[johnung]

An XDrive Daily Driver wants great looks, handling & performance for daily commuting and family road trips. He/she wants an absolutely fun car that’s still comfortable & goes over rough roads/potholes with ease, not one with staggered 19”/20” wheels that rattle your teeth and cause white knuckles on the steering wheel.

I’m sharing the results of my 18 month search that at times felt like Indiana Jones or Monty Python searching for the Holy Grail. (A very big shoutout Thank You to Alohasurftoad for all of his help along the way!)

Well, I finally found my Holy Grail! (See photo)

This APEX wheel meets every single criteria and more for the XDrive Daily Driver. I won’t keep readers in suspense. I’ll tell you the winner now, and add details of my search for the past 18 months to this post every day or two.

APEX just announced a new 18x8.5” ET40 size for their Forged Sprint Line VS-5RS wheel that ships in May. (See photo) The APEX Group Buy is already a huge success with the maximum discount level already attained 18 days before this Sale ends on March 14th. Link below.

This is the perfect size for a square setup of 255/40-18 tires. (Square size means no concerns about damaging XDrive!) Fantastic for handling, comfort & looks! The tire diameter perfectly matches the F3x stock tires so speedometer/odometer remain accurate. Has none of the short sidewalls that make 19”/20” tires ride like rocks and be susceptible to pothole damage.

I’m installing 255/40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires on my new APEX VS-5RS wheels. All Season Continental DWS06+ or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S4 would be great choices too!

Below is a link to the APEX Group Buy (18”), a Sale that is only open for another 18 days (March 14, 2023). These wheels are available in six different finishes in limited quantities. So if you are interested in saving money, get your Group Buy pledge in before your first choice sells out.

I will post more details in upcoming days on why these APEX VS-5RS wheels in this 18x8.5” ET40 size are the absolute best for XDrive Daily Drivers. Hope this helps!

https://www.gangup.com/apex/?_gl=1*1...NIbVElM0QlM0Q.

[johnung]

XDRIVE DAILY DRIVER- BEST WHEELS!

APEX VS-5RS 18x8.5” ET40

Check out the APEX VS-5RS in this video…
https://youtu.be/UqYd5MSK-lo

Square Setup- is best for XDrive since all four tires are identical so there is no chance of tire size damaging a $4,000+ XDrive Transfer Case.

255/40-18 Tire Size- is best for the F3x because it’s the largest tire that can reasonably fit on the front, AND the diameter is identical to stock so no speedometer/odometer mismatch issues. Many excellent tires are available in this size.

18” Wheels Are Best for Comfort- versus 19”/20” wheels. Low sidewalls on 19”/20” tires have much less cushioning over rough roads and potholes.

18” Wheels Are Best for Wheel/Tire Protection. 19”/20” tires have a much higher incidence of wheel and tire damage from hitting potholes.

This new size of APEX’s VS-5RS wheel is absolutely perfect for a BMW F3x square setup with a 255/40-18 tire. This new wheel ships in May 2023 and can only be ordered right now until March 14th at a significant discount in the APEX Group Buy program. Link below.

.https://www.gangup.com/apex/?_gl=1*1...ZzdyUzRCUzRA..

[tturedraider]

Congrats on your decision! Even with a little bit of speedo difference, personally, I’d probably have chosen 245s for a square setup. 255s in the front just seem a tad wide for me.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Congrats on your decision! Even with a little bit of speedo difference, personally, I’d probably have chosen 245s for a square setup. 255s in the front just seem a tad wide for me.

I have actually been driving 245/40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires on my stock 400M 18x8 wheels for several years.

My experience convinced me that square is the way to go. Performance tires are expensive. When staggered wear unevenly, performance is reduced. So you either have to drive around with them at less than optimal or replace them early, wasting money. I rotated my square setup regularly front to back, so wear was perfectly even and performance optimal throughout their entire lifespan. No wasted rubber.

Knowing that my 245/40’s would be worn out & need to be replaced this Spring is what prompted me to ask myself the question “What would be the very best square wheel & tire setup?”

