Reasons to have Run-flat tires on your BMW

rcm3

Not going to lie… this site seems to be quickly transgressing into disappointing fanboy-ism.

That list is just basically the reasons why changing a tire is a pain in the ass. Are any of these things really a surprise?

Runflats are more expensive to buy, more expensive to install and offer poorer performance (used be BMWs mantra).

That is great that you can drive 150 miles on it at 50 miles an hour but how often is this really the most convenient solution? Most flats I’ve gotten have been while driving out of town on a trip. With the FULL-SIZE spares BMW used to offer, getting a flat was a 25-minute pause, after which I could finish my trip COMPLETELY without having to worry about a repair. I could drive at full speed, with unlimited milage and worry about the flat when I got home. Having a run-flat would virtually guarantee I’d be put-off for at least a day, and this is assuming I could get to a shop that can handle mounting these tires within 150 miles and they have a suitable replacement tire in stock. The likelihood of this is not good. My car would most likely be undrivable for 2 days or more at great expense to me and my passengers.

If BMW really wanted to address this issue appropriately three things would need to be different:

1. Run-flat tires should be an OPTION on all cars (except Ms), not mandatory.

2. Replacing your standard RFTs with regular tires should be allowed by the computer system without setting off the barage of warnings that are currently associated with running non-RFTs on RFT-equipped cars.

3. Including a FULL-SIZE spare in ALL new cars (RFTs and non-RFTs) so people with RFTs have the option to make the swap in case they are not near home, etc.

This all seems so obvious. Get with it BMW.

http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

@rcm3, that list wasn’t ours, it was just an example given by BMW. As always, I give both sides, BMW and the consumers, to tell their point of view. I don’t see the fanboy-ism in this. I’ve been contemplating for a while if I should just stick, like all the other blogs, to relate news, re-write news and that’s it, no personal opinions, no car tips, nothing…
- Liz
  
  I like BMW cars and believes BMW is a good company. It’s just that the dealer already told me the BMW story when I told them I didn’t want the run flats. It’d be much more important to get any test data or analysis that would possibly show more flexible tire material would deflect nails better than stiff material. What I’m guessing is that the run flats are more prone to nail puncturing. If this were true, shouldn’t it be the first piece of data that a consumer would want to and need to know?
  - Jason
    
    i’m surprised so many people are worrying about nails…I’ve been driving for 10 years, and I haven’t had a single flat tire(knock on wood).
    
    Granted with BMWs there are a lot of other things to go wrong…but that’s why I have my http://carassistants.com subscription.
    - BBQvp
      
      I have been driving for 40+ years. Until I bought my 3 series sport/premium package car I too had not had a flat tire. (lucky?) With this car and run flat tires I have experience 3 flat tires in one year! I have been told by 3 different tire dealers it is do to the run flat tire design! Next week I will be purchasing four new rims and regular tires. I will enjoy my car for now however this will be my last BMW. I intend to become a Mercedes customer. Sorry BMW you are losing your appeal!
    - Guest
      
      yea you go ahead and buy a mercedes, you think tires are a problem, hmmmm, your car will be in the shop more than you would be worry about tires…… Mercedes has alot of issues, I know atleast 10 people that own Mercedes and they wish they never had bought that car, it spends more time in the shop then with them at home…..
    - Tiprout
      
      and they have engine problem that are costly to repair
      (balance shaft) on almost all models.
      this appears around 60000 miles when the warranty is over
      so be careful e350 owners
    - Anonymous
      
      SLK 320 & BMW 335xi owner here. MBZ has 130k miles, and has been the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. Just avoid Audis — unreliable to start, and with a company that practically touts their lack of reliability as a feature.
    - Christopherlh
      
      I have had three flats with my run flat tires int 21,000 miles. Never happened with any other car. There must be something wrong with the tires…..
    - Royalt
      
      You are headed for worse problems with MB
    - BrettBuchanan
      
      Well BBQvp, unless you just won the lottery you had better stick with BMW. I’ve had 6 MB’s until I finally moved up to BMW. Now driving my 7 series and my new X5…(my 6th and 7th beemer) Im a beemer guy for life……Sorry Benz…you played on the name and not the quality for too long. Thanks BMW for “The ultimate driving machine”
    - Harry
      
      Jason, lucky you are indeed. In the last 3 years with runflats I have had 3 puntures, the last one 2 days ago on the motorway and it took us 4 hours with RAC’s help to carry on with a makeshift tyre, only to get home and not manage to find one next day ex stock unless I forked out 320 a pop.
      
      Ride is more bumpy, pot holes always hit the alloy and spoil the mood, I could only drive 30 miles before tyre shreded to piece (bridgestone).
      
      I just dont understand why anyone would want a runflat.
      
      Rant over.
      Harry
    - Rik
      
      A bit of necro-posting…
      
      @Harry:
      For as long as you have 16″ wheels, RFT are great:
      1) great safety advantage on highway (personal experience has proven this to me)
      2) great cornering ability
      3) reasonably soft drive (not much different from conventional tires)
      4) price is <+10% different from regular tires (as of end of 2012)
      
      At the end of the day, you pay a little extra (~ +10% in today's market) for the extra safety at high speeds – when it comes to life and death situation RFT tend to be better, sacrificing day-to-day comfort mainly on larger diameter wheels. However, I believe that modern 3rd generation RFT's have addressed a lot of the comfort issues too.
    - guest
      
      you lying heffer, I know you have had a damn flat, unless you buy tires every 6 months or drive on air, you are not perfect and neither are the roads anywhere
  - Vu2psn
    
    I have a 530. Changed all tyres to RFT in 2010. So far I have done 40,000 KM and i have a few nails in the rear left tyre. The price of RFT is astronomical. All the points of BMW is know, from the time cars were invented. It is a nice way for tyre company to make more money.
  - Vu2psn
    
    I have a 530. Changed all tyres to RFT in 2010. So far I have done 40,000 KM and i have a few nails in the rear left tyre. The price of RFT is astronomical. All the points of BMW is know, from the time cars were invented. It is a nice way for tyre company to make more money.
http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 Philip TALBOT

Hi Horatiu B.
I ripped off the rft’s on my wife’s Mini Cooper S after 6,000 miles of constant problems and replaced them with Yokahamas – best thing I ever did – tyre pressures remain constant – better and quieter ride – better performance.
I also had rts’s on my M6 that I couldn’t replace – visit: http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 to see the other unbelievable issues I had with BMW’s top of the line performance car.

Philip
- Melanie
  
  Did you find that the Mini had a smoother ride after you put on the Yokahamas?
- Deckomanilo
  
  Phil it Hanz Kuntz here VP of wheels at BMW. Can I suggest you watch yourself and your smart are comments or we will track you down and get holocaust on your arse
James M Cohen

I have solved my run-flat issues……..I’m dumping my 9,000 mil tires and replacing with Michelin MXV4′s. BMW of N America stepped in and allowed my to buy tires at cost. I did better than BMW’s cost at Town Fair TIre.
- Christopherlh
  
  What did you do about a spare tire?
DamienBut

I’m sorry but I totally disagree with you. I put ordinary tires on my BMW320d SE and I noticed an imediate degrade in handling. So much so I thought it might have been my suspension give out. I recently opted for run flats and I was amazed at the difference it made to handling. The car goes faster into bends and doesn’t feel like it’s trying to hold onto grip. I have no doubt that my model is designed to use runflats. The price difference is £10 per tire. That’s all and worth it.
- Rik
  
  Totally agree. I had practically identical experience. However, I believe that most of those that complain use 17″-20″ wheels. It appears that 16″ wheels are better suited for RFT (reasonably soft ride combined with amazing cornering ability), not to mention the safety benefit in case of sudden loss of pressure at highway speeds (talking from personal experience).
Lauralvnv

I have a 2003 BMW Z42.5i and need to get new tires. Been reading on reg vs rfts. Any advice?
Joseph O’Neill

Bought my BMW dealer Certified 2008 X5 4.8I with all the extras including Sports package less than a year ago.
Came with NEW Dunlop Sportsmaxx ( told the OEM replacements)
Wife stopped by a concerned motorist, told her the braiding showing on the inside 2-3 inches of the ties on the rear !
Exact mileage 11,000 , shchool bus and shopping , wife and Kids Car !
Must have been ilegal since 10000 !
This is unsafe and rediculous , replacement is $1400 dollars for the rears !
What are my options, emergency run to BMW tomorrow ,..
- PQ
  
  My 2011 X5 came with New Dunlop Sportsmaxx Run flat tires, after 1 and a half years, 13,000Km, those tires are gone. BMW asked me to replace 4 tires by CAD 3700. Ridiculous!

rcm3

@Horatiu B.:

No worries. I kind of regret throwing that comment in there, especially right at the top. It detracts from the rest of my comment which I thought pretty hard about. However, I do think there is a general lack of BMW-criticism on this site (constructive or otherwise). Although reporting news is certainly your first priority, having an opinion every once in a while is expected (and you do), and having a negative opinion every once in a while is inevitable (and I haven’t seen any).

There is no doubt that the introduction of PASs and POSs and all the new models stir up some controversy. I have an opinion and I wouldn’t mind hearing an opinion from somebody who is a regular contributor to a site like this. Afterall, this isn’t BMWnewspaper.com. This is BMWblog.com.

That’s all. I enjoy the site. Between bmwblog.com and my monthly Roundell, I don’t miss a beat.

I love driving my BMW, working on my BMW and following BMW. That doesn’t necessarily require me to love everything that BMW does. I’m sure many contributors to this site feel exactly the same way.

Anyway…

Cliff notes: Bring back full-size spares.

RFTom

I actually managed 27K miles on the OEM Bridgestone Potenzas before replacing (with still quite a lot of tread left) on my ’07 335i. Expensive? You bet! Especially thru BMW dealership. But I found an independent deal – still $1,200 for the set. My next set is going to be a conventional set, but I hear that plan’s fraught with danger, too.
Comments about the non-existent ride are dead on but I love the handing – don’t really have a frame of reference since this is my first BMW since the ’70′s.
You mention: “you love driving my BMW”, ditto here; “…following BMW”, ditto again; “…working on my BMW”, HUH? Without going into the lack of all traditional means of monitoring my BMW’s performance (we’re talking computer(s) here), I can’t even check my own oil – there’s not even a dipstick!

http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

@rcm3: No worries :) Criticism is okay on here, and you will see that I never delete any comments, regardless if they are positive or negative.

As far as criticizing them,well, I said many times in the past that I dislike the idea of a “PAS” model, I did change the tone a bit when I saw the photos. I also published not so positive reviews, I said that if you have a 335i, you don’t wanna buy the 335 diesel, and etc….

Sure, most of the things are positive and honestly, if I would start throwing more negative articles, it will draw traffic, but I will never do that just to gain a few thousand more readers.

And yes, my goal is to allow you, our readers, supporters, to express your opinion in forms of an article, I encourage and promoted this many times. It gives more value to the overall blog style.

Ok, moving on, great comments about the run-flats, and since I said that I will have an article with the disadvantages as well, please email me and maybe we can work together on this :)

Dede

I like the benefits of run flats, especially when my wife is driving the car with my daughter. What I don’t like is the rate at which I seem to get nail and screw punctures in the run flats on my car. Maybe my bad luck, but in the 7 years I have had run flats I have had 8 punctures, necessitating replace of 8 tires (one with only 35 miles on it!). While in the 15 years of driving prior using traditional tires, I had only 1, one single puncture, which I fixed with a plug. All sports cars, driving in the same area.

So I have to wonder, are run flats more prone to puncture because of the way they are constructed?

Charles

I feel the same way. I must have 4 already in 1 year.
cindy

After reading all the comments, I realize I’m not just having a bad stroke of luck. I have a 328i, 2007 bmw. Great car in every which way. However, I have had 3 flat tires in the 7 months of owning the vehicle. Costly and inconvenient. Its my first time owning running flats, and I had no idea. In 22 years of driving 6 other vehicles, I experienced a flat only once. Not impressed.
Bojangles

Why don’t you have them patched by a reputable tire service center.
- David_335i
  
  Bojangles… Run Flat Tires (RFTs) cannot be patched. You have to replace the whole tire. That’s the con. The pro is if you do get a flat, you can drive up to 150 miles at up to 50 miles per hour if needed.
  - gen
    
    If you have a bridgestone runflat you can do patchwork. I took my car to America’s Tire and they patch it up
    - Ray
      
      Yes, I have Bridgestone Potenza’s on my Z4 and had patchwork done. Tire pressure light turned off as soon as it was done.

Gil

I can’t deal with run-flats. I drive up to NB and NS (Canada) all the time (from Philly). I go through Maine, and the boonies of Maine is well, the boonies, and these small towns won’t have run-flats for replacement, nor to repair it. 150 miles and I’d be out of luck. I prefer regular tires. Which is my concern when I need to get a new BMW in about 4 months (X3 is at end-of-lease). I want to upgrade to an X5, but it uses run-flats! I don’t want another X3, either. Even the 3-series uses run-flats these days. What’s up with that.
So my choice, and it’s becoming one of those self-imposed “this makes sense!” stuff, is:
Get a new X5. Throw in a regular tire in the back whenever travelling to Canada thru the boonies of Maine, or,
Drive the LX470 to Canada instead, and leave the X5 at home.

