Should I or should I not buy these rims

[Kibokojoe]

I have a chance to buy some beyern rims for my 1991 735i.
They are 19X8.5, he says they were on his 3 series...will they fit my 7?



I have a chance to get a set of these for 450 dollars...hope its not too good to be true.

[bubba966]

Which 3 series were they on? Some 3 series rims will require a 15mm spacer, some a 20mm spacer, and some a 25mm spacer. All depends on which 3 series they cam off of.

To make the offset right you're going to need at least a 15mm spacer to get them out far enough. That length of spacer is going to require longer lugs as well. Checking TMS and I see that it'll cost $270 for a set of 15mm spacers and all new 15mm longer lugs.

And something tells me that even if you went to all of that trouble you'd probably at least have to roll your fenders. And I'd bet that still wouldn't be enough.

E34's don't do well with 19"s in either fitment or ride/handling/performance. And E32's are virtually identical to E34's suspension-wise. I'd not imagine they'd work real well on an E32.

I personally wouldn't touch them. Offset is way wrong. 19" tires aren't cheap. And E32's weren't meant to deal with 19" rims.

But if you really, really, really loved those rims, felt like taking the risk of going to a lot of hassle and expense trying to get them to fit (which they might not depending upon how different the offset is) and wouldn't mind the horrible ride/handling and didn't mind risking blowing out the tires due to not having enough sidewall then go for it.

[Dave M]

Which 3 series were they on? Some 3 series rims will require a 15mm spacer, some a 20mm spacer, and some a 25mm spacer. All depends on which 3 series they cam off of.

To make the offset right you're going to need at least a 15mm spacer to get them out far enough. That length of spacer is going to require longer lugs as well. Checking TMS and I see that it'll cost $270 for a set of 15mm spacers and all new 15mm longer lugs.

And something tells me that even if you went to all of that trouble you'd probably at least have to roll your fenders. And I'd bet that still wouldn't be enough.

E34's don't do well with 19"s in either fitment or ride/handling/performance. And E32's are virtually identical to E34's suspension-wise. I'd not imagine they'd work real well on an E32.

I personally wouldn't touch them. Offset is way wrong. 19" tires aren't cheap. And E32's weren't meant to deal with 19" rims.

But if you really, really, really loved those rims, felt like taking the risk of going to a lot of hassle and expense trying to get them to fit (which they might not depending upon how different the offset is) and wouldn't mind the horrible ride/handling and didn't mind risking blowing out the tires due to not having enough sidewall then go for it.

But do you think its a good idea ?

[BMWDriver]

If you have to buy spacers, you may almost as well buy a new set with the right offset, which goes without saying.

However, some 3 series drivers do go for a 20mm offset (5 series specific) or lower to get an intentionnaly wider stance, and if it's an e36 they roll their fenders, but it may fit as is on e46 / e9X.

[Kibokojoe]

Thanks for all the input. Actually it is my son who is all hyped up to get these rims but it sounds like a lot of money and work to get them to fit. I think he will stay with the rims and wheels he has now. I think we will remove the tires from the rims and repaint them. A lot of good write ups on how to do this.

[genphreak]

My mate's dad told us a story that always rings in my ears at times like these:

"Back in the '50s (he had a t-bucket hot rod or something with the latest in alloy wheels) I was coming down the hill at Bondi*... anyway, as I'm going down into the apex of the big curve, I just clipped the curb. The wheel cracked in two- turned the car upside down and your mother and I were lucky to make it out alive... if that were a 12-slot (old Ford steel Mustang style wheel) all I'd have done is bend the rim".

* a steep wide roaded hill above a Bondi, a Sydney beach that does a 120 degree sweeping curve and was a big hang out for car-freaks until the cops started 'restricting our freedoms' and forcing kids into clubs where they could do illegal things without their parents seeing.

My 2c:
even 17s are a bad idea on an e34.
Spacers are a bad.
Heavy wheels are bad

All three?

How much do u love ur son?

IMHO; Best to stick w 16x7s with 225s all round. OEM forged alloy- I've not been able to bend one yet...

[Kibokojoe]

Just to let everyone know he took the advice and told the guy he was not interested in the wheels.

[632 Regal]

Thank you, I think we will all sleep better now.

Just to let everyone know he took the advice and told the guy he was not interested in the wheels.

[93AlpineII]

Great tech and safety advice throughout this post. But heck, I just applaud you for not making the miscue for the design of the car (those rims on an E32, or any BMW for that matter?? ). I must be one of the few left alive who believes that designers are designers for a reason, and the rest of us need to simply choose from their offerings. I'm only 42, but feel like my grandfather must have when I tried to put spoke-insert mags on his old Plymouth Fury.

Way to do the right thing!