[ez262]

After many years of Audis followed by an Mazda RX8 and a MazdaSpeed6, I just picked up a 1994 540i for $2800. The car only has 122k miles on it and the body and interior are in very good shape. After sinking another $1300 to replace the valve cover body, front rotors and pads, water pump,and the front control arms and sway bar links, I'm finally ready to upgrade the wheels and tires.

I found a set of 17x8 Borbet VS rims on Craig's List for $250, and now I'm looking at tires. It looks like I'm going to get General Exclaim UHPs.

Here's my big question.

The wheels have a +13mm offset (yeah, I know the e34 standard is +20mm). Should I go with 245/45r17 or 235/45r17 tires? Tirerack recommends a 235 width, while Discount tire recommends 245. According to the famous tire size calculator, the 245's will increase tire diameter/circumference over the stock 15's by .2%, while the 235's will decrease it by 1.2%. My concern is that, although the 245's are the closest match to the stock tires, the low 13mm offset will push them too far out toward the fender (and I don't want to roll the fender). I'm also wondering if the 245's are too wide for the 17x8 rims.

Or are the differences so minor that it really doesn't matter which tire I get? My driving style is spirited, but not insane.

Let me know what you thinks

 

[ez262]

Let me try again in few words

I have a 1994 540i and just picked up a set of 17x8 wheels with a +13mm offset (stock wheel offset is +20mm).

Is there a difference between running these with 235/45 vs 245/45 tires? One one hand, tirerack recommends the 235's, while Discount tire says to go with 245's. The 245's have the closest diameter to the stock 225/60 15" wheels. The e39s with the 17" option came stock with the 235's.

Can anyone help me? Pretty please? Is there a difference? Will the low offset push the 245's too far outward.

 

[MJA_]

I don't think that I can help on the offset question but I have 235/45 17s on type 19 wheels on my E34 and they fit OK. 45s should fit if the wheel is just right.

 

[kkodal78]

i got 235/45/17s on mine as well and they work just perfect for me.it is true that 245/45/17 would be closer but you might have to put a some sort of spacer to have the enough space between the tire and rthe shock assembly.even with my 235/45s it is very close and i can't imagine how tight it would be with 245s.
here is a web site you can compare the diffrence on tire sizes and i tried to pull the 235.45 and 245/45 compare to 225.60.15...it seems like the 235 is a little bit %1 over the original tire size which makes the odometer show .7 mile faster at 60 mph mark.in other words if you were doing 60mph on the 225.60.15 than it would show 60.7 mph on 235/45/17 nd it would show 59.8 mph on 245/45/17.

i hope this helps rather than confusing you even more...good luck but i'd recommend to go with 235s cause it is currently being used by some of us and no problems with it.i am not sure if there is anyone who is running their e34 with 245/45/17s