Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[mlf]

Hi guys,
I’m new to the forum, so this is my first post. I’ve wanted a BMW for the longest time, and have just about gotten to the point where I can afford one. I’ll be going with the 3-series Sedan. There are really only 2 things that I am interested in adding to the base model: I have to have the automatic transmission, and I’m going to want to upgrade the tires and wheels because I want to have the sporty look. I guess the auto transmission is self explanatory, so the only advice I would like from you guys is on the tires and wheels. I really, really like the looks of the 199 Style rims with the 19” tires. Don’t know how practical those are though. This will be my primary car. Will the ride of the car be compromised with those wheels? Would I need the performance suspension with those to lower the car a bit? Also, how many miles can I expect to get out of the 19” factory tires and what will a new set cost me in the future from one of the tire retailers?

Any advice would be appreciated. And one more thing, if I do decide to go with the 199’s and the auto trans added to the base model, what should I realistically expect to pay for this vehicle?

Thanks

[KrysAlpineE92]

Hey man,

Welcome to the forum. I've only been a member for a month but have been reading this forum for the last couple of month every day. The 199's are some of my favorite wheels offered by bmw. I have an e92 (coupe) but know alot about the sedan (e90). I'll do my best to answer you questions one-by-one.

Suspension: you can run them on the car with the suspension it has. however, if you wanted to lower it for a more agressive look it would absolutely work and you would have no problems with the size. I personally haven't lowered my car because I like the ride at the moment (maybe when i get 20'' wheels I will reconsider). To each his own.

The wheels:

The Style 199 wheels look excellent on the sedan and coupe (they are some of my favorite models from bmw). However, I know that they are an almost $4,000 option from the dealership (unless they are already on the car and it wasnt made to your order). Personally, I think that $4000 dollars is very expensive for oem wheels. For that price you could buy some incredibly strong and durable 3-pieced forged wheels from manufacturers like DPE, iForged (heard bad stories about service), 360forged, bbs and any forged wheel manufacturer. They will be around the same price, and will give you an aftermarket appearance (which you may or may not want) but remember not everyone with aftermarket wheels gets big chrome wheels, there are many subtle wheels versions available. If you decide this is the path you want to go, I will be more than happy to help you with the specifications your wheels will need to be for perfect fitment.

Size: 19" wheels don't have any effect on the ride in my opinion, I believe that BMW would not offer the option of the 19 inch wheels if they sacrificed any of the ride quality because that is what makes the car so great. Some people will tell you that you shouldnt go bigger than 18" but I disagree because I have a 328 with the 18's and my dad has a 335 with the 19's and in my opinion his handeling is just as good if not better (we both have same suspension packages and the sport pack). Alot of people (including myself soon) will run 20" wheels on the e90's or e92's problem-free so I know for a fact that the 19's will be fine (from first-hand experience).

Tires: You live in the south like me. So you would be given summer performance tires. In Florida, they give us Bridgestone Potenza Run-flats (some dealerships offer pirelli instead but both are leading brands and excellent quality). Which are very grippy but effect the ride significantly. Because the sidewall of the tire is harder to support the cars weight safely at 0psi pressure it effects the ride and makes it quite a bit bumpier and you notice bumps more. They are also very noisy on the road (not too bad) compared to normal tires.

Tire price:
A whole new set of 19 inch potenza runflats cost $1400 to replace from tirerack (damn near always the cheapest source for tires). TO NOTE: when replacing tires, alot of people who have had the Runflats go for non-runflats when they replace and notice a significantly smoother ride and better handling as well as much less road noise and ride comfort. But on top of that, they are quite alot cheaper. Take for example, the Falken FK452 tires that I had on my old Infiniti G35, these are excellent tires, way better than the michelin contisports I had on it before. They grip fantasticly in the rain, have a smooth ride, a round sidewall, are very durable and long lasting. The FK452's are valued by alot of the members of this website and I was in love with them on my old car. Apart from all of those benefits, they are also only $180 for A 19" tire on 1010tires.com. Obviously significantly cheaper and a fantastic tire. You will also have tire pressure monitors stuck to the wheels which you will NOT need to replace each time you get tires. So if you get non runflats, you will know when you are losing tire pressure because an alert will come up on your dash board so you are still reasonably safe. BMW also has a roadside assistance plan that will come and help you wherever you are (which was free for the first year for me and I can call them thru my navigation).

PRICE: The car as you want it will be $42,000 (before negotiating, I got both of mine for $1000 over invoice price, which is the price the dealer bought it for from the factory) . I would however, recommend getting the sport leather steering wheel for an extra $100 it looks so much better and feels much more solid in your hands.

Have a look on this website:

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...IfdngNF0gu/A==

where you can build your own 3 series to your liking and get a detailed description of all options that are available. Im sure you will find some more thngs that you like on there haha. It will also give you a much better feel for the car colors and leather colors and trim etc so you will know what you want when you go to the dealership.

If you need anymore help feel free to PM me. I will get back to you very soon as I am on here 3 or 4 times a day and will be more than willing to give you more information if you need it. I'll check in on this thread a little later and see how its going.

Sorry if it was too long but I wanted to give you detailed explanations. Good luck with the car man. You wont regret it. Its a beautiful machine, I can be sad and the second I get into my coupe my day is just that much better!
To get a better

Distance on Tires: depends on driving behavior. I know people who will run thru them in 8,000-10,000 miles because they have a heavy foot and like to slide corners. My dad has made it 26,000 on his Potenzas and theyre stilling running strong (mainly highway driving) had a few flats from stuff on road but has tire warranty so they have replaced two tires (warranty already paid itself off).

[mlf]

Wow man,

I can't tell you how much I appreciate the detailed info you gave me. I'm still a bit indecisive on what I want. My budget is probably going to be around $40,000, but I think I should be fine there. Looks like it might be about 3-4 months before I can have the cash ready to pull the trigger. I'll certainly be in touch with you again as it seems you will certainly be able to provide some valuable advice.

Thanks again.
Mike

[KrysAlpineE92]

No problem man. I'm sure they will take a few grand off the sticker price too. They did for both me and my dad. But if you time it right, you'll get in there when they're trying to get rid of the 09's because the 10's are coming. You'll love the car man. It's a dream to drive. Its those wheels that are hiking up the price because they are so damn awesome. If you wanted you could get the wheels that come with the car...then come on here and pick some 199's for maybe 1500 or 2000 or something. If you buy aesthetic upgrades from BMW they overcharge a bomb so I'll try and help you find a better deal if you want.

There are benefits tho to owning a bmw. The main one being there is NO fee for scheduled maintenance...meaning your oil changes, inspections, intake filter changes are all FREE! its a beautiful thing. Infiniti wanted me to spend 200 bucks every 3500 miles! What a joke!

There is also no shame in getting a used bmw. Its not like the car gets any worse and you will be able to get a sedan with ALOT more extras for your budget.

I would love to know where you go from here! and am more than happy to help you in anyway. I remember my journey into the bimmer world man. Its awesome to see other people do it! If you have any questions that come into ur head feel free to PM me or post on here and I'll help you man

[KrysAlpineE92]

for future reference. you can buy them from a bmw dealership on eBay for 1500 new!!! it'd need tires tho. OR I would definitely recommened getting some good condition used ones on here! dirt cheap! people often trade there wheels on here too!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-O...s#ht_576wt_919