[Gautam]

Suffered my second blowout by pothole in 2 years. I love these wheels, and the entire look that they give the car, but I’m thinking they’re not worth the stress. The ride quality is fantastic on non-rft’s and not an issue.

My first incident was in august, so it’s not a matter of summer or winter. The roads in the CA Bay Area are simply awful year round, worse than the northeast, and I can’t expect them to ever get better.

Considering going all the way down to 18’s for peace of mind.

[ab1752]

I'm not sure 18"s will clear the brakes. I have the same 668s for my summers and the 19s whatever they're called for winters. I feel 10x more confident driving BCs gabrage interior roads with the 19s, no question.

[NGT2]

That sucks. Sorry to hear it. If you’re going to sell them, let me know. Shipping would be a bitch but still worth asking.

If we were within 1,000 miles of each other, I’d say let’s meet in the middle and have a shop swap your 668’s for my 664’s and make a deal swap plus cash deal.

[SonD]

As above, I doubt you can go to 18" rims with those brakes.
I went to 19's and increased the aspect ratio accordingly / set wheels in iDrive.
Massive difference in ride quality for the better - for me.
I wish they did those 668's in 19's, I would certainly have them if they did.

[bryansna]

Same here. Trying to spec out the appropriate offset and such for a set of 19s. Thinking about HRE Flow forms in 19.

Honestly, I am a little gun shy driving around and all I can do is scan for pot holes!

[Mandingo9]

I’d think you be ok increasing aspect ratio up 5 to the next size, if they make them.

[SonD]

Originally Posted by Mandingo9

I’d think you be ok increasing aspect ratio up 5 to the next size, if they make them.

They do, at least in non run flat Coti 7’s.
There will be plenty more for sure.

[Joe-BMW33]

Definitely a trade off going for looks and size vs. reliability. I'm a glutton for punishment as the look means the most to me and often that comes with agita. I always take the plunge for the most aggressive looking wheels and back it up with W&T insurance. I also drive incredibly defensively and am fortunate to not drive it in the winter. I did have both front wheels straightened last time in and I had no symptoms of them being out of round.

I don't think I could run an M550 without 668M's. I think I would just get a 540 if I had to compromise, but that's just me, 668's distinguish the M550 from the rest of the G30 line-up, one of the big reasons I gravitated towards it.

What part of Cali are you in? Has to be the San Fran area if you think the roads are worse than the Northeast. In the Northeast it is a double whammy, the cold winters freeze the water under the pavement and create harsh bumps in the pavement that smooth out once the warm weather arrives. The potholes where I live are like sink holes.

Don't let them go! You are spot on, 668's with summer rubber and non-runflats are incredibly smooth.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

... often that comes with agita.

Hey, learned me a new word today, thanks!

As for OP and his problems, I'm not sure how much a slightly smaller wheel and a slightly taller tire is going to make a difference. In all my years, I've hit potholes and regular holes and nasty smacks and yet never damaged a tire enough to have a "blow out". But then, most of my time is spent in the Southeast, where the roads are like glass and all of the women are gorgeous.

I made a suggestion once to a NJ driver that he'd do better if he'd just try to avoid the potholes. That got me some nasty blowback. I was in the Bay area just a few months ago, and I remember the roads were not great, but they sure didn't seem pothole-strewn to me.

Maybe a different style and/or brand of tire might hold up better?

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

Hey, learned me a new word today, thanks!

Got to be a Pizano (Italian in case that's another new word for you) to know what that means. Italian American or Yiddish Jew slang for heartburn.

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by SonD

As above, I doubt you can go to 18" rims with those brakes.
I went to 19's and increased the aspect ratio accordingly / set wheels in iDrive.
Massive difference in ride quality for the better - for me.
I wish they did those 668's in 19's, I would certainly have them if they did.[/

Thanks for the callout about the brakes. I think I’m going to look into increasing the aspect ratio first.

