E36/7 & E36/8 Z3 non-M Wheel & Tire Fitment Guide

  • Updated

1997-2002 E36/7 and E36/8 Z3 coupe and roadster.

 

52015586731_62d1b41a5a_o.jpg

Front: 17x8.5 ET40 with 245/40-17 tires. Rear: 17x9.5 ET35 with 255/40-17 tires

Vehicle Covered in this Guide
1995-2002 E36/7 and E36/8 Z3 coupe and roadster narrowbody and widebody. 

This guide does not cover Z3M models. Please see our Z3M Fitment guide for those models. 

Narrowbody VS Widebody

Pre-facelift (non-LCI) models (production dates before April of 1999) had both a narrowbody and widebody version of the car depending on the engine. This difference affected the rear track width and fenders. 4 cylinder models were narrowbody cars while 6 cylinder cars were widebody cars. 

Post-facelift LCI models all share the same widebody regardless of engine type. Z3M models share the same wide body but have shorter axles allowing them to run wider rear wheels and lower offsets. M models are not covered in this guide.

Send us your photos!

Are you running APEX wheels on your non-M Z3? We would love to see and share your pictures! Email your photos and fitment notes to support@apexraceparts.com for a chance to be featured! 

 

Forged Designs  Flow Formed Designs 
 ARC-8R EC-7R VS-5RS ARC-8 EC-7 FL-5 SM-10
arc8r-brushed-concave_5.png
Order Here
 ec7r-brushed-shallow_1.png
Order Here

VS5RS1810ET25_Brushed_2K_01-500.png

Order Here

 18-arc8-5120-hs-profile3_10.png
Order Here		 18-ec7-5120-rs-profile3_4.png
Order Here

18-fl5-5120-rs-deeplip_1.png

Order Here

18-sm10-5120-rs-profile3_6.png

Order Here

 

Bolt Pattern Center Bore Lug Seat Thread Pitch
5x120mm 72.56mm 60º Conical M12x1.5mm

 

 

NarrowBody Fitments

button-ordernow.png

As one would expect, rear wheel size is somewhat limited and offsets are higher with these fitments but we offer several options for this chassis that work quite well in both square and staggered configurations. 

Square Configurations

Recommended for enthusiasts that want to mitigate understeer and rotate tires front & rear for extended life. Square configurations may compromise rear-end grip when compared to staggered configurations.

Wheels 

  • Front & Rear: 17x8.5" ET40 (ARC-8)
    • Available in: ARC-8

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 235/45-17 
    • Direct fit with most street tires. Certain compounds that run wide may require additional negative camber up front. 
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer:Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)
  • Narrower Alternative: Front & Rear 225/45-17
    • Direct fit.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer:Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Yokohama Advan Apex V601 (280TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

Wheels 

  • Front & Rear: 18x8.5" ET35 and ET38 (ARC-8)
    • Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, FL-5, SM-10 

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 235/40-18 
    • Direct fit with most street tires. Certain compounds that run wide may require additional negative camber up front. 
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer:Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Yokohama Advan Apex V601 (280TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW), Kumho Ecsta PS91 (260TW)

 

Staggered Configurations

Recommended for enthusiasts that prioritize rear end grip/traction. Wheels and tires cannot be rotated front to rear and large staggers may induce understeer. 

 

Wheels 

  • Front: 17x8.5" ET40 (ARC-8) // Rear: 17x9” ET42
    • Available in: ARC-8

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front: 225/45-17 // Rear: 255/40-17
    • Direct Fit.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

Wheels 

  • Front: 18x8.5" ET35 and ET38 (ARC-8) // Rear: 18x9” ET42
    • Available in: ARC-8

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front: 225/40-18 // Rear: 255/35-18
    • Direct Fit.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Yokohama Advan Apex V601 (280TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW), Kumho Ecsta PS91 (260TW)

 

 

WideBody Fitments

52015835799_0b7f9ef269_o.jpg

The widebody cars have more room in the rear fenders and access to a wider range of APEX products as a result. The more powerful engines benefit from the increased grip wider rear wheels and tires provide while lower optimal offsets give these owners access to more concave fitments. Staggered fitments are typically what we recommend although square fitments can be run for those who wish to rotate. 

 

 

OEM+

button-ordernow.png

Easy upgrades for street-driven cars

These bolt-on wheel fitments are ideal for enthusiasts enjoying their car day-to-day on the street. They are typically paired with all-season or performance-oriented summer tires. These wheel and tire configurations will improve the appearance and performance of the car without requiring modifications or adjustments to the factory alignment. Just bolt-on and enjoy!  

While these wheel fitments can be used for track days and AutoX, performance will be left on the table. Drivers that prioritize performance should review our Performance Street & Track section below. 

Square Configurations

Recommended for enthusiasts that want to mitigate understeer and rotate tires front & rear for extended life. Square configurations may compromise rear-end grip when compared to staggered configurations.

 

Wheels 

  • Front & Rear: 17x8.5" ET40 (ARC-8)
    • Available in: ARC-8

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 235/45-17 
    • Direct fit with most street tires. Certain compounds that run wide may require additional negative camber up front. 
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer:Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

 

Wheels 

  • Front & Rear: 18x8.5" ET35 and ET38 (ARC-8)
    • Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, FL-5, SM-10 

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 235/40-18 
    • Direct Fit.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Yokohama Advan Apex V601 (280TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW), Kumho Ecsta PS91 (260TW)

 

Staggered Configurations

Recommended for enthusiasts that prioritize rear end grip/traction. Wheels and tires cannot be rotated front to rear and large staggers may induce understeer. 