The 255’s compared to 245’s, add about 8mm to tire diameter and 10mm to tire width. The 255’s allow me to get back to stock 26” diameter. That should increase comfort which is a key priority to a Daily Driver.

[Runner340]

You got me thinking about a square setup with the VS-5VR in 5x120 | 72.56 - 18"x8.5" ET40. Oddly when I looked on Apex Wheels main page for BMW fitments the VS-5VR wheels are not offered with that width or offset in 18". Also motorsport gold isn't a color option though it's offered in other configs so maybe not an issue. So I'm wondering if this is a misprint on the part of the GangUp or a special run of the wheels are being produced for GangUp. Maybe worth contacting Apex Wheels directly to verify.

[alohasurftoad]

Originally Posted by Runner340

You got me thinking about a square setup with the VS-5VR in 5x120 | 72.56 - 18"x8.5" ET40. Oddly when I looked on Apex Wheels main page for BMW fitments the VS-5VR wheels are not offered with that width or offset in 18". Also motorsport gold isn't a color option though it's offered in other configs so maybe not an issue. So I'm wondering if this is a misprint on the part of the GangUp or a special run of the wheels are being produced for GangUp. Maybe worth contacting Apex Wheels directly to verify.

it is not a misprint. i believe their focus is on the release and group buy and they haven't had time to update their main webpage with the new size/color offerings. they've also added sizes/colors for other platforms as well.

johnung has been in constant contact with them over the past months about the 18x8.5 ET40 for F2/3/4 series.

i would say you needn't be apprehensive about jumping on that groupbuy for 18x8.5 +40 in motorsport gold. what color is your 340?, just curious.
.

[Runner340]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

it is not a misprint. i believe their focus is on the release and group buy and they haven't had time to update their main webpage with the new size/color offerings. they've also added sizes/colors for other platforms as well.

johnung has been in constant contact with them over the past months about the 18x8.5 ET40 for F2/3/4 series.

i would say you needn't be apprehensive about jumping on that groupbuy for 18x8.5 +40 in motorsport gold. what color is your 340?, just curious.
.

My car color is MG. Actually torn between the MS Gold for a change or Black on the VS-5RS

Currently running a staggered 18" ARC-8 setup with 8.5 et38 225x45 front with 12mm spacers and 9.5 et35 255x40 rear no spacers. Running a square setup without front spacers and something different for wheels is thought provoking and now is the opportunity to cash in on the group buy...

[johnung]

XDRIVE DAILY DRIVER- BEST WHEELS
APEX VS-5RS 18x8.5 ET40

CHOOSING WHEEL WIDTH & OFFSET

ALWAYS CHOOSE TIRE SIZE BEFORE WHEEL WIDTH, because tires have a specified wheel width range. TireRack publishes the wheel width range in the Specs section for each tire.

STOCK F3x 8.0” WHEEL WIDTH
A 245/40-18 tire specifies an 8.0” wide wheel as the widest wheel that it should be mounted on. So for the stock 400M 18x8.0” wheel, the 245/40-18 is often chosen. This is also the best handling tire for the 8.0” wide wheel. However 245/40-18 is a slightly smaller diameter than the stock 225/45-18 tire, so it sacrifices some comfort for the Daily Driver, and it effects the accuracy of the speedometer & odometer.

BEST SQUARE TIRE SIZE UPGRADE
255/40-18 is the Best upgraded tire size because it matches the diameter of the stock 225/45-18 tire, so there are no speedometer/odometer issues. And the 255 width and full sidewall height provide better comfort & handling. 255/40 is the largest tire that can reasonably fit on the front of an F3x. So for the above reasons, the 255/40-18 is the obvious choice for Best Square Tire Size.

BEST TIRE SIZE REQUIRES WIDER WHEEL
However the recommended wheel width range for a 255/40-18 tire begins at 8.5”, so new larger wheels are required. It’s easy to use the original wheels for winter tires or to sell them and put the money towards new wheels.