Timb88

I am SO happy to be rid of those RFT’s on my 335xi Coupe. It’s like a new car ( a real car).

I’ve owned 9 BMW’s since my 1st 2002 in 1969, and I have never owned one (including my ’03 M3) that rode as poorly as this new car – RFT’s are a disaster in my opinion. What do I do if I get a flat in the desert, or out in the woods of Maine ? Bring a tent ? I have been very reluctant to take my new 335 on trips.

I live in New England. The ride on RFT’s can only be described as horrid. On a $60 k car ?

I learned that all 4 of my 17″ rims were BENT this past winter (we do not have the best road maintenance here). Any regular tires would have saved me this hassle.

I learned of the 4 bent rims when one particularly large pothole ripped the sidewall of my Right Front RFT. I was in traffic and could NOT safely avoid the pot holes; for any of you Ace drivers out there – I have driven well over a million miles with no accidents since 1973. I drive fast cars fast where appropriate.

When the dealer fixed the front rim, he informed me that all 4 rims were bent (but drivable).

This gave me the excuse finally, to call Tire Rack and have them mount 4 Michelins on new rims ($1068 from Tire rack including pressure sensors and decent wheels). I ordered a compact spare, and am now ready to travel OUTSIDE of a radius of 50 miles from a BMW dealer. I feel much safer and have my “Real BMW ride and handling” as it should have been since new.

I tell ALL my friends to demand stock tires and a compact spare IF you buy a BMW. Tell ‘em to take the RFT’s back to Europe.

Tim in Providence
- dmlgc
  
  “What do I do if I get a flat in the desert, or out in the woods of Maine ?”
  
  I had this happen when visiting friends in Arizona in the middle of summer ( temp was 112F). I was about 50 miles outside of Tempe in the middle of the desert ( I was doing contract work for the Army) and when I came back to my X6 I noticed the right rear was flat (as flat as a RFT can go). I decided it was time to see if RFT were all they were suppose to be, I drove at 50 mph back into town ( car rode pretty good) and took to BMW dealer in Chandler and had them replace the tire.
  
  Now I am sure there are some macho men that would be able to change a non RFT but it was 10am and getting hotter by the minute, I was glad I had RFT.
  So I think it depends on the environments you normally drive in as to are RFT worth the cost.
  
  So Timb88 the answer is you drive to town at 50MPH or less. Think about this scenario you have non RFT and you get two flats what would you do, most cars only carry one spare.

biker

run flat is a never ending story here in germany
it’s one of the greatest mistake in history of bmw

Max_rider39

I so agree with you, not only a mistake in Germany also over here in North America. I had a Z4 3.5i and experienced a nightmare vacation trip across the USA (planned retirement trip). After 18,000 KM both my rear wheels developed cracks in the outer rim (one wheel replaced back in Canada the other was not since the US BMW dealership used a tire shop to change out to a new wheel – BMW in that US dealership did not have a tire machine for my wheels can you believe it).

Long story short I got rid of my Z4 and purchased a M3 with normal tires, you might ask why, well I still like BMW, however, the people that changed to RFT should have there head examined. I think that the RFT and the 2.5 degree camber on my Z4 as well as the stiff sidewall of the RFT contributed greatly to the wheel failures of my then barely used Z4.

Shame on BMW not giving your Customers the choice to select None-RFT or RFT. In my opinion this is something that will eventually lead to many people selecting other cars then a BMW. I would have too if I would not have found the car I wanted without the ugly RFT.

Mercedes tried RFT then discontinued why can you not do it BMW? Give your Customers a choice at least.
Ldbiker

Just had a flat with my run flats – BMW 330xi – couldn’t drive it as sidewall did not maintain its structure – so had to get towed, since I don’t have a spare! So no benefit to the run flat, (and even BMW couldn’t get me one quickly – so 2 days with no car) and they definitely do not last as long or ride as well. Of course when I talked with BMW service center they strongly advised against going to conventional tires as the rims as “specially designed” for the run flats.

M

Run flats are the main reason why I am not buying a BMW.
If BMW is really after customer satisfaction and safety, then offer both types of tires, with spares, and let the customer choose. I guarantee you, less than 10% will order RFTs.
BMWs used to be great cars to drive, now they are becoming so delicate…full of complex technologies which only make initial and running costs very high!!!
Cars ride on tires, RFTs worsen the ride quality, they are noisy, hard to repair or replace, very expensive, do not look as good…etc.
BMW, if you care, and I don’t think you do, scrap RFTs.

Doug

You guys made lots of excellent points. I basically agree.

Supposedly the ’09s were going to get a new generation of runflats that were much more pliable and made the handling very close to what the normal tires were. What came of this? Has anyone noticed a difference from a test drive?

The real problem is that BMWs go through tires so quickly that the added expense is a real drawback, especially on top of all these tradeoffs. To boot, you need to go to a place that can supply the same tires and is skilled at changing run-flats. Would that be your BMW dealer? Their fees tend to be very, very high for work excluded from the warranty.

http://www.reifen-sofort.at/ reifen online

Its very informative, i would still prefer to run my tires full like what you said it hinders the stirring and handling capabilities will be reduced…nice article

Lance

@rcm3: I completely agree with you here. BMW must start waking up! This Run flat business is not a favourable option.

Ignatius Reilly

Yeah, thanks for keeping us safe, BMW! Sheesh. They do not, repeat do not, recommend you take the risk of using non-runflats, but they will sell you a mobility kit. They don’t miss a trick do they? BMW cars? Great. BMW the company? Not so much…

Lance

I am against Run Flats and yes, BMW was just giving us all the normal procedures for changing the tyres and comparing it to letting someone else do it… I was wondering if they ever thought of BMW On Call?? If it was a BMW owner who did not feel like changing the tyre herself/himself, then they are entitled to call BMW On Call to come and assist – may be they were thinking that they could reduce the call out expense to customers.

Anyway, here’s my list of why the company wants RFT on their cars:

– Reduced expense on Call Out service to assist with tyre change
– Reduced cost of production as there’s no spare
– Weight reduction for their cars
– some limited benefits to customers
– Possibly more business for tyre manufacturers (explained later)

Why you shouldn’t get RFT:

– Lifespan is half of that of normal (even with regular monitor of pressures)
– costs 50% more than normal tyres on average
– the ride is terribly uncomfortable, especially if you have 17″ upwards (which actually makes me wonder about their statement of the car suspension being specially designed for the RFT – that’s non-sense, did they especially design another or set up the suspension for 17′, 18′, etc individually??? Obviously not, because my car’s vibration is so much on a rougher road that I worry something can easily loosen up and rattles seem to be more prominent as well)
– replace your tyres when you have a puncture (no exception)
– increase the running costs of ownership. normally a tyre lasts you a good average of 80000km. Now you probably have to change it twice before trading the car in for a new one when you didn’t have to worry about tyres in the past.
– not all tyre shops have RFT
– not all tyre shops have the necessary equipment to deal with RFT and rims (I know tyre outlets that have broken BMW RF rims with their machines when taking out RFT tyres)
– unpleasant ownership as you always have to worry about getting a puncture and always hoping that the warning does not appear

So do you actually think that the benefits out weights the disadvantages? Not to me at all. All you need is a tyre pressure monitor that will tell me whether the tyres are losing pressure and have a system that can tell me which one (normal or RF). If I am in town, I’ll pump it up at a fuel station or dealership. If I’m outside town, I’ll change it myself provided there’s no garage near by. Like another comment mentioned, the problems and time spent on replacing a RFT may be far greater than changing the normal tyre yourself.

So what’s in it for a customer? They are now being forced to buy a product that they do not believe in – BMW will definitely lose out in this one. Many customers would rather go for a Lexus or Audi or Merc because their tyres makes more sense. Why have this worry all the time and why pay a premium for something that does not even justify it in the first place. I am sure that even if the RFT were selling at the same price as the normal, people would still choose the normal, because just based on costs alone, it will cost half based on the average lifespan that’s double of RFT. So whatever Efficient Dynamics techno or whatever they are trying to come up with to save fuel (save costs for customers), they would all be lost in the mere fact that you pay double for your tyres.

What customers want:
– an option for RFT or normal
– have a more attractive and durable RFT product (longer life span, be able to repair punctures)
– don’t come with this non-sense about the normal tyres will damage stuff on the car as BMWs are designed for RFT – we will definitely argue the fact that BMW is manufacturing a budget 3 Series model in the UK using non RF.

Most of all, most customers do not see the overall benefit as a valid basis for the price premium and all sorts of unpleasant experiences with ownership of a BMW with RFT. It would be amazing to see how many people changed to an Audi, Merc or Lexus because of RFT, and I can assure you, it would be a great percentage. Also, stop coming up with these restrictions on motorplan, etc. because BMW is taking customers for a FOOL! and I am terribly pissed off with that! When customers are pissed off, they leave your brand, which would be a pity. But it is unacceptable to force a sub-standard product (RFT) onto your customers, expect them to pay more and restrict them using motorplan benefits, etc. ABSOLUTEL BS!

VICTOR

BMW RUN FLAT TIRE
BEFORE YOU ARE GOING TO PURCHASE A BMW, BE AWARE THAT THEY COME FROM FACTORY WITH RUN FLAT TIRE, THAT MEANS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE A SPARE TIRE IN YOUR CAR SO YOU HAVE TO PAY EXTRA APPROXIMATELY $ 27 A MONTH ON TOP OF YOUR LEASE OR FINANCE FOR A TIRE INSURANCE AND THEY DON’T TELL YOU ALL THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO CLOSE THE DEAL, BMW SAYS THAT THEY USE THOSE TIRES FOR SAFETY REASON, BUT FOR ME THEY ARE A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SOFT THAT THEY DON’T LAST LONGER THAN ANY OTHER PERFORMANCE TIRE AND THEY GET FLAT VERY EASY, THAT’S NOT ALL WHEN THEY SELL TO YOU THE CAR THEY SAY THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO CHANGE THE TIRE IF THE RUN FLAT, YOU JUST HAVE TO SHOW UP AT ANY BMW DEALER AND THEY CHANGE YOU THE TIRE FAST, WOW THAT SOUND GREAT!, BUT IT IS NOT LIKE THAT, ONCE YOU SHOW UP AT THE DEALER YOU HAVE TO DROP THE CAR FOR A DAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CONTACT THE INSURANCE INSPECTOR TO GO BY THE DEALER AND INSPECT THE TIRE AND YOU HAVE TO BE LUCKY IF THE AGREE TO PAY FOR IT, AND ALSO YOU HAVE TO BE LUCKY IF THE DEALER HAVE A LOANER, IT HAPPEN TO ME THREE TIMES SO THIS IS NOT CASUALTY, SO YOU SPEND TWO OR THREE DAYS OF YOUR WONDERFULL LIFE JUST TO CHANGE A TIRE, WITH OTHER TIRE YOU JUST HAVE TO GO TO ANY TIRE STORE AND THEY FIX IT FOR YOU IN 30 MINUTES.
WORLD GREEN CAR AWARD 2008
BMW WON IN 2008 THE WORLD GREEN CAR AWARD, THAT’S IRONIC, BECAUSE THE RUN FLAT TIRE DO NOT ACCEPT REPAIR SO IT DOESN’T MATTER IF THE TIRE HAVE 3 OR 1,000 MILES ON USE AND GET FLAT THEY HAVE TO DISPOSE THE TIRE AND EVERY BODY KNOWS HOW CONTAMINANT FOR THE ECOSYSTEM ARE THEM AND IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT SOME ARE RECYCLED.
IN THE OTHER HAND STANDARD TIRES CAN BE REPAIRED AND LAST LONGER AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO DISPOSE THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LITTLE NAIL ON IT, THAT CAN BE REPAIRED AND YOU CAN ENJOY THEM FOR THEIR LIFE SPAM.
Neeaj

i have bought this used BMW 323i, which had just 50K on it yet the tires were almost gone. i am replacing all 4 of them and not sure what to do? weather i go for RFT or normal?
- Rik
  
  I’d certainly go with RFT in your case. You’re using 16″ wheels, which means you’re using a bit taller profile tire – ride should be relatively soft. If you go non-rft, you’d need to get a spare in the trunk (probably a “donut” type to be able to use the trunk) as well as look at some more expensive non-rft options to make sure you don’t change the handling characteristics of your vehicle.
  
  What a lot of folks seem to forget, is that a “donut” spare tire is rated 150km at ~50km/h, just like RFT (sinlge driver, low load). The donut spare costs ~300$.

http://indianautosblog.com/ Shrawan Raja

Quite an informative list Horatiu. But again, this one is controversial.

