are really the oddballs in general, anyway). Most cars would come 16s standard, 18s optional. All "cars" would still be able to fit 16s on the back for RWD and AWD models (except maybe mid-engine exotics), most full-size and all mid-size trucks would be able to fit 16s all around, you get the picture. This is actually already a bit of a compromise on what I'd actually want to do, but the two versions of THAT are far more impractical, so even-numbered sizes it is. Oh, and tires would also become sized in inches. Absolute diameter, absolute width, and wheel diameter. So on something like this it would fit a 26x10R18, for instance. 1-inch width and diameter increments from 22-36" for diameter and 6-14" width, then 2-inch increments from there up. Makes it dead simple to know how to match or adjust fitment to both your car's limits and your wheel width. The idea is that this consolidation would allow the middle category of 16s to flourish once again, while making 18s cheaper and broader use, with the 20s and up being left for the bling bling boys (props if you get this reference). Oh, and something that pisses me off about the 15s category is that you can't get proper handling-oriented STREET tires (that are medium profile or otherwise genuinely good) wider than about 245s (roughly 10 inches wide), so for the new/reinvigorated 16s category, up to 12 inches wide (roughly 305s) will be available, just like the current 17s category. And the new/returning 14s category they'll run like the current 15s and 16s do, so up to 10 inches wide for handling oriented street and circuit tires... And realistically probably for the drag tires, too, as any mid or full-size car will be able to run 16s with adequate sidewall, anyway, and 16s will become the new standard drag category for slicks both small tire (26-29" diameter and 10-14" wide) and big tire (30"+ diameter and 12"+ wide).
Faster acceleration and shorter braking distance. I reduced 12 lbs of rotational mass from runflat with heavy wheels to ARC8 and non runflat tires. The 0-60 time definitely decreased. Don't know about laptime on track if it will be faster average mph.
@@2be1withU it is faster, you have less rotatonal mass, better driver feel and more tyre compliance with more sidewall. They put big wheels on sports cars like a ferrari or a porsche is because they look bling and you get more feedback. Feedback doesnt translate to faster laptimes because typically the tyre has less to give, so its a compromise to give the driver a slightly more granular experience but it comes at a cost that most customers are happy to wave
Bought my 330Ci on 19's. Bought a set of 18's for it not long after, thinking that was the perfect size aestheticly speaking. Drove around on those for a few years until I bought a set of 17 inch BBS's and I just completely fell in love with the look of the smaller wheels. I think 17s look the best, ride the best, and the tires are more affordable.
17's on the 46 definitely look the best
Had 19s from previous owner. Switched to 17s after losing about 1000 on 19s tyres from pot holes. Massive difference in prices for tyres also. 19s were 500ish 17s are half the price and work better.
17's?!? Those are rookie numbers. Let's see some 15's for some gravel tires!
probably wont fit around the brakes
@@oscarzt1652 I stole brakes from a 323i to fit 15s. Might work for the M too
@@TylerTJW What car is yours? 330?
@@budrobadre yeah 05 330i
@@TylerTJW Damn I never heard about anyone downgrading the brakes hahah. Did you notice a difference?
Between unsprung weight and rotational mass the smallest wheel in the competitive tire/width is almost always the best option. That being said smaller wheels often don’t have as much tire selection.
On top of all this, the ride is way smoother, less stiff and easier on bumps/potholes.
I’ve been racing e46’s and spiritedly driven them on the streets of Ontario for over 10 years in coils over form, stock, and drastically modified suspension. This car for me is one of the best handling cars I’ve have ever felt in my hands. When I build any vehicle before power for me comes suspension always. I’d rather have a car with 150hp that handles Awsome then have a vehicle with 200hp that handles just okay. For me the e46 is the absolute benchmark of driver feel. And it probably also hold the best reputation in terms of drive communication with steering rack. Yes I am a huge Initial D fan, along with the 86. Sorry to burst your bubble kids the e46 platform will deliver the Toufue faster and more efficiently :)😮. In terms of chassis balance the ae86 got the nothing on a e46.
I just got a manual e46 sedan two weeks ago , I love the sedan for the e46 . Plus I already have a 370z so I needed a sedan . The first mods I'm going to do is definitely going to be suspension mods .
18" fit on F8x with steel brakes. If you have CCB you need 19". When downsizing you have to be careful however as not all 18" wheels will clear brakes. Apex is good. Bimmerworld is good too.
I run 17x9.5 square on my e46 M3 - I concur with the video and cannot emphasize how much lighter on its feet the car feels vs. the 19 inch ZCP wheels.
thank you for the informational video. I was wondering if there was a benefit to running 17's. i have a 330ci and i usually see people running 18's.
Glad it was helpfull!