WHICH WHEEL WIDTH IS BEST, 8.5”/9”/9.5”
Tire stretch is the big issue. When a wheel is too wide, a tire is stretched when it is installed, causing the rim of the wheel to stick out past the tire. This leaves the expensive wheel exposed to curb damage, causes poor handling and looks unattractive. Too wide of a wheel also tends to make wheels/tires poke out of the wheel well, rather than have a nice flush with the fender look. Please see photos

8.5” WIDE WHEEL is perfect for a 255/40-18 tire. It looks great and the tire provides considerable curb rash protection for the wheel. A scraped tire sidewall is always preferable to damaging a more expensive wheel.

9.0” WIDE WHEEL is stretched, but it’s also accompanied by the problem that most available 18x9 wheels have lower offsets (see offset discussion below) that make them poke out of the wheel well, rather than appear flush with the fender. An 18x9 ET30 is an example of this.

9.5” WIDE WHEEL is terribly stretched and pokes way out of the wheel well. The expensive wheel sticks so far out that the wheel rim could probably be scraped completely around without damaging the tire. IMO a terrible look.

Note: If an APEX wheel is damaged by the original purchaser of a set, APEX provides a 50% courtesy discount on a replacement wheel. Details on their website.

WHICH OFFSET IS BEST
Stock BMW 400M Square wheels are 18x8.0” with an offset of ET34mm.

THE HIGHER THE OFFSET NUMBER, the more the wheel is recessed into the wheel well. So if a wheel has an offset that is high, say ET44, a 10mm spacer could be added to essentially reduce the offset to ET34.

THE LOWER THE OFFSET NUMBER, the more that a wheel pokes or protrudes out of the wheel well. So if a wheel offset is say ET24, it will poke out of the wheel well and nothing can be done to adjust it.

THE IDEAL OFFSET
For 18x8.5” wheels on an F3x, the ideal offset is about ET35/ET40. The APEX VS-5RS 18x8.5” ET40 is perfect because it fits on the car immediately. Then depending on a car’s suspension mods or alignment mods, a 3mm or a 5mm spacer could easily be used to fine tune the front fitment. I don’t think that I’ll need a spacer for my car, but It’s nice to have that flexibility.

More information to follow. Hope this helps.

[alohasurftoad]

that's a tough choice. your car looks great right now with black arc-8's. fwiw the 255/40 on 8.5 ET40 will be more tucked than your set up now. a 5mm or 7.5mm spacer will give a more "flush" appearance.

actually regarding the front, 225/45/18 ET26 top outer shoulder and 255/40/18 ET40 top outer shoulder would be at the same place. the lip of the 8.5 ET38 with 12mm spacer will stick out further than the 8.5" ET40 outer lip.
.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Runner340

You got me thinking about a square setup with the VS-5VR in 5x120 | 72.56 - 18"x8.5" ET40. Oddly when I looked on Apex Wheels main page for BMW fitments the VS-5VR wheels are not offered with that width or offset in 18". Also motorsport gold isn't a color option though it's offered in other configs so maybe not an issue. So I'm wondering if this is a misprint on the part of the GangUp or a special run of the wheels are being produced for GangUp. Maybe worth contacting Apex Wheels directly to verify.

Good catch. Actually it’s not a misprint. I have been talking with APEX about it for a while. This 18x8.5 ET40 VS-5RS is a brand new size so it is not listed or orderable through the website’s regular VS-5RS wheel section.

APEX did a soft introduction by adding it to the current Group Buy without much fanfare. I believe they will be releasing more marketing about it for the F3x.

So the VS-5RS 18x8.5” ET40 is orderable at a discount through the 18” Group Buy page between now and March 14, 2023. Delivery is in May. After that this new size will be added to the VS-5RS page at its regular price.

I just took a photo from the Group Buy page showing the initially available wheel finishes. See attached.

Hope this helps.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Runner340

My car color is MG. Actually torn between the MS Gold for a change or Black on the VS-5RS

Currently running a staggered 18" ARC-8 setup with 8.5 et38 225x45 front with 12mm spacers and 9.5 et35 255x40 rear no spacers. Running a square setup without front spacers and something different for wheels is thought provoking and now is the opportunity to cash in on the group buy...

