BMW X3
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04-01-2022LAST POST
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
178 REP
320 POSTS
Ordered my 22 m40i with the 699M and so regret not getting the 718M wheels. I was weary when I placed the order because I live in New England and winters here are rough but man now I need to get my hands on a set. How many others regret not going bigger? [IMG][/IMG]
An image attached to this post, provided by the poster
Appreciate0
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
sikedsyko user avatar
sikedsyko
Private
45 REP
79 POSTS
Getting rid of the 21's was the first thing I did when I bought my X3. 21's and low profile tires on an SUV is fucking silly. My track car runs higher profile tires than the X3 did on 21's.
Appreciate5
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Must_Go_FASTER user avatar
Must_Go_FASTER
formerly rdougherty85
United_States
647 REP
538 POSTS
Don't regret it one bit, but I had a plan going in. I planned on getting snow tires for the stock 19s and upgrading to 21/22s once it warmed up. Got Blizzaks for the 19s and I have a set of 21s in production right now. I wasn't sure if I wanted bigger BMW wheels or aftermarket wheels, so I'd rather save the cash up front and use it for whatever I decided down the road.

Of course I didn't order mine and was shopping from limited stock just before the LCIs were released. It may have factored in more had I been ordering it, but my thought process probably would've been the same.
Appreciate2
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Shaun170 user avatar
Shaun170
Major
United Kingdom
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No regrets from me. In comfort mode with the adaptive M suspension everything is good.
Appreciate2
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Rbrown user avatar
Rbrown
Brigadier General
United Kingdom
2,846 REP
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No regrets at all.

20s for summer. 19s for winter.
Appreciate3
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
mailman_fin user avatar
mailman_fin
Lieutenant
Finland
475 REP
468 POSTS
No regrets here either.

21s for summer and 19s for winter.
Appreciate1
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Keefy user avatar
Keefy
Lieutenant Colonel
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1.8K POSTS
Currently searching for a set of staggered 20” wheels as the roads up here are terrible, probably less potholes / craters on the moon than on the roads here.
Appreciate1
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
JJ 911SC user avatar
JJ 911SC
Crusty Old Navy Chief
Canada
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sikedsyko wrote
Getting rid of the 21's was the first thing I did when I bought my X3...
I did it the expensive way, traded my 2020 with 21" and got 20" on the LCI.
Appreciate1
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
oasis3582 user avatar
oasis3582
Lieutenant
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582 POSTS
I did. I initially bought my X3 with the 20" 699 wheels and after just a few months upgraded to the 21" 718 wheels. It would have been much cheaper/easier if I did that during the initial purchase!
Appreciate1
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Ice9 user avatar
Ice9
Private
United_States
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98 POSTS
21" wheels look great on the M40i, and there is no cheaper way to get that size than to order them OE. The 726i is, in my opinion, a really nice looking wheel, similar to those on an Alpina. They come with the dreaded RFT, but if you are lucky, you get the P Zeros. I did, and am eating my words of derision about them. Now that I have lived with them, I can say that the ride is "firm," but a long ways from "rough." My X5M, on 20" wheels, is far rougher riding.

I will still replace the RFTs with NON RFTs, (Michelins, either all season or 4s, in size 255/40/21 and 295/35/21), which will make the car even more compliant.

I will also put on H&R Sport Springs (lower 1.4 front and .8 rear), and H&R 12mm spacers. The look and the ride should be just fine.

Regret never gets you anywhere. You made a good decision, be happy. When you need snow tires, buy a cheap(er) set of 19s or 20s.
Appreciate1
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
1speedbike user avatar
1speedbike
Brigadier General
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Yes and no. I don't feel the need to have huge wheels on an SUV in general. I think 20" and 21" are both good sizes. I did feel that there's a noticeable difference between the 699M and my 19" winter set.

When I was ordering the car I was advised by the sales guy that I can order whatever I want, but the dealership itself NEVER orders wheels bigger than 20" on any of their stock vehicles as bigger wheels inevitably lead to customers coming in with cracked wheels and flat tires, complaining that they weren't "warned" that bigger wheels mean more likely to have issues on the 3rd world roads we have here. My 135i has comparatively large wheels and is lowered on coilovers with stiff M3 suspension parts, so if I want to give my lower back a punishment I can just drive that on the weekends.

That said, I wouldn't have MINDED 21" wheels. But there are fewer tire options, everything is more expensive, and to deal with that all for an extra inch of diameter is silly to me. For the summer I ended up ordering some Savini 20" wheels about 1/2 inch wider than stock with more aggressive offsets, that I'm planning to swap the OEM non-RFT summer tires and TPMS onto next week.
Appreciate0
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
JCLBoston user avatar
JCLBoston
First Lieutenant
United_States
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Surprisingly, no regrets from me at all. I just went with the 19's and called it a day. I was definitely over the harsher rides of my past cars and the roads here are absolute pure garbage, so comfort was one of the priorities this time around. I know that larger wheels would look better and more aggressive. I thought it would bother me quite a bit. In fact, I must've changed my mind back and forth 10 times before I had ordered. But honestly, it hasn't bothered me at all over the past 3 years of ownership. I don't even feel the need to swap for larger summers. Kind of silly now that I think about how much of a fuss I made over it in my mind before I ordered.
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Appreciate5
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
wdeerfield user avatar
wdeerfield
A family of bimmers
United_States
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20s are the proper size rim for this size of an SUV. It looks proportionally correct. No regrets at all. I run 19s for the winter and those while small looking serve the perfect purpose for winter.
Appreciate3
03-28-2022
03-28-2022
Keefy user avatar
Keefy
Lieutenant Colonel
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I think I’m now convinced to drop from 21’s to 20’s, I can then sell my 21’s to cover the cost of the change.
I’m also of the opinion that comfort takes priority over aesthetics….must be getting old.
Appreciate1
03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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320 POSTS
sikedsyko wrote
Getting rid of the 21's was the first thing I did when I bought my X3. 21's and low profile tires on an SUV is fucking silly. My track car runs higher profile tires than the X3 did on 21's.
I mostly wanted them because the wheels are jet black but not entirely blacked out like the 699M.
Appreciate0
03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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rdougherty85 wrote
Don't regret it one bit, but I had a plan going in. I planned on getting snow tires for the stock 19s and upgrading to 21/22s once it warmed up. Got Blizzaks for the 19s and I have a set of 21s in production right now. I wasn't sure if I wanted bigger BMW wheels or aftermarket wheels, so I'd rather save the cash up front and use it for whatever I decided down the road.