Ron Fitzpatrick

Agree with all the comments against RFL, I have had BMW,S since 1978,5Series Did not buy the last model because of RFT, due to change but if the new 5 out in Oct is fitted with RFT, I will be changing to Jaguar or Mercedes.

s. mc bride

would recommend using run flat tires i have a 07 x5 with new normal tires which keeps stepping out ,handling very bad cant wait to get my rfl back would not recommend normal tires on this model.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1481685743 Charles Pickett

Gees… after reading these blogs I am going to remove my Z4 RFT’s and install a regular tire, with of course, a portable compressor repair kit in the trunk. My tires have 8000 miles and show no wear – can these tires be removed without damage for re-sale to someone that wants a deal on OEM RFT’s?

joseph camlleri

I agre with the RFT comments. I have had 3 puncture in 2 years and and another one just today after taking a sunday drive across town. I agree that these tyres are susceptable to punctures as in the 8 cars that I have had with traditional tyres, I onlyexperienced one puncture. These are costly to replace and take the shin off the beautuful 6 series coupe that I have equiped with these horrible tyres.

Klaus Silberbauer

Hi,

Thanks for some great thought on RFTs. I have just ordered new rims my 2008 5-series (17″ style 138), and based on the above (and on the con-RFT post) I have chosen to order style 138 rims (only available as EH2) but mounted with standard Michelin Pilot Primacy HP 225/50 R17.

My 5 have a great comfortable ride on the originally mounted standard 225/55 R16, but 16″ look like crap on that car. 17″ is minimum, visually speaking. But my current 235/45 R17 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s are too hard and noisy. I couldn’t live with paying more just to get an even harder ride – and the comments about the RFTs being extra prone to punctures – well that did it for me.

Besides, I just had my first puncture in 8 years: A nail went through one of my brand new PS2s while doing 130 km/h on the freeway. The Tyre Pressure Monitor alerted me instantly (before I noticed anything in the steering), and I managed to get off the freeway to a safe place before the tyre was completely deflated. So even with standard tyres you don’t necessarily suffer instant death when having a puncture.

I’m sure the RFT technology will mature, but till then… standard tyres for me.

Greg Passlow

Run flat tyres again – I have been through the process of replacing tyres on my 3 series and again the same problems. Michellin dont have stock and none on order, Bridgestone have stock of the ER300, Kumho have no stock. Do BMW realise the difficulties experienced when you attempt to replace the run flat tyres in Australia in a city which is some 80 km from the major supply cenre let alone some distance outside the major supply centre. When will they revert back to a sensible solution for the Australian market.
The current vehicle is my sixth BMW and will be my last.

Lance

I can tell you now that BMW is losing many sales with their RFT concept that they force customers to accept. There is absolutely no choice between the two when purchasing your BMW. Even if you change it to non RF after purchasing, they try to stop you from doing so by limiting your motorplan cover as they say that the car is not designed for non RF and all this BS! What’s ironic is that in the UK, they brought out a low budget 3 Series with non-RF! So how did they manage to do that if they say that BMW are designed to only run on RF! Customers today want choice and flexibility. If you think you are so big and mighty that customers will just accept whatever trash ideas that you deem clever, expect sales to go down. This is one of the reasons why Audi is selling at amost 80% of BMW’s volume worldwide! BMW products with RFT and these barriers that they put on customers to prevent them changing to normal render BMW products less attractive.

Especially in these economic climate, we do not need to be paying more than $400 everytime we get a puncture!

john

The BMW spin aside, we have had 6 flats on our two year old 335XI. We are looking for a new car with regular tires as besides the inconvenience of constantly changing the tires if you are away on a 400 mile trip getting a new one is almost impossible and when you do hit a pothole and the tire compresses to the wheel and the entire car shudders something else not good must be happening to the car. This should be an option with a spare in the trunk. MOST INTERESTING, if you go to the BMW website they say nothing about these cars coming with run flats just in case you were hoping to buy a BMW with regular tires.

Lance

Even if it is just a thin buscuit spare would be ok with normal tires. Did BMW even do their research properly before launching this product and forcing it onto all their models, even the X5 has a RFT and it would be interesting to see how much it’d cost to replace those huge RFT!

What’s more interesting is that with the customers of the the first lot of X5s featuring RFT nearing their time for an upgrade, I expect them to stay away from BMW products again after an absolutely horrible experience. So we might see the sales of the X5 and any other models for that matter plunge. In actual fact, BMW is losing market share worldwide, while Audi is gaining. so this should be a wake up call and not put any blame on the currect economic situation. Everyone that I know and spoke to , except one person, hated RFT.

I suggest that all owners should enquire about the replacement cost of their interested vehicles before purchasing, factoring the reduced lifespan and puncture possibility into their ownership cost. Furthermore, testdrives must be taken on the rather rough road to test the vehicle’s tremendous vibration and knocks that they take from the hard RFT, esp if you have a 17″ rim or larger.

http://bmwblog.com Randolph Mitchell

I have a BMW 545I 2004 that has a spare factory installed and i have replaced my run flat tires. The non run flat tires are much better. I have not noticed any change in the handling and i have the sports package.

Jazz Dylan

Run flat tyres nearly killed me!
Bought a 2 year old 5 series which unbeknown to me had a repair job done on 1 of the rear tyres. obviously not checked properly by the garage! Driving down the motorway the car steering went haywire (no warning from the computer! no indication of a tyre problem) ended up crashing into the central barrier then swerving over to the hard shoulder.
Buyers beware!!!!!!!!!

Jennifer

I replaced the RFT’s on my 2005 545i w/ sports pkg in Feb 2009 and my back tires are now in need of replacement again, after 9,000 miles. This is absoulutely rediculous! As I look for traditional tires and places to install them, I keep getting told by the tire shops that I HAVE to replace the RFT with a RFT – and they will not put regular tires on my vehicle. I am told that they don’t want to be liable if I get hurt in an accident. Will a traditional tire make me more likely to have an accident than a RFT? If I switch to a traditional tire, will I be putting myself in danger? I am aware of the pitfalls of having a flat tire; but will these tires really cause my car to handle inappropriately? I did find one place that WILL put traditional tires on my car. Does anyone have any opinion on whether I am asking for trouble by putting traditional tires on my car, other than the pitfalls of having a flat?

gen

Hi Jennifer, i have a bmw and if you go to some shop they wont put in regular tires. again go to amercia tires. They will put in regular tires for you.

http://bmwblog.com Randolph Mitchell

I purchased tires for my 2004 545i on Tire Rack — the DSW Continentals for the front and the rear. I also have a full size spare. I have not had problems with having someone putting the non run flats on my car. I went to Merchants Tire and they replaced the tires that I purchased at Tire Rack. The car handles with no problems, smooth ride.

Jennifer

Tirerack has been great!

I bought a set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 runflats in Feb thinking a good quality tire and good rating would change the tirelife – WRONG when it comes to RFT’s! Thanks for your input.

Have you been pleased witht the Continentals?
- http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.
  
  I agree, TireRack is great, we had some banners on our site from them to advertise their deals, we might put them back.
  
  RFTs are tricky, I have Continental also, a bit noisy, but I don’t mind them.

S

I am on my 3rd set of run flats, 2 yrs, 50K. I have maintained all three sets BY THE BOOK..,2 the numbers!!! RUN FLATS SUCK!

s

I also purchased Michelins, same result. Again, didi everything by the numbers. They are soo loud I can’t even hear my radio. Its rediculous!!

s

So……are all ofyou happy with the regular tires instead of the run flats?? If so,,Is it necessary to purchase the kit…and how is the no trunk thing working for ya?? I do alot of driving..need room in my trunk. I am serioiusly thinking about making the sacrifice. Three sets of tires in 2 yrs is insane!! tons of money!!

Jennifer

My car actually came with a spare tire and a spare tire compartment. I know others who have just made the sacrifice and decided it was more beneficial to them to buy a spare to keep in the trunk. Space hasn’t been an issue for them b/c they have other vehicles for travel.

Jennifer

Apparently, my tire pressure was too high b/c the tires were bald in the middle. (Just the back tires) The front tires still have some meat on them. What really eats me is that BMW was the last ones to put air in those tires! In June too, so it’s not like the summer heat had anything to do with the air expanding. I can’t afford to replace RFT’s twice a year. I just bought a full set for our GMC 1500 truck (much bigger tires) and they were less expensvie than two RFT’s.

Gardner Gray

I went to my local tire dealer for KUMHO 225 40 18R W88 and was told that these tires are on back order for the whole county. The whole country! In order to make an argument about being able to go 50 miles an hour for three hours you have to have a dealer within that time and distance..and a tire waiting for you. It might be cheaper to buy another car. If I could figure out what wheels to get and what tires to put on the wheels that would not interfere with the brakes, I would get regular tires in a minute or at least when I had the money.

S

Gardner, I am right there with you. I am thinking of getting rid of my bmw because of the tire expense!!! 3 sets in 2 years…Got Michelans last time and they have been the worse of all as far as noise. I can’t even hear my radio. SERIOUSLY. Its freaking rediculous!

Ray

I’ve been driving my 520i on Dunlop 245/40R18 run flats for the past 3 years and in that time had at least 4 punctures, so I would suggest that they (RF’s) must be more susceptible to punctures. However, I was completely oblivious to the recommendation that they not be repaired up until recently when I got the latest puncture only to be told by the garage (one of the main chains) that they would not repair the tyre and that in their view it was illegal to do so. I put it to my local garage (independent tyre repair shop, who does work for BMW and Merc garages) and he tells me that its nonsense, and that yes they can be repaired. After googling the subject and coming across this, among other sites, I am looking to change to regular tyres, on both 1) the price comparison of the tyres alone, and 2) the idea that I’d have to spend EUR350 (as the back are 275/35) to fix what would cost just EUR8 puncture repair on a normal tyre. I only recently replaced the back tyres, with RFs but was going to go with normal tyres for the front which currently need to be replaced. Does anyone see a problem with this, ie runflats on back and normal tyres on the front? Is this going to confuse the onboard computer and am I insured? Any comments appreciated?

Jennifer

I have been wondering the same thing in regards to back and front tires b/c I’m in the same boat. I just finally gave in and bought all four traditional tires. I was too concerned with the handling and uneven treadwear on my new tires since the tow types of tires are made differently.

Ray

Just checked with my insurer and no problem from their side if I change to regular tyres even while back are runflats.

kim

I have 33,000 miles on my 2006 325i. i bought it as a certified preowned. i am now in need of my 3rd set of front run flat tires. I can’t believe it. Why would anyone want these tires on a car.?And BMW doesn’t seem to want to admit they are a problem.

http://www.buzzmaven.com Scott Clark

I have a 2006 330i with Sports PKG and Runflats.

BMW: Why not make the “storage” well in the back of the car large enough to accommodate an OPTIONAL compact spare for those cases where we have a puncture (>150) miles from the closest BMW dealer (pretty much the only facilities who can mount the tires, let’s be real.)

Those of us who drive long distances in the country with a full boot of luggage could then have a backup plan.

Run Flat tires have proven their worth to me. Having a puncture in the mountains of PA, in a thunderstorm, surrounded by high speed lorries, my family was able to drive on into a town where we settled in to a B&B whilest I had my car flat-bedded to the nearest city for tire replacement. Two days lost true…but family alive and well.

BMW should have paid for my accommodation. My end costs were around $1400 for the hotel, meals, and tire.

ABDUL RAZAK

Hello,
i am from portugal and recently bought 520 d lci automatic with RFT tyres…
I am very desapointed, They are noiser, we feel an hard riding, and and would really change them for normal tyres and will add spare tyre set.
Has someone said there are some advantages using RFT, but the choice should be from the clients and not an imposition from BMW,
Wish you all best luck and thanks for the opinions too.
See you beemers
Abdul Raza

Leong Tan

The tyre warning light came on my E70 X5 last week. They are 20in wheels. I had a slow leak and pressure in one tyre dropped by about 5psi. I checked at tyre shop and pumped up, and fingers crossed, it seems to be holding. Not sure why leaked.
Anyway, as we all know, they would have to be replaced. So, for those planning to buy E70 X5 with 20in wheels in Australia, consider this – the fronts were quoted at about A$950 and rears were A$980 EACH! They are only in stock at BMW dealers so you do not want to be driving into the great outdoors.
Oh, my tires have only 19K KILOMETRES on them, and the dealer suggested that the rears are worn and should be replaced….. sigh…a bit of a dampener on otherwise great car. Agree with all comments about making RFT an option.

MB

I will purchase my 2nd RFT on Monday …….. last time was 3 weeks ago. BMW has 24,000 mi. Am not happy. In 40 years of driving, I have only had 1 flat on a normal tire. Do these things have magnets in them to attract nails or what? MB

ST

MB, I feel you pain!!! Just put my 4th SET of tires on my car. I have had it for 2 years, 54,000 mile. Have I broke the record?? I would like to hear from all of you!! I went for regular tires this time. I will let you know!! Has anyone else used regulars? If so, what brand?? How long have they lasted?

Klaus Silberbauer

I’m using Michelin Primacy HP 225/50/17 (summer) and Michelin 225/55/16 M+S (winter) on my 5 E61. The summer tires are even mounted on BMW RFT rims. No problems what so ever. Ride is fine, no punctures.

Never used RFTs – never will.

ST

Thanks, Klaus!!! Keeping this info for reference!!

Klaus Silberbauer

Look, why do you guys care about what your BMW dealer thinks? It’s your car, right?

