Alloys

[Pete]

I'm currently looking for some extra alloys to put a set of winter tyres on and wondered, do the E70 alloys fit on an E53?

[Sanj]

Hi Pete,

I'm afraid they don't, incorrect offset...

[CondorX5]

Hi Pete, don't forget, alloys aren't the first things you spot when the car's in a ditch having slid off the icy road.......I'd recommend a set of 17", perhaps a very cheap set of style 57 ellipsoids, which you can get for £50-£100 and some Vredestein Wintrac Extreme tyres.......the salt hammers the alloys in the winter anyway, and 17" isn't exactly cutting edge style anyway, but it's the recommended size for winter tyres for E53s except for the 4.8 which needs 18" rims to clear the brakes.

[Pete]

I seem to remember reading on the old site that you experienced rural winter driving in the X5 didn't you Condor?? (was it in Norfolk??) Are the 17in massively different then(or 18's in your case) These Vredesteins sound very well regarded - are they the winter tyre of choice then? Also, has anyone tried the Pirelli Ice & Snow tyre?

[squeaky2]

The vredesteins seem to be a bit difficult to get hold of at the moment. tyremen cant seem to get any of the winter tyres at the moment even from the manufacturer. They have suggested Hankook. I know i have these on the van but dont know what theyre car tyres are like

[pvr]

I have the Avon tyres on mine for the winter, they were excellent in the snow and pure ice in the Alps as well.

[Pete]

What size alloys are your Avon's on PVR?

[pvr]

They are the standard 17" wheels, 235/65

[CondorX5]

[quote=""Pete""]I seem to remember reading on the old site that you experienced rural winter driving in the X5 didn't you Condor?? (was it in Norfolk??) Are the 17in massively different then(or 18's in your case) These Vredesteins sound very well regarded - are they the winter tyre of choice then? Also, has anyone tried the Pirelli Ice & Snow tyre?[/quote]

Hi Pete, yes thats quite right - I was in rural Norfolk at the time and doing horrid long commutes via the Fens (yuk) in the snow and ice. They were absolutely BRILLIANT, but it looks as if Tyremen are cleaned out - and they are main dealers for Vredies. Must have had a run on them!! Sorry you missed my set of 17"'s - they were around for a few weeks but sold in August. Most main tyre names are very good in winter tyres - Pirelli, Michelin, Conti - have a read on xoutpost as the US guys use them a lot more than we do! Also theres a guy on BMWLand who is a boffin on tyres and there are two long-running threads there on winter tyres you may want to read.

Camskills have not been able to get stock since last years frenzy and if Tyremen are saying they can't - they had loads and loads a few weeks back - then it doesn't look hopeful for the near future, unless you have them sent in from Europe. I think the Vredie is great and inexpensive as well, but hopefully you will find something similar in another main brand if you can't get the Vredies - as pvr said, the Avons have a good name as well.