My E46 with BMW Style 225M wheels

[slo town]

Just a few pictures of my 2003 BMW E46 330Ci while out on California Hwy 58 today. Special ordered and bought new by me. I also have a set of BBS CHs/Cup 2 tires. I switch them back and forth.

225M package is: Front; 19x8 ET37, 235/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S. Rear; 19x9 ET39, 245/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S.
BBS CH package is: Front and rear 19x8.5 ET 35, 235/35 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2.

FWIW,

Scott

 

[JHZR2]

Nice looking wheels, I always liked that style. Can't imagine I'd like the tire price though

While some bbs style wheels look good, IMO those are too big and the openings too large for that car. The BMW wheels look much better.

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by JHZR2
Nice looking wheels, I always liked that style. Can't imagine I'd like the tire price though

While some bbs style wheels look good, IMO those are too big and the openings too large for that car. The BMW wheels look much better.

Yeah, high quality wheels and tires are not cheap. The BBS/Cup 2 package is over $4K. The 225M/4 S package is only slightly less.

Interestingly, the BMW Style 225M wheels are made in Italy. The CH/s are made in Germany (of course), and the BBS wheels are 5 to 6 pounds lighter than the 225Ms, depending on size.

Lastly, what's nice about the 4 S tires, they pick up far fewer stones than the Cup 2 tires. When the Cup 2 tires have heat in them you can hear stuff "pinging" the undercarriage, even on clean roads.

Scott

 

[IMSA_Racing_Fan]

The whole point of low profile wheels is razor sharp response and room for larger brakes. I don't understand making the compromises in ride quality and the added expense if the car isn't a heavily modded track day ride.

 

[Mr Nice]

Both wheels look great. ðŸ‘

I love this era 3 series BMW. Definitely a timeless classic with bodylines similar to a 911. These cars have nicer and functional interiors / dash than 90% of new cars sold today.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Nice ride...is it a ZHP?

 

[wings&wheels]

very nice

 

[jeepman3071]

Looks great! You must have smooth roads there, I only wish I could run 18s or 19s without destroying them on potholes after a week. A good friend has an F30 335i with the M performance package and 19" wheels. He has had it just about 2 years now, and has had 4 blow outs and one bent wheel.

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by IMSA_Racing_Fan
The whole point of low profile wheels is razor sharp response and room for larger brakes. I don't understand making the compromises in ride quality and the added expense if the car isn't a heavily modded track day ride.

2003 BMW E46 330Ci ZSP Modifications:

BBS CH 19x8.5, 35mm offset
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2; 235/35-19
Eibach Pro-Kit Springs
Bilstein Sport Struts/Shocks, E36 M3 Versions On Rear
BMW Motorsport Front Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates
Rogue Engineering Rear Shock Mounts
H&R Sport Adjustable Anti-Roll Bars, 27mm front, 21mm Rear
Turner Motorsports Adjustable, Ball Jointed Front Anti-Roll Bar Endlinks
Mason Engineering Adjustable, Spherical Bearing Rear Anti-Roll Bar Endlinks
Mason Engineering Front Strut Brace
BMW ZHP Front Control Arms
BMW M3 Engine Mounts
BMW M3 Transmission Mounts
Meyle HD 66mm Front Control Arm Bushings
BMW M3 Rear Control Arm Bushings
Turner Motorsports Rear Control Arm Bushing Limiters
BMW M3 Spherical Bearing Rear Lower/Outer Control Arm Bushings
BMW Group N Spherical Bearing Rear/Upper Control Arm Bushings
Stoptech Stainless Steel Brake Lines F/R
BMW Motorsport Cross-drilled, Fully Floating Front Brake Rotors
Jurid Front Brake Pads
BMW M3 Rear Brake Pads
Turner Motorsports Brass Brake Caliper Bushings
Borla Catback Stainless Steel Exhaust
Meyle Heavy Duty Rear Differential Mounts
BMW ZHP Finned Rear Differential Cover/Cooler
BMW ZHP Shift Knob
B&M Short Shift Kit
UUC Stainless Steel, Weighted Shift Rod
Mason Engineering Quick Shift Geometry Clutch Pedal Arm
Stewart Engineering Water Pump
Rogue Engineering Underdrive Pulley Set
BMW M3 Trunk Lid Spoiler Lip
BMW Motorsport Alcantara Steering Wheel
Center Arm Rest Delete

All modifications selected and installed by me. Except for emissions testing, alignment, and the BMW air bag recall people (all personally selected by me), not another set of hands have touched it. The chassis is perfectly dialed in. It has a stiff, no flex unibody structure, and an ideal combination of spring stiffness and strut/shock damping. Aggressive roll stiffness gives neck snapping transient response. It has brace yourself cornering grip and fantastic braking power. It's relatively lightweight and toss-able and weighs only 3,145 pounds (less driver and fuel). The chassis dances on the roadways, and that doesn't mean it's stiff and chattery. In fact, the ride is surprisingly smooth and supple. The only thing the car lacks is big horsepower.

Scott

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Nice ride...is it a ZHP?

ZSP.

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by jeepman3071
Looks great! You must have smooth roads there, I only wish I could run 18s or 19s without destroying them on potholes after a week. A good friend has an F30 335i with the M performance package and 19" wheels. He has had it just about 2 years now, and has had 4 blow outs and one bent wheel.