I just bought some nice RFT 17″ rims from an authorized BMW dealer and then got a tire guy to mount regular tires. He said It was just as easy as fitting tires to any rims, despite the extra hump on the RFT rims.

The computer doesn’t care whether you have RFTs or not. It just monitors sudden changes in the wheels diameter (from ABS data, I guess).

I had a puncture once (10 cm / 2mm iron spike directly into the left rear tire at 130 kph) with regular tires (Michelin Pilot Sport 235/45/17). The pressure loss monitor warned me instantly and I got off the highway before the tire lost enough pressure for me to feel the pressure loss at all.

Good radial tires do very very seldom blow up from a puncture. They tend to leak air, and with the PLM you’ll have amble time to get off the road.

Remember that in some countries BMW sells the 520i with regular tires and an emergency tire. So it can’t be that dangerous to run on regulars can it?

Bob

The negatives out number the positives. Did not have a flat tire in 15 years. Have had a 650i for 14 months and 8,000 miles and I have had 3 flats. $1500 later I start reading about this issue. Shame on you BMW. I am going to sell the car!!!!!

Larry

I purchased a used 2006 BMW 530i with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFT in 245/40R18. All tires looked good, but I failed to notice the left rear was actually well worn on the inside edge. On further inspection I saw it was a different series than the other three (2003 manufacture date versus 1208 – 12th week of 2008 for the other three, if you don’t know it, all tires are stamped somewhere with the week and year of manufacture). My suspicion is the tire had to be changed and was swapped with a used tire before sale.

I replaced the single tire with a non-RFT, Fierce brand (inexpensive off-brand, made by Goodyear I believe) which cost $120, and a $21.00 charge at Americas Tire company for the mounting. It is a visual mis-match (different tread) but the car handles and rides smooth and just fine on “normal” freeway and street driving. I use the car for transportation, not performance. However even at 85 mph freeway speeds I can feel no difference. I did have to calibrate the FTM twice, but it has stayed in calibration for three weeks and about 1,000 miles so far (long commute to work).

Were I to engage in aggressive driving, especially on tight curves, or on slick roads I might be concerned with the significant mis-match of the rear tires. I also don’t plan to rotate to put the mis-match on the front. I plan to run this configuration until the other three RFT wear out, then will replace all four with some sort of non-RFT.

While the independent shop where I bought the single tire could not remove the Bridgestone Potenza RFT because of the stiff sidewall, the Americas Tire store had no difficulty, and treated it just as any other tire change. As a note, I only brought them the tires and wheel off the car, thus no issue of them seeing the mis-match car mounting and any ensuing discussion of liability. I did have a discussion with the salesperson about the tires but he made no comment about replacing a RFT with a non-RFT.

By the way, my car does have a limited-use spare. The under trunk floor storage space is not deep enough for a regular wheel/tire or I would replace it. I am considering doing that anyway – the diameter will fit but the width will raise the floor of the trunk by about 3-4 inches. A small price to pay for the ability to continue a trip (we are often hundreds of miles from home) without the expense/inconvenience of finding a replacement tire (on a Sunday morning at 7:00 am for instance).

Ghaus

Excellent review. I just bought 2009-328i. I am planning to buy a spare and put it in the garage. Put it in the car when go on long trip. I wish I did not buy the car. If I get in tire trouble, I will sell the car and never buy BMW again.

Ghaus

ST

Larry, you review was helpful, Thanks~~I just replaced my runn flats with regulars…NO Noise! I am on the “Hunt” for a spare…..any suggestions anyone????

Larry

I did a google search and found a site with a large selection of BMW wheels, the cheapest (silver paint) about $170, with prices running up to $450. I didn’t do much searching beyond that and didn’t save the site. I assume I can find one again when I am ready to make the transition from the current emergency spare. I plan to do so when I replace my mis-matched set (see initial post). The Fierce tire (the single of the mis-match set) should have good tread left as a spare. The compromise will be the high-center in the trunk above the trunk floor.

Before you invest money I suggest you spend an afternoon, remove one of your existing wheels/tires and try to place it in the trunk spare-well. Don’t know if you have a legacy spare tire well or not since you don’t say what year/model your car. Recommend you try a full-size tire to be sure you can live with the inconvenience of the spare being in the trunk.

My 2006 530i has a depressed well that contains the emergency spare (narrow so it fits). The bottom of the spare well is actually deep enough, but there is a “bump” in the forward edge of the well that sticks up about 2 inches. It’s probably to provide clearance to the rear differential under the car. The “bump” keeps the full size tire from setting all the way down in the bottom so I’ll have to put up with some inconvenience for having it in the trunk in place of the narrow emergency spare which allows the spare tire cover to lay flat with the rest of the trunk floor.

I’ve done this several times in the past with American cars and it’s paid of several times when a tire has gone flat at an inconvenient time/place. I expect it is just a matter of time until this happens with the 530i.

A MURIC

I have bought 5 series e60 2006 2.5d. Before this one I had e39 version which was much more comfortable and solid. I’m only just now finding out that this could be partly down to RF – tyres. I love the looks of my black e60 bmw but the comfort is just gone. I have placed an order for new 18″ wheels off ebay but did not decide on tyres yet. Becuse I was not sure what type or size of tyre would be the best to go for. I’m not expecting massive diference but can anyone recomend regular tyre with the diference. And what size (225/40/18, 235/40/18). Is there any other size that I can go for on this size wheel and for the Car I’m driving. without affecting the ride , RF Technology, and poss gaining some comfort and protection to the wheels. At the moment I’m running on 17″ standard bmw wheels with run flats 225/50/

Larry

My 2006 530i (CPO car) came with 18 inch wheels. The tires mounted were Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFTs, 245/40-R18. I had no prior experience with a 530i with any other tires so have no reference for comparison. The tires perform very well (handling, noise, etc) but are very hard. Crossing speed bumps or abrupt driveway transitions is a very hard bump.

Given that, the size allows the car to perform well. See my previous posting about changing just one of the tires for a same-size in a different tire.

No other advice to offer from my current experience on these tires since about May 2009.

Richard

BMW have just launched the X1 in the UK with a choice of two wheel or four wheel drive and a choice of run flats or non run flats from new.
I understand that the suspension on all X1s is identical unless you opt for sports suspension.
I’ve only driven the X1 Xdrive 20d SE on non run flats but the ride is significantly smoother and more comfortable than my 120d SE on 16″ Continental run flats, however the driving experience is dulled somewhat but this may have more to do with the steering and suspension design than the tyres?
Having driven many 3 series over the years I can advise that opting for 17″ or even 18″ wheels over the standard 16″ significantly reduces ride comfort and increases noise levels.
Whether it enhances the driving experience is debatable – but it does not for me – and whether the theoretical enhanced road holding is usable in the real world on the public roads is also highly debatable.
It is easy enough to buy a spare wheel from a breaker if one feels that carrying it will help but I always carry a 12v inflater anyway so that I can immediately put some air back into a tyre if it loses pressure rather than struggle on and hope to find a competent tyre fitter within 150 miles – having by then ruined what was probably a decent tyre that only needed some air!

David

Here in the UK, BMW have withdrawn the option of 19 inch alloys on the 3 series coupe as the stiff ride on run-flats is cracking the wheels. I only have 17 inch on mine but the crashing ride has ruined my enjoyment of the car. Now I hear the new 5 series is to have run-flats too! I am going back to Merc for the new Eclass which has a superb cosseting ride and surprisingly decent handling.

K. Miller

I have a 2007 335 coupe with RFT that need to be replaced. I LOVE my car! I was surprised at how few miles most people were getting with them. I guess I should be happy I have almost 37,000 mi and have had to replace only 1 due to a screw. Thank goodness I bought the tire and rim insurance!! But sticker shock for new RFT’s in Florida is between $1500 and $2000 (BMW dealer – surprise). I have been told by a reputable tire person I can use palin old regular tires (he recommended Continentals) and save quite a bit of $$.
I would love to hear from someone who has converted successfully. Do I need to buy a converter kit from BMW? Will the change affect my 50,000 mile warranty?

Fil

Hey.I have 06, 325. Never had experience with RFTs but i can tell you they are noisy. Just switched my RFT to convetional Toyo Versada non RFT’s today because here in Canada snow riding requires good amount of tread. Reading through people postings, I decided to go with regular H rated all season tires due to all the cons. Don’t know if i made a good decision but as long as my warranty doesn’t suffer, i;m willing to sacrifice a bit of performance. Straightaway i can tell you that the ride is smoother and the noise is finally gone. i will re post in couple of days info on handling and performance with my new regular tires.
anyone out here with regular tires any major changes in performance or issues with warranty?
Thanks.

Carole

Please tell my how you find the non rft’s – I am ready to pull the trigger on the change and want to know if problems were encountered. 325xi 2006

Jenny

I bought my 09 BMW335i at the end of July, I’ve replaced two of my RFTs so far, and this is it! I’m going to change my tyres to normal ones. Are there any suggestions on the brands? Thanks!

Adriann

Just found this blog. I have the same problem and an 07 335i w/RFT’s
Did you replace your regular tires to normal ones. If so,, which brand. Thanks!

Matt

I have a 2006 325i. I’m up in Canada so switch between snows and all seasons. I have gone through 1 set of snows (BS RFT) and one set of All seasons (BS RFT). I am currently driving on Cont RFT tires and am looking for new snow tires. I, like everyone else on this thread am very frustrated with the cost of replacing tires. I was quoted $275/tire (BS RFT) along with a $260 installation fee(canadian $). I can get NRFT for $160/tire (installation included). The fact that they cost twice as much and last half as long as regular tires is inexcusable from a company that prides itself for its engineering excellence.

I am now investigating what tires I should buy for winter. I have decided to go for NRFTs. The million dollar question is what tires should I get. Any recommendations?

Steve

I really like BMW’s, and would love to buy one. The single issue which prevents me from doing so is run flat tyres and the lack of a spare. I’ll be sticking with Subaru for the immediate future. At least BMW could make RFT’s optional. In a country like Australia where I often drive over 1,000km they just don’t make sense. A lot of small country towns don’t have replacement tyres and even if they did, they cost a fortune, can’t be repaired etc. Might make sense for wealthy business execs in cities but not for me.

Azmi

Owned 2 BMWs already and now thinking of replacing the car. But the new BMWs does not have any option for normal tyres. Shucks… a stupid decision by BMW. I have spoken to them several times but they are being ‘thick headed’. Hate to move to Merc or Audi but I have no choice.

RFT is definitely out of the question. I will never use these tyres. If I want a harsh and noisy ride, might as well go for cheaper cars.

Daniel

We had a big problem with our 2008 X5 Continental RFT tyres. Driving quite fast on the motorway one of the back tires burst. It turned out that the inside of the back tyres were totally run down, while on the outside the profile was ok. Also the tyre pressure system didn’t say anything. The answer from the dealer was that there is something wron g with the geometry, later on we got an answer from BMW that it was supposed to be too little air in the tires which is not proven. It seems there is a policy of silence in this case, since I don’t get any real information on why that happened. We are considering making a class action suite if there will be no further response. Does anyone have had similar problems with this model and tires?

Thanks.

craig

Not surprised……2007 E70 X53.0d with 20in factory rims. So far only about to get 15,000km from rear tyres before inside edge is bald. Car has optional 3rd row seats with self leveling rear suspension which does not help. Fronts I get 20,000 to 30,000km. problem caused by solf high performance rubber on a heavy MV with independent rear suspension. My issues have nothing to do with wrong pressures or bad wheel alighments……I’m very careful to ensure these are all within spec….great car but at $850 a tyre can hardy afford to keep on the road at $3400 for a set of tyres that last 15,000 to 20,000km!!!!! Have tried the only two brands available for the factory 20in rims (Bridgestone and Dunlops) and no difference between the two as far as tyre wear is concerned.

ST

CLASS ACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have often wondered why this hasn’t already happened with BMW.
This could be “Just what the Dr ordered” to get BMW’s attention. I believe Toyota had a class action early in the program and got rid of their run flats all together! Perhaps it would at least get them to reconsider the run flat situation.

Azmi

Go for it. I support the class action.

Down with RFT

Ajay

I have 525 se e60 2007 buying a BMW was a big mistake I been driving for 20 years mostly VWs and audis The main reason i am saying this because in 2009 twice in the same year my car standstill on my drive because of snow and it would not move at all rear wheel drive and RFT tyres first time i had to leave my car on road side and all the other cars going pass me without any problem . On normal tyres i could have taken some air out to have more grip but RFT total useless . this time again the same problem . I am using taxi to and from station and some time had to walk becouse of no taxies. i am not sure if normal tyres would make any diff

Kevin

After 14,000 miles, the RFTs on my 2006 3 series were shot. They were always noisy, harsh over the joints, and tramlined horribly. Replaced with go-flats tires and never looked back. Go-flats were 5.5 lbs lighter a piece, which is massive for unsprung weight. Handling and peformance both improved dramatically, as did the ride quality–nice, smooth and quiet, what you’d expect of a BMW. I now have 22,000 miles on the go-flats, and they are about 1/2 way worn. I’ve never had a safety issue, so not sure why some tire shops refuse to install them, unless it’s the fact they cost 2x as much and last 1/2 as long.