 

Wheels 

  • Front: 17x8.5" ET40 (ARC-8) // Rear: 17x9.5” ET35
    • Available in: ARC-8 

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front: 235/45-17 // Rear: 255/40-17
    • Direct Fit.
    • 225/45-17 front tires can also be used as a direct fit.
    • 275/40-17 rear tires can also be used but may require a rear fender roll to fit without rubbing. 
    • All Season:Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

 

Wheels 

  • Front: 18x8.5" ET35 and ET38 (ARC-8) // Rear: 18x9.5” ET35
    • Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, FL-5, SM-10

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front: 235/40-18 // Rear: 255/35-18
    • Direct Fit.
    • 225/40-18 front tires can also be used as a direct fit.
    • 275/35-18 rear tires can also be used but may require a rear fender roll to fit without rubbing.
    • All Season:Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

 

 

Performance Street & Track Fitments

52016297295_19d6f002a6_o.jpg

button-ordernow.png

Wider fitments for enhanced performance

Whether you enjoy spirited street driving or you are a weekend track warrior chasing lap times, these wheel & tire configurations are ideal for enthusiasts looking for a more dramatic improvement in performance and they are typically paired with performance oriented summer tires or track oriented R-compounds. 

The suspension type,  alignment settings,  and tire brand/size can be changed accordingly to set the car up for either environment. While many of these wheel fitments can be ran with the factory alignment, if you plan to track the car we highly recommended dialing in negative camber to improve handling and to extract the most performance and longevity out of your tires. See fitment notes under each tire configuration below to see if modifications are required.

 

Square Configurations

Recommended for enthusiasts that want to mitigate understeer and rotate tires front & rear for extended life. Square configurations may compromise rear-end grip when compared to staggered configurations.

 

Wheels 

  • Front & Rear: 17x9" ET30
    • Available in: ARC-8, VS-5RS

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 245/40-17 
    • Additional front negative camber required.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer:Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

Wheels 

  • Front & Rear: 18x9" ET30 or ET31 (EC-7)
    • Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, FL-5, SM-10, VS-5RS

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front & Rear 245/35-18
    • Additional front negative camber required.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer:Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

 

Staggered Configurations

Recommended for enthusiasts that prioritize rear end grip/traction. Wheels and tires cannot be rotated front to rear and large staggers may induce understeer. 

 

Wheels 

  • Front: 17x9" ET30 // Rear: 17x9.5” ET35
    • Available in: ARC-8, VS-5RS

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front: 245/40-17 // Rear: 275/40-17
    • Front negative camber required
    • Rear fender roll required
    • 255/40-17 rear tires can also be used for an easier fitment
    • All Season:Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer: Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

Wheels 

  • Front: 18x9" ET30 // Rear: 18x9.5” ET35
    • Available in: ARC-8, EC-7, FL-5, SM-10, VS-5RS

Tires

  • APEX Staff Pick: Front: 245/35-18 // Rear: 275/35-18
    • Front negative camber required.
    • Rear fender roll required.
    • 265/35-18 rear tires can also be used for an easier fitment but still may require a rear fender roll when using more aggressive compounds.
    • All Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 (540TW), Yokohama Advan Sport A/S+ (440TW), Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS (500TW)
    • Ultra-High Performance Summer: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (340TW), Falken Azenis FK510 (300TW), Kumho Ecsta PS31 (460TW), BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2 (340TW), Direzza DZ102 (460TW), Sumitomo HTR Z5 (320TW)
    • Max Performance Summer:Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (300TW), Continental Extremecontact Sport (340TW), Bridgestone S-04 PP (280TW), Hankook V12 Evo2 (320TW)

Additional Fitment Information

Identifying Suspension Types
If you’re using coilovers, see the image below to identify which type of coilover spring you have, as it may effect your wheel fitment.
apex BMW z3 z3m arc8 wheels fitment

Aftermarket Suspensions Known To Reduce Inner Clearance
(includes but not limited to):

  • Bilstein PSS9 & PSS10
  • KW Height-Adjustable Spring (HAS) kit
  • KW Variants
  • KW Clubsports
  • Öhlins Road & Track

Concavity & Face Profiles
Each of our wheel designs is available in two or three different levels of concavity, which we call Profiles. The Profile is dictated by the width and offset, meaning wide lower-offset wheels will have more concavity, while narrow higher-offset wheels will have less concavity.

Available Face Profiles

ARC-8 EC-7 FL-5 SM-10
output_1-2-3-2.gif

To determine the face profile of a specific wheel visit the "Specifications" tab on the product page for that wheel. For example:

specifications_tab.png  face_profile.png

 

About Camber Plates camber-illustrated.jpg

Adjustable camber plates do more than just aid in wide wheel and tire fitment. They provide increased grip and reduced tire wear by spreading the load evenly during cornering. Learn more in our blog article, The Positives of Negative Camber.

Big Brake Kit Clearances
brake-clearance.jpg
We have tested many big brake kits with most of the wheels listed in this guide. Please email us with any questions related to brake clearance, we’ll be happy to help.

Still have questions?
Fill out our Fitment Recommendation form
Call us: 925-245-0773
Email us: support@apexraceparts.com