17" winter tires a good idea?

[GnarlyCow]

With the upcoming joys of winter, I will require the use of some winter tires. As I see it now, I have 2 options:

1. Buy a set of steel wheel covers and put on some 16" winter tires
2. Buy some 17" winter tires and put them on my stock rims I have.

My stock rims have a kind of nasty scuff mark so I don't really care about them anymore.

Are 17"winter tires worse than 16"? If not, then I think I will do that since I want to buy some aftermarket rims for my summers anyway (18") so I figure I could just use my regular 17" rims as my winters.

What do you think?

[Phantasie]

Originally posted by GnarlyCow@Jun 21 2004, 11:54 PM
With the upcoming joys of winter, I will require the use of some winter tires. As I see it now, I have 2 options:

1. Buy a set of steel wheel covers and put on some 16" winter tires
2. Buy some 17" winter tires and put them on my stock rims I have.

My stock rims have a kind of nasty scuff mark so I don't really care about them anymore.

Are 17"winter tires worse than 16"? If not, then I think I will do that since I want to buy some aftermarket rims for my summers anyway (18") so I figure I could just use my regular 17" rims as my winters.

What do you think?

Choice #2 makes the most sense since you want to upgrade rims next year.
Also, if you have a 330, ive read that you wont get smaller that 17's on them, since the brakes are so big. If thts the case, 16 steels wont even be an option for you. (this is the case for my ZHP).

[GnarlyCow]

I have a 2001 325Ci with the 17" wheels. If I go to 18", I don't need to upgrade my brakes to a larger one do I?

[Phantasie]

Originally posted by GnarlyCow@Jun 23 2004, 04:05 PM
I have a 2001 325Ci with the 17" wheels. If I go to 18", I don't need to upgrade my brakes to a larger one do I?

I cant say for sure, as I dont know 100%.
But based on what ive garnered from other threads, you should be ok.

[bearing01]

Not quite sure why a larger diameter wheel would require larger brakes. The caliper should fit inside the wheel. Torque on the rotor will be the same.

Winter coming up? You must be in the S. Hemisphere.

If you have snow I suggest going with the most narrow tire possible with deep thread (cuts through snow / slush and less like to ride on top of it). The diameter of the wheel won't make much difference... just you have a nice rims which must deal with the elements of winter... namely snow & salt. High chance of rim damage.

I would go with 16" steel rim with 4 good winter tires. Store your alloy rims. When summer comes just put back on your alloys and store your steel rims/w. tires. No need for balancing or changing tires for at least 4 years. In the future just change over the wheels yourself

John

[Bmw1990]

Not quite sure why a larger diameter wheel would require larger brakes. The caliper should fit inside the wheel. Torque on the rotor will be the same.

Bigger wheels=More weight, therefore making it harder to stop with larger wheels on stock brakes.

[GnarlyCow]

I'm just looking forward to the future. I live in Toronto Canada and won't need winter tires for at least 5 months....but I just want to know 'the plan' so I can save up enough money to do what is needed.

I want to have the winter tires with their own rims, and the summer times with their own rims. The only reason why I am considering putting on 17" winters on my existing rims is they are already damaged (front right rim has 2 nasty gouges on it) and so I don't really care about them anymore. I also want to put on 18" summers so I have to buy new rims anyway.

[Phantasie]

Originally posted by GnarlyCow@Jun 24 2004, 11:01 AM
I'm just looking forward to the future. I live in Toronto Canada and won't need winter tires for at least 5 months....but I just want to know 'the plan' so I can save up enough money to do what is needed.

I want to have the winter tires with their own rims, and the summer times with their own rims. The only reason why I am considering putting on 17" winters on my existing rims is they are already damaged (front right rim has 2 nasty gouges on it) and so I don't really care about them anymore. I also want to put on 18" summers so I have to buy new rims anyway.

Hey Gnarly.

Im in St. Catharines, Ontario.

I just bought a ZHP (18inch), so Ill be on the market shortly looking for 17inch rims and winter tires just like you.

I might pick up a half decent set of rims so 1) they look good in the winter and 2) if i find the cost/weight/etc of the larger 18's too much, ill use the 17s full time (ie in a coupel years).

If you do get 17s locally, lemme know where - of course EBay has them, but shipping, etc is brutal.

What 17 inch rims do you have? How bad is the scuff mark? I might be interested in buying them from you.

[jehu3]

I have a 01 330i w/ Sport Package and was making the same decision as I had 1 extra rim. I ended up getting a 16" tire/wheel package from Tire rack- only one type of wheel will fit so ask them. It was cheaper and easier than buying 3 17" rims and 17" snow tires. Worked great last winter.

[Phantasie]

Originally posted by jehu3@Jun 24 2004, 12:52 PM
I have a 01 330i w/ Sport Package and was making the same decision as I had 1 extra rim. I ended up getting a 16" tire/wheel package from Tire rack- only one type of wheel will fit so ask them. It was cheaper and easier than buying 3 17" rims and 17" snow tires. Worked great last winter.

It would be great if 16inch would fit for a winter solution, but others have told me 17's are the smallest I could go.
Jehu - any idea if 16's will fit on the ZHP option (performance package), which has 18inch standard?

[jehu3]

I don't know, I would call Tire Rack. They were well aware of the bigger brakes on the 330 vs other E-46. They apparently maintain a pretty good knowledge base of this stuff. I was surprised to find the 330i and Sport Pack have same brakes, so maybe ZHP does as well.

[Roadhawk]

No problem with the 17" - at least from my Audi experience....and in fact I'm still running my snows on the 17"s - but will (finally) be putting 19" w/summers back on next week.

And I can't speak highly enough concerning the Vredstein Wintrac snows...unbelievable really - you would be amazed at what I can do with them...in any weather - including totally dry. I could easily run with these year round if I had t...as I practically have done this year...and they run very quiet - particualrly for snows...and I've put at least 10K on them (probably closer to 12) - with no appreciable wear...

[peterkulesza]

no.

325 has small brakes and will fit 16 inch. no reason to get 17, especially in winter trim. waste of money imho. you will never benefit from smaller sidewall on winter tires.