[joshbromberg]

I currently have the stock 18" M Package wheels on my 228i. I plan on getting aftermarket rims, most likely 19". How will this affect the handling and other performance aspects? My car drives beautifully and I wouldn't want to mess that up. I feel like if I put 19" wheels on I would want to also drop the car about an inch on all four sides to compensate for the elevated ride height. I just want to know what will give me the best handling.

[USPSALIMITED]

Been wondering myself, but in the opposite direction (17's for winter set).

I thought this was interesting, http://www.caranddriver.com/features...d-tires-tested

If you have ever ridden a good bicycle much, it is amazing how much difference light wheels make in braking and acceleration. Not exactly apples and apples I know.

[CaliBlu2]

I put 19s on and it did compromise the handling to a degree and it bothers me. The diameter changed .55" in the rear and not sure about the front. That's why the car looks like it was dropped. After these tires wear out, I will make sure to get my wheel specs the same as stock, by then there should be more options for wheel and tire set ups. I hope!

[BLK235iNJ]

weight is a factor too

[VMRWheels]

Originally Posted by BLK235iNJ

weight is a factor too

+ 1

Steering may also feel heavier or "slower"

Here are some good reads regarding unsprung weight

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/...jsp?techid=108
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprun...nsprung_weight

^ Yes, I know it's Wiki lol

[hyperzulu]

OP, you are not supposed to modify the overall diameter of your OE wheel/tire combination, so dropping the ride height should not really be necessary for that purpose. Find a tire size that keeps your overall diameter as close to OE as possible.

I have 19's on my current car. I think 19's look brilliant, but while turn-in is crisp, I feel like 18's would have been better for handling. You can feel the car become a bit unsettled because the rest of the chassis is not ready for the sharper response. It's like the two are not in harmony.

For a street car, you have to do something drastic to notice, but I'm sure with enough options and time you might find a better combination than what the BMW engineers have come up with to improve on handling.

[HX_Guy]

As was mentioned, what you want to do is get a lower profile tire with your new 19s so that the overall diameter of the wheel/tire doesn't change or doesn't change much.

For example, your 228i M Sport came withe 225/40-18s all around (at least that's what TireRack is telling me) so if you went with 19s, you would get 235/35-19 tires which are only 10mm more in diameter, so it will "lift" your car only 5mm, or about 1/5" of an inch, barely noticeable if any. There are other combinations too but you get the gist.

As for performance, if the wheels are heavier than stock, then you probably will feel it in the steering and possibility in the acceleration. I know when I put spacers on my stock wheels, I could feel it in the steering, it felt heavier and slower.

[samtnel]

which rims are these? they BMW?

Originally Posted by CaliBlu2

I put 19s on and it did compromise the handling to a degree and it bothers me. The diameter changed .55" in the rear and not sure about the front. That's why the car looks like it was dropped. After these tires wear out, I will make sure to get my wheel specs the same as stock, by then there should be more options for wheel and tire set ups. I hope!

[hoppy6698]

Isn't there a way to increase size of the wheel without increasing the overall rolling diameter? Or at least minimize it?

[hyperzulu]

Yeah. Shorter sidewall and/or narrower tire.

[CaliBlu2]

Originally Posted by samtnel

which rims are these? they BMW?

These are M6 Replicas. 19*8.5 square.