Which 18" rims to choose

BBender · 03-10-2012, 05:52 AM

They both have the same color or 308 are slightly darker?

307 are $150 cheaper and I think they look bigger because of rim design.

308 has interesting design, but I think that it will be hard to clean them from the baked brake friction dust.

What is your opinion?

dfcoelho · 03-10-2012, 06:04 AM

Hi,

I've seen both on the street and I think that the color tone is the same.

I went for the 307's as it seems to me that they suit the car better... the 308 are also nice but look rather "angular" for an overall not very edgy design.

Regards

David

Alligator69 · 03-10-2012, 07:18 AM

Very personal... when I went to the dealer to buy the car, I originally wanted the 307, then I got a pre-ordered car that had the 308 on.

Honestly I like 'em both!!!

lbjgh · 03-10-2012, 07:39 AM

I prefer the 307's.

xDrive35i · 03-10-2012, 08:15 AM

I had the 308s for some time before trading up to the 309s. I liked the 308s and they're actually a different texture than any of the other wheel offerings. In the right light, the face of the wheel design is machine brushed so that they'll shimmer a bit when the car is moving. It's best seen at night.

welkerbrads · 03-10-2012, 03:59 PM

I bet the 307 are directional and you cannot cross rotate yours tires. Well you can but they will be going backwards.

BBender · 03-10-2012, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juddholland

In the right light, the face of the wheel design is machine brushed so that they'll shimmer a bit when the car is moving

You mean the flat part is polished aluminium and not coated with paint?
Or its just an effect at night?

brissim · 03-10-2012, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by welkerbrads

I bet the 307 are directional and you cannot cross rotate yours tires. Well you can but they will be going backwards.

Good point. It looks as if the 307s are directional. However, despite this I'd personally prefer the 307s. I have 17" 306s which are directional but really isn't a big deal. If you are going to rotate tyres, normally you would only rotate from front-to-back, not sideways.

Tony

BBender · 03-10-2012, 04:24 PM

Different rims goes with different tyres? Where did you get that info?

Alligator69 · 03-10-2012, 04:25 PM

The 307 are not directional.Guys, I think it's really a matter of personal taste. WHatever the choice, the car looks great

Polar_Bimmer · 03-10-2012, 04:34 PM

I have the 308, I love them more than 307. The 308 look more "aggressive" and have more depth. And they are easy to clean

But the best for the X3 are 309 (19 ")

My X3 with 308

brissim · 03-10-2012, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alligator69

The 307 are not directional.Guys, I think it's really a matter of personal taste. WHatever the choice, the car looks great

You are correct. A closer look at the photos shows they are not directional. I apologise. Still would prefer the 307s.

Tony

Polar_Bimmer · 03-10-2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alligator69

Guys, I think it's really a matter of personal taste. WHatever the choice, the car looks great

+ 1

BBender · 03-11-2012, 08:38 AM

BTW, what is the function of 5 additional holes near the wheel bolt holes?

xDrive35i · 03-11-2012, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBender

Quote:

Originally Posted by juddholland

In the right light, the face of the wheel design is machine brushed so that they'll shimmer a bit when the car is moving

You mean the flat part is polished aluminium and not coated with paint?
Or its just an effect at night?

I'm not sure how exactly it's done, but you can see it better at night. I have a pictures thread somewhere and you can see a pic of the 308s shimmering.

Polar_Bimmer · 03-11-2012, 10:44 AM

http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/bmw.../x3_f25_alloys

Alloy wheel finish type

307 = BMW Silver

308 = BMW Bright Turned

For example, my winter wheels are style 305 (17") and are "BMW Silver" and are duller than my style 308 (18") for summer.

thefreeze · 03-11-2012, 10:55 AM

Definietely 307. They just look bigger and I can confirm that they are easy to clean.

xDrive35i · 03-11-2012, 03:21 PM

This is my first X3 that had the 308s. My second one has the 309s. You can tell that the front side is flat and shiny, not unlike the X5 xDrive50i 20" wheels.

dfcoelho · 03-12-2012, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBender

BTW, what is the function of 5 additional holes near the wheel bolt holes?

The 5 holes are there to support the wheel alignment tool. This make it more precise than holding the tool on the edge of the wheel, as it can be uneven (due to kerbed wheels for example). By placing the tool almost on the hub this kind of error disappears.

Nahoa · 03-12-2012, 06:26 AM

Definitely the 307s. There!s a Toyota mini van down the street with something almost identical to the 308s on it.

QTPie · 03-12-2012, 10:33 AM

Hi

I originally ordered with the standard (for the UK) 17" wheels. Decided that I didn't like them and was going to upgrade to the 307s (and change the exterior colour to Sapphire Black - I originally ordered Space Grey): I think that the 307s definitely look better (more balanced) with the black exterior colour. Maybe more tricky with ALpine White?

However - due to the other options that I had already selected (including sports seats and PC) - the difference in cost from changing to the 307s and changing the car spec to an M Sport (with the standard 18" M Sport wheels) wasn't that big (about abother £400). So I am doing that, instead, and getting Carbon Black...

Not sure of where in the world you are - and what your options are and what they cost - but it might be worth looking at the various "packages" (like M Sport or the Americans have SAV etc) that have different wheels included in them as standard... Sometimes - depending on what other options you were looking at - the cost difference isn't that much...

QT

E92LNGCGY · 03-12-2012, 12:56 PM

308's look great. 307 looks boring.