As for potential flats, I now carry 2 cans of Fix-a-flat and my AAA card which, fortunately, I’ve not had to use.

ST

What arew go flats? I had to replace tires at 11,000 mile on my 328i. Then at about 36k, then at 54k. I put regular tires on my 328i…LUV THEM!! quiet, no wear…perfect! NTW handled everything for me!

John

335Xi, $53,000 with all the trimmings, 24,000 miles, 6 new RFTs at $380 ea., last blowout in the middle of nowhere I had to buy a $160 temporary to finish the trip and now I have to buy another RFT. I still have 7 months on the lease. Will I ever buy a BMW again? Because of the tires, never.

Alexis

From reading all the threats I have decided to change my RFT to regular tires. I drive a BMW 330 E92 Coupe and the only thing that troubles me is that since the car was designed to run with RFTs there is no room in the trunk to keep a spare tire.
What is the solution on this? Does any one has the same problem?

Susan Applegate-Hristu

Having been an avid BMW owner for decades, the runflats are sending me running to another brand.

Richard

If carrying a spare wheel is not possible then the alternative that I use is to carry BOTH a decent 12v inflater AND at least one can of tyre repair gunge and maybe eventwo after all they are not as expensive as a taxi home and using a recovery service!
That way you have agood chance of getting home or to a tyre depot either just by adding air and keeping an eye on the tyre and if that fails you the gunge should get you home.
OK so it will need a new tyre but so will running a run flat when its flat and normal tyres are a lot less expensive and a lot more widely stocked.
If you have a blowout you will need a recovery service no matter which tyres you are on – but if you do suffer a blowout at speed it must be said that with run flats you do have a better chance in theory of keeping the car upright and intact!

Sandra501

just purchased a 2011 328 for my daughter. After one week had to buy a new tire as she picked up a nail. Delaership did not have tire in stock so car had to sit there for a day. $320 dollars later she left with a new tire. Not a good feeling to pay that much money for a week old car and after reading these posts it seems to be the norm. Cannot believe BMW has not fixed this problem

Duncan Gardner

Hi

Had my 2007 325d Tourer for 2 months and have just discovered that I have no spare and it is not fitted with run flat tyres !!!!!!!! What the hell should I do ? buy a set of RFTs of an alloy and a traditional tyre. I am about to drive from the UK to the French alps so may not be near a tyre dealer with RFTs easily available (and will have chains fitted)

Any help gratefully received.

Duncan

Graham D

My wife runs a 3 series (new 2009). It does not have RFTs but it also as no spare wheel in the boot (trunk). It has a tyre inflator kit. I got 2 punctures on Saturday. One slow and one flat at the same time. The tyre inflator kit was useless and having no spare wheel, I was stuck.This is my first and last BMW. I was considering an X5 for me, but this run flat tyre issue and the fact I have a 3 series in the drive with no spare wheel has put me right off.

http://www.applegatemediagroup.com Susan Applegate

Not the best move BMW has made! Too bad they don’t have a legitimate option of RTFs without the spare or std tires with a spare. Put off to say the least!
James M. Cohen

Why no spare?

http://bmwislondons.com Mark Maycock

My 2005 520 has just had non R/F tyres fitted and what a diffrence. Much less tyre noise and less gritty ride.

Robert Droman

I just purchased my first BMW, it is an X-5. I bought it through my Lexus dealer, it is a 2008 with 10k miles on it. I have owned 3 Lexus SUV’s and a MB ML-350. This whole tire thing is new to me and I am very concerned. My very nice SUV has RFT tires on it-do I have an option to just get rid of them, from what I see and have read, BMW screwed up on this one big timw-help!

Duncan Gardner

Hi,

I have had enough and although am very happy with my325d tourer this run flat tyre issue means i am selling it. Fitted new set and drove to the Alps and back noisy and lumpy but the main issue is I will not be dictated to in such a way, the tyre wear and cost seems out of balance on what is a small car !! its not a sports car for goodness sake so why should I spend £250 per tyre twice as quickly as a normal performance tyre.

D

http://www.applegatemediagroup.com Susan Applegate

I couldn’t agree more Duncan. Love the BMW but sadly, the company continues to support their weak rationale for moving to RFTs to begin with. They probably won’t come around until they see others like us moving to their competitors and impacting BMW’s bottom-line.

Larry

I engaged this blog in November when I purchased a 2006 530i with four Bridgestone RFTs. Lately I’ve had to buy two replacements due to uneven wear (I normally don’t like unmatched tires but did so in this case for economic reasons). The RFTs are now on the rear (have about 20,000 miles) and new Riken Raptors on the front. They are an inexpensive, directional tread tire. I can sense a slight degradation in the previous ABSOLUTELY perfect, tight response with the stiffer-walled RFTs, however even now the handling is much better than any other car I have owned.

On the other hand, the ride is significantly improved, especially at high speed cruising on rough freeway surfaces (hard expansion joints, poor repair joints) which at times seemed almost shocking with the RFTS.

Cost difference is significant also. However, the primary decision is to sacrifice a slight amount of performance (really insignificant, although just noticeable) for a very-much improved ride.

I very seldom drive on anything but dry roads (S California location) so traction isn’t a significant issue. On dry roads the unmatched tires don’t seem to affect traction in general.

In the future I plan to buy a non-directional tread, non-RFT. Because of left-right wear patterns, I feel the need to cross-rotate tires for best wear.

Thus, the trade-offs… I do have a compact spare (not much better in a practical sense over the driving range of a flat RFT), but I plan to buy a wheel and substitute a full-size spare. It will take up some room in the trunk as it will protrude above the tire stowage area in the trunk, but again an acceptable trade-off.

Over the past 10 years I can think of at least 3 times when a no-air RFT would have been a major disruption to a trip, and probably extremely expensive to find a tire replacement in the situations where they occurred. Despite all the angnst about the “dangers” of replacing a tire, I believe it is controllable through application of proper judgment. Also, all three of my flat experiences occurred on parking, not while driving. Thus the “danger” was a non-issue.

The issue is a judgment call of choices. The reason I am undecided on replacing the BMW with a future will depend on the ability to add a full-size spare. I don’t believe I will be able to be comfortable with a car knowing that at any time (200 miles from any service in either a small town or the back country of California – even if that is on the I-15 between LA and Los Vegas) I could be in for a major inconvenience.

The RFT application is a practical option only in a city environment, or possibly in Germany where there are no far-out places. Although even there the cost factor of a forced tire purchase on a weekend is still present.

Robert Droman

Does anyone have anything positive to say about these darn RFT tires? I really like my X-5, if it is possible to go to regular tires I will..nothing is easy

Larry

The positive value of RFTs is the ability to drive off a busy road with a flat tire. From there one can call for assistance.

The alternative of a non-RFT (assuming the availability of a spare) would be to make the same short drive (would absolutely ruin the tire, and perhaps damage the wheel) on the flat tire. One would be in the same situation of either making a spare tire change (if available) or calling for assistance.

The major difference is the ability to drive a considerable distance on the RFT (claimed as up to 50 miles) versus a minimum (??) on a totally flat tire.

The other difference is in the case of a high speed flat (commonly referred to with the misnomer of a “blowout”). In this case the warning of a RFT might be the flat tire warning (although I believe a perceptive driver would feel the change when the RFT runs out of air) or else a minor change in handling. The result with a non-RFT would be a more dramatic change in steering. Depending on the car, the tire, the timing of the “blowout”, the location of the tire, etc. it could be dramatic. Having had only one such in 50 years of driving (happened on a freeway at 70 mph) I can only say it was less than dramatic. I heard the “pop”, felt the drag, and pulled over.

Thus, RFTs are the equivalent of insurance. Depending on your tolerance for risk (regarding life-threatening risk, you do drive on expressways at high speeds daily don’t you? What is more risky than that basic behavior of modern man??) you must make the decision for yourself.

In terms of driving, RFTs seem to provide better handling because of their very stiff sidewall, however at the sacrifice of ride quality. They do provide an opportunity and mobility for maneuver after a driving-flat. But absent a full size spare, they result in an inconvenience that may or may not be a major issue.

Until they become “standard issue” and are priced relatively to their added value my personal decision is they don’t have added value.

Liz

Not a good insurance if RFT’s are more prone to flat tire to start out with.

Larry

A comment about “risk”.

I lived for 30 years as an Air Force fighter and test pilot. Had only two engine failures (always with a spare), never had to bailout, flew fast, low, etc. After I was 30 years old, my life insurance rates were exactly the same as for any other American non-smoker (you don’t do that horrible risky thing do you?? – if you do, it would be cheaper and less painful to just have lunch in the middle of a busy interstate freeway).

We live with risk every day. The largest risk we as normal Americans encounter is get in our car and drive around the block, exposing ourselves to the uncontrollable risks of missed traffic lights, missed stop signs, missed lane-changes, etc. Look up the statistics.

The risk of a injury from a tire blowout are somewhere up there with a meteorite hit in the parking lot, etc.

The cost of RFTs over regular tires is probably the most expensive life/health insurance on which money can be spent. One is entitle to spend money as one wishes – wisdom calls for understanding the results of the spending.

Richard

I’ve cured the runflat tyre problem on my 120d – I’ve sold the car and will not be buying another BMW!

Duncan Gardner

Richard et al

Me too

Sold the 325d and bought a Lexus RX with a beautiful full sized spare tyre

D

SB

I live in South Africa and a mate was hijacked while changing a tyre at night,locked in the boot and robbed and almost killed. My girlfriend had a 320i M-Sport with 18 inch RFT’s and she did 52000km(+-32500miles). The tyres still looked like they could go another 15000km. With the potholes we have here she has never had a problem with the tyres. Between the 2 of us we have had 4 BMW’s all M-Sport with 18 inch run flat tyres and I am still a big fan of RFT. My dad averages 40000km per set of tyres on his Audi and Merc.I think it is about how you drive. 18 inch tyres for my Mercedes cost the same as 18 inch run flats in South Africa. RFT’s also protect your rims better than normal tyres(from experience)

Dante8878

@c77be87cfd6d017297afae76382f21af:disqus ,”RFT’s also protect your rims better than normal tyres (from experience.”

Well, my experience is exactly the opposite. I have had to replace 2 out of four rims on the past 3 beemers that I’ve had, all 5 series w/sport package. All w/RFTs.

Not only is the problem because of the RFT’s, but also the size of the tire the car is delivered with. I have had better luck and comfort with 245/45/18′s than 245/40/18′s. The fact that I changed sizes tells you how many flats and split side walls that I’ve had!

I love BMW for many reasons, chief among them that they are the only car company that has continued to offer a proper 5 speed manual transmission. But, I must say, my loyalty is being sorely tested by this tire issue and BMW’s intransigence in the face of customer dissatisfaction.

paul

i am totally disgusted with run flat tires. i have 55k on my 08 335XI and i am at the end of my second set of tires. The cost of of $1400 to replace the tires is bad enough, but what is worse is that after about 20 k the ride becomes so bad that every bump seems like a 2 ft pothole. I am on my 4th BMW and this is enough for me to change brands. I am done with BMW!!!

Mike

I have done with my bmw 328xi 2008 as much as 37K miles now. had only once a razor blade in my rear tire and have to admit it let me come back home (though it was just 3 miles away). But I still had to call for assistance and ended up without a car for 2 days since it happened on Saturday and nobody could repair/change the tire. Have I had the spare tire it would be more convenient and the bladed tire could have been repaired for 20$ in the non-BMW garage which works on weekends… the cost for the new tire was about 300 usd with bmw dealer. DAMN! now it is the time to change the full set and I look for about 1200$ for it. Having read the full story here I am looking now for the non RFTs – 205/55-16 CONTINENTAL ExtremeContact DWS 91SLW. And it is just 90$/ea! wow, 500$ save on this. I really like my BMW but I am not ready to pay over 1000 bucks just for tires even if I was lucky to go like with normal tires (about 40K miles).

though, can anyone say if I loose my 50000 miles warranty if stick to non RFTs???

K

Rft are awful! Sometimes you don’t even know they’re flat, and by then your rims are damaged! I had to change all 4 tires after 15,000 miles. I am considering changing to non Rft.

http://www.tyrebaydirect.com wheel balancer

I like to run on normal tyres for a reason that most of the time when you run flat tyres the result became worst.The cost of repair became much expensive and heavy on your pocket.It’s like prevention better than cure.

cathy brusseau

Has anyone replaced their rfts on a 2005 bmw z4 3.0 with regular tires. What was your experience? The inner part of my rear tires wore much more quickly than the rest of the tire, causing my tires to wear out prematurally. The dealer gave me the same “tire pressure BS”

James M. Cohen

I purchased a 328xi last January. I live north of Boston, MA and really enjoyed the car while driving in the winter snow and muck. But alas, the enjoyment ended with the spring thaw when I realized that my Conti RunFlat tires are causing my bones to ache and my CD player to skip. I understand and appreciate the safety benefits of the RunFlats but any benefit achieved from these rubber meets “hell” is not worth the poor ride quality and future expense of replacement. I do plan to have BMW of Peabody (wonderful service all around) take a look at the tires during my next service but I’m 99.9% certain that the RunFlats are simply run-a-waste-of-my-time-and money. I have learned from the dealership that replacement with conventional tires is not practical as the warranty is affected and, more importantly, the tire sensors will not work at all with conventional tires. I will most likely buy another BMW, but will never consider RunFlats.

paul

i also bought at BMW peabody and there Service Department is top notch. I have been told that regular tires messes up the computer system and voids warranties. I have decided that its time to move to an Audi with my next car. The run flat tire ride is terrible and Bmw refuses to give us options. Its over for the Bmw. My 2008 335xi will be my last.