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

What part of Cali are you in? Has to be the San Fran area if you think the roads are worse than the Northeast. In the Northeast it is a double whammy, the cold winters freeze the water under the pavement and create harsh bumps in the pavement that smooth out once the warm weather arrives. The potholes where I live are like sink holes.

Don't let them go! You are spot on, 668's with summer rubber and non-runflats are incredibly smooth.

A bit south of sf. I grew up in Massachusetts. The roads this year especially are worse than anything I’ve seen in my life (at least in the us) Rain is typically rare here but hasn’t been for the past couple of months, and they simply aren’t equipped or prepared to deal with it. I’ve been looking at other wheel styles though and ultimately can’t do it. It’ll change the look of the car too dramatically, which I think is just about perfect as it is.

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

I made a suggestion once to a NJ driver that he'd do better if he'd just try to avoid the potholes. That got me some nasty blowback. I was in the Bay area just a few months ago, and I remember the roads were not great, but they sure didn't seem pothole-strewn to me.

Maybe a different style and/or brand of tire might hold up better?

No blowback from me, that is the best approach of course. This time around I saw it coming but slightly too late, couple of tire widths in the middle of the freeway. I’d have probably caused an accident in order to cleanly avoid it. As I said above, there has been flooding and significant road damage in the past couple of months. Unusual weather that highway patrol is scrambling to deal with.

This was 3 days before it happened to me, and farther to the north, but the same highway.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/sanfranc...80-in-oakland/

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Got to be a Pizano (Italian in case that's another new word for you) to know what that means. Italian American or Yiddish Jew slang for heartburn.

Right on with this. Insurance covered me last time and i plan to get reimbursed by the state this time. But still frustrating enough to set me off. I posted this immediately after exiting the tow truck…

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Gautam

Thanks for the callout about the brakes. I think I’m going to look into increasing the aspect ratio first.

A bit south of sf. I grew up in Massachusetts. The roads this year especially are worse than anything I’ve seen in my life (at least in the us) Rain is typically rare here but hasn’t been for the past couple of months, and they simply aren’t equipped or prepared to deal with it. I’ve been looking at other wheel styles though and ultimately can’t do it. It’ll change the look of the car too dramatically, which I think is just about perfect as it is.

No blowback from me, that is the best approach of course. This time around I saw it coming but slightly too late, couple of tire widths in the middle of the freeway. I’d have probably caused an accident in order to cleanly avoid it. As I said above, there has been flooding and significant road damage in the past couple of months. Unusual weather that highway patrol is scrambling to deal with.

This was 3 days before it happened to me, and farther to the north, but the same highway.
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/sanfranc...80-in-oakland/



Right on with this. Insurance covered me last time and i plan to get reimbursed by the state this time. But still frustrating enough to set me off. I posted this immediately after exiting the tow truck…

I hear you on what a pain in the ass it is getting a blowout. I went through 9 runlfats in two years on my F10, mostly from a bad winter and Route 1 in Saugus. I literally hit a pothole with my right front and then right rear, bang, bang, two blowouts, dash lit up like a Christmas tree and although I had insurance, it is just a PIA going to the dealer and sitting there half a day waiting for insurance approval and new tires.

As you know, filing a claim with a city or town in MA (especially Boston) is more legwork than it is worth and then you get shit for the claim.

It may be worth trying to finagle a way to get W&T insurance. Usually you can only buy it on sale (new or CPO) or when refinancing. Softens the blow and adds peace of mind.

[adhrp]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Got to be a Pizano (Italian in case that's another new word for you) to know what that means. Italian American or Yiddish Jew slang for heartburn.

Or watch The Sopranos

[admranger]

Look at Apex wheels. They have some 19" wheels that fit the m performance brakes. Not cheap, but I really liked the two sets of Apex wheels I have had in the past.

FWIW, when my tires are done I'm going up in aspect ratio on the 20's. It'll get the speedometer to be closer to accurate and it'll help with the ride a bit.