[james d]

About to pick up March '14,3k miles 330d Lux Touring from dealer next week: very excited!
Lots of nice extras incl 19" twin spoke alloys which I'm less than enthusiastic about due to ride quality/cost of replacement/winter tyres and frankly the look of them. I asked if standard 18" alloys could be retro-fitted but was told a) it would be expensive and b) Altering spec from factory would look suspicious and could affect resale.
Any thoughts?
Personally I'd be happy to swap with someone with the standard alloys who fancied the bigger ones.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Yes you can get 18 alloys and sell your current ones to recoup some cash.

Yes it will cost you cash buying 4 new alloys and 4 new tyres.

It won't look suspicious, may impact resale more so IF it had been an Msport with MSport + kit fitted.

[RhysT1]

In my opinion, If your alloys are the 401 or 626 style, I'd stick with them as they are the nicest wheels for the Lux range, The 18" wheels in the Lux range just aren't that nice at all imo, If it's got to be 18" i would go with 400M's

[teaston]

Don't be worried about tyre prices, the y rated run flat 19" Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2's are £147 on tyreleader, so actually cheaper than any Y rated 18" run flat!! And they've been awarded tyre of the year by Evo Magazine!

Or if you want to improve the ride quality get Michelin Pilot super sports, which are non run flat for £164 each! They will improve the ride vastly more than changing to 18" wheels with run flats!

[Steve_M_Sport]

That's a great price for 19" tyres - I paid £275 fitted last year for a Bridgestone

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Steve_M_Sport

That's a great price for 19" tyres - I paid £275 fitted last year for a Bridgestone

Yea the S001's are way overpriced, still £242 on tyreleader! And they're an old design now, eagle asyms are vey new, which the official ratings show:

[F30Andy]

Originally Posted by james d

About to pick up March '14,3k miles 330d Lux Touring from dealer next week: very excited!
Lots of nice extras incl 19" twin spoke alloys which I'm less than enthusiastic about due to ride quality/cost of replacement/winter tyres and frankly the look of them. I asked if standard 18" alloys could be retro-fitted but was told a) it would be expensive and b) Altering spec from factory would look suspicious and could affect resale.
Any thoughts?
Personally I'd be happy to swap with someone with the standard alloys who fancied the bigger ones.

I've got 18 inch 400ms on mine with brand spanking new Bridgestone non run flats if you fancied doing a swap.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

I've got 18 inch 400ms on mine with brand spanking new Bridgestone non run flats if you fancied doing a swap.

You'd put non M Sport wheels on an M Sport?!

[F30Andy]

No. I thought they were 400's.

They are the standard 18's which come on our msports

Care to enlighten me to the correct code?

[RhysT1]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

No. I thought they were 400's.

They are the standard 18's which come on our msports

Care to enlighten me to the correct code?

The OP has a Luxury model car so there for he has 19" Lux wheels not m sport, I think teaston was referring to If you did swap your 18" wheels for his 19" Would you actually put 19" Lux model wheels on your M Sport car.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by teaston

Don't be worried about tyre prices, the y rated run flat 19" Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2's are 147 on tyreleader, so actually cheaper than any Y rated 18" run flat!! And they've been awarded tyre of the year by Evo Magazine!

Or if you want to improve the ride quality get Michelin Pilot super sports, which are non run flat for 164 each! They will improve the ride vastly more than changing to 18" wheels with run flats!

Whoa are PSS that cheap, seriously

[teaston]

Originally Posted by RhysT21

The OP has a Luxury model car so there for he has 19" Lux wheels not m sport, I think teaston was referring to If you did swap your 18" wheels for his 19" Would you actually put 19" Lux model wheels on your M Sport car.

Yes exactly this!

[teaston]

Originally Posted by ChesterM2

Whoa are PSS that cheap, seriously

Yes they are!

I'm either getting them to ditch RFT, or the Goodyear Asymm 2's when my rears wear out not long after I put my summer wheels back on in spring.
Going to spend the winter deliberating about it!

[james d]

Thanks for all your input.
Looking at online configurator they seem to be 401 style but don't know what type of tyre is fitted till I take delivery.
Keen to stay with run flats for the safety aspect but I actually prefer the look of the standard fit 18" wheels on the Lux model plus I believe the ride quality should be improved and possibly cost of winter tyres reduced as well.
Agree that M-Sport wheel would look odd on Lux car and vice versa.
I'll give the 401's a go for week or two but may repost looking for a swap if anyone has standard wheels of similar age condition.
PS- has anyone had experience of fitting Alloygators to your car?

[Rich9600]

Originally Posted by james d

Thanks for all your input.
Looking at online configurator they seem to be 401 style but don't know what type of tyre is fitted till I take delivery.
Keen to stay with run flats for the safety aspect but I actually prefer the look of the standard fit 18" wheels on the Lux model plus I believe the ride quality should be improved and possibly cost of winter tyres reduced as well.
Agree that M-Sport wheel would look odd on Lux car and vice versa.
I'll give the 401's a go for week or two but may repost looking for a swap if anyone has standard wheels of similar age condition.
PS- has anyone had experience of fitting Alloygators to your car?

The ride quality difference isn't that massive between 18" wheels and 19" wheels. With my M Sport on Adaptive Dampers at any rate. However, your Luxury will be not be lowered and will be softer sprung...

I've just changed from 19" summers to 18" winters and haven't noticed a significant change in ride quality. However, the winter Pirellis are quieter than summer Bridgestones.

For winters its best to have a second wheel set. It allows DIY changes if you're so inclined, you protect your summer wheels and on a 330d Luxury I believe you can go down to 17" wheels. Smaller is generally regarded as better for winters. Also, it isn't recommended to continually break a runflat tyre from a wheel. It can potentially degrade the runflat performance due to the removal stresses.