raptor5244
Active Member
19’s cost more to replace and are more easily damaged by potholes.
If you are referring to the tires, the Michelin Primacy tires on the 18s cost $283, the Continental Pro Contacts on the 19s cost $268.
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19’s cost more to replace and are more easily damaged by potholes.
19’s cost more to replace and are more easily damaged by potholes.
I've owned my LR M3 for 10 months, about 14K miles driven. Like many others I too wondered about the 18" vs 19" wheels. At the time I didn't know about the "cap hub" for the 18" tires that admittedly make the 18" wheels look pretty good. I'm also a fan of Michelin tires, which are the 18" default. I was all set to save the $1500 and get the 18" wheels, despite liking the look of the 19" better on my black (standard color at the time) M3, but then I found a review of the two different tires from Edmunds. The link is here:
Edmunds concluded that the performance of the 19" wheel/tire combo is significantly better than the 18" version. Fast forward to time mark 2:40 for the summary - better acceleration, shorter stopping distance, higher G loads on skidpad, and quieter (very surprising, due to lower tire pressure for 19" tires). His conclusion is pretty clearly stated - buy the 19" wheel combo. I did, and I'm glad that I did. The ride is fine for me with the 19" combo, better than the 20" by far, yet with enough added performance over the 18" combo to be noticeable (i've driven BMW cars for many years).
Try before you buy, but don't discount the performance and fun factor of the 19" wheel/tire combo when making your decision. Yes, it's a $1500 luxury, but to me a better use of money than a color upgrade (personal opinion - YMMV).
Test drive both. I did and this what I found. The 18s do ride better over less than perfect pavement than the 19s. However, TO ME, the difference was not enough to sway me; I could not tell the difference between them unless I drove them back-to-back. See my previous posts in this thread. I was concerned about ride quality between the two, the risk of bending a wheel, and looks. I made a few visits to the dealer and took several test drives where I drove 18s and 19s back to back and other where I only drove 18s or only 19s.But which wheels will give you a better ride? Or does it not really matter much? The roads around here stink and the stock LR (dual motor) seems more than enough car for performance.
Test drive both. I did and this what I found. The 18s do ride better over less than perfect pavement than the 19s. However, TO ME, the difference was not enough to sway me; I could not tell the difference between them unless I drove them back-to-back. See my previous posts in this thread. I was concerned about ride quality between the two, the risk of bending a wheel, and looks. I made a few visits to the dealer and took several test drives where I drove 18s and 19s back to back and other where I only drove 18s or only 19s.
I got the 19s but will say it again, the 18s drive smoother and quieter on anything less than brand new, smooth as glass, asphalt.
Edmunds concluded that the performance of the 19" wheel/tire combo is significantly better than the 18" version. Fast forward to time mark 2:40 for the summary - better acceleration
Ditto.Who cares about spreadsheets? The 19s look cool and make the car look like it's ready to stomp on a vette!
There's the highly rational self that counts beans and the irrational self that counts blondes! Get those 19s... life is short.
What was the range difference between 19inch and 18inch?I've owned both. I think the 19s drive and look better. I haven't felt like the ride is more uncomfortable.
Range hasn't been much worse for me, a lot if trips are still about the same amount of miles. If I had a far commute I could easily see myself feeling differently about it.
I purposely skipped the 19s on my first Model 3 because I didn't want to spend the money, and I still wouldn't fault anyone for skipping it for the same reason. I didn't mind the Aeros, I liked the better range (though I didn't have a reference point at the time), and I sincerely like the 18s with the Aero caps off. I got the 19s on my second Model 3 just to mix it up, but they've exceeded my expectations and I would pick them again over the 18s if I had to make the same decision.