Car was never used as a commuter and I only drive it on smooth roads, which thankfully we have in the region we live. In fact, the car has never been driven in the rain or on wet roads, literally not once. Nor has it spent a single night parked outside. Even so I had wash the undercarriage yearly.

All the following pictures were taken when the car had 90K plus miles on it.

Scott

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by IMSA_Racing_Fan
The whole point of low profile wheels is razor sharp response and room for larger brakes. I don't understand making the compromises in ride quality and the added expense if the car isn't a heavily modded track day ride.

2003 BMW E46 330Ci ZSP Modifications:

BBS CH 19x8.5, 35mm offset
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2; 235/35-19
Eibach Pro-Kit Springs
Bilstein Sport Struts/Shocks, E36 M3 Versions On Rear
BMW Motorsport Front Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates
Rogue Engineering Rear Shock Mounts
H&R Sport Adjustable Anti-Roll Bars, 27mm front, 21mm Rear
Turner Motorsports Adjustable, Ball Jointed Front Anti-Roll Bar Endlinks
Mason Engineering Adjustable, Spherical Bearing Rear Anti-Roll Bar Endlinks
Mason Engineering Front Strut Brace
BMW ZHP Front Control Arms
BMW M3 Engine Mounts
BMW M3 Transmission Mounts
Meyle HD 66mm Front Control Arm Bushings
BMW M3 Rear Control Arm Bushings
Turner Motorsports Rear Control Arm Bushing Limiters
BMW M3 Spherical Bearing Rear Lower/Outer Control Arm Bushings
BMW Group N Spherical Bearing Rear/Upper Control Arm Bushings
Stoptech Stainless Steel Brake Lines F/R
BMW Motorsport Cross-drilled, Fully Floating Front Brake Rotors
Jurid Front Brake Pads
BMW M3 Rear Brake Pads
Turner Motorsports Brass Brake Caliper Bushings
Borla Catback Stainless Steel Exhaust
Meyle Heavy Duty Rear Differential Mounts
BMW ZHP Finned Rear Differential Cover/Cooler
BMW ZHP Shift Knob
B&M Short Shift Kit
UUC Stainless Steel, Weighted Shift Rod
Mason Engineering Quick Shift Geometry Clutch Pedal Arm
Stewart Engineering Water Pump
Rogue Engineering Underdrive Pulley Set
BMW M3 Trunk Lid Spoiler Lip
BMW Motorsport Alcantara Steering Wheel
Center Arm Rest Delete

All modifications selected and installed by me. Except for emissions testing, alignment, and the BMW air bag recall people (all personally selected by me), not another set of hands have touched it. The chassis is perfectly dialed in. It has a stiff, no flex unibody structure, and an ideal combination of spring stiffness and strut/shock damping. Aggressive roll stiffness gives neck snapping transient response. It has brace yourself cornering grip and fantastic braking power. It's relatively lightweight and toss-able and weighs only 3,145 pounds (less driver and fuel). The chassis dances on the roadways, and that doesn't mean it's stiff and chattery. In fact, the ride is surprisingly smooth and supple. The only thing the car lacks is big horsepower.

Scott

So...why didn't you just buy an m3 to start with?
I'm sure the cost would have been cheaper than the additional time, effort and money it took to get to it's current state.

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy

So...why didn't you just buy an m3 to start with?
I'm sure the cost would have been cheaper than the additional time, effort and money it took to get to it's current state.

In hindsight I wish I had. But at the time the M3 was over $15K more. For a couple of reasons I could not justify the increased price at the time.

That said, my E46 has been absolutely FLAWLESS. Except for the airbag recall it has required nothing more than routine maintenance. It has not had even the most minor malfunction. I've owned over 30 cars in my life and my E46 is a "happy car". Of the 30+ cars I've owned, only two others were happy cars; my 1971 TR6 (yep, hard to believe, I put 156K miles on it) and our 1982 Volvo DL (we put 172K miles on it) being the others. Happy cars are like unicorns. Everyone who touched the E46, Volvo, and TR6 the day they were manufactured was in a good mood and were exuding positive karma.

But I hear ya about the M3. And realize also, I would have modified the M3 as well.

Scott

PS Speaking of the TR6, that's me in my youth at the '72 or '73 "Duel At De Anza" autocross. Friggin' "long hair".

PSS Look at the length of the antenna! I must have been trying to remain in contact with one of the Apollo missions! Haha!

PSSS License plate blocked out. Incredibly, this car is still alive and has that plate number!

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Pretty amazing to compare the tire profiles on the TR6 with those on the BMW...different eras.

 

[slo town]

Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Pretty amazing to compare the tire profiles on the TR6 with those on the BMW...different eras.

Weird how a person can remember little details decades afterwards. The wheels were American Racing "Anson" style, 15x7. The tires were Semperit 225/70s.

Scott

 

[jeepman3071]

Oh wow. Those underside pictures are amazing, like it just rolled off the factory line. I doubt there are any E46's cleaner than that out there.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by Virtus_Probi
Pretty amazing to compare the tire profiles on the TR6 with those on the BMW...different eras.

Weird how a person can remember little details decades afterwards. The wheels were American Racing "Anson" style, 15x7. The tires were Semperit 225/70s.

Scott

Semperit was name in the game for a long time.

 

[Mr Nice]

The 2020 C8 Corvette doesn't have as nice interior/ dash as your car.