Looks way better too
are those m3 calipers?
Currently in a 230i with 19. I’m definitely interested in 18s due to them being lighter and having lower running costs but something that concerns me is that the front and rear have different offsets so how can I ensure the car will run the same in between tire rotation?
Sounds like you have a staggered setup from the factory like my E92 328i had where the rears are wider than the front and will have different offsets front to rear so you'll have to buy a square wheel and tire setup where the wheels are the same diameter, width, and offset all around which is what I have.
I never understood the whole "gigantic wheel" thing. Also it's shocking how many people I've spoken to that think a larger diameter wheel improves performance, when it's just the opposite, assuming the larger wheels aren't also significantly wider than the smaller wheels and even then the increased weight has a negative effect on handling. The whole "dubs" era had a real detrimental impact on what wheels people put on their cars and what manufacturers put on them as well. At least spinners died out.
By any chance, what are the specs specifically for that navy blue e46 featured in this video!?
17 seem abit small maybe the wider tyre helps with traction 18’s are perfect
Can I install 17 inches on zcp 345mm brakes?
Yes
i run 20 inch wheels. idc about tiire llife but ive been on the same tire for 2- years and just had the wear checked the other da. theyre fine.... i only care about HP not treadlife
I'm wondering about the 17 vs 18" tire availability
That’s the problem we had on my sons 80 Firebird, they don’t sell the same variety of sizes or manufacturers that used to be available, not sure what older corvette guys do now for their cars
@@xozindustries7451 it's weird, same with 16s. It seems like the variety is on 18"+ wheels. What they're saying about cost and performance makes sense though
@@flux_core_fx ya everyone wants the bigger brake look with big rims not realizing all the weight that goes with it, harder to accelerate and brake, harder to control the suspension with shock valving
16s being a dead category and 17s being a dying category is such a sad fact. That and the increasing size of brakes putting a strict minimum rim diameter on modern cars is such a punk move by the auto industry. When one ton diesel pickup trucks have brakes small enough to fit 17-inch wheels there's absolutely nothing that justifies modern cars coming with brakes forcing you into a set of 19s. TBH if I had my way I'd delete all the odd size wheels and just go with 10s, 12s, 14s, (first two really only for mini coopers and side-by-sides, 14s for old Miatas and basic modern small cars like Sparks or Fiat 500s), 16s, 18s, 20s, and so on since starting at 22 they move to 2-inch increments, anyway(21s and 19s are really the oddballs in general, anyway).
Most cars would come 16s standard, 18s optional. All "cars" would still be able to fit 16s on the back for RWD and AWD models (except maybe mid-engine exotics), most full-size and all mid-size trucks would be able to fit 16s all around, you get the picture. This is actually already a bit of a compromise on what I'd actually want to do, but the two versions of THAT are far more impractical, so even-numbered sizes it is. Oh, and tires would also become sized in inches. Absolute diameter, absolute width, and wheel diameter. So on something like this it would fit a 26x10R18, for instance. 1-inch width and diameter increments from 22-36" for diameter and 6-14" width, then 2-inch increments from there up. Makes it dead simple to know how to match or adjust fitment to both your car's limits and your wheel width.
The idea is that this consolidation would allow the middle category of 16s to flourish once again, while making 18s cheaper and broader use, with the 20s and up being left for the bling bling boys (props if you get this reference). Oh, and something that pisses me off about the 15s category is that you can't get proper handling-oriented STREET tires (that are medium profile or otherwise genuinely good) wider than about 245s (roughly 10 inches wide), so for the new/reinvigorated 16s category, up to 12 inches wide (roughly 305s) will be available, just like the current 17s category. And the new/returning 14s category they'll run like the current 15s and 16s do, so up to 10 inches wide for handling oriented street and circuit tires... And realistically probably for the drag tires, too, as any mid or full-size car will be able to run 16s with adequate sidewall, anyway, and 16s will become the new standard drag category for slicks both small tire (26-29" diameter and 10-14" wide) and big tire (30"+ diameter and 12"+ wide).
WTF 19 or 20 inch only please
Cheaper yes, faster no. Grm You can be better.
Faster acceleration and shorter braking distance. I reduced 12 lbs of rotational mass from runflat with heavy wheels to ARC8 and non runflat tires. The 0-60 time definitely decreased. Don't know about laptime on track if it will be faster average mph.
@@2be1withU it is faster, you have less rotatonal mass, better driver feel and more tyre compliance with more sidewall. They put big wheels on sports cars like a ferrari or a porsche is because they look bling and you get more feedback. Feedback doesnt translate to faster laptimes because typically the tyre has less to give, so its a compromise to give the driver a slightly more granular experience but it comes at a cost that most customers are happy to wave