New Guy! Please Help - BMW Forum

belfastbrian · 08-09-2004, 08:42 AM

Hi, this question has probably been asked a thousand times but I couldn't find it on a search, so here goes. This is my first ever post, I am only new to the BMW world, I just bought a 1995 M3 4Dr Saloon, its lovely and without doubt the best car I have ever owned. Anyway, I need to know the correct tyre sizes, the guy I bought the car from told me the rear wheels are wider than the front, but there is 235/40/17's all round which doesn't make any sense to me. I was reading somewhere else that the 95 M3 was the only M3 that had the same width wheels all round. I'm about to put new tyres on so I want to know the correct size, I must admit the car seems to ride alright currently with the 235/40/17's all round, but then again I have never drove another M3 before so I've nothing to compare it to.

Please help, what is the correct tyres for my car????

jllphan · 08-09-2004, 10:00 AM

First off,

to the forums! Stick around

According to a spec page that I have come to know and trust, the previous owner is correct. In 1995, the correct tire (or tyre) size is 235-40ZR17. 1996-99 is when they were staggered. Those are 225-45ZR17 up front and 245-40ZR17 out back.

BTW, got any pics?

belfastbrian · 08-09-2004, 10:24 AM

Thanks for your reply, if I could I would buy you a beer

! I haven't got any pics yet although I will get some up soon, its just pretty standard at the minute, avis blue, 4 dr, black leather etc I think I'll keep it that way, its an M3, I think if you try to mod a car like that you take away the m3'ness of it, if you know what I mean.

Maybe do the odd thing here and there to improve performance, but to be honest the performance is more than impressive anyway. My last car was an Scooby Doo but this M3 is waaaayyyyy more fun, ye ha!

97M3/4 · 08-09-2004, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jllphan@Aug 9 2004, 10:40 AM
First off, to the forums! Stick around

According to a spec page that I have come to know and trust, the previous owner is correct. In 1995, the correct tire (or tyre) size is 235-40ZR17. 1996-99 is when they were staggered. Those are 225-45ZR17 up front and 245-40ZR17 out back.

BTW, got any pics?

When i bought my 97 M3/4, it had the 235/45/17 all around. i know a few people that run these because they can just rotate the tires. I just switched to the 225/45/ZR17 front and 245/40/ZR17 rear, and what a differance it made. This is what BMW recomends to run, and i can see why.

belfastbrian · 08-10-2004, 03:50 AM

Thanks for both of your opinions, what I don't understand however is, is it actually possible to put a wider tyre ie. 245 if currently the rims have 235 tyres on them? Or similarily a narrower tyre on the front, a 225 when currently there is a 235 on them?

I don't want to drag this question on and on and bore the life out of you people, but I really want to get the best performance and handling out of my M3.

Any opinions or suggestions welcome, thanks.

Cruzin 323is · 08-10-2004, 05:38 PM

u have the m contours on there.... the rear are 17x 8.5... and the front are 17x 7.5...

the fronts u can put 225/45/17... and rear, either 235 or 245... or u can keep them the way they are!

Kevin325i · 08-10-2004, 05:57 PM

95s came with 235 all the way around. On 7.5" rims all the way around. The lightweight was the only 95 to have the staggard set up. The 8.5" in the rear were an option for europeans.

jllphan · 08-10-2004, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cruzin 323is@Aug 10 2004, 06:18 PM
u have the m contours on there.... the rear are 17x 8.5... and the front are 17x 7.5...

the fronts u can put 225/45/17... and rear, either 235 or 245... or u can keep them the way they are!

No. What I stated is correct. The wheels were not staggered until 1996. Kev is right.

And I would have to do some looking to see if you could fit a 245 on a 7.5" wheel.