03-10-2012, 05:52 AM	#1
BBender Private 23 Rep 88 Posts Drives: X3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: ZZ iTrader: (0)	Which 18" rims to choose - 307 or 308? They both have the same color or 308 are slightly darker? 307 are $150 cheaper and I think they look bigger because of rim design. 308 has interesting design, but I think that it will be hard to clean them from the baked brake friction dust. What is your opinion? Attached Images
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03-10-2012, 06:04 AM	#2
dfcoelho Enlisted Member 6 Rep 32 Posts Drives: '11X3(F25)2.0dA,'13 3(F30)2.0d Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lisboa iTrader: (0)	Hi, I've seen both on the street and I think that the color tone is the same. I went for the 307's as it seems to me that they suit the car better... the 308 are also nice but look rather "angular" for an overall not very edgy design. Regards David
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03-10-2012, 07:18 AM	#3
Alligator69 Private First Class 1 Rep 143 Posts Drives: X3 F25 2.0d Mineral Silver Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Italy iTrader: (0)	Very personal... when I went to the dealer to buy the car, I originally wanted the 307, then I got a pre-ordered car that had the 308 on. Honestly I like 'em both!!!
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03-10-2012, 07:39 AM	#4
lbjgh Lieutenant Colonel 104 Rep 1,511 Posts Drives: 2013 AW X3 M-Sport Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: North of Toronto iTrader: (0)	I prefer the 307's.
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03-10-2012, 08:15 AM	#5
xDrive35i Lieutenant Colonel 123 Rep 1,781 Posts Drives: Porsche Macan S Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	I had the 308s for some time before trading up to the 309s. I liked the 308s and they're actually a different texture than any of the other wheel offerings. In the right light, the face of the wheel design is machine brushed so that they'll shimmer a bit when the car is moving. It's best seen at night.
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03-10-2012, 03:59 PM	#6
welkerbrads Private First Class 10 Rep 120 Posts Drives: 2011 white X3 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: cape girardeau mo iTrader: (0)	I bet the 307 are directional and you cannot cross rotate yours tires. Well you can but they will be going backwards.
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03-10-2012, 04:24 PM	#9
BBender Private 23 Rep 88 Posts Drives: X3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: ZZ iTrader: (0)	Different rims goes with different tyres? Where did you get that info?
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03-10-2012, 04:25 PM	#10
Alligator69 Private First Class 1 Rep 143 Posts Drives: X3 F25 2.0d Mineral Silver Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Italy iTrader: (0)	The 307 are not directional.Guys, I think it's really a matter of personal taste. WHatever the choice, the car looks great
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03-10-2012, 04:34 PM	#11
Polar_Bimmer Private First Class 14 Rep 166 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW X3 (F25) xDrive 28i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Québec city (Canada) iTrader: (0)	I have the 308, I love them more than 307. The 308 look more "aggressive" and have more depth. And they are easy to clean But the best for the X3 are 309 (19 ") My X3 with 308
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03-11-2012, 08:38 AM	#14
BBender Private 23 Rep 88 Posts Drives: X3 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: ZZ iTrader: (0)	BTW, what is the function of 5 additional holes near the wheel bolt holes?
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03-11-2012, 10:44 AM	#16
Polar_Bimmer Private First Class 14 Rep 166 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW X3 (F25) xDrive 28i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Québec city (Canada) iTrader: (0)	http://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/bmw.../x3_f25_alloys Alloy wheel finish type 307 = BMW Silver 308 = BMW Bright Turned For example, my winter wheels are style 305 (17") and are "BMW Silver" and are duller than my style 308 (18") for summer.
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03-11-2012, 10:55 AM	#17
thefreeze Hans 16 Rep 116 Posts Drives: 2011 X3 2.0D Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Holland iTrader: (0)	Definietely 307. They just look bigger and I can confirm that they are easy to clean. __________________ X3 20D auto High Executive. Moonroof, privacy glass, sport seats, professional audio & sat nav, 19" 309 wheels summer, 18" 307 winter, X-Line, Xenon, parking heater. Mineral Silver / Oyster leather interior, wave trim. V70 2.5T (private)
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03-11-2012, 03:21 PM	#18
xDrive35i Lieutenant Colonel 123 Rep 1,781 Posts Drives: Porsche Macan S Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	This is my first X3 that had the 308s. My second one has the 309s. You can tell that the front side is flat and shiny, not unlike the X5 xDrive50i 20" wheels. Attached Images
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03-12-2012, 06:26 AM	#20
Nahoa Lieutenant Colonel 45 Rep 1,876 Posts Drives: F25 35i Mineral Silver/Black Join Date: May 2008 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Definitely the 307s. There!s a Toyota mini van down the street with something almost identical to the 308s on it. __________________
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03-12-2012, 10:33 AM	#21
QTPie Private First Class 11 Rep 161 Posts Drives: BMW X3 2.0D M Sport Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Hi I originally ordered with the standard (for the UK) 17" wheels. Decided that I didn't like them and was going to upgrade to the 307s (and change the exterior colour to Sapphire Black - I originally ordered Space Grey): I think that the 307s definitely look better (more balanced) with the black exterior colour. Maybe more tricky with ALpine White? However - due to the other options that I had already selected (including sports seats and PC) - the difference in cost from changing to the 307s and changing the car spec to an M Sport (with the standard 18" M Sport wheels) wasn't that big (about abother £400). So I am doing that, instead, and getting Carbon Black... Not sure of where in the world you are - and what your options are and what they cost - but it might be worth looking at the various "packages" (like M Sport or the Americans have SAV etc) that have different wheels included in them as standard... Sometimes - depending on what other options you were looking at - the cost difference isn't that much... QT
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03-12-2012, 12:56 PM	#22
E92LNGCGY Lieutenant Colonel 433 Rep 1,732 Posts Drives: F97/Q5/982 GT4 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	308's look great. 307 looks boring.
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