Motorsport Gold really looks nice. Bryan at Kies Motorsports just put APEX Motorsport Gold VS-5RS on his Green G80 M3 that he drove to the show in Orlando recently. I think MG looks great on many car colors.

UPDATE: I attached a photo that I pulled from their FB page. You can see how great the Motorsport Gold looks in sunlight.

[Runner340]

I thank you for the group buy clarification and working with APEX to make a proper square DD forged wheel for the F3x xDrive.

Based off of my current setup the 225x45 18" frt on an 8.5" wide rim is the widest acceptable rim width in the range of (7", 7.5", 8", 8.5"). The 255x40 18" rear on a 9.5" wide rim is comfortably in the acceptable range of (8.5", 9", 9.5", 10").

I agree with the logic of a 8.5" rim with the 255x40 tire giving the benefit of rim protection and rotational weight savings which anyone who rides high performance road bicycles with CF wheels and lightweight tires will understand intimately the hill climbing and acceleration benefits. Same applies to Mtn biking with full suspensions and unsprung mass.

I used this to determine optimum tire/wheel width:

https://www.tyresizecalculator.com/t...ize-calculator

I also been doing a little wheel / tire fitment with this tool:

https://www.willtheyfit.com/

[alohasurftoad]

imo...for low profile tires with aspect ratios of 30/35/40/45, i feel the best width that optimizes a tires performance is the width that manufacturers use to determine a given tire's specs, aka the measuring rim width. it is typically 0.5" wider than the minimum width for the tire and equal to or slightly wider than the tread width of the tire, in the middle of the rim width range. the sidewall will be mostly vertical with maybe a hint of stretch and rarely bulge.

these are tire width/optimum rim width numbers for low profiles. deviating either way will result in a slight stretch or bulge but it is unlikely you'd notice the difference in performance unless you are chris harris.

225=7.5"
235=8.0"
245=8.5"
255=9.0"
265=9.5"
275=10.0"
285=10.5"
295=11.0"
.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

imo...for low profile tires with aspect ratios of 30/35/40/45, i feel the best width that optimizes a tires performance is the width that manufacturers use to determine a given tire's specs, aka the measuring rim width. it is typically 0.5" wider than the minimum width for the tire and equal to or slightly wider than the tread width of the tire, in the middle of the rim width range. the sidewall will be mostly vertical with maybe a hint of stretch and rarely bulge.

these are tire width/optimum rim width numbers for low profiles. deviating either way will result in a slight stretch or bulge but it is unlikely you'd notice the difference in performance unless you are chris harris.

225=7.5"
235=8.0"
245=8.5"
255=9.0"
265=9.5"
275=10.0"
285=10.5"
295=11.0"
.

Good stuff! We talked about how I went to the huge Kies Motorsports Charity Car Show in Atlantic City last July. I saw a lot of 255/40-18’s mounted on the front. They all looked slightly stretched and they poked out quite a bit. They were 18x9.0” wheels which usually have ET30 offsets that don’t look good. I like a flush with the fender look. The 18x9.5” that I saw were starting to look like Indy cars with their stretch & poke.

Alohasurftoad mentioned that my tire of choice, the summer Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in 255/40-18 has a trapezoidal like shape when unmounted. So it appears perfect when mounted on an 18x8.5” wheel, but stretched on an 18x9”. So it will look best with the new APEX VS-5RS 18x8.5” and the ET40 won’t poke. I want that nice flush look.

Here’s a shortcut to the APEX 18” Group Buy… https://bit.ly/3Sn3uMZ

”

[Runner340]

Originally Posted by johnung

Good stuff! We talked about how I went to the huge Kies Motorsports Charity Car Show in Atlantic City last July. I saw a lot of 255/40-18’s mounted on the front. They all looked slightly stretched and they poked out quite a bit. They were 18x9.0” wheels which usually have ET30 offsets that don’t look good. I like a flush with the fender look. The 18x9.5” that I saw were starting to look like Indy cars with their stretch & poke.

