[///Mikey F80]

Hi all

I've been visitor to these forums for a long time (since '08), but I didn't want to become a member until I was really close or was an actual owner...

I'm really close to ordering a car. I have everything figured out... Except for whether to go with xDrive or not. I live in northern Indiana, and while we never consistently get a large amount of snowfall, it happens about once or twice every winter, and besides those two occasions, it's mainly very slick (wet snow, slush and ice). So I'm really questioning whether I need xDrive. I haven't driven either in the snow, so I can't really judge it properly.

My biggest holdup on the xDrive is that, according to my dealer, I would not be able to throw a set of 19" wheels on in the summer. Specifically, BMW wheel "Style 199". I go to Tire Rack's website and they have many 19" wheel available for 335 xDrive Sedans, and I'm quite good friends with Peter Veldman, and I KNOW he wouldn't sell any wheels that would "hurt" the car in question. So I'm really confused as to why BMW says all of their 19" wheels will not fit/work on xDrive models... Does anyone have any insight into this?

I thought it might have to do with the width of the wheel, but they're only a half-inch wider than the 18s that I have optioned with the sport package. I guess I'm lost as to how the all wheel drive system can prevent you from using a wheel that can be used on the rwd variant of the same model....

So if I can't put 19s on, I'm really considering just going for a 335i sedan.

Thanks

Mike

[tolkino]

This is something that I'm wondering as well. There are many xi owners here who has 19" on their cars (both OEM and aftermarket wheels), however dealerships seem to advise against them

[Nikolas]

Dealership is full of it. I've had 19's on my car every summer since 2007. No problems at all. Tire width has nothing to do with the AWD system. Diameter is the only thing that matters. I run 235/35/19 front and 275/30/19 rear.

[TunasBMW]

If you're buying from Basney Imports, go somewhere else. 19s definitely will work on your car as tolkino stated. 265/30/19 in the rear also seems to be a popular choice.

[Nikolas]

Originally Posted by TunasBMW

If you're buying from Basney Imports, go somewhere else. 19s definitely will work on your car as tolkino stated. 265/30/19 in the rear also seems to be a popular choice.

275's in the back are a better match as the diameter is identical to the 235. If you have an e90 they fit without rubbing. If you have an e92, you may need to roll the fender.

[///Mikey F80]

Originally Posted by TunasBMW

If you're buying from Basney Imports, go somewhere else.

More than likely, I will go somewhere else for the wheels, and go to Tire Rack for the rubber.

However for the car, I'm still going to go with Basney Imports. For two reasons... The biggest one being that the salesman my dad and I have worked with for his 2010 X5 xDrive35d, on this 335i xDrive(my dd), and on my 2010 M3 Sedan, is fantastic. He goes ABOVE & BEYOND any other salesman at that dealership, and any other BMW Salesman I have ever met (Except for one who is just as great, but located in Wisconsin). And I've been to most of the dealerships in the Southern Michigan/North-Central Indiana/North-Eastern Illinois area. Dreyer & Reinbold, Bill Jacobs, Patrick, Knauz, Orland Park, Harold Zeigler, and Laurel.

I've bought cars in the past from Dryer & Reinbold, and their MINI dealership sales and service personnel are fantastic, I've bought both an '06 Cooper S, and an '09 JCW Hardtop from them, they're great people. The BMW side however, straight up pissed me off when I was getting a quote for my M3 this past summer, and then the next day pulled the same BS with my father when he was getting a quote for his X5. I told them from the start that I needed to go over finances (and unbeknownst to them, get quotes from other dealers) before I would order, so it was going to be a couple months. And they brought their sales-manager in and said "What could we do to have you order this today?" In other words they were trying to force me into buying a late 2009, instead of a 2010. I said I wanted a 2010, not 2009, and I also said I was going to wait a couple months. I repeated this and they kept asking the same damn question. This happened about 3 more times, so I got up and left. I got an email from the salesman a month later saying "We haven't heard from you, and we're just making sure you still plan on ordering the M3 Sedan from us." I felt like I was trying to buy a car from Short Bus BMW. They won't be getting any business from me.

Believe me though, I wasn't excited about going with Basney, my family has had horrible service in other dealerships of theirs. However when I just showed up there one day this past spring, (I'm 22), this salesman treated me like I was 45 and had just landed a helicopter out front. That's how you should be treated, anywhere. (-Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm an idiot, and SURELY doesn't mean can't afford a nice vehicle. I've been treated like that so often, and it really strikes a cord with me.-) I told him I was interested in an M3 Sedan, with a manual transmission, in Space Gray, blah blah blah, and 5 minutes later I was in the drivers seat and he was in the passenger seat. Everyone else at that dealership never paid attention to me and just walked by me without greeting or acknowledging me, just like pretty much every other car dealership I've been in. Joe Norton however, is wonderful man, and salesman. He's not pushy at all. He does things you want, when you want, at your pace.

For example, today I finally got to drive both a 335i and a 335i xDrive Sedan in the snow. Joe wasn't feeling well, he could barely talk, but he still came in, on his day off, because he wanted to personally facilitate me driving and getting the most out of judging the capabilities of each car. I surely haven't found that anywhere else. That's why he's selling me another car, and getting the commission from it.


Sorry I got a bit OT but I really wanted to praise this man for all he's done for me...

Regarding the wheels, Dreyer, Basney and Zeigler have all told me that they "won't work" on 335i xDrive Sedans. It even states the wheels wont work on awd or xDrive models in the 3 series accessories catalog. I really don't know why, but more than likely the dealerships are just following what BMW tells them.

I just didn't get why they wouldn't work on an xDrive, and if they actually would fit.

Mike

[Nikolas]

The reason you are not getting the "why" is because there isn't one. 19's work on an XI. There is absolutely no reason they wouldn't. If they didn't, then for some miraculous reason, they have been working on mine for the past 2-1/2 years.

[Ph0zenstone]

i have 19's on my XI since i picked it up 2.5 years ago, no problems at all

[MassBimmer]

Hell, even the 19" BMW OEM Performance wheels (style 313) work on the xi and BMW advertises as such...don't listen to them