Silberbauer

I think BMW’s story with the computer system is pure bs. I Denmark BMW gladly mounts regular tires on several models. All leasing models comes with regulars. And to my knowledge these cars have exactly the same computers as the ones that come with RFT as standard.

The normal tire pressure monitor monitors the circumference of the tire, not the actual pressure inside it. This works just as well with regulars as with RFT.

I’m currently leasing a 5-series with regular tires. If I cannot get regulars on my next one, it’s going to be Merc C or Audio the next time.

SFTUCKER

After 4 set of RFT within a 2 yr period ($$$$$CHI CHINIG) I switched to regulars. I have had 2 nails and my computer system identified both nails with my indicator light. No problems here with my 2007 328i. I LOVE MY REGULAR TIRES!!! smooth quite ride!!!

http://www.hotmail.com ExoN

..bs about computer system is pure crap..all computer does is rps check per tire and thats all..no sensor for pressure check inside..not at all..I have switched from crappy RFT to normal tires on my Z4 and car is A LIVE..no vibrations, no noise , very very sharp handling…wtf is wrong with this folks from BMW..

Jay

What year is your Z4?. I have ’08 3.0si w/o sport saspen and 17″

paul

BMW just doesnt get it. I will switch to regular tires after the RFT tires got only 22k before riding like a truck and then switch to audi on my next car

Gert

My 320 was in for 1st service on 34500 km, BMW advice rear tyres worn on inside and fron worn on outside (normal according to them) and I must replace all.

According to them I am extremely lucky to get 34500km. Previous 320i Individual with sport suspension had same problem only got 21000km on normal tyres..

I then bought a VW Jetta which gave me 65000km (sold it on 130 000 km) on a set of tyres no uneven wear nada.

Decided to go to “standard BMW” without sport suspension, what a dissapointment with product.. – I am getting rid of BMW this week. This is my last BMW, they lost their customer focus.

http://www.lukenet.com Luke

After 42000 miles in my E90 330d, I have just changed from run flats to normal falken tyres. I can only say the difference is huge, the road noise is reduced considerably, the ride is much smoother and the handling is vastly improved. I will never go back to running run flats again.

http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 Philip Talbot

Tyres!

My M6 went through 3 sets in 22,000 miles!

And twice I couldb’t get replacements. If you are considering buying an M5 or M6 DON’T DO IT!

Mine was a disaster from 1100 miles – visit http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 to share in my pain!

Rob

I just made the switch. I had Dunlop RFTs – they had awesome handling – just unbelievable, but the expense caused me to change to Bridgestone Potenzas. I am delighted. The Bridgestones handle very well (not awesome, like the RFTs, but very well even with my aggressive driving habits), and they ride much better. I suggest quality performance regular tires unless you drive your car very hard – in which case you maybe better stick with the stiffer RFTs.

Kurt

Just purchased a 550i GT last week (20″), I am on my way to the tire shop to pay a boat load of money for 5, yes 5 new regular tires. ( I have to have a full spear like everyone should) love the car, hate the RF tires. They make the ride harsh and the tires track like they are going in different directions. This should have been an option!

David

So I am looking at a 2007 335i – awesome car – and then tripped over this tire issue. I have just spent an hour reading the entire thread. This is what I have learned (please correct me if I am wrong):
- RFTs are not worth the expense of replacing them (wear out quickly etc)
- Non-RFTs work perfectly OK and don’t affect monitor or suspension (BMW bs)
- Only issue is what to do about no spare? 12v Inflator+ gunge, or compact, or give up trunk space (trunk is small to begin with), or join AAA (CAA over here)
Hmmm…. are you folks telling me this is so dumb I shouldnt buy BMW?

Doug

You might want to verify how that affects handling, because they might have a faster spring rate and some kind of variable damper (eg FSDs). I don’t know this for a fact, but if they’ve compensated for a stiffer ride…

Rob

Heck no David, buy the Beemer! I love my 535i, and as I said above I replaced the RFT’s with Bridgestone regular tires. Now, after a month, I’m even more glad I did it.

David

Hi Rob, thanks for the encouragement! Just one thing – do you carry a spare, or gunge (I hear it ruins tires) – just need some advice on figuring that out!

Rob

My 535 came with a spare – not a full size one. I/ve read that some cars with run flats do not have spares, but mine does. Maybe it was part of the sports package on my car, I don’t know. I purchased this vehicle with 27k on it.

Matt

I have a 2007 328i with about 69k miles.I love the car. The most appropriate adjective I could describe to use the run flats is “horrid”. I decided after 10k miles and road noise that reminded me of tow truck with the windows, the urge to get rid of these weed eater sound impersonators became too great and my local tire dealer replaced them with conventional Michelins. STILL HAVE THE TIRES medium wear. Handling improved tremendously along with ride and I wasn’t force to spend $1200 plus dollars to get another set of bad tires. I personally think this “warning” from BMW that changing to non run flats will “alter the driving characteristics of the vehicle” is true. It improved the handling and safety of my 328. Go figure.

Roy

I have a 2008 BMW 328XI Coupe and my rims get bent when hitting bumps with these RFTs. Then the steering wheel shakes at about 50 mph .I’ve repaired them once already. I’d like to change to regular tires, but don’t I have to change to rims that are designed for regular tires? I didn’t notice anyone mentioning about bent rims. Also, when driving on RFLs at 40 mph, I notice my car starts to hydroplane the moment I go through a small puddle of water. Any assistance about what is necessary to do to change my tires would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.hygcam.co.uk Douglas Cameron

damaged alloys was reported by the BBC and BMW refunded all persons who contacted then after the news article on tv…in other word I got my money back

the tv programme was called Watchdog and was on tv early 2010
http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

GET RID OF YOUR bmw

Zaar

Replaced RFT with regular tires on 03 Z4 after 40000 miles. Also replaced 17″ wheels with 18″ staggered wheels (wider in back). This completely changed the way the car drives: no more tram-lining, no more tire noise, no more harsh ride. The new wheels and tires look much better as well. I carry a 12V compressor, fix-a-flat, and have a toll-free number to call for roadside assistance in case of a flat. I would have made the change sooner but needed to wear out the RFTs first.

paul

09/19/2010 I found a [1/4 inch long] sheet metal screw in the front left Bridgestone R.F.T on my 335xi , I extracted the screw and did a plug repair job after consulting the internet for advice and the local tire sales store , the only reason the tires are not recomended to be fix is the liability issues . So I’ll conduct a test to see the long term results . I’ll check the air pressure weekly and monitor the plugs performance over the winter , or untill I buy a new set . The tires are almost worn down to the “replace wear indicators” .

Art

I am greatly relieved after reading about all the associated probs and costs with RFT’. After three flats, and now in need of another new tire for my Mini I will pursue a conventional replacement and keep the car. ! I cant wait to cancel my appointment with the dealer who quoted $350 per plus another $350 for alignment.
p.s. If I were in the tire business I would advertise RFT replacement!

Thanks for the information! Aloha!!

paul

No problems with my home repair plug job , R.F.T. are repairable in the field .

Jay

Spares, etc. are available from http://www.BavAuto.com
I have NOT purchased tire replacements but buy other supplies (AC filters, replacement cup holder, etc. ) and find them relaible and helpful

http://www.hygcam.co.uk Douglas Cameron

BMW RUN FLATS

Complete joke, and no matter what BMW say the have lost me as a customer for ever. 6 punctures in 2 years. One cracked alloy which thats to Anne Robinson & the BBC I got a refund

The pressure in the tyres makes a ride like having concrete blocks and at £300 a pop, funny BMW dont mention that to you when you buy the car

Thankfully my BMW 330 Convertible can be returned next month and I can walk away, cant wait

BMW know they have a problem but they same as the Alloys only owned up to it when the media attacked them

Looking for my new car now and enjoying the experience, but wil never go near BMW again

BE WARNED RUN FLATS ARE RUBBISH AND A COMPLETE CON

http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 Philip Talbot

Hi Douglas
At least you could get tyres, in Australia BMW couldn’t supply tyres for my M6 Convertible, not once, BUT TWICE! My experiences with the M6 was enough to send a tea-totler reaching for a stiff drink. Visit: http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 to share my pain.
Audi have done great things in the last few years and have taken market share from both BMW and Mercedes, so it might be worthwhile checking them out. Good Luck!

paul

I remember watching T.V. when I was a small boy and the Ford commercial showed a man cleaving a diamond in the back seat , a smooth ride for sure . BMW’s are racing machines and the ride is hard , road gripping massive traction , I’ll replace the factory tires with a set that ride even harder , or so the dealership says . I do not intend to cleave any diamonds in my BMW , but I will run the machine over to Canada next week , into the big mountians of the Chugach Range and on into Canada my BMW will be alowed to do as the engineers in Munich designed this machine for . As for punctures I fix it / plug it and move on , no issues as of yet . BMW the Ultimate Driving Sub-Arctic Mountian Machine

http://www.hygcam.co.uk Douglas Cameron

eh,,,,, dont think you read the post,,,,run flats cannot be plugged !!!!!!

BMW are racings machines,,,,did not see that on the sales literature

anway my post was based on experience and a warning to others

happily looking forward to my AUDI A4 and never to return to BMW
- http://www.facebook.com/DeviateAE Lee Kaldenbach
  
  Bullshit. They can be plugged/patched. A tire being a “run flat” does not really affect the tread or its ability to be repaired. It simply means the sidewalls are stiffened enough to provide support for the vehicle over a short period of time after air pressure is lost.
  
  They say a run flat cannot be repaired because after the ’50 miles” of driving with litte-to-no air pressure, the sidewalls become damaged to the point where the tire is no longer safe to drive on. That’s it. If you catch it before this occurs, it can usually be repaired (depending on the issue that caused the loss of air in the first place, just as a normal tire).

http://www.hygcam.co.uk Douglas Cameron

forgetting your language

1) I have a letter from BMW saying they should not be plugged
2) I have taken my car to three different tyre dealers and they say they have to be replaced and refuse to plug them

so tra la la

paul

Negative , I have fixed my run flats with NO ISSUES , in fact I carry a plug kit in the car , if a flat event happens I plug the tire and flag a diesel truck air -up and be on my way . So Douglas I’am sorry the Ultimate Driving Sub-Arctic Mountian Machine has failed you yet for many others there machines have delivered as promiced , as to racing , L.A. , N.Y.C. , Chicago or any of the huge southern cities in the lower 48 nobody is going anywhere very fast with the bumper tp bumper traffic . In the far north it’s open roads and a different story , CHECK YOUR FUEL LEVEL , NEXT FUEL 325 MILES , WATCH OUT FOR MOOSE , BEARS , CARIBOU , AVALANCHES AND SNOW PLOWS , HAVE A SAFE TRIP . [automated road signs that change with the season] The high lite of my day is hitting the start button and heading east in to the mountians and canyons [no roads go west from Anchorage] To live in the far north and have a BMW , PARADISE , NOTHING COMPARES

http://BMWBlog T. Schweisthal

I have read all the comments and mostly agree with bad handling,cost,noise,limited on who can put RF’s on, etc. So really can anyone tell what has to be done to the BMW so you can put regular tires on? BMW keeps pushing Rf’s and says if I put regular tires on this won’t work, that won’t work. I am sure they want to keep selling those RF’s but what they say about the car if I change tires has me worried If all that happens(if I can change tires) is my tire sensor won’t tell me when I need air-hell I will use one of my tires gauges,get a spare rim,tire,jack and be happier!!

http://boqueteland.com Tim B

My 2008 335xi has 17″ run flat tires, an they are absolutely horrible if you drive on anything but perfect roads. Also: why do we need such low profile tires on all of our cars today ? Here in New England, our roads have thousands of pot holes. Every time my car hits a pothole of any size, the shock to the car, its passengers and suspension is simply unacceptable. For a $56,000 car this is ridiculous. I have owned BMW’s since 1968 and higher profile tires handled beautifully.

Worse, I do not dare take this car anywhere far from a BMW shop – on any long trips! I am buying a compact spare and will install conventional tires on ASAP. These super Low Profile tires are a fashion trend; 40 or 50 series tires used to perform well – now people seem to want to use 18″, 19″ or 20″ rims. It is absurd.