Alohasurftoad mentioned that my tire of choice, the summer Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in 255/40-18 has a trapezoidal like shape when unmounted. So it appears perfect when mounted on an 18x8.5” wheel, but stretched on an 18x9”. So it will look best with the new APEX VS-5RS 18x8.5” and the ET40 won’t poke. I want that nice flush look.

Here’s a shortcut to the APEX 18” Group Buy… https://bit.ly/3Sn3uMZ

”

Wish we had some pics of this wheel / tire combo on the F30. This is a costly decision and I'm tempted to pull the trigger so I did some checking of my own.

Running the 40et x 8.5 x 18 with 255x40's in the rear will be no problem and would be a more tucked in fit on my car. The problem I'm seeing is the front clearances. I measured my 8.5"x18x38et ARC-8 wheel with the mounted 225x45x18 PS AS4 tire (no spacer) and it was pretty close to a flush fit with the fender. I checked the clearance of the tire at it's closest point to the front shock tube. I have only 1/2" (13mm) of clearance with an 38et 8.5" ARC-8 rim and 225x45x18 PS AS4 tire. Running an et40x8.5 wheel will drop my clearance 2mm which on paper seems negligible. I measured the 255x40x18" PS AS4 I have and it's a little over an 1" wider compared to the 225x40x18" tire. So the setup with the et40x8.5"x18" wheel with the 255x40x18 will either rub or come extremely close to the front shock tube with little to no margin for tire swell or flex. I would say running a 245x40x18" tire could provide a little more clearance at the cost of some additional speedometer error and tire width which would defeat the benefit of this proposed setup.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Runner340

This is a costly decision and I'm tempted to pull the trigger. Wish we had some pics of this wheel / tire combo on the F30.

Actual photos of the 8.5” width aren’t available yet because the first batch is being made at the factory right now. But my buddy recently bought the same 18” VS-5RS in a different wheel width for the car that he tracks. Attached are some photos of his rear wheels with Paragon racing brakes. They look incredible!

[alohasurftoad]

Originally Posted by johnung

Actual photos of the 8.5” width aren’t available yet because the first batch is being made at the factory right now. But my buddy recently bought the same 18” VS-5RS in a different wheel width for the car that he tracks. Attached are some photos of his rear wheels with Paragon racing brakes. They look incredible!

295/35/18(26.1")=F3/4 OEM diameter. what width/offset does he have? not sure if it's the pics but it doesn't look as concave i would think for a 10.5"+ wide wheel maybe you could try them on, borrow his "shoes" for a day for kicks?

[johnung]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

295/35/18(26.1")=F3/4 OEM diameter. what width/offset does he have? not sure if it's the pics but it doesn't look as concave i would think for a 10.5"+ wide wheel maybe you could try them on, borrow his "shoes" for a day for kicks?

I believe the photo is 295’s over 18x10.5”. Monster staggered set for serious tracking. Hence the Paragon brakes.

He’s actually about 3 hours away. I’m not comfortable driving other people’s cars/wheels for whatever reason. May will come soon enough with my own VS-5RS. I’m like a kid waiting for Christmas!

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Runner340

Wish we had some pics of this wheel / tire combo on the F30. This is a costly decision and I'm tempted to pull the trigger so I did some checking of my own.

Running the 40et x 8.5 x 18 with 255x40's in the rear will be no problem and would be a more tucked in fit on my car. The problem I'm seeing is the front clearances. I measured my 8.5"x18x38et ARC-8 wheel with the mounted 225x45x18 PS AS4 tire (no spacer) and it was pretty close to a flush fit with the fender. I checked the clearance of the tire at it's closest point to the front shock tube. I have only 1/2" (13mm) of clearance with an 38et 8.5" ARC-8 rim and 225x45x18 PS AS4 tire. Running an et40x8.5 wheel will drop my clearance 2mm which on paper seems negligible. I measured the 255x40x18" PS AS4 I have and it's a little over an 1" wider compared to the 225x40x18" tire. So the setup with the et40x8.5"x18" wheel with the 255x40x18 will either rub or come extremely close to the front shock tube with little to no margin for tire swell or flex. I would say running a 245x40x18" tire could provide a little more clearance at the cost of some additional speedometer error and tire width which would defeat the benefit of this proposed setup.

