2014 X3 wheels on '99 E36 convertible

[krab03]

Looking for a definitive answer on this. My E36 has 205/60-15 tires, on what I'm assuming are 15x7 wheels. Will the following wheel and tire setup on X3 wheels work:

17x8, offset +43mm, front tires 225/45, rear tires 245/40

I plugged in these specs on "willtheyfit.com", and from I can tell, they SHOULD fit without any clearance issues (wheels are roughly 9mm closer to the suspension, and 16mm farther out towards the fenders). Will these work on my E36 without rubbing the suspension or fenders, especially the 245s on the rear?

Thanks

[MarcoZandrini]

Other issues is are the diameter of the bolt circle and the diameter of the hub. I think the E36 bolt circle diameter is 120mm. I don’t know if the X3 has the same bolt circle diameter. And there could be a difference in the hub diameters between the E36 and the X3.

[krab03]

Guess it looks like I'm going to be "patient zero" with this particular subject. The 2014 X3 wheels I got are 5x120, same wheel lug size, same hub diameter, 17x8 with a +43mm offset. Here are some pics and comments regarding the initial test fit:

The X3 wheels are directional, and this wheel is supposed to go on the passenger side. You can barely see the directional arrow by the hole just past 12 o'clock. New struts are on the way, along with s/s brake lines.


Tight fit on the backside. The 225/45 tires I'm going to mount shouldn't be any wider than the wheel, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll clear the strut.


The 17x8 and +43 offset puts the outer rim right at the edge of the front fender.


Plenty of clearance on the rear. Again, this is a directional wheel, and should be on the passenger side. The directional arrow can be seen just past the hole at 2 o'clock. New shocks are on the way, along with s/s brake lines.

[krab03]

Dropped the wheels off today to get powdercoated Kingsport Gray, hope to have them back in a week or two. Took delivery of 225/45 Federal SS595s today as well, have them in storage along with the car. Got my new wheel caps today too, one set in regular blue and white, the other set in faux black and silver carbon fiber. Will see which set looks better on the wheels once I get them back and get the tires mounted. I'll post up pics when I get to that point.

[krab03]

Got the wheels back from the powdercoaters today. Prices went up a bit, cost $320 for this set. The plan is to get the 225/45 Federals mounted tomorrow, then spend some time over the weekend mounting the MGP red caliper covers and wheels. I have three different sets of wheel caps and badges, but for now I think I'm going with the red and black ones. These wheels are directional, and this one goes on the passenger side (see the directional arrow at the 9 o'clock position).

[MarcoZandrini]

They look nice. I especially like the “off color” rondel.

[krab03]

Some pics with the new tires mounted. They're Federal SS595s, 225/45, $320 delivered from Simple Tire. Had them mounted and balanced at Discount Tire for $88. I had these tires on a Fiat Spider Abarth I used to have, good tire for the money, nice aggressive tread design.

[krab03]

Latest update...X3 wheels fit perfectly, no rubbing on the suspension or fenders. It's close to the strut on the front, but if it clears my a mm, it clears by a mile...and yes, I think I'm going to replace those red grill inserts with all black ones, lol...



Also ordered a set of MGP caliper covers, red with white letters. I'm not trying to fool anyone into thinking I have Brembos, they're strictly covers!


A 245/40 MIGHT work on the back, but I didn't want to take that chance first time up. Plus, I wouldn't be able to rotate the tires anyway. Maybe next time...

[The Beastmaster]

They look great on your E36. I always wondered how those style 306s would look on an e36/46, and now I know. I really hated them on my F25 as they just don't pop. Then of course, there is the matter of cleaning the gap behind the spokes. That is a PITA! However, that Kingsport grey sure makes those wheels look different!

[krab03]

They look great on your E36. I always wondered how those style 306s would look on an e36/46, and now I know. I really hated them on my F25 as they just don't pop. Then of course, there is the matter of cleaning the gap behind the spokes. That is a PITA! However, that Kingsport grey sure makes those wheels look different!

Thanks for the kind words. Although mesh wheels look great, they're a PITA to keep clean, almost like wire spokes on a motorcycle. When I was shopping around for used BMW wheels, I ran across those X3 wheels, and after doing some research, figured they would work.

On another note, that is a beastly looking 911 in your avatar! I had an '83 911SC, but that thing was a money pit, and I absolutely hated the 915 transmission that was in it. Had I done my research (i.e. SC's were known for broken head studs before 100K miles), I probably would've gotten one a few years newer, that had the G50 trans and upgraded head studs. Who knows, I may have actually kept one like that, lol...

[krab03]

Replaced the "lipstick" grills (as someone in here called them, lol) with a set of black ones. Looks much better, thanks for the suggestion! And yes, I straightened them out and tightened them up after this pic was taken...