Sorry that I don't understand how this works even though I have now done a preliminary search of this forum. I have been reading the forum for a few weeks, but travel enough that I apparently missed all the threads about 20s.

So let me turn the question around. I wonder if my spouse could live with the 19" OEM sport tires as long as the wheels were honeycomb? But how does that work? I have to buy the OEM wheel and then sell them and try and buy an aftermarket 19" that looks something like the honeycomb?

Although then again, since the 2008 is wider and longer than the 2004, I think the illusion that the 20s give reminds her of what we have and so that might be a deal breaker anyway. She is very happy with the styling and look of our 2004 4.4i sport with OEM tires.

LeMansX5, I know you are in the major league but what you are telling me still leaves a little bit curosity. That is because I had read in the other forum about how my OEMs were not fit for snow and so for maybe 2 years, I never drove anywhere with the X5 on snow. Then one day I was having so much trouble getting around in our commuter, that I pulled out the X and found that I could manage quite well in OKC. Now the winter trips and the mountains would be a different story, but I think you are telling me that the rubber itself of the 20s as well as the thread design is my enemy.

Thanks to all taking time to help even though this is a broken record for the regulars and experts. DumboX5, your note was cryptic but it sent me in the right direction to search for the pertinent issues.