Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[glennwa]

Hi folks. I have an '06 325i with no sport package. I currently have the stock 16" wheels/tires on there, and while I like the balance of handling/ride well enough, I'd like more road feel and a more aggressive look.

The car does NOT have the sport package, but it's not out of the question that in a year or two I might do some suspension work and lower it a bit. I will never make it scrape the ground - but at some point I may find that I prefer more tilt toward handling vs. ride.

I have a set of half-worn 18" Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1 tires. I like them - may as well use them. They are 235/40 18's.

So, I'm looking for 18" wheels that are strong enough for hard cornering (on the street, that is), look good, and are light enough that they don't screw up my ride/handling/braking.

My leading candiates -
* VMR CSL replicas
* Sportline CSL reps
* Various Breyton, etc. from Tire Rack

Does anyone have opinions on the Sportline wheels? Are they sturdy? They are nice and light, and the price looks right.

Also- what width/offsite should I be looking at? I wouldn't mind the wheels coming a bit closer to the edge of the car, they look right now like they are set "in" a bit.

Also- I don't want a staggered setup, I believe it's bad for handling balance. So I PRESUME I want something like 18x18.5 all around?

Also - forgot to mention - I would prefer to be around or under $1,000 for the set. $1200 won't kill me if they are the right wheels.

Thanks all for opinions
-Glenn

[JDLM]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=633769

[VMRWheels]

We're actually having a promotion on our VB3 wheels (CSL reps). From your original post, our VB3's are exactly what you're looking for. They look great, within your price range, and are strong. Here is a link for more details: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?p=11339391

If you want more info, shoot me an email at don@velocitymotoring.com. I'll give you the proper sizing, fitment, prices and tires.

[Sean@PYSpeed.com]

M359 and VMR Vb3 are both good choices!

[glennwa]

Thanks folks. I see various widths and offsets... Keeping in mind that I prefer the balanced handling of a "square" setup, what's the ideal width/offset for the car I have, and with the possibilities for suspension work somewhere down the line?

Thanks!
-Glenn

[drek20]

Avant Garde M310



http://www.pyspeed.com/Avant-Garde-A...avg-310-vw.htm

Awesome wheels, i believe i paid around 900 including shipping.

Went with staggered setup on my 328xi

18x8 front / 18x9 rear

[ModBargains.com]

All of the above are great choices. All in all, it depends on what you're looking to do with the car. If you're looking for a light weight alternative and want to stick with an 18" non-staggered setup, then the Sportline CS.16 is the way to go. They're rotary forged and are the lightest CSL style wheels that I've come across. The setup that will work best is the 18x8.5 ET35 with a 235/40/18 all around. Here is a picture to show you just how light weight the Sportline CS16 wheels really are!

[img]http://www.**********s.com/images/Products/Sportline/sportline-1885weight-1.jpg[/img]

[glennwa]

Would any of these wheels be better or worse for autocrossing? Are they all strong enough for hard cornering?

[ModBargains.com]

Originally Posted by glennwa

Would any of these wheels be better or worse for autocrossing? Are they all strong enough for hard cornering?

The Sportline CS.16 wheels are rotary forged and are definitely strong enough for the track. Rotary forged wheels are similar in strength to that of a fully forged wheel, without the cost. The process used to make the Sportline CS.16 CSL wheels is the same process BBS and Forgestar uses. Their load ratings are 1600lb or 725kg, far higher then the industry standard.

[IMG]http://www.**********s.com/images/Products/Sportline/mini-jwlviacertssportline.jpg[/IMG]