What To Look For When Buying The Best Tires For BMW 3 Series?
You want to look for three critical things to get the best tires for a 3 Series. You will find them and why they are essential below.
Standard or Run-flat
Since BMWs do not come with spare tires. It will be a decision that you need to make if you want to risk being stranded when you have a flat or be able to get to a shop to fix the problem.
You can always call a tow truck or buy a compact spare tire from the dealer, but both these options will cost more than purchasing run flats.
Speed Rating
The 3 Series are built to deliver the quality ride and performance you expect. Installing tires with lower speed ratings severely diminishes these qualities.
A speed rating is responsible for delivering performance at maximum speeds. I do not recommend a rating lower than H on the 3 Series. Since it is not as high performing as the 4, 5, 6, and 7 Series, you can get away with a slightly lower rating.
Performance Category
What are you looking to get out of your tires? Traction and handling? Tread life? All-weather traction?
These are important questions to ask yourself because depending on what you want will dictate the best type of tire to buy.
Ultra-high-performance tires will offer the best handling and traction but will lack tread life.
Touring tires offer the best tread life but lower traction and handling.
All-weather tires will be between these categories while providing the best traction in wet, dry, and snow.
How Much Do Tires For BMW 3 Series Cost?
Tires for a BMW will not be cheap due to the lower profile sizes they come in. I shopped around to estimate what tires will cost depending on how many you need to replace.
Four New Tires
A new set of tires will run you between $500 and $1,500.
Two New Tires
If you only need to replace two. You’re looking at $300 to $900.
Single Tire
A single replacement will require $150 to $500 out of pocket.
What Tire Size Is Best For A BMW 3 Series?
BMW designs its cars from the wheels up. I do not recommend anything other than the factory fitments for a 3 Series. Changing the size may result in lower traction, handling, fuel economy, and cost more money.
How Long Should Your BMW 3 Series Tires Last?
Depending on the model of the 3 Series, the tires should last anywhere from forty-five thousand and seventy thousand miles.
The best way to achieve maximum tread will be to perform routine tire maintenance. This includes tire rotations, tire pressure checks, and proper wheel alignment.
When To Replace Tires On Your BMW 3 Series?
It is recommended to replace 3 Series tires at 4/32nds of tread or at six years of age.
4/32nds is where a tire suffers from the most loss of traction. And six years is how long the rubber compound is designed to hold up before it becomes prone to blowouts and separation.
Does The Brand Matter For An BMW 3 Series When Replacing Tires?
The brand will play a major role in how it makes the 3 Series perform. Going with an off-brand or cheap tire can completely change how the vehicle was intended to serve.
High-quality tire brands like Michelin, Continental, and Pirelli will ensure peak handling and tread life.
Does the Year of Your BMW 3 Series Matter When Buying New Tires?
The 3 Series is a staple vehicle of the BMW collection. They have been in production since 1975, so you may have an older model.
What year a 3 Series is could impact the price and brand of tire you go with. Typically someone wouldn’t put a set of high-priced tires on a vehicle on its last leg.
What Are The Biggest Tires I Can Put On A BMW 3 Series?
I do not recommend increasing the tire size of the 3 Series for many reasons I mentioned under the best tire size. However, if you feel the need to increase the size, the largest you can go is an increase of five percent of the aspect ratio.
The aspect ratio is the middle number in the tire size and increases the height of the sidewall.
For example, 225/45R17, the 45 is the aspect ratio. So the largest size you can put on would be a 225/50R17.