1996 BMW M3 tire and wheel sizes, bolt pattern and tire pressure

Bolt pattern 5x120 on every 1996 trim.

Tires for the 1996 BMW M3

Sizes most trims come with first. Open your trim below for its exact size.

225/45R17 front + 245/40R17 rear Best-rated standard on 3 trims · USA, Europe

Check price on Amazon · 225/45R17 front Check price on Amazon · 245/40R17 rear
225/45R17 Best-rated standard on 1 trim · optional on 1 · Europe, Japan

Check price on Amazon · 225/45R17
215/45R17 Best-rated optional on 2 trims · USA

Check price on Amazon · 215/45R17

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Trims sold in 1996: 4
Generation: E36 sold in 3 market versions
Other years: 1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
All years (1986–2026)

4 trims sold in 1996

Sold in 3 market versions with different tire sizes. Open a trim for its tire and rim sizes, bolt pattern and tire pressure. Trims with the same tires and wheels share a row.

BMW M3 E36

1992–1999 4 trims

USA

2 trims

M3 M3 +1 variant 240 hp · 3.0L S50B30 I6 225/45R17 91Y / 245/40R17 91Y 3 fitments

2 versions of this trim share these tires and wheels.

Generation: E36 · 1992–1999
Market: USA
Power: 240 hp
Engine: 3.0L S50B30 I6, Petrol
Center bore: 72.6 mm
Bolt pattern: 5x120
Thread: M12 x 1.5

Check price on Amazon · 225/45R17 Check price on Amazon · 245/40R17 Wheels 17x7.5 ET41 · 5x120 · 72.6 mm on Amazon

Tire size	Rim size and bolt pattern	Pressure, psi
Front225/45R17 91Y	Rim 17x7.5 ET41 ~~5x120~~	29 psi
Rear245/40R17 91Y	Rim 17x8.5 ET41 ~~5x120~~	35 psi
215/45R17 87H	Rim 17x7 ET41 ~~5x120~~	29 psi
235/40R17	Rim 17x7.5 ET41 ~~5x120~~	29 psi

How to read 91Y: 91 is the load index (up to 1,356 lb / 615 kg per tire) and Y the speed rating (up to 186 mph / 300 km/h). ET41 is the wheel offset: how far the mounting face sits from the rim centre, in millimetres.

Europe

1 trim

M3 3.2 316 hp · S50B32 I6 225/45R17 91Y / 245/40R17 91Y 2 fitments

Generation: E36 · 1992–1999
Market: Europe
Power: 316 hp
Engine: S50B32 I6, Petrol
Center bore: 72.6 mm
Bolt pattern: 5x120
Thread: M12 x 1.5

Check price on Amazon · 225/45R17 Check price on Amazon · 245/40R17 Wheels 17x7.5 ET41 · 5x120 · 72.6 mm on Amazon

Tire size	Rim size and bolt pattern	Pressure, psi
Front225/45R17 91Y	Rim 17x7.5 ET41 ~~5x120~~	33 psi
Rear245/40R17 91Y	Rim 17x8.5 ET41 ~~5x120~~	35 psi
225/45R17 90H	Rim 17x7 ET41 ~~5x120~~	33 psi

Japan

1 trim

M3 3.2 (E-M3C) 316 hp · 326S I6 225/45R17 91Y 1 fitment

Generation: E36 · 1992–1999
Market: Japan
Power: 316 hp
Engine: 326S I6, Petrol
Center bore: 72.6 mm
Bolt pattern: 5x120
Thread: M12 x 1.5

Check price on Amazon · 225/45R17 Wheels 17x8.5 ET41 · 5x120 · 72.6 mm on Amazon

Tire size	Rim size and bolt pattern	Pressure, psi
225/45R17 91Y	Rim 17x8.5 ET41 ~~5x120~~	33 psi

What these columns mean

Rim size: Rim diameter × width in inches, and the factory offset (ET) in millimetres, e.g. 18x7.5 ET25.
Bolt pattern (PCD): Number of studs and the diameter of the circle they sit on. It must match exactly.
Center bore: Diameter of the hub hole. Larger aftermarket bores need hub-centric rings.
Pressure: Recommended cold inflation pressure for that axle, in psi.
Staggered: A wider tire on the rear axle than the front. Front-to-back rotation is not possible.
Thread size: Lug bolt or nut thread — needed when buying aftermarket fasteners.