My first E70 X5 50i M Sport

[Poppyboy]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

Thank you for the good advice, I actually live in Westchester which is 10 minutes from NYC and the roads around here during the winter especially when it snows are pretty bad, and if we get another winter like last year I will most likely need to buy a set of Blizzacks or Pirellis ( or if you recommend anything which you think are better). I just wasn't sure if I should get a dedicated winter setup or I could get away with mounting winter tires on the 333 style wheels. Like I said I'm still a newbie when it comes to these sav's and I appreciate everybody's help and advise especially since it will be driven 90% of the time by my wife and 7 m.o. daughter

You're welcome. I bought a used set for winter, which are replica 214s with virtually new Pirelli Scorpions. I felt it would be easier than the stress (on the rims and TPMS) of mounting and remounting tires only. Although they have a little curb rash (which I attempted to repair), they were only $1000, which included one newer spare. I haven't driven on them yet, so I have no opinion on the Pirellis yet. It's all a matter of preference.

[JupiterBMW]

Originally Posted by jiggz

When it comes to halogen coronas that's pretty standard - inner rings are always brighter than the outers, especially with aftermarket bulbs…just the nature of the technology/setup. And the only reason I eventually bypassed 2011's and only searched 2012+…to get the LED coronas (on the non M's….for the X5M you need a 2013…and I think on top of that you need the optional LED headlights).

Jon…time to retrofit your M like Stuart did (username - 330i ZHP) - post 69…
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...ight=x5&page=4

Hmm, well that stinks. And yes, it is definitely on my agenda to retrofit the LED headlights, but from what I've seen, its about a $4000 mod. You buying??

[Cattivo]

I've re-installed the LUX v4's yesterday and I'm still getting the same results...the inner rings are bright white and the outer rings are still not as bright unless I'm looking at them dead on

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

You're welcome. I bought a used set for winter, which are replica 214s with virtually new Pirelli Scorpions. I felt it would be easier than the stress (on the rims and TPMS) of mounting and remounting tires only. Although they have a little curb rash (which I attempted to repair), they were only $1000, which included one newer spare. I haven't driven on them yet, so I have no opinion on the Pirellis yet. It's all a matter of preference.

For a $1,000 it sounds like that would be my best option as well. All I need to do now is start searching for a reasonable set of winter wheels and tires

[P1]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

I've re-installed the LUX v4's yesterday and I'm still getting the same results...the inner rings are bright white and the outer rings are still not as bright unless I'm looking at them dead on

It's the design of the coronas. You can keep putting brighter LEDs in there, but it's only the inner corona that will get brighter, not the outer one. I just put some "white" PIAA halogen bulbs in mine and like the result.

[Poppyboy]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

For a $1,000 it sounds like that would be my best option as well. All I need to do now is start searching for a reasonable set of winter wheels and tires

Your cheapest route is Craig's List (which is what I did back in May). You may be a little late in the season for the most candidates, but it's worth a try. Your next bet, besides the classifieds on this site, would be eBay. Shipping will likely be expensive, so factor that in. Plus, if you buy used, you'll still want the piece of mind of having the balancing and TPMS sensors checked. It's still a significant savings over new.

[P1]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

For a $1,000 it sounds like that would be my best option as well. All I need to do now is start searching for a reasonable set of winter wheels and tires

I just checked my local Craigslist and found a set of Style 214s for $1,000. Those would make a good winter set! Anyways, that might give you an idea of what you'll pay for some OEM wheels.

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by P1et

It's the design of the coronas. You can keep putting brighter LEDs in there, but it's only the inner corona that will get brighter, not the outer one. I just put some "white" PIAA halogen bulbs in mine and like the result.

Very nice X and 135 you have there...now do the outer rings disappear as well when you look from an angle? I may just retrofit them to 2012 coronas, I saw somewhere on here it can be done for around $4k

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

Your cheapest route is Craig's List (which is what I did back in May). You may be a little late in the season for the most candidates, but it's worth a try. Your next bet, besides the classifieds on this site, would be eBay. Shipping will likely be expensive, so factor that in. Plus, if you buy used, you'll still want the piece of mind of having the balancing and TPMS sensors checked. It's still a significant savings over new.

