Dealer is on a mission to confuse me about Winters

After months of reading about winter tire set's, I had set my mind on getting a set of Style 44's (17 x 8 wearing Dunlop M2's 225/45 R17) I've ordered the rims and they're at the dealer now.

Next step was to call the dealer to see if they had any winter tire packages to go with. Of course he tried to give me the std BMW recomended steelie/Conti setup, but said I'd pass. He called back after an hour and said the 44's idea wouldn't fit on an '04 330Ci!

Questions:
All I really want to know is will a Style 44 wheel with 225/45 R17 fit properly on a '04 330Ci ?

Doesn't the 325Ci with sports package wear the exact same wheel/tire? (17 x 8 225/45 R17)

Is there ANY difference between the wheel well on the 325Ci SP car and the 330Ci?

Did they change anything for 2004?

To my knowledge there isn't, am I missing something?

I was actually about to place the order with the TireRack when he called to tell me this. When I asked Gary, he confirms the setup will work fine.

This is making a simple thing more confusing then necessary.

I'm not sure about the style 44s, but I've been running 17x7.5" wheels with 225/45-17 WinterSport M2s all around in the winter since I got the car. I don't think there were any changes between my '01 and an '04 that would make this difficult. You should be able to run 17x8" all around without problems.

My only concern would be that the 8" wheels may be a little too wide for a 225 tire, but I don't know.

Also, when did they start making steel wheels that would fit over the breaks on a 330?

44s will fit. This is in fact AF330i's winter setup on his 330i.

There is a legitimate concern about fitting some 325 wheels on a 330, though. Most wheels smaller than 17 will NOT fit as 330s have larger brakes.

Originally Posted by cenotaph

I'm not sure about the style 44s, but I've been running 17x7.5" wheels with 225/45-17 WinterSport M2s all around in the winter since I got the car. I don't think there were any changes between my '01 and an '04 that would make this difficult. You should be able to run 17x8" all around without problems.

My only concern would be that the 8" wheels may be a little too wide for a 225 tire, but I don't know.

Also, when did they start making steel wheels that would fit over the breaks on a 330?

225's are the standard size tires that came on the 44's.

Elwood, all of the E46 wheels 17in and larger should fit your car. I think your dealer is smoking crack. Listen to Gary....

Originally Posted by cenotaph

My only concern would be that the 8" wheels may be a little too wide for a 225 tire, but I don't know.

Also, when did they start making steel wheels that would fit over the breaks on a 330?

225/45/17 is factory fitment on all 17x8 wheels from the factory.

And I thought there was always a steelie (16x7, I think) fitment on 330s.

Originally Posted by Desertnate

Elwood, all of the E46 wheels should fit your car. I think your dealer is smoking crack. Listen to Gary....

Bzzzt. All 15s, most 16s and M3 rears certainly will not.

Originally Posted by Kaz

Bzzzt. All 15s, most 16s and M3 rears certainly will not.

I noticed my error and edited the message...we were posting almost at the same time.

As for the M3 wheels...in my mind, I consider those in a class by them selves and not as a typical E46 wheel. I guess I am a little narrow minded...I don't own an M3 and would never imagine mounting a set on a non-M car.

Just like Kaz said, I have a set of type 44's with a 225/45/17 tire as my winter set-up and it's not a problem . . . plus to top it off those type 44's look great !!!

They give off a big appearance because they have no lip

Originally Posted by AF330i

Just like Kaz said, I have a set of type 44's with a 225/45/17 tire as my winter set-up and it's not a problem . . . plus to top it off those type 44's look great !!!

They give off a big appearance because they have no lip

So they fit the sedan fine but would that also apply to the coupe? Considering the coupe is a few hairs lower?

I'm not concerned about the tire size on the rim because It's stock on the 325Ci, just wondering if there is any basis for applying it to the front of a coupe. His main argument was going from a 7.5" W up front to 8" W might be to tight.

Originally Posted by Elwood

So they fit the sedan fine but would that also apply to the coupe? Considering the coupe is a few hairs lower?

There is no appreciable fitment differences between any of the bodystyles.

Originally Posted by Elwood

His main argument was going from a 7.5" W up front to 8" W might be to tight.

225 mm = 8.86 inches. No matter which wheel is chosen, the width of the combo will be approximately the same.

Originally Posted by ObD

225 mm = 8.86 inches. No matter which wheel is chosen, the width of the combo will be approximately the same.

Not true. This depends on the tire, but there are slight width differences when tires are mounted to different width wheels. Most of the difference from going to a narrower/wider wheel in terms of width clearance have to do with the wheel offset, not anythingto do with the tire.

Elwood . . . stop worrying about it, they fit . . .

When I had my 330Ci I had used a type 79 for winter and had no problems but that doesn't answer your question . . .


I am telling you the type 44's fit and stop worrying over what a dealer told you . . . they were wrong wrong wrong . . .


I know TOO much about wheels and I'm telling you their fine, Kaz knows more then I do and he is telling they are fine so stop stressing, its ok.

In fact in Europe and Canada, don't the type 44's come on the 330Ci . . . I am almost postive they do . . .

Originally Posted by AF330i

Elwood . . . stop worrying about it, they fit . . .

When I had my 330Ci I had used a type 79 for winter and had no problems but that doesn't answer your question . . .


I am telling you the type 44's fit and stop worrying over what a dealer told you . . . they were wrong wrong wrong . . .


I know TOO much about wheels and I'm telling you their fine, Kaz knows more then I do and he is telling they are fine so stop stressing, its ok.

In fact in Europe and Canada, don't the type 44's come on the 330Ci . . . I am almost postive they do . . .

I'm not really worried. It just threw me for a loop how hard this guy tried to dissuade me (that and it's an end to a week full of Mondays).

I'll be picking up the rims in the morning as planned. hehe scary that I believe an internet forum more then I do the Dealer.

As always, thanks everyone for the input, much appreciated! And thanks also to the BMWCCA discount