Winter Wheels & Tyres

[Rob Hardman UK]

Hi

I am new to the forum. Brilliant at getting tips on everything. Looking forward to getting an Alpina meet in the 2023.

Just bought my dream car after many years of saving for an Alpina.

D5 S 2018 # 48.

Thinking of buying some winter wheels and tyres. Does anyone know a website I can check the best wheels/tyres to buy that will fit the car. Cannot afford to buy another set of Alpina alloys, was thinking of a low cost alternative for winter use.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Rob

[JamieHill]

Alloys

https://www.alloywheelsdirect.net/bmw_a ... oon_alloys

Tyres

https://www.tyrereviews.com

https://www.oponeo.co.uk


You could just change the tyres £20 a corner twice a year ?

They also do All season that have good reviews.

Good luck & congrats on your new car

[Charles]

Before I lucked in and acquired a second set of Alpina alloys, I used BMW alloys for my winter set as I am fortunate enough to have storage space for whichever set is currently not in use. Unless you are determined to maintain the OEM look, then this is a cheap alternative.

Your car has a staggered set of wheels at the moment but consider getting a "square" set for the winters - not only does this provide a slightly narrower width at the rear which is better for driving in the snow but it also allows you to rotate the wheels each season for more even wear. The downside is that you lose some rear traction under hard driving but, in the winter, you are likely to be a bit more gentle anyway.

Also, consider reducing the wheel diameter as this will give you a higher profile on the sidewall. The downside is that the car might feel a bit looser on turn-in due to the increased sidewall flex but the upside is a smoother ride over the inevitable potholes. The wheels will be cheaper too as will the tyres, with greater availability of the right sizes.

As for tyres, I have always used Michelin winter rubber - firstly their Alpin range and more recently their Pilot Sport Alpin tyres. Both are excellent but also a bit more pricey, but given that this is what will be keeping you out of the ditches, then worth the cost in my opinion. Others have talked positively about winter tyres from Pirelli and Goodyear and I have had good experiences of Yokahama on some of the other cars in the family fleet.

Hope this helps

C

[Rob Hardman UK]

Thanks very much for taking the time to craft a very helpful response Rob

[Bob]

You might find that you cannot accomodate smaller diameter wheels due to the brakes on your D5S. I know for the previous generation, 20" were the smallest option.

Nice to see another member in the Manchester area.

[Rob Hardman UK]

Thanks for your help Rob

[Rob Hardman UK]

Thanks very much.

I ended up buying just the winter tyres from European tyre website.

A good deal on Pirelli tyres, but took weeks to arrive. Hopefully they last a few winters.

I think I missed out on some 20” Alpina alloys a few weeks being sold on the forum. Hopefully a few more will come up in the future.

Many Thanks rob