Of course I didn't order mine and was shopping from limited stock just before the LCIs were released. It may have factored in more had I been ordering it, but my thought process probably would've been the same.
How were you able to get winters? I got my car delivered right at the end of November and was looking for winters and no one had them in stock, anywhere. It was impossible so I had to get Michelin all seasons and even those were out of stock most places, I had to get them off eBay.
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03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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320 POSTS
Shaun170 wrote
No regrets from me. In comfort mode with the adaptive M suspension everything is good.
I mostly wanted them because I liked that the wheel was not jet black but not entirely jet black like the 699M. I think they compliment the shadow line package very well.
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03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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320 POSTS
mailman_fin wrote
No regrets here either.

21s for summer and 19s for winter.
Which 21" do you have? I didn't have any luck finding winter tires anywhere when I got my car delivered back in December so I had to get all seasons.
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03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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320 POSTS
Keefy wrote
Currently searching for a set of staggered 20” wheels as the roads up here are terrible, probably less potholes / craters on the moon than on the roads here.
Lol, where are you located? Here in Boston the roads are crazy too.
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03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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oasis3582 wrote
I did. I initially bought my X3 with the 20" 699 wheels and after just a few months upgraded to the 21" 718 wheels. It would have been much cheaper/easier if I did that during the initial purchase!
Exactly why I'm regretting it lol. I wanted a black wheel but not entirely black as I like a little detail. I originally ordered with the 699M jet black but then switched to the 2 tone and toyed with going with the 21" but I heard it was difficult to find all seasons for them so I steered away. Would have been so much cheaper if I would've just ordered it with them and got a 19" winter set.
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03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
178 REP
320 POSTS
Ice9 wrote
21" wheels look great on the M40i, and there is no cheaper way to get that size than to order them OE. The 726i is, in my opinion, a really nice looking wheel, similar to those on an Alpina. They come with the dreaded RFT, but if you are lucky, you get the P Zeros. I did, and am eating my words of derision about them. Now that I have lived with them, I can say that the ride is "firm," but a long ways from "rough." My X5M, on 20" wheels, is far rougher riding.

I will still replace the RFTs with NON RFTs, (Michelins, either all season or 4s, in size 255/40/21 and 295/35/21), which will make the car even more compliant.

I will also put on H&R Sport Springs (lower 1.4 front and .8 rear), and H&R 12mm spacers. The look and the ride should be just fine.

Regret never gets you anywhere. You made a good decision, be happy. When you need snow tires, buy a cheap(er) set of 19s or 20s.
I liked that wheel choice too, looked very nice and there was one in Boston with them but not all the options I wanted. I had to change my summer run flats as soon as I got my car delivered and couldn't find winters anywhere online in that size. I had to go with all seasons. I mostly liked the 21" because of the jet black but not entirely like the jet black 699M which I originally chose and then changed my mind lol. I do hear the run flats have a stiffer ride than non Rfs thou. 🙂
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03-29-2022
03-29-2022
Jsoto250 user avatar
Jsoto250
First Lieutenant
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1speedbike wrote
Yes and no. I don't feel the need to have huge wheels on an SUV in general. I think 20" and 21" are both good sizes. I did feel that there's a noticeable difference between the 699M and my 19" winter set.

When I was ordering the car I was advised by the sales guy that I can order whatever I want, but the dealership itself NEVER orders wheels bigger than 20" on any of their stock vehicles as bigger wheels inevitably lead to customers coming in with cracked wheels and flat tires, complaining that they weren't "warned" that bigger wheels mean more likely to have issues on the 3rd world roads we have here. My 135i has comparatively large wheels and is lowered on coilovers with stiff M3 suspension parts, so if I want to give my lower back a punishment I can just drive that on the weekends.

That said, I wouldn't have MINDED 21" wheels. But there are fewer tire options, everything is more expensive, and to deal with that all for an extra inch of diameter is silly to me. For the summer I ended up ordering some Savini 20" wheels about 1/2 inch wider than stock with more aggressive offsets, that I'm planning to swap the OEM non-RFT summer tires and TPMS onto next week.
I mostly liked them because they were jet black with a nice silver accent. I had originally chose the 699M jet black but I felt I wanted a little more detail to stand out so I got the 2 toned. I might just have to look for an aftermarket two toned 20" set to fill that desire lol. Yes wheels are super limited. I think there were only one set of all seasons and one set of winters for sale when I contemplated the size and a bit more expensive than the 20" all seasons I got. But it would get pricey in the long run although I'm not sure if I'll keep this car past 2 years. I have always been a sedan type girl but after having a kid, they just weren't cutting it for space anymore. But I like being lower to the ground.
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