Aftermarket tire size for M3 on stock 18's?

[jordanM3]

I know everyone tends to upsize their E46 M3 tires when they swap them out....I am thinking of going with the goodyear F-1's, so what would be the best "stock" size on my 18's?

[Mr. The Edge]

245/40f 275/35r

[Pinecone]

I prefer 245 fronts, 265 rears for better balance.

[Gary@Tirerack]

see also http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?p=1844794#post1844794

[jordanM3]

Gary....are those the same overall size as the stock tires? I don't want to change the dynamics of the car.

[JST]

Gary....are those the same overall size as the stock tires? I don't want to change the dynamics of the car.


If you don't want to change the dynamics of the car, 245/275 is the way to go--it will give you the same general bias toward understeer as exists in the OEM setup. It will make you speedometer read slightly high (IOW, it says you are going faster than you are), but that's not a big deal.

I found the improvement in grip from OEM Contis to plus sized T1S Proxes to be remarkable. The tradeoff is slightly less crisp initial turn in response, but it's a trade well worth making. Personally, I don't think understeer in the E46 M3 is as big a problem as everyone says it is, but that might just be because I am a ****ty driver who can't really approach the car's limits.

[Gary@Tirerack]

Gary....are those the same overall size as the stock tires? I don't want to change the dynamics of the car.

I agree with JST.

The front sizing is only .3 inches shorter and rear is something like a half inch shorter...not nearly enough change to make a difference. This would not change the handling bias of the car.