Here’s a video that has some VS-5RS in it too.
https://youtu.be/UqYd5MSK-lo

[Runner340]

Originally Posted by johnung

Here’s a video that has some VS-5RS in it too.
https://youtu.be/UqYd5MSK-lo

Yeah I know what they look like on the M2. Different beast and wheel spec than the F30 platform with smaller wheel well width. M2's come stock with OEM frt 9" et29/Rr 10" et40's as does the F8x's. They can work on the F3x platform with the right tire sizes but have some fender poke.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Runner340

Wish we had some pics of this wheel / tire combo on the F30. This is a costly decision and I'm tempted to pull the trigger so I did some checking of my own.

Running the 40et x 8.5 x 18 with 255x40's in the rear will be no problem and would be a more tucked in fit on my car. The problem I'm seeing is the front clearances. I measured my 8.5"x18x38et ARC-8 wheel with the mounted 225x45x18 PS AS4 tire (no spacer) and it was pretty close to a flush fit with the fender. I checked the clearance of the tire at it's closest point to the front shock tube. I have only 1/2" (13mm) of clearance with an 38et 8.5" ARC-8 rim and 225x45x18 PS AS4 tire. Running an et40x8.5 wheel will drop my clearance 2mm which on paper seems negligible. I measured the 255x40x18" PS AS4 I have and it's a little over an 1" wider compared to the 225x40x18" tire. So the setup with the et40x8.5"x18" wheel with the 255x40x18 will either rub or come extremely close to the front shock tube with little to no margin for tire swell or flex. I would say running a 245x40x18" tire could provide a little more clearance at the cost of some additional speedometer error and tire width which would defeat the benefit of this proposed setup.

I just did a quick search and found a number guys running 255/40-18 on 18x8.5 ET35 or ET38. I think Polo08816 is running ARC8 ET38’s.

When we get down to talking a few millimeters, then the small differences of a tire model actual measurements, spring drop and alignment settings begin to play a role. I’m going to run 255/40-18 Michelin PS 4S.

I’m actually more confident with ET40 because I still have 3mm and 5mm spacer adjustments if needed to bring my fronts out to ET37 or ET35. If I already had ET35 wheels, then whatever they look like when they first go on would be it.

[Runner340]

Originally Posted by johnung

I just did a quick search and found a number guys running 255/40-18 on 18x8.5 ET35 or ET38. I think Polo08816 is running ARC8 ET38’s.

When we get down to talking a few millimeters, then the small differences of a tire model actual measurements, spring drop and alignment settings begin to play a role. I’m going to run 255/40-18 Michelin PS 4S.

I’m actually more confident with ET40 because I still have 3mm and 5mm spacer adjustments if needed to bring my fronts out to ET37 or ET35. If I already had ET35 wheels, then whatever they look like when they first go on would be it.

With my suspension setup with a conservative drop on Eibach Pro Kit springs and Koni Actives with a BMW dealer spec alignment done last year. I would not use my 8.5" ET38 ARC-8's with a 255x40 tire. I would need a minimum 5mm spacer for my comfort level. ET35's might be better for that tire size. But you do need to be careful with spacers. Do some research with the folks at APEX. BMW's are hubcentric. Having the wrong spacer can lead to vibrations/excess wear on your wheel mounting hardware. With my current staggered setup I do have some (within tire mfg range) tire stretch and a slight poke. I don't have any rubbing, vibrations or unusual wear patterns. I will say given the MPPSK 340i performance even though it's xDrive does wear the rears a little faster. So I'd say based off my driving habits I've ended up getting about 25K miles out of the rears and the fronts will probably last me 10k-15k miles more.