I went on craigslist and found a set of OEM 214's with brand new Pirelli Scorpion Sotto Zero and TPMS included for $2,300...wheels seem to be in great condition except for 1 with minor curb rash which I was quoted $150 to repair

[SteveMD]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

I am waiting for delivery of stage 1...I called Terry to make sure he had it in stock

Yup, it makes the car even more fun to drive.

[Poppyboy]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

I went on craigslist and found a set of OEM 214's with brand new Pirelli Scorpion Sotto Zero and TPMS included for $2,300...wheels seem to be in great condition except for 1 with minor curb rash which I was quoted $150 to repair

That's a start. Keep looking...

[P1]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

Very nice X and 135 you have there...now do the outer rings disappear as well when you look from an angle? I may just retrofit them to 2012 coronas, I saw somewhere on here it can be done for around $4k

Absolutely, which is why it's silly to spend big bucks on LED or any other replacement bulbs. These are made by PIAA and were $45 or so.

I think it's actually cheaper to do the OEM replacement. Another member did it and he just kept looking on eBay for take offs, and was able to do it for around the $2K mark.

[Cattivo]

I really appreciate everybody's help. I'm glad to see theirs a good group of guys on this forum who have really taken the time to help me out. I'll try and put together my detailing project with pics from start to finish as soon as work slows down and I clean out my garage. I will also be removing the lower rocker panels and fender flares and having them re-painted and wrapped in 3M to get rid of all the rock chips these sav's (Msport especially) are known for

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by P1et

Absolutely, which is why it's silly to spend big bucks on LED or any other replacement bulbs. These are made by PIAA and were $45 or so.

I think it's actually cheaper to do the OEM replacement. Another member did it and he just kept looking on eBay for take offs, and was able to do it for around the $2K mark.

Where can I buy these? I'll give them a try for only $45

[P1]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

Where can I buy these? I'll give them a try for only $45

I just bought mine on eBay... I bought some for my wife's 135i also. I did a small write up on it here:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=892802

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by P1et

I just bought mine on eBay... I bought some for my wife's 135i also. I did a small write up on it here:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=892802

I wish I would of saw these before I spent over $230 on the LUX. They look nice and bright white...I can use a pair of these on my M3

[retusn]

With the M sport package are you running the 275/40/20 and 315/35/20 tires. I run the Pirelli Ice and Snow tires on a second set of rims for the winter. Last winter was pretty brutal down here and the M did just fine with the wide winter tires. Tirerack offers a few packages with smaller tires and rims if you want to run narrower tires.

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by retusn

With the M sport package are you running the 275/40/20 and 315/35/20 tires. I run the Pirelli Ice and Snow tires on a second set of rims for the winter. Last winter was pretty brutal down here and the M did just fine with the wide winter tires. Tirerack offers a few packages with smaller tires and rims if you want to run narrower tires.

I wasn't sure if I were to just slap some winter tires on the OE wheels(333) if they would be able to give me as good a grip as a narrower tire would being that there so wide...I'm most likely going to buy a set of OEM style 214's with new Pirelli Scorpion's I saw on craigslist for $2,300

[P1]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

I wasn't sure if I were to just slap some winter tires on the OE wheels(333) if they would be able to give me as good a grip as a narrower tire would being that there so wide...I'm most likely going to buy a set of OEM style 214's with new Pirelli Scorpion's I saw on craigslist for $2,300

Get the 214s, paint them black: perfect winter beaters!

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by P1et

Get the 214s, paint them black: perfect winter beaters!

The 214's I saw were already plasti dipped black

[retusn]

Originally Posted by THESONofSAM

I wasn't sure if I were to just slap some winter tires on the OE wheels(333) if they would be able to give me as good a grip as a narrower tire would being that there so wide...I'm most likely going to buy a set of OEM style 214's with new Pirelli Scorpion's I saw on craigslist for $2,300

Not a problem down here last year with the snow. The M did better actually than my wife's TrailBlazer SS or our 94 K3500 Suburban. The wide tires were not an issue digging through the snow.

[Cattivo]

Originally Posted by retusn

Not a problem down here last year with the snow. The M did better actually than my wife's TrailBlazer SS or our 94 K3500 Suburban. The wide tires were not an issue digging through the snow.

That's good to know as I've always heard the wider the tire the less grip you would get...I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the 214's just to play it safe, I would rather not run the 333's on New York City's pothole infested winter roads