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[XDriver0705]

Hey guys, so I'm pretty new to forums and definitely new to BMW. Been reading a lot here but considering my vehicle is my first BMW the information I read is still very foreign to me.

My car is a 2010 335I XDrive 2 door coupe AWD, single previous owner which resided in Canada and currently is in stock 17s.

Been having a hell of a time on deciding if I should go 18" or 19" in aftermarket wheels. I have notice the majority of owners her go 19" or so it appears. I'd like to know why you chose the size you did such as for ride comfort, affordability, or simply aesthetics. I've read a few people had tried out both sizes and say drivability was a bit better on on 18s from their perspective. I simply want to get some opinions in order to get a better understanding on things so I can make solid choice for my desires.

I am looking for aesthetics reasons or course, but would also like to maintain a decent ride if possible. One thing I have decided on for sure thanks to this forum is to ditch the run flats. I do plan on lowering vehicle to only to minimize the huge gaps.

Thanks in advance and pics would be nice to of the different sizes on vehicles.

[VMRWheels]

If you are looking for comfort and all around practicality, I would recommend 18s. 19's look great, however, the comfort will suffer a bit with the lower profile tire. For this same reason, 19s will also be a little more susceptible to damage from road hazards like potholes. If the roads are in good shape where you live, this may not be an issue.

Take a look at the links in my signature below! We offer direct bolt on fitments for your car! If there is anything that you are interested in, or if you have any other questions, feel free to PM me!

[philgli]

18s FTW. Perfect combination of looks and function!

[blau808]

If anything I think a majority of owners would go 18 instead of 19 for the reasons VMR posted.

FWIW I'll be doing square 255/35/18's on a 9"ET30 wheel. Once you decide on 18 vs 19, there's still a lot more to decide

[XDriver0705]

Originally Posted by philgli

18s FTW. Perfect combination of looks and function!

Nice!

[XDriver0705]

Originally Posted by blau808

If anything I think a majority of owners would go 18 instead of 19 for the reasons VMR posted.

FWIW I'll be doing square 255/35/18's on a 9"ET30 wheel. Once you decide on 18 vs 19, there's still a lot more to decide

Yes, there is so much more to than just saying you want a certain size. I'll keep looking at members pics to help with deciding

[philgli]

Originally Posted by XDriver0705

Nice!

thanks! I am also going 255/35/18 square! but they will be on a set of 4 rears from the picture above - style 193.

[AtlasM]

I have 19s and am lowered with some other suspension modifications. The ride is still relatively comfortable although not as soft as stock.

I briefly had the 19s on the stock suspension and really compared to 18s on the same suspension it wasn't much of a difference if anything in ride, but I also made sure to choose 19s that weighed less than the stock 18s.

If you're on the stock suspension, the front has a ton of wheel gap, but the ride is also rather comfy as long as you avoid run-flat tires. Honestly I wasn't the biggest fan of the wheel gap and 19s so if you're not changing the suspension probably go with an OEM BMW 18.

Stock (these 18s came on my car as it's an M Sport):



19s + stock suspension:



19s + lowered:

[XDriver0705]

Originally Posted by AtlasM

I have 19s and am lowered with some other suspension modifications. The ride is still relatively comfortable although not as soft as stock.

I briefly had the 19s on the stock suspension and really compared to 18s on the same suspension it wasn't much of a difference if anything in ride, but I also made sure to choose 19s that weighed less than the stock 18s.

If you're on the stock suspension, the front has a ton of wheel gap, but the ride is also rather comfy as long as you avoid run-flat tires. Honestly I wasn't the biggest fan of the wheel gap and 19s so if you're not changing the suspension probably go with an OEM BMW 18.

Stock (these 18s came on my car as it's an M Sport):



19s + stock suspension:



19s + lowered:

Honestly the only reason I'm going with new wheels is because I hate the huge gap in the front that the vehicle has. And it's sitting on 17s so the gap looks bigger. In want some bigger wheels and lower car enough to close the gaps

[AtlasM]

Originally Posted by XDriver0705

Honestly the only reason I'm going with new wheels is because I hate the huge gap in the front that the vehicle has. And it's sitting on 17s so the gap looks bigger. In want some bigger wheels and lower car enough to close the gaps

Wheels alone aren't going to change the ride height, especially since when you go for bigger wheels you get thinner tires to match the diameter of the stock tires, or at least stay in the same general range. If you look at my middle picture with the 19s and stock suspension there's still a ton of wheel gap. Only way to get rid of the gap is to lower the car.

[XDriver0705]

Originally Posted by AtlasM

Wheels alone aren't going to change the ride height, especially since when you go for bigger wheels you get thinner tires to match the diameter of the stock tires, or at least stay in the same general range. If you look at my middle picture with the 19s and stock suspension there's still a ton of wheel gap. Only way to get rid of the gap is to lower the car.

Oh I know, I plan on lowering it but want to establish what wheel size I'm going to go with first

[Fundguy1]

19s are a little heavier, little harder, little worse handling. That said, it's a very little in all 3. Using good tires all 3 will dramatically improve vs stock. And they look sooooo much better.

[AtlasM]

19s aren't necessarily heavier. With tires mounted, mine are noticeably lighter than the stock 193M 18s also with tires on them. Granted, I didn't put them on a scale but my 19x9.5" rears with 275/30-19 tires are lighter to pick up than even the front stock 18s. It's always a good idea to pay attention to weight when choosing wheels. Lighter wheels will help with both ride quality and overall suspension performance.

[XDriver0705]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

19s are a little heavier, little harder, little worse handling. That said, it's a very little in all 3. Using good tires all 3 will dramatically improve vs stock. And they look sooooo much better.

Do you have a pic of a complete side view of the car with wheels?

[Fundguy1]

Will get one tomorrow