RE: <E30><Tires>Selecting the correct size.

["Fadeev, Alex" <Alex.Fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> In the near future I'd like to purchase 16" rims for my 325i. 
> I would like to use 225/50's.  Yokohama recommends 225/45's,
> which are about $60 more per tire. By my calculations the
> 50's are less than 1" larger in diameter.  

195/65/14 = 23.98" diameter
205
225/45/16 = 23.97" diameter (virtually identical to stock)
225/50/16 = 24.86" diameter (3.7% larger the stock)

	Normally you would be trying to stay as close to the stock diameter
as possible. Given choice, you would want to end up with a _smaller_
diameter to improve acceleration. But all of that assumes your goals are
performance oriented. That doesn't seam to be the case here.
	Your 225/50 tire choice will increase the diameter of your tires
effectively lowering the rear diff ratio and slowing the car. Not to mention
that the 225mm wide tire has a 50% chance of rubbing the front wheel well
IFF the car is bone stock. But you also can't wait to lower it, right? 
	The lower the tire profile => the higher the price (from $70 for
205/60/14 AVSi's to $142 for 225/45/16's). If you are trying to save money
on tires, why in the world are you shopping for 16" wheels in the first
place? 

> There seems to be a lot of space in the wheel well to 
> accomodate even larger tires.

	Yep, so what?
	If 'looks', price and 'filling the wheel well' are your three
primary concerns, may I suggest 205/70/14 (25.30" diameter) tires on your
stock wheels. All for under $50/tire. Or 205/75/14 (26.11") for $35/tire!
That should fill 'em up reeeel welllll. 

alex

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