BBS LM 18 inch Alloy Wheels

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Which Alloys For My E46?

When I bought my E46 330d I was disappointed with the condition of the original BMW MV1 (Style 72) alloy wheels.

Unfortunately, no amount of polish was going to cure the curbing, corrosion or flaking paint. Right from the start then, it was my intention to either refurbish the MV1's or replace them entirely.

Just in case you had any doubts as to how bad the alloys had got, take a look at the pics below...




I wanted to achieve a subtle yet modified look, OEM+ if you like, so I discounted refurbishing the MV1's. I also wanted to maintain the 18" wheel size, in my opinion they are proportionally perfect for the E46 saloon (sedan).

Whittling my shortlist down, these were the options:

• E46 M3 CSL's (Style 163M)
• E46 MV2's (Style 135)
• BBS LM's (Le-Mans)

The CSL's would have to be replicas of course, as the originals were 19". As for the MV2's, I kept changing my mind as to whether I preferred them over the MV1's.

After much deliberation, I decided that the bright contrast of the mirror chrome dish against the sapphire black paintwork would give the BBS LM's the edge.

18" E46 BBS LM Price

Unfortunately, genuine BBS Le-Mans (LM's for short) alloys are very expensive, as a result of being forged split rims. A set of staggered 8.5" front and 9" rear LM's will set you back in the region of £3000, without tyres.

Paying more for wheels and tyres than the car originally cost wasn't really looking like a desirable option.

Fortunately, I found a great deal on some replica 18" BBS LM's on bimmerforums, coming in at £450 for a staggered set of 4, and decided to take the plunge.

BMW MV1 vs BBS LM Widths and Offsets

The table below shows the width and offset differences between the standard BMW MV1 alloys and the replica BBS LMs.

Alloys	Axle	Width	Offset
BMW MV1 (Style 72)	Front	8	ET47
	Rear	8.5	ET50
BBS Le-Mans LM Replicas	Front	8	ET35
	Rear	9	ET45

It's important to check the width and offset of the wheels you're buying, you could end up with a wheel that won't clear the suspension or, conversely, scrubs the arches.

There are plenty of websites out there that allow you to compare your current wheels to the ones you're thinking of fitting, my favourite is Will They Fit.

Using the Will They Fit comparison tool, this is how the wheels stack up.

Front and Rear

Pretty much bang on then, an increase in track width of 11-12mm per side and no strut clearance issues. Although it only sounds like a small increase in track, it should make a noticeable difference to the stance of the car.

Sealing and Protecting the New Alloy Wheels

Having spent a fair chunk of money on some brand new wheels, I wanted to make sure they stayed protected and looking their best for the foreseeable future.

I had heard and read a lot of good feedback about Poorboy's Wheel Sealant*, so I ordered an 8oz tub.

Before getting the tyres fitted, I spent some time putting two coats of Poorboy's* on all of the wheels, inside and out, applying with a fresh microfibre cloth and buffing off with another.

Much like the good reviews I'd read, my experience of Poorboy's sealant was good too. It's an odd consistency, kinda like a thick Angel Delight, it smells great too. Application is effortless, as is buffing off once it's hazed over. I'd definitely recommend having a pot in your detailing kit bag. (It's not just good for wheels either, I've used it on exhaust tips and other metal surfaces too). If you want to pick up a tub, click here* to go straight to Amazon.

New Alloys, New Tyres

To go with the new alloys I ordered another two 225/40 Falken FK452's from camskill, totalling £155.98 delivered. These would be going on the narrower fronts whilst the wider rears would take the relatively new 255/35 Falken FK452's from the MV1s.


Update: Having lived with the Falken FK452's I'd no longer recommend them, instead I'd highly recommend Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2s.




As before I took the wheels to Selecta Tyre for fitting, the guys there treat your car with respect, and you can stand and watch them do the work just to make sure. Here's one of the wheels mid way through having the tyre put on.

Custom Machined Wheel Stud Pilot Guide Pins

The E46 has wheel bolts rather than nuts, as a result there are no studs to locate the wheel on making it quite difficult to get the wheels on. My dad decided to machine some guides out of two old bolts, these guides are narrow enough and long enough to go through the holes in the wheels and can then be removed by hand and replaced by the bolts.

BBS Alloy Wheel Centre Caps

Included with the wheels were some blank centre caps and BBS stickers. I guess they don't come assembled to allow you to fit your choice of centre cap sticker. I decided to just go with the provided BBS stickers though.


Application was simples, just a case of peeling the backing off and pressing the stickers in place, then peeling the protective film off the front.

My E46 Saloon Fitted with BBS LM Replica 18" Alloys

Once on the car, I gave it a quick clean, with the wheels covered over, then added some tyre gel and took some photo's.
















I absolutely love the look of the LMs fitted to the car, the wider track gives a subtle but aggressive stance, exactly the OEM+ appearance I was going for.

Let me know what you think in the comments below, did I pick the right wheels for the car? Which alloys did you go for?