Ecc0

@T. Schweisthal

Don’t worry a one tiny second and change those RFT crap..sensor in your car is NOT inside rft..its just sensor measuring revolutions/min so when one of tires lose pressure, rev/min will be different and therefore sensor will detect that air is missing inside specific tire..as i have mentioned before, I have changed and trashed with big pleasure my RFT’s from my Z4..and installed normal one, 18′ tires and i tell you..car is a live, handling extraordinary, and no crappy noise or vibrations anymore (when cross 100km/h)..I just dont understand BMW regarding RFT’s..what a crap..

http://www.boqueteland.com Tim B

Hi EccO, Thanks very much for your comments about replacing the RFT’s on your Z4. That’s a great car ! I’m curious; were you able to use the original rims than came on your car ? Mine’s a 335xi coupe, and has 17″ wheels. Tire Rack may be able to advise me, but I like to hear directly from people who’ve had direct experience. I still have plenty of wear left, and just ordered a compact spare kit from Bavarian Auto….that will be floating around in my trunk – a small price to pay for some peace of mind…I agree that BMW should definitely return to conventional tires (with slightly higher profiles as well, for us who live in areas with poor roads) Thanks again.

Ecc0

Hey Tim B..
You are welcome..I haven’t used original rims, i just changed whole bloody thing (got discount because of that on new rims). So basically I have installed brand new rims, with way better looking than original one, with michelin tires and everything turn to be a major pleasure to drive..only problem is that I have no spare tire(my Z4 never had one) so instead i have got tire inflator pack (included some kind of glue u just spread inside perforated tire trough valve) and if tire is damaged, simply use inflator and you can go at least 100 km more, until first shop where you can change damaged tire.. with such tire..tested and it all works just fine..note that your tire sensors will work just fine with normal tires and if you lose any air sensor will work as it suppose to..

http://www.boqueteland.com Tim B

Hi Ecc0
Thanks for the info on your wheels,. I have been a strong advocate of Michelin tires, since 1967. Fortunately my 335ix coupe has room for a compact spare, which I’ve already ordered from Bavarian Auto. I still have a lot of tread life on my RFT;s at 29,000 miles so next year, I ‘ll be shopping for tires AND and EXTENDED WARRANTY for my car, Thanks again, Tim b

paul

RFT are great as I will replace the worn tires with a new set of RFT . As to low profile , better handling , and they look cool , as to a few pot holes , my BMW whips around them effortlessly proving the great handling of the BMW / Run Flat Techonology . No Man is All things to All Men , the same with cars etc . As to New England and pot holes , maby fixing the road is a better solution then blaming the tires , I mean there ARE PAVED STREET MACHINES and not off road machines , here in Alaska the crews work 24/7 in the summer months to ensure good roads for the winter and anytime of the year a hole appears a simple phone call to the road department and bingo the hole is fixed , but then we do things differently here then downsouth , As I’ve stated before Anchorage is full of BMW’s racing around —- my BMW loves the icy roads —— second nature !

paul

Obviously, you are better than anyone that has to drive on a road with pot holes.

http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 Philip Talbot

Paul wouldn’t happen to happen to be the BMW Dealer in Anchorage would he?

http://www.boqueteland.com Tim B

I’m glad to hear that Alaska has such great roads ! Here in Rhode Island (and all of New England) unfortunately somehow we have managed to allow our highways, bridges and state road infrastructure especially to “go to hell”.

In RI, of course, we all know where the money goes.

I live in Panama 50% of the time, and the roads AND drivers are – believe it or not – better than those here in Providence. I have just ordered my compact spare kit, and will think long & hard before switching tire types. I appreciate all of this feedback, from various points of view ! Thanks, tim b

paul

NO I do HARD LABOUR in the remote construction camps , mining , logging , oil field , the local BMW delarship belongs to Lithia http://www.bmwofanchorage.com/ you walk in and there ALL BUSSINESS AND READY TO SERVE THE CLIENT in a proffesional manner that one would expect from a BMW dealership !

paul

Paul you have head so far up your rear that you might be the star of that new movie centipede man. The facts are that roads in the USA are probably no better than in Boznia. We BMW owners do not want to here you lecture about how great the roads are up in Alaska. This forum is about the performance of RFT tires. And the fact are clear that it seriously compromises the comfort level one was used to getting from a BMW. i have owned a BMW for the past 20 years and now i am forced to buy another make. Get over your self!!!!

paul

I love to watch you guys complain rather then solve you problems , you blame the world , you blame BMW , you blame the roads , As to tires mine , my sisters , my girlfriend , my friends fail to understand the problems as we have NOT encountered them , so we have conclude that you guys love to complain. RFT perform flawlessly , as they promiced they would by BMW , the dealership and Bridgestone ! As to BMW owners the VAST MAJORITY HAVED NO ISSUES , its a few whom lay awake at night thinking up reasons to complain . This blog serves me as a way to see how a few people [ the same ones over and over ] constantly complain , in hopes of a settlement ? And Alaska is great as we have created a very good live here for ourselves , we take responcability to solve our problems and move on to bigger and better things . As to comfort , BMW’s are SPORT SEDANS , comfort is way down the list , maby you need to get a Cadillac and ride in style and comfort with your spare tire ! Go to Europe and watch the F-1 races , ah the fine comfort ride , and Le Mans , the fine comfort ride , NEGATIVE ! BMW is touted as the Ultimate Driving Machine , NOT as the Ultimate Comfort Machine !

Douglas

LOAD OF TOSH !!!! BET YOU DONT EVEN HAVE A CAR
Liz

Paul, BMW dealers told me they fix a lot more, like >10 times more flat tires on RFT’s than conventional tires. Should a company let the consumers know that RFT’s are simply more prone to flats because of the stiffness of the material. I would be interested in your driving experience on and off ice. It’s really worth engineering analysis to see how stiff tires would fair on icy vs non-icy roads.

Douglas

just took my 330i M Sport Convertible to ……..GUESS WHAT

A tyre dealer b(using the correct English spelling of the word)

YES , another flat warning light…..my terribe driving aiming for all pot holes…..interestingly the tyre dealer said business was quiet

This time another cracked alloy, the forth….its ok BMW will repair and fit a new tyre free of charge….welll they have to following the media attention last year

now if anyone with 2 cents for a brain cant work it out….

BMW HAVE A PROBLEM THEY ARE REPLACING THE ALLOY FOR FREE AND THE TYRE

NEVER MIND DRIVING UP BEARS ASSESS, OR THE TYPE OF PERSON LIVING IN ALASKA(SELL IT TO THE RUSSIANS)

ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE….BOLLOCKS !!!!!

SIGNING OFF THIS BLOCK AS CERTAIN AMERICANS JUST BORE ME WITH THEIR FUCK WIT OPINIONS

TRA LA LA LA

http://www.boqueteland.com Tim B

RFT’s I only have two complaints;

- I purchased a 5 year guarantees that will replace damaged tires or wheels. My concern is REAL, and VALID, so anyone who never leaves town, or lives in nirvana please don’t bother with wise cracks.
10 What happens when I get a flat tire, in the middle of nowhere, with 200 miles to go, at 11:00 p.m. with no cities within 200 miles ? I drive long, long distances, sometimes at night.

2) Yes, the tires handle fantastically, My first BMW was a ’68 2002 purchased new, then a ’71 Bavaria picked up in Munich and I have had many BMW’s since including an M3 -I’ve basically owned every model except for thei “SAV”s and the 7 series .

Unfortunately, the truth is that LOW PROFILE RFT’s tires jar the heck out of the car, when one hits a pothole. Car companies have gone way too far – I am not saying that we need to go back to 50 series or 60 series tires, but many cars with 19 inch rims appear to have nothing but a thick rubber band on their wheels. Bling ? Fashion ? Great for the track, and I am a high speed, skilled driver, but I’d gladly sacrifice a tiny bit of sidewall flex, to achieve a ride that doesn’t loosen the fillings in my teeth when I hit a pothole in Providence; it is, in traffic, impossible to avoid 100% of these, unless I am willing to swerve dangerously to do so. I’ve ordered a compact spare, and will return to a slightly higher profile tire when it’s time to buy new shoes. Everyone is entitled to drive what they like; I simply smile at the cars with rims & purchased solely for their appearance.

People who use their cars on the track are an entirely different group, naturally.
- I still love my 335xi coupe. It’s everything that I need (but the new “is” model is sooooo tempting). I’ll feel better late at night, on a long trip with my little 17″ compact spare on board

http://www.boqueteland.com Tim B

Oh, and yes, I’ll put a higher profile tire on when its time to replace my original tires – and they will not be run flats.

I’ve only had 3 flat tires in 43 years of “spirited” driving, all in high performance cars.

Yeah, I’m 59, but I’d have to estimate – the 3 flat tires that I’ve experienced were in the course of at least 1.1 million miles of driving – all over the world. Knock on wood, but my most recent accident was in 1972. I drive safely but fast; My last traffic ticket was in 1987.

I actually stopped buying BMW’s for 5 years when I sensed that only jerks were driving them ( I was living in Boston, so it was probably true)….then I decided that I should drive the best car made, that I can afford – and screw what anyone thinks – most of us bmw drivers are actually quite nice. Thank you all for your feedback

paul

If all elce fails BLAME THE AMERICANS , Canadians are AMEICANS , Mexicans are Americans , so whom exactly are you blaming ? As to the Russians the U.S. bought Alaska from them , there is NO shortage of Russians in Alaska so go figure , NOTHING COMPARES TO sitting in Barnes and Noble and a Russian women drives up in her BMW , long fur coat , black leather boots , her body curves making men stop and have to call 911 for medical help to recover from VISUAL OVER LOAD . As to bears , super cool predators ! As to my BMW 335xi , bought new at Lithia BMW of Anchorage October 2008 , wanna bet some real money as to my ownership , I’ll call your bluff and bet a cool $100 K , na forget a 100 K , I’ll bet a new Alpina B-7 , as to RFT tires , I did my own survey . NO COMPLAINTS , As to all elce , why get mad , or are you just MAD AT THE WORLD and do you walk into the BMW dealership with that sour attitude ? HOLY BMW VISUAL OVER LOAD CALL 911 ——-NOW ! !

http://www.boqueteland.com Tim B

Wow, we are all very impressed. Most of the authors of notes on this blog are intelligent, and their notes relevant.
– BMW has made a mistake (for this market at least), and hopefully better RFT’s will be developed, or they’ll listen to the clients who cannot always deftly swerve in our heavy traffic, to avoid road hazards. Our roads in the states have been let go – its a universally recognized issue (if one reads the newspapers). RFT’s or not, I still want a spare TYRE
I’ve learned a lot from most of you. thanks..

http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 Philip Talbot

Hi Tim

I’m in Australia and at least you guys can get RFTs if needed. On two occasions my M6 was off the road waiting for tyres to be imported – IMPORTED, THEY DIDN’T EVEN CARRY SPARES FOR A CAT THAT COST US$275k. Visit http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 and share my pain!

paul

Its about 350 miles from Washingto D.C. to Boston Mass , in the 350 miles you will drive through Baltimore , Philidelphia , New York City , In Alaska the same 350 miles will place you in Fairbanks , the only major population between Anchorage and Fairbanks is the “Valley” 40 miles northeast of Anchorage the rest is open country with small villages along the way , some a hundred miles apart , so say it 25 below zero and your not in the mood , physical capability to change a tire , that run flat would sure save the day . I froze my right hand while working on a broken CAT a few years ago , I’am very fornatue that I made a full recovery due to highly skilled cold recovery medical technicans were a few hours away and the ability to get there , so would a women or man whom is not use to working outside in a very cold climate beable to change a tire at 25 below zero ? Drop to 30 below zero or 40 below zero . Run Flat Tires are a great idea , especially in the far north . So as to the $350 per tire , ha pocket change compared to the conquences , if you CHOOSE TO OWN a BMW with RFT pay the price or move on .

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

MOVING ON, $350 FOR A TYRE, YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO MUCH MONEY AND NO SENCE

paul

Thank you BRITISH PETROLEUM for employing a highly trained cold climate medical technician whom treated and saved my hand even though I was NOT employed by B.P. , She and her assistance were from Scotland , due to her I still have full use of my hand . In the far north BMW’s roll on Run Flat Technology . AND THATS IS A GOOD THING !

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

RUBBISH RUN FLAT TECHNOLOGY, RUMOURS BMW WILL DROP IT NEXT YEAR AND THE NEW MODELS WILL HAVE A SPARE TYRE

Ecc0

..inflator + glue pack(with compressed air ready to inject) does job on normal tire within few minutes and all you need is to remove cap from air intake valve and inject glue mixture under pressure in to tire, and ready to go…tested, and works just fine..screw RFT’s..

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

ILLEGAL AND NOT SUPPORTED BY BMW

Michael

Muhammad Aleem Riaz

where i get there run flat tyres in Pakistan or other countary
kindly tell i am confused

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

Ordered my new AUIDI A4 Quatro today, with normal tyres and a spare….cant wait to get rid of my RUN FLATS and will never return to BMW….bye bye BMW and the muppets that support RUN FLATS

http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 Philip Talbot

Smart move Douglas – my next car will be an Audi as well. My experience with BMW’s M6 was horrific – visit http://www.qims.com.au/BMWM6 to share my pain!

