I just bought a 2006 Z4 M Roadster with only 31,700 miles on it from a BMW dealer in Northern California. I ran across the original owner on ZPost.com and he said that he put 19" wheels and tires on the car within a few weeks of buying the car new in July 2007 with 98 miles on it and just put the original tires and wheels back on when he traded it in for a new 135i in June. The tires probably had only a few hundred miles on them.
The good news is that the original wheels are in perfect condition. The bad news is so are the tires! The production date on the tires are the 1st, 2nd, and 7th week of 2006. The tires probably spent the last five years in his garage so there aren't any cracks, probably no UV deterioration, and they haven't had any weight on them. The question is do they need to be replaced because of their age?
I'd like to put Michelin Pilot Super Sports on the car but I'd like to wait until at least next year. I'll probably do 3-4 autocrosses on them this year to hasten the wear.
Stock size is 225/45-18 on 8" wheels in the front and 255/40-18 on 9" wheels on the rear. Can I go wider with a lower profile? What's the recommended size? The car has H&R Sport springs on it with a 1" drop. Some people are running 235/40-18 or 245/40-18 in the front and 265/35-18, 275/35-18, or 285/35-18 in the rear for replacements.
I'd appreciate some advice from the pros!
