Seat of the pants difference between 14" & 15" wheels

[winstontj]

Sorry Mods for deliberatly posting this in the wrong area.

Wondering what the performance or handling differences are between 14" & 15" factory alloys (weaves)? Not looks, not coolness factor, not what you like....

I was shocked to learn how much (nice) 15" weaves are going for. Before I bite the bullet and pick up a set I want to know what the difference in the seat of my pants will be between the two sizes. I'll run a decent all weather radial on them - nothing fancy. I'm inclined to do it because I think more wheel will fill out the wells better but either way they will have factory sized rubber all around.

Thanks for your honest opinions!

[Jscotty]

Typically it is said that if you "plus size" the wheel (using a larger wheel and a shorter tire) you get better handling and cornering than you would with the stock configuration. I know first hand that this does not apply in every situation, however, it very well may for the E30.

[Rigmaster]

It's not gonna fill out the wheel well any better unless you go with larger (~225/50R15) tires. You could accomplish the same thing by going with larger 14" tires- I've run 215/60R14's on 14" baskets without any problem, you could probably find something larger that would fit.

Handling won't be much different- despite what some may say. The biggest difference would be if you ran a lower profile tire on one than the other and then compared- of course the lower profile (i.e.- less sidewall flex) tire is gonna feel more crisp.

If you're not concerned about looks, why limit yourself to the 15" baskets?


BTW, your "decent all weather radial" tire is probably not giving you the best handling feel, you'd be very surprised at how much difference there can be between different brands of tire. I put some cheap no-name tires on my 325is one time, and it was awful. Took it back and got some more expensive Bridgestone's and it was like night and day. The no-name tires made the car feel like it was riding on jello.


Bret.

[VAPORBLADE]

Take a look at how much different wheels weigh. I had stock 14" bottle caps on my old 325e sedan, and then added borbet 15" type H, a heavier wheel. The seat of the pants new it. The car (an "e" anyway) was slowed down considerably. That said, handling was greatly improved - with the addition of the larger (wider) shorter (sidewall) Z rated tire.

My 325is came with the weaves, and I really love them for a stock wheel. I do plan on changing them out for something much nicer...but weight will be an issue before I pull the trigger. Hell, there is always room for a turbo though! ;)

[winstontj]

When I say fill out the well I mean there is too much black and not enough rim (silver). Purely from an esthetics point of view. I'll run stock rubber on either a 15 or a 14 should have the same overall sizes so no net change, which is what I am going after.

I like the weaves. The only other rim I would consider (at this point) is an Alpina turbine in a 15 or 16, or possibly a motorsport wheel (like BLUNT's red car) but I think thats a 5-lug only option. I like factory hardware, I'm a big fan of performance mods as well as a huge fan of stock BMW design... Call me a (partial) purist snob!

Ideally I would like to find a set of 15 or entertain 16" turbine Alpina wheels but second to that is the factory weave in a 15"

Thanks for your comments... since I can get a set of 14's in excellent shape with mounted tires for ~$250 it seems foolish to spend 4x that on the 15" weaves.... guess I'll hold out for the Alpinas if they exist.... lol

[VAPORBLADE]

... Call me a (partial) purist snob!

You're in good company.

[mpunklil]

dont wast your money on the 15's, and PLEASE do not use a stock tire size...upgrade :) go fatter and shorter. my 79 320i had 205's on a 13" rim lol. my "e" had aftermarket 17s, so it doesnt count. look into some michelin pilots. not sure if they make a pilot model in a 14" size though

[ivo316]

A larger wheel with stock tires will give you a smoother ride, larger perimeter wheels fall less into holes, other than that, it depends a lot more on the tires than the wheels, no matter how large or good the rim is, a shitty tire will give you shitty handling. Also 70's and 65's will give you a soft ride, 50's and 40's will rattle your teeth. ;)

[winstontj]

I already have Sports, H&R's & ST sways so I dont need anymore teeth rattling. I want a factory wheel because I dont care for the 20" chrome look. I'd love a set Alpina wheels with an appropriate tire sitting on a 50ish sidewall but nothing shorter.

Where would one go to find a set of Alpina turbine style wheels for an e30?

Also I've been meaning to ask this... wtf is a "euro weave" and what is the difference between a euro weave & a US basketweave wheel?

I want the stock tire size so the odo/speedo reads right, so gas milage stays the same and because I use the car to drive to & from the grocery store and on weekends to travel - not to drive auto-x everywhere I go. I want a nice bigger summer 3season wheel & my 14s with studded snows for the winter.

