Does the i3 need 175/60 rear tires?

[Dick Bunce]

Bought my 2018i3 a month ago. Dealer just told me I have 155/70 tires all around, all with lots of tread wear remaining. Does it matter? Must I replace the perfectly good rear tires with 175/60?

 

[eNate]

No. Base i3s came with 155 all around. Your door sticker should indicate what was originally installed.

 

[alohart]

No. Base i3s came with 155 all around. Your door sticker should indicate what was originally installed.

That's true for early U.S. Mega World BEV's. However, BMW quit offering the base BMW i Star Spoke (Style 427) wheel at some point (LCI?) in the U.S. I don't know what wheels and tires were on the base U.S. Deka World 2018 i3.

Regardless, as you wrote, there's no need to replace rear 155 tires with 175 tires, especially on a BEV. However, even heavier REx models use 155 winter tires on the rear. If the rear wheels on @Dick Bunce's i3 are 5.5" wide, I would install 175's when the 155's wear out.

 

[Dick Bunce]

Thanks! My 2018 i3Rex shows 175 on the door sticker for the rear tires but based on your advice I’ll keep the 155s until they need replacement

 

[eNate]

Should be ok.

Art is right, SOME base i3s I should have wrote.

I recall looking into this before because I choose a155 as an all-around spare. My recollection is it's weight rated even for a REX, but it'll probably wear faster in the rear, especially for heavy-footed drivers.

 

[JoeCool88]

It depends on the rims. If the i3 has 5Jx19ET43 rims front and rear, you should use 155/70R19 84Q tyres. If it has 5,5Jx19ET53 rear rims only 175/60R19 86Q tyres are allowed on these rims, even that the 155/70R19 fit perfectly.

 

[Dick Bunce]

It depends on the rims. If the i3 has 5Jx19ET43 rims front and rear, you should use 155/70R19 84Q tyres. If it has 5,5Jx19ET53 rear rims only 175/60R19 86Q tyres are allowed on these rims, even that the 155/70R19 fit perfectly.

Wow, thx for this insight Joe, checking the rims now…

 

[alohart]

It depends on the rims. If the i3 has 5Jx19ET43 rims front and rear, you should use 155/70R19 84Q tyres. If it has 5,5Jx19ET53 rear rims only 175/60R19 86Q tyres are allowed on these rims, even that the 155/70R19 fit perfectly.

No REx was originally equipped with 155 mm tires mounted on 5" wide wheels on the rear, just the front. I suppose someone could have replaced the original 5.5" rear wheels with 5" front wheels, but that would be very unusual.