17 or 18 inch wheels?

[theosinc930]

Hi guys, my 2003 Z4 came from the factory with style 103 wheels. However, the parts car that I bought has style 108 18 inch wheels. Is it worth the money to refurbish the style 108s and get new Michelin tyres for them? Or are the ride comfort and puncture risk much worse with 18 inch wheels? Thanks!

 

[Sit]

If you fit non runflats the 18" will ride fine, I have just removed run flat 108's and replaced with non run flat 19" and its ten times better. The splits can be a pain to.......split thats all I have learnt.

Si

 

[theosinc930]

If you fit non runflats the 18" will ride fine, I have just removed run flat 108's and replaced with non run flat 19" and its ten times better. The splits can be a pain to.......split thats all I have learnt.

Si

I heard that the bolts can break if you try to split them, can they be repainted without splitting?

 

[Sit]

There’s a few ‘encouraging’ videos on YouTube which suggest splitting is fairly straightforward with a bit of heat however I also know they can be an absolute arse!

In terms of refurbing without splitting you would probably need to speak to a wheel specialist, I suspect they wouldn’t do it as the finish/coating wouldn’t cover the wheel 100% as some of it would be covered by the split if that makes sense. Then this ‘edge’ would be vulnerable to weather/water/salt and likely see the finish deteriorate quite quickly.

Si

 

[raymond.harper]

You have to split the rims to repaint them otherwise it is a waste of time. The bolts are titanium and the head of the bolt can strip. If they come out fine but if not the head of the bolt has to be drilled off carefully. This is a terrible example of a bodge job. Two of the original bolts have had their heads stripped and two wrong bolts have been fitted .

 

[theosinc930]

You have to split the rims to repaint them otherwise it is a waste of time. The bolts are titanium and the head of the bolt can strip. If they come out fine but if not the head of the bolt has to be drilled off carefully. This is a terrible example of a bodge job. Two of the original bolts have had their heads stripped and two wrong bolts have been fitted .

Any idea if the original bolts can be ordered somewhere?

 

[brillomaster]

would i upgrade 17s to 18s? Yes - put on some non run flat tyres and it'll be just fine. slightly firmer ride and higher risk of cracking, yes, but 18s look a lot better than 17s.

would i refurb 108s? absolutely not, they should go in the bin. lots of effort to split them and refurbish them, but then they'll just look terrible in a few years again anyway due to the inherent weaknesses of a split rim design. i'd buy some standard one piece wheels - MV3s or CSL style, something like that.

 

[buzyg]

18s with none run flats are the perfect combo for the E85 Z4s, IMHO 8)

 

[jenniferlouise]

Go big!! Kerb appeal is everything… if you want comfort buy a Panda

non-runflats are essential, from personal experience. Spent too much time trying to stay on RFTs on an economy model; different car on softer walled rubber. Worth every penny. And I’m on 19” (on an E89)

Seriously, I love OG wheels, whilst appreciate there are some good looking aftermarket options. Go refurb and if you find something more appealing to you later you will likely sell them on easy enough

 

[raymond.harper]

You have to split the rims to repaint them otherwise it is a waste of time. The bolts are titanium and the head of the bolt can strip. If they come out fine but if not the head of the bolt has to be drilled off carefully. This is a terrible example of a bodge job. Two of the original bolts have had their heads stripped and two wrong bolts have been fitted .

Any idea if the original bolts can be ordered somewhere?

Yes but they are expensive. Many people just reuse the existing ones.

 

[Zedebee]

I have a handful of original bolts if you need.

In my experience, not all runflats are bad, but the Bridgestone Potenzas that were fitted as standard are awful.

108s are among the best looking wheels for an E85, and unique to the Z4. They can be a pain to split, but they can be easy. It is essential to split them to properly refurb them.

Once you take runflats out of the equation, there’s no real difference in ride or handling between 17” and 18”. Going up to 19”, you don’t have much rubber between you and the road.

 

[theosinc930]

I have a handful of original bolts if you need.

In my experience, not all runflats are bad, but the Bridgestone Potenzas that were fitted as standard are awful.

108s are among the best looking wheels for an E85, and unique to the Z4. They can be a pain to split, but they can be easy. It is essential to split them to properly refurb them.

Once you take runflats out of the equation, there’s no real difference in ride or handling between 17” and 18”. Going up to 19”, you don’t have much rubber between you and the road.

Thanks, I'd be interested in the bolts if you can ship them to Romania :-D

 

[Mr Tidy]

Well you already have the 108s and they are a great looking wheel.

The problem is that they always suffer from galvanic corrosion around the bolt heads (titanium IIRC) and the alloy centres which causes the lacquer to bubble.

But if you can get them apart you might find where you are you can get a decent quote for a refurb given how reasonable the cost of your body repairs seems.

 

[Meds]

A set of 17" style 200 with some chonky non-runflats would be bliss.
19" are too big for the Z4 in my view, some styles make the car look like a Hot Wheels toy.
18" are a nice happy medium.

17's for go, 19's for show. :wink:

Splitting 108s, as other have said can be an absolute PITA. Broken bolts take an effort to remove and destroy drill bits.
Refurbing without splitting looks nasty.
Some places don't want to take on the job of splitting and refurbing properly, if they do, it's usually £700+.
Anyone claiming they'll do a full refurb for £400 will be telling porkies.

 

[theosinc930]

A set of 17" style 200 with some chonky non-runflats would be bliss.
19" are too big for the Z4 in my view, some styles make the car look like a Hot Wheels toy.
18" are a nice happy medium.

17's for go, 19's for show. :wink:

Splitting 108s, as other have said can be an absolute PITA. Broken bolts take an effort to remove and destroy drill bits.
Refurbing without splitting looks nasty.
Some places don't want to take on the job of splitting and refurbing properly, if they do, it's usually £700+.
Anyone claiming they'll do a full refurb for £400 will be telling porkies.

Yes, I currently have these 17 inch wheels with proper Michelin Pilot Spot 5 tyres and the car drives really nicely with them. I'm worried I would be trading driving enjoyment/usability for looks.

 

[brillomaster]

a z4 on 17s with michelin rubber will arguably be the best riding, best handling version of a z4.

be different, who cares what it looks like, from inside you can't see the wheels anyway but you will feel the difference in the ride.

 

[darich]

I have 19s on my E86.
Yes the ride is firm but it's a sports car - if I want comfort then I'll drive my Q5.

I have a set of 18inch 108s. Refurbed without splitting but only because they reacted with a cleaner. The wheels were in great condition prior to reaction so splitting them wasn't really beneficial.

 

[TheDan]

I like 17s for performance and comfort reasons, but think they can look quite good depending on the wheel chosen!

Then again, I might be a smidge biased...



(Ignore the rear arch gap, had just done some brake work and the rear end was still settling).

 

[Meds]

^^ That looks fantastic!

 

[Fred Smith]

I have 19s on my E86.
Yes the ride is firm but it's a sports car - if I want comfort then I'll drive my Q5.

I read the bit in bold and wondered if I'd typed the reply and forgotten. Only the "Q5" bit proves it's not me.

My E86 on 19s is a firm ride... definitely don't recommend if you want comfort, but the more times I see them on there the more I like them, and comfort is not the point of a Z4. That said I do very much want to try 18s on the Z4 for comparison's sake.

I think 17s look silly small on E85s, but then again I'm not sure that an E85 benefits from the visual appeal of 19s as much as an E86 does.