Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[Gary@TireRack]

The new body style F30 cars do have some differences winter setups compared to the E90 cars, primarily tire size and a change in TPMS sensors. Here is a brief FAQ that covers many common questions.


What are the recommended winter wheel and tire package sizes?



18" with 225/45R18 : A large selection of 18" diameter wheels fit and work well with size 225/45R18. Both run flat and non-run flat winter tires are made in this size.

17" with 225/50R17 : Even if your vehicle came with 18" or 19" wheels you may want to consider minus sizing to 17" wheels with tire size 225/50R17 for a slight increase in winter traction and a taller sidewall tire to protect the wheels from winter damaged roads. Run flat and non-run flat winter tires are available in this size.

16" with 225/55R16: If you own a 328i, you can even minus size to 16" with tire size 225/55R16 although only non-run flat winter tires are available in this size. 16" wheels will not clear the brakes on 335i cars

If shopping for tires only, without wheels, shop by size here : Buy Winter Tires


How can I see which wheels will fit the new 2012 BMW 3 series sedans?



1. Go to the winter section of TireRack.com here : Winter Changeover

2. Select the make, year, and model of your vehicle using the drop down menus under the heading titled "Shop for Winter/Snow Tires".

3. Select the size of the wheel that you would like under the heading titled "Build Your Own Package". The resulting page will show you winter tires.

4. To proceed to the winter wheels, click on the text towards the right side of the page that reads "skip to wheels" .



Did the TPMS sensors change?



Yes, BMW changed to a different TPMS sensor for the new F30 2012 BMW 3 series. To make things even more fun, BMW changed the sensor again starting for 2014 models built on 3/2014. This means that new sensors will need to be purchased unless you're reusing the sensors from the original wheels on your new F30. No worries, Tirerack.com has the correct sensors available for sale. Have your vehicle build date handy when ordering TPMS sensors for a 2014 model car. It is found on a sticker in your drivers side door jam



I kept my old winter setup from my 2007-2011 BMW 335i, will they fit my new 2012-2014 3 series sedan?

The new body style F30 cars do have some differences in regards winter setups compared to the E90 cars. The two things that will affect you the most is that the tire sizing is taller and the TPMS sensors have changed. This can make reusing a winter setup from a previous vehicle problematic. The good news is that brake clearances between the E90 335i and F30 335i have not changed much. If you purchased a set of wheels from Tirerack.com that fit your E90 335i, they should also fit your new F30 335i or 328i with no problem. You'll still need taller tires and different TPMS sensors. As always, be sure to test fit to check for clearance before driving on any setup.

Here is a direct link to the winter tires area :

http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AH8&...nter/index.jsp


Don't forget to refer to 'Gary/E90Post' when you order online so that I can look over the order and get the forum credit for the sale.

[Wlodi]

The good news is that brake clearances between the E90 335i and F30 335i have not changed much. If you purchased a set of wheels from Tirerack.com that fit your E90 335i, they should also fit your new F30 335i or 328i with no problem.

WRONG.
If You have perf brakes e90 18 inch wheels will not fit.