[mpunklil]

I already have Sports, H&R's & ST sways so I dont need anymore teeth rattling. I want a factory wheel because I dont care for the 20" chrome look. I'd love a set Alpina wheels with an appropriate tire sitting on a 50ish sidewall but nothing shorter.

Where would one go to find a set of Alpina turbine style wheels for an e30?

Also I've been meaning to ask this... wtf is a "euro weave" and what is the difference between a euro weave & a US basketweave wheel?

I want the stock tire size so the odo/speedo reads right, so gas milage stays the same and because I use the car to drive to & from the grocery store and on weekends to travel - not to drive auto-x everywhere I go. I want a nice bigger summer 3season wheel & my 14s with studded snows for the winter.

the kind of gas mileage you get will highly depend on how you drive it, not your tire size (to a point). you can always figure out your total driveline ratio, multiply the rpms accordingly, and know how far your speedo is off. its not very hard

[ldsbeaker]

BTW, your "decent all weather radial" tire is probably not giving you the best handling feel, you'd be very surprised at how much difference there can be between different brands of tire. I put some cheap no-name tires on my 325is one time, and it was awful. Took it back and got some more expensive Bridgestone's and it was like night and day. The no-name tires made the car feel like it was riding on jello.


Bret.

Yes.
I went from cheapo plaino tires on my 14" bottlecaps to Ecsta (711??) on my 15" euro weaves. The difference IS night and day. I'm sure that most of that was tires, not the wheel size. Just think. The rubber is what connects you to the road. We like to stay ON the road. If you drive hard (and I know we do) then don't cheap out on tires. I know that I won't again.

[e30xcel]

I notice a difference when I went from 14inch baskets with Es100's (205/60) to Dunlop dz101 (205/50) on a 15x8 et20. The car felt in more control and harder to kick out. I think the wheel width, wider stance, and fresh tires made all the difference.

[Lance Racing]

I'd do your own research on tire availibility for 14 and 15 inch sizes before buying wheels. There are many more tires available for 15 inch wheels. This is one reason people upgrade.

But everyone's opinions on tires are different. What some people think are magic, others think are garbage.

Go to TireRack.com and you'll get a good idea on what is available.

Knowledge on tire availibility might shape your decision on wheel selection.

[winstontj]

I want the 15's but I dont want to spend $900 on basket weaves when I really like the Alpinas. I also care about weight but only within BMW available tires.... Maybe I need to spend more time looking at your rides & wheels so I'll know what else is out there.

I may also do a 5 lug upgrade... but then again I dont know.

I drive like a 60 year old would drive - yeah I drive fast but on the highway in a straight line. my car lives in a parking garage and is driven to whole foods once a week (about a mile) then back to the garage. On weekends Megan and I use it to travel... we were at a wedding in Rochester this weekend (YAY! 6+ hours of driving Boston to NY). I do not drive to work, I live in a city so you cant really rip around twisties so I want a nice tire that does well in the wet, is quiet on the highway and will last a while. Hopefully that makes sense - I just dont drive the car & I dont need a sticky tire to drive 85-90 in a straight line...

I'll post a WTB for a set of Alpinas and pray...

[mpunklil]

I notice a difference when I went from 14inch baskets with Es100's (205/60) to Dunlop dz101 (205/50) on a 15x8 et20. The car felt in more control and harder to kick out. I think the wheel width, wider stance, and fresh tires made all the difference.

205/60-14:
8.07 inches wide
23.68 inches in diameter
4.84 inches in treadwall

205/50-15:
8.07 inches wide
23.03 inches in diameter
4.02 inches in treadwall

Verdict?
the 15" will be better, but not by a whole lot. The width on the two is exactly the same. The treadwall is about 3/8" shorter, and your total drive ratio changes a little bit. Shouldnt notice the total drive ratio difference though. So those of you who say your car is a little more spunkyer, its all in your head :) . You COULD potentially have better handling. Goodyear makes a 215/50-15 that is quite nice. This would be good for somebody who doesnt rape their car in turns all the time, provide a good ride, good traction, and you could potentially even get better gas mileage:
215/50-15:
8.47 inches wide
25.16 inches in diameter
5.08 inches in treadwall

http://www.americastire.com/dtcs/findTireDetail.do?rcz=92691&rc=CAOINT&c=3&cf=false&cs=215&pc=38439&rd=15&ar=50&ct=&rf=true