BMW E85 and E86 Wheels and Tyres Thread

[Mr Tidy]

Space saver advice
I’ve got a 2003 3.0 and have a long journey coming up. I’ve searched a lot and can’t seem to find a definitive answer.
What 16 inch space saver and tyre size will fit my car or do I have to use a T125/80/17 or similar ?
If a 16 inch would fit , I’d rather get one of those , as they seem to be more common.
Any help appreciated.

If your car has the standard size front brakes I believe a 16" will fit and as you say they are much easier to find. E46 3 Series had them.

It's only facelift 3.0Si model that need a 17 to clear the front brakes.

I suppose worst case scenario with a front puncture would be to put a rear wheel on the front and fit the space-saver to the rear!

[MarkE85]

Hi Mr Tidy
Many thanks for the reply. Will any 16 inch width and profile be ok ? I see there are a few variations. At least I am a step closer.
Cheers

[Mr Tidy]

Hi Mr Tidy
Many thanks for the reply. Will any 16 inch width and profile be ok ? I see there are a few variations. At least I am a step closer.
Cheers

I don't know for sure, but I'd look for one off an E46 3 Series as they used the same wheel sizes and offsets as E85/86s.

[Zedebee]

Hi Mr Tidy
Many thanks for the reply. Will any 16 inch width and profile be ok ? I see there are a few variations. At least I am a step closer.
Cheers

The width is not important but the profile is, because you want the same rolling radius as your other wheels. However the profile is expressed as a percentage of the width. Using a wheel comparison site like www.willtheyfit.com will help you to decide if any particular space saver has the same rolling radius as your current wheels.

[Mr Tidy]

So surely the width is relevant as the profile is a percentage of the width.

That's why I suggested an E46 space-saver as they used the same sizes, profiles and offsets.

[Zedebee]

So surely the width is relevant as the profile is a percentage of the width.

That's why I suggested an E46 space-saver as they used the same sizes, profiles and offsets.

What I meant was that it doesn’t matter whether you have a 4” or 5” spare (same as it doesn’t matter if you have 8” (square) or 8.5” (staggered) regular rear tyres). The only important dimension is the rolling circumference.

[Fred Smith]

Just scrolling through ebay... out of curiousity, what are a set of 18" 108s in very poor order and need of full refurb worth? (Not interested, just curious how greedy the seller is being!)

[RMB]

Very little as a refurb on split rims is probably around £600!

[Fred Smith]

Very little as a refurb on split rims is probably around £600!

So what are they worth newly refurbed? £600? £700? £800?

The guy wants £350 for a set (they come with unusable tyres). My gut was that was way too much.

[Mr Tidy]

While they were still in good condition, after being refurbed a few years previously, I sold my 108s with usable Bridgestone run-flats for £300 in 2018 if that helps.

[Fred Smith]

While they were still in good condition, after being refurbed a few years previously, I sold my 108s with usable Bridgestone run-flats for £300 in 2018 if that helps.

Cheers... just curious.... that backs up £0 for 108s that need urgent refurb and look terrible!

[Deadken]

First post here...

I'd like to start by saying a big THANK YOU to all that have posted helpful information in this thread.

I recently bought a 2005 Z4 with the 2.5l I6. From what I have read here, it is a non face lift E85. My car has 47k miles on it and the run flat tires are long gone. So, I came here in hopes of finding out what spare tire I would need to add a spare to my trunk. While this thread has a ton of good information, I haven't seen either of these issues brought up as of yet:

1) Nothing that I have seen here suggests what jack to use. Should I assume that if I get a 16" spare tire from a E46 3series, that the jack from the same car should fit / work on my car?

2) The description for my car says that it has: 17″ Style 106 alloy wheels and the Sport Package (which added an M Sport suspension and Dynamic Driving Control). Since it says M Sport suspension and doesn't say anything about bigger M Sport front brakes, should I assume that a 16" spare from a E46 3series would still fit? Or, is it better to look for a 17" spare to be safe?

Thanks in advance for any helpful or humorous responses.

[Zedebee]

Welcome to the forum Deadken. The early Z4 (except the 3.0) came with 16” 104s in base-spec and there was no “big brake” upgrade from the factory, so a 16” bmw space saver should work just fine. Alternatively you could source a spare 106 and keep that in the trunk. Jacks are not wheel specific, so any one will do, but you should by a Z4 jack pad adaptor so that it can be used safely at the designated jacking points without damaging your car.

[Fred Smith]

First post here...

I'd like to start by saying a big THANK YOU to all that have posted helpful information in this thread.

I recently bought a 2005 Z4 with the 2.5l I6. From what I have read here, it is a non face lift E85. My car has 47k miles on it and the run flat tires are long gone. So, I came here in hopes of finding out what spare tire I would need to add a spare to my trunk. While this thread has a ton of good information, I haven't seen either of these issues brought up as of yet:

1) Nothing that I have seen here suggests what jack to use. Should I assume that if I get a 16" spare tire from a E46 3series, that the jack from the same car should fit / work on my car?

2) The description for my car says that it has: 17″ Style 106 alloy wheels and the Sport Package (which added an M Sport suspension and Dynamic Driving Control). Since it says M Sport suspension and doesn't say anything about bigger M Sport front brakes, should I assume that a 16" spare from a E46 3series would still fit? Or, is it better to look for a 17" spare to be safe?

Thanks in advance for any helpful or humorous responses.

I love the colour, the interior colour, the fact that the interior colour suits the exterior. I also like the wheels as well.

I love "classy" cars and I like the opposite end of the extreme (modded, lowered, blacked out windows etc etc). Your looks like a great examle of the former. Nice.

[Deadken]

Thank you guys for the fast responses!

Zedebee, you said what I was trying to express. I'm assuming that a jack that came from a E46 3-series would fit the jack attachment points just fine. I can't imagine that the Z4 has any secial / different mounting points than any other BMW of a similar year. But, of course I could be wrong. I'm hoping to visit a junk yard later today and I hope to source everything I need. With any luck I won't need a jack pad.

I had considered getting a full size 106 style wheel to use as a spare. I'm just deciding if I'm comfortable with how much more room it would take up in the trunk.

Thank you Fred Smith. I feel the same. I was happy to find a low mileage example, and I fell in love with the color combination. I know, I know, it's not the smartest way to go about buying a car, but you can't help what you feel. I also paid to much, but I got caught up in the bidding war.

Anyway, that is the glamour shot, of my car, from the auction listing.