XSeries-forum

Hi ,

First off, great forum you have here.

So I'm picking up a 2004 X3 2.5i next week: 57,000 on clock for £4,200. Looks very nice - I was drawn to the low mileage.

From a review of this forum, tyre choice appears to be crucial as some posters say that "wrong" tyres can damage the transmission.

What then would be the right tyre choice / configuration for this model and whats is the deal re the star (*) tyres that posters routinely mention?

Thanks in advance guys and girls!

Yes tyres do matter on BMWs with ‘staggered’ (different sizes front/rear) setups. There is a plate on the B-pillar with the correct size options.

‘*’ marked means the diameter and therefore circumferences of the tyres are matched to be within the manufacturers (BMW) tolerance limit of less than 1.5%. This prevents transmission windup which is caused by different diameter tyres overstressing the transmission. Merc, Audi and others with AWD systems have the same for tyres too (MO & AO marked). These diameters will hold up even at speed where some cheaper tyres will expand a bit.

You are strongly recommended to change the tyres as complete sets so as to stay within these wear limits. Even one brand new tyre on a part worn set can trigger trouble.

It should not be the case, but the choices made by the designers has given weaker transfer and diffs than should be the case. Any sign of grumbling or whining in the transmission is a good indicator of trouble.

You don’t have to fit RFT (runflat), but it does mean that you are limited to premium tyres at premium prices.

Thanks X5Sport. My budget is £500 for 4 tyres RFT preferred. What would you recommend or is that budget ambitious?Thanks again.

I think the current ‘approved’ tyres will be from the likes of Michelin, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continental etc - all premium brands with appropriately excess prices.

I paid just over £650 for 19” size RFT Pirelli’s several years ago and £880 for a 20” Bridgestone RFT set. You’ll need the sizes in order to get accurate pricing and it changes every day from what my supplier tells me! If it has 19” wheels then they are around £200 a corner. 18” are around £100 a corner. Too many different size options depending upon what wheels are fitted.

Apart from the usual High Street sources you could try Tyreleader as well. Based in Germany but with good deals and low shipping costs. Might be worth a look.

Thanks - that's really helpful. They're 18 inch so not too bad on my wallet.
Tyreleader is an interesting proposition for the future but this time around think I'll just hit Kwik Fit...

Final question! Any tips re overall car maintenance etc?

Thanks again.