[jaryl]

Hi guys and gals, I just ordered a 330ci Orient Blue, NAV, CP, SP, Xenon, PDC, Steptronic with the M-V 18" wheels.

A few questions please?

Does the 18" perform better than the SP 17" wheels?

Does anyone has a photo with the M-V 18" wheels? I have never seen a coupe with these wheels before.

I see that BMW has lots of things on display at the showroom but I was never shown around. Any original BMW accessories or gadgets I should go for?

I don't have a garage and it will be difficult for me to get another set of winter tires. Can I get by winter with the Sport tires? How bad will it be? And what should I look out for?


Thank you in advance.

 

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

The 18" wheels are debatable performance wise...

On one hand, you have sharper turn in, and maybe a little more traction... And they do look good.

On the other hand, you have to clean them, they tramline more, they ride worse, they're HEAVY, and tires are that much more expensive.

I personally wouldn't go larger than 17" on a 3'er... But there's certainly nothing wrong with them per se. You simply have to decide which trade offs are worth it.

 

[Cadetdrivr]

Can I get by winter with the Sport tires?

Yes...but it might not be pretty.

How bad will it be?

Very, very bad.

And what should I look out for?

Snow, ice, slush.

Wide, fat, performance tires are the absolute worst thing to drive on snow or ice. The ABS and stability control will help, but when you have no traction, even they cannot overcome physics.

One idea: for about the same price as the 18" wheels, you could order a 16" or 17" winter-tire/wheel package from the tire rack.

edit-

One last thought: come late winter/early spring, potholes will be an issue, and the 18" wheel does not allow much sidewall on the tire, so a bent rim would be another risk driving the 18" over the winter.

 

[xmas63]

Re: accessories and gadgets, just look through catalogs and on-line sources---there's tons of stuff available. The OEM alarm and CD changer are common OEM accessories, but you'll spend a fraction of the cost to buy them elsewhere and install them yourself.

Re: SP tire in the winter, cadetdrv is right---it will be very, very bad, even in light snow/slush. Snow tires will make a world of difference, like night and day.

 

[Guest]

If you are so concerned with performance (asking about the relative performance aspects of the 17s versus the 18s), why on earth are you getting a slushbox?

 

[rbright]

You could not have picked a better color. Orient Blue, with Natural Brown is PERFECT for the 330Ci.

I would definitely recommend the BMW mud flaps for front and rear to keep the mud off the dark car.

I would not go with the 18" wheels, the 17" with the SP are perfect for performance and traction in a variety of weather conditions...and they look HOT!

 

[geomax]

I saw the OEM 18 wheels on a car yesterday, and I must say, they look much better in person than in pictures. However, they must weight a lot. My 17" 44's weigh 26lbs a piece. I have some 16" 43's for the Winter which weigh 20lbs a piece. Believe it or not, I can feel the difference that 6 lbs makes.

 

[ff]

If you are so concerned with performance (asking about the relative performance aspects of the 17s versus the 18s), why on earth are you getting a slushbox?

:lmao: Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[PhilH]

I saw the 18s on a silver 330i this weekend, and I thought they looked amazingly good. I was really tempted to get them if and when I get an E46, but after reading this thread: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?threadid=25842&highlight=17+18+wheels
I was forced to concede that the 18s are really only about looks and have no real upside other than looks. Meanwhile, they have a couple obvious downsides. I think I'm staying with the 17s.

 

[jk330i]

I don't like the 17's that come stock on the 3-ers, I'm way happier with the appearance of my 18's no doubt about it. The only complaint I have is that the wheels are more sensitive to grooves on the road. Other than that, the design and the polished finish also make it tough to clean, but then again I wouldn't settle for the bland style on the stocks. Just my .02

 

[GimpyMcFarlan]

IMHO, I like them.

Hi jaryl,
I just took delivery of a 330Ci with the 18" MV wheels and I'm happy with them so far. Yes, the ride is slightly rougher than my fathers 330Ci w/ the 17" wheels but not by much. There is more surface area to clean on the 18" rims due to the number of spokes, but I found them earier to clean than the standard rims.

So far wet and dry traction have been incredible. Drove through a severe thunderstorm sqwaul last weekend (sheets of blowing rain w/ standing water) and never felt the car loose traction.