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      08-19-2011, 11:13 AM   #1
14bmws
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sport owners please help

I am in the process of ordering an X5 35i sport.

The 20 inch staggered wheel and tire package is my concern. Do those large wheels and tires make the X5 bounce and ride like an unrefined truck? I really am worried that those big cumbersome tires are going to have an adverse effect on the way the vehicle handles.

I would be purchasing a set of 19 X 9 inch rims with all weather tires for use in the winter. Are these going to look ridiculous with the flared fenders of the sport?

I want a smooth, refined ride. My dealer, also a very good friend of mine says I'm over thinking things. The sport set up is perfect so long as I have a winter wheel set up for the snow season.

I would greatly appreciate thoughts from those of you that are driving the sport set up every day.

Thanks!
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      08-19-2011, 06:58 PM   #2
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There's only one real way to find out. Everyone has their opinion on things. Go for a test drive.
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      08-21-2011, 02:19 PM   #3
skroars
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We have an '11 Xdrive3.5i that was delivered last December. The staggered wheels drive very nice (the run flats don't help though). We live near Albuquerque NM and we have pretty crummy roads. We took a road trip from Albuquerque to Olympia, WA and it was a great long distance driver. (24 mpg at 80 mph most of the time)
The stock run flats are horrible in the snow which is no shocker. It'll get around as long as you're not looking at much incline. Our house is at 7000' and our driveway and neighborhood are pretty steep.
I ordered a set of Continental's (DWS) for the 20"s and the ride was better due to them not being run flats and the don't get rock hard when the temp goes down. I didn't get to drive them in deep/cold snow but great in light snow. Given that they are so wide, I wouldn't expect them to be stellar in deep snow but decent hopefully.

Your personal snow driving experience will likely weigh in too. I'd imagine 19's with good winter tires would basically be a non issue and a piece of cake. (our old 2001 X5 3.0 sport package with 5 speed manual was great with 18's and all season's). 20"s just need require paying attention and maybe good line selection in the more severe winter conditions.

The biggest bummer to me has been how hard the 20"s are on the paint. They will beat your paint under the midline black trim piece. That lower 1/4 of the front and rear doors does get chewed up. We have 15K miles on it and it looks a little rough up close. It's Alpine White and we didn't the running boards. They might deflect a little more. Also, our roads as I said are a little rough. There is a lot of sand and grit on the roads from the winds for a considerable amount of time during the year.
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      08-21-2011, 05:03 PM   #4
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Maybe a bit off topic, but can you switch from 19 inch alloys (stock) to 20 inch on a non M-Sport X5? Do I need to order extra parts such as wider wheel arches so that the wheels dont stick out like sore thumbs? Thx
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      08-21-2011, 09:18 PM   #5
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Regarding OP's question, I think the tires may have as much to do with the ride as the size of the wheels. The ride on the Dunlop RFTs with the 20" wheels is extremely hard. After the Dunlops wore out, I ordered the Continental DWS, and the ride was noticeably better. So the Continentals may be a good compromise if you're really concerned.

I initially put the 214s on my 3.0si and did not order the arches. They looked fine for a few months (the wheels, especially the rears, stick out just a bit). However, I eventually ordered the arches and found that it really completed the look. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!
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      08-23-2011, 08:16 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 14bmws View Post
I am in the process of ordering an X5 35i sport.

The 20 inch staggered wheel and tire package is my concern. Do those large wheels and tires make the X5 bounce and ride like an unrefined truck? I really am worried that those big cumbersome tires are going to have an adverse effect on the way the vehicle handles.

I would be purchasing a set of 19 X 9 inch rims with all weather tires for use in the winter. Are these going to look ridiculous with the flared fenders of the sport?

I want a smooth, refined ride. My dealer, also a very good friend of mine says I'm over thinking things. The sport set up is perfect so long as I have a winter wheel set up for the snow season.

I would greatly appreciate thoughts from those of you that are driving the sport set up every day.

Thanks!
- Sport package rides great. My car does not have adaptive drive and it still handles better than some cars. No, it does not drive like an unrefined truck. Go drive one for yourself to make sure you are comfortable with the drive.

- My 19" winter wheel setup looked fine after I put spacers on the rear. I don't remember the excact size but they were on the bigger side. Car looked fine from Dec-March/April. More important to be safe than how it looks.

-The ride with 20" sport run flat tires is a little on the firm side which can be improved with non-runflat tires or go with the 19" wheels for a little softer ride.

PS - I drive the sport every day to NYC with no problems to date.
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      08-28-2011, 01:16 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 14bmws View Post
I am in the process of ordering an X5 35i sport.

The 20 inch staggered wheel and tire package is my concern. Do those large wheels and tires make the X5 bounce and ride like an unrefined truck? I really am worried that those big cumbersome tires are going to have an adverse effect on the way the vehicle handles.

I would be purchasing a set of 19 X 9 inch rims with all weather tires for use in the winter. Are these going to look ridiculous with the flared fenders of the sport?

I want a smooth, refined ride. My dealer, also a very good friend of mine says I'm over thinking things. The sport set up is perfect so long as I have a winter wheel set up for the snow season.

I would greatly appreciate thoughts from those of you that are driving the sport set up every day.

Thanks!

I have a 2012 M sport with the sport suspension. Compared to my 335 with run flats, my X5 rides very smooth and quiet, yet firm and controlled. Nothing anywhere near harsh or unrefined. I opted for the spare tire package when I ordered. So I sold the Bridgestone run flats to the dealership for $1200 and then bought a set of Toyo Proxes ST II for $912 shipped (make sure you get the XL rated tire it has a stiffer sidewall) and had installed. I'm very impressed with the handling, ride and low noise levels. Since this is an all season tire, I'm hoping it helps in the little snow we get in the south. Compared to my 335, it handles just as good if not a little better and I don't even have adaptive drive. just my .02
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      09-05-2011, 03:15 PM   #8
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The Stock ride is a firm sports care ride, go with 19's and non-run flats if you want a Lexus type ride.
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