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

notice BMW never respond…mmmm…. wonder why????

muric

nothing wrong with the car, just change the tyres for none run flat, BMW is still fantastic car to drive and own. I own 525d 2006. Car came with run flats, I changed them few months back for none run flats and it did make a diference with comfort. No issues with computer or anything. My 3rd BMW in 10 years and never let me down. I also have Audi as company car. Nice cars but they do go wrong a lot more than BMW. I like Audi’s but I still like BMW’s more. As for run flat tyres,, if you don’t like them just change them and let your insurance company know.

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

why should I have to spend thousands of pounds to solve BMW ‘s design failure……. the alloys have to be changed as well. your actually agreeing with the failure, the fact you changed then and state the change made a difference to the comfort

I rest my case

muric

dude, it’s diference of opinion, you don’t have to do anything. all I’m saying I like the quality of the car. I used up my run flats and when the time came I changded them for none run flats. I got the spare wheel with tyre, space saver type. Seams like a lot to do to get it right but if you shop around no probs. You would be suprised how cheap some of these actualy do cost. Again this may not work for all but to me it was worth it, Bmw’s did get it wrong with run flats but they also did get it right with the car it self. Belive me I do a lot of miles in these cars. I still respect your opinion but I make these notes from experiance only.

Jay Ramsey

Unless I missed it, no mention of (1) what brand/specs of non-RFT’s did you all use and (2) where did you buy the necessary jacks/changing tools? Thanks

paul

Its been snowing all night and afternoon on Thanksgiving Day its still snowing , its piling up outside . Yesterday I was coming back from Alyeska and a two guys were stoped in the ” DO NOT STOP AVALANCHE ZONE” on the Seward Highway changing a flat tire . As I blew by I appluded BMW for choosing Run Flats for there cars because I would not want my girlfriend out there in the one of many “DO NOT STOP AVALANCHE ZONE” messing with a flat tire . $ 350.00 is a pitance to pay rather then taking a chance of being buried in an avalanche .

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

utter nonsense, they could have driven for a few more miles on a flat tyre, and £350 is $550.81…better to be accurate

paul

A few more miles , possibility , or to the next avalanche zone ? Here in Anchorage a new RFT is $ 275.00 . a pair is $ 550.00 , a set is $1000.00 mounted and balanced with a warranty , So let me get this straight , the comment was directed towards NOT wanting my girlfriend to be placed in an avalanche zone with a flat tire . Run Flats are a good thing and I’ll pay the $ 275.00 any day rather then risk it . BMW the Ultimate Sub-Arctic Mountian Machine with Run Flat Technology allows the driver to arrive back to the chalet with out incident . Life over money , every time . As the snow continues to fall , yahoo !

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

Strange Persons appear from time to time and dont seem to get the message. Not interested in your girlfriend, promise you!!!!

what happens if your run flat bursts just how many miles do you think you can drive….maybe you’ll be forced to stop in an avalanche zone with nothing to do

getting off this blog

ultimate driving machine,,,,BOLLOCKS

http://WWW,HYGCAM.CO.UK Douglas

OH THE ANSWER BEFORE YOU MAKE SOMETHING UP IS 150 MILES AT 50MPH……. THATS THE DISTANCE BMW RECOMMEND

HOME YOU GET THROUGH ALL THE AVALANCHES BEARS AND GIRLFRIENDS :)

paul

Your mad at the world , mad at BMW , mad at Run Flat Tires , are you mad at your wife or girlfirend , or do you even have one ? Or is the lack of one or two if your cool about it the core cause of all that pent up rage and hostility ? Or is it that you are NOT taken seriously by them and are making a feable attemt to get some attention ? Bottom line is BMW made the choice to place RFT on there cars , I approve of this decision , my experiances with BMW , the dealership , the RFT tires has been very good . Now let me really stir the pot , BMW’s main focous is on the North American market , we comprise the biggest share of the total sales and BMW is catering to the N.A. market and what we like and approve of . Alaska , Canada and the colder regions of the lower 48 are the target areas to appease , RFT is a very good idea and has NOT affected sales , factual data , look it up . Being mad is NOT the answer , maby selling your BMW and buying brand another is . But misery loves company , unfornatualy you will need to look elce where for that because from me you will only get BMW THE ULTIMATE SUB-ARCTIC MOUNTIAN MACHINE , from the grocery store to the sledger hammer runs or to the Alpine Chateau BMW delivers .

Ecc0

..as i have mention before, Im Z4 owner, got it with RFT’s, car was like an elephant on the road with serious vibrations when cross 100 km/h..trashed RFT’s, installed very good looking sport rims and michellin tires..vibrations gone, car turn to be a live, steering was excellent..all i got additionally is tire inflator pack, so in case tire is perforated, i need literally 10 minutes to get it up and running just long as i need..BMW is beautiful machine, but there is nothing wrong to admit that RFT’s in most cases are unnecessary trouble..thats all..

paul

The women have been in the kitchen cooking all day , now the order has been given by [H.Q.] head quarters to turn the T.V. and computers off and get in here for the main event — roasted turkey and all the extras — Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.A. — YAHOO !

paul

I wonder how many folks in Great Britain are happy there BMW Run Flat Technology tires allowed them to get home with out risking having to change a tire in the raging snow storm ?

paul

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978736844

paul

http://www.climaton.com/forecast/AK/Anchorage.php

paul

BMW’s equiped with Bridgestone Run Flat Technology tires are the only intelligent choice for winter / any time travel . BMW + Bridgestone = the intelligent choice .

paul

Liz , first off if anyone reads this blog and complains about the subject matter it falls on deaf ears as in my world complainers are equavlent to losers . As to my experiance with Run Flat Tire on ice , they perform very well , off the ice on dry pavement there equaly decent , i have no compliants , in the 2 1/4 winter i’ve had this BMW 335xi I’ve had one flat , I picked up a sheet metal screw in the Fred Myers parking lot that was accidently droped during the construction of the gas station , i drive on construction sites daily so as to the high volume of flats i have not experianced that . As to holding BMW / Bridgestone liable for not informing the public , lets put this in preperctive , on the building site a certain beam connection calls for xx50xx bolts , yet we only have xx40xx bolts , the xx50xx bolts are in a werehouse in Seattle , use the xx40xx bolts and call it good , or lets look at it in another way the plans call for xx60xx bolts and there $ 2.75 @ yet we only have the xx70xx bolts on site and there $ 3,50 @ , the xx60xx bolts are in a were house in Chicago , two days away , some one makes the call to use the xx70xx bolts to keep the job moving . But we need to order more xx70xx bolts to replace the ones used . I can only speculate but maby BMW signed a contract for a million tires and they have to use them up , so here we are . I side with BMW because they as a company have delivered as promiced , I understand there position and if I did not like it i would trade my BMW 335xi in Wednesday morning December the 8th 2010 and would NOT complain endlessly or yap to call the pups to share my pain , I run my BMW to the spec the engineers in Germany designed the car to achieve , the BMW techs at Lithia told me that so many people putter around in there BMW’s and it kills them , winter time especially when water vapor condence in the oil and form ice on the oil filler cap , get that motour hot and burn that water off the oil , as to the run flats , I’am from Canada , I’ve lived in the far north all of my life , now I live in Anchorage and I certainly DO NOT want to stop and change a tire at 20 below zero , I DO NOT CARE what the arm chair experts say on this blog , anyone whom has practial real world experiance in cold climates would agree with me . As to BMW — in my opnion there are the Ultimate Sub-Arctic Mountian Machine –

Ecc0

..Paul..not everyone here living on north side of the globe..some of us living in tropical areas, such as myself (Malaysia, im German, but working/living here)..and my experience here is that RFT’s are the worst thing i ever saw from BMW..maybe they do perform very well under winter conditions, i couldnt say much about that, but for sure, in warm environment im living in, my Z4 was a dead meat, until complete removal of RFT’s happen..im not an isolated case since many many people here i know, scrapped RFT’s because of same reason..as I can see from Philip Talbot post, pretty much same in Australia (very similar climate conditions as here)..so, experiences may vary, therefore, its not nice to call people losers..just a tip, of course..

paul

So let the yapping begain , so many people on this blog and the HPFP blog are experts from the confines of there cubical , I’am a very fornaute person because I have been in some of the most remote parts of this continent , deep in the Boreal Forest of Alaska and Canada and then even farther north in the high lattitudes barren tundra of Alaska and Canada . Everthing breaks , everthing has a limit . I view my BMW as just another machine , a machine with limits . Big Cat’s break , harden steel fractures and fails , fluids thicken and exploded hoses , So when my BMW needs maintance it’s NO BIG DEAL , Deal with it , got a flat tire , fix it or buy a new one . to snivil and whine endlessly , thats just NOT my style . I prey for total economic collapse to really bring things in to perpective .

paul

BMW’s are COLD CLIMATE cars ! I DO NOT LIKE COMPLAINERS , FIND AN ANSWER AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM , but to complain endlessly , ha ! Anchorage is full of BMW 3 series and X3 and X5′s , during the summer there are Corvettes , Lamboghins , Ferraris racing around , but summer or winter blizzard BMW are always on the road , the exotics are in a heated garage waiting for the few warm months . My BMW starts with no issues at 40 below zero , with an oil pan heater of course to start lubrication at the first revolution of the engine . The real necessary changes / options these BMW need are , a bigger fuel tank for those long runs in eastern Alaska and western Canada , more lights to illimate the dark arctic nights , an electric cabin heater wired to the trickle charger / oil pan heater to keep the cabin warm along with the engine and battery when the car is parked outside , a removable bug screen over the air / fluid coolers to combat the summer infestation of bugs . the run flats are great , BMW got that one right !

paul

Another thing BMW got right was the “rest” function , now thats a real cold climate detail , I use it daily !

Tony

Here in Canada, a good set of tires mean the difference between life and death, especially so during winter months. I run a sports tire during the summer and have had rft on their own rims for winter. I used the rft for one winter season and they’ve proven to be too rough, very hard and too slick for our icy/snowy roads. I’ve since removed the rft and have put true snow tires on the car. Night and day. The car feels totally anchored now.

paul

On a run to the grocery store I keep count of the number of BMW’s I saw , 9 3 series , 4 5 series 2 GT’s , 7 X3′s , 6 X5′s . This is a count of machines parked at the store , in traffic and in the driveways of homes along the way . All were late model Bimmers so they had RFT on them , here in Anchorage this issue is a non-issue , I’am the only Alaskan blogging this blog . Issues in the lower 48 are blown out of proportion , for example it will be well below zero and a wind chill factor of 30 below plus tonight in Anchorage , this is local news NO big deal , 30 below in other places like the lower 48 is a BIG deal , most news from the lower 48 is sensationalized to gain attention .

Tony

@Paul. Sorry to burst your bubble but the world doesn’t begin and end in Alaska. No doubt it is a beautiful place and perhaps would remind me of my Labrador homeland. But, your temps are no different than many face and some may even have a more difficult time wrt to the weather than you do. I’d say your remark is not only out of proportion but so is your opinion of yourself. 06 530xit.

paul

Anchorage Alaska , warm spring , short cool summers , a gorgeous fall and long snowy winters , the Muni plows the wide boulvards so we can race our sport machines on a smooth surface , could I or would I want to live anyplace elce , NO ! A large percentage of folks here are duel -citizens from all over Canada , we choose to be here . Sarah Palin did not want to be the Gov anymore so she put Big Sean in charge , she took down 500K last month . Anchorage Alaska , if you do not like some thing change it and move on , we are a NO SNIVILING ZONE up here because I / We do not take ourselves to seriously , 2008 BMW 335xi with Bridgestone Run Flat Technology .

paul

http://www.ktva.com/oldlocal/ci_16735373?source=pkg So was the Audi putin a woopin on the BMW or was the BMW way ahead ?

Tony

BTW, for the Canadians reading, I put four Goodyear Nordic tires (225 50r17 @ $160 ea. CDN) from Canadian Tire on my 530 XIT. I’ve experience with them on a Jaguar, on a truck and on a Volvo XC70 Ocean Race. All positive experiences too. The side let go on one of the Dunlop RFTs that were one year old. I have a spare in the boot so it made sense to go with a true winter tire for my needs. We don’t have a BMW dealership on every corner and the RFTs require a specialized piece of equip to replace a flat. Without the RFTs I can stop anywhere for help and I’ve had to. Good luck.

paul

There is one BMW dealership in Alaska and its a first class operation , if the out of stock item is ordered by 1:00 PM AST it will be on the next plane heading to Alaska for a next day delivery . The dealership has tires , wheels , most everthing in stock ready to go . They also have contracted trucks and personal on hand 24/7 for “beyond driving ” damaged BMW needing assistance . http://www.bmwofanchorage.com/index.cfm?action=home

paul

http://www.thirdage.com/news/bmw-logo-viewers-eyelids-burnt-bmw-logo_12-16-2010

John

I live in the UK and have just taken delivery of a BMW 320d M Sport – my 12th BMW.

IN one word JUNK

The engine rattles over 3000 rpm on acceleration, the run flat tyres continentals have no grip and are even more noisy as the bridgestones i had on my last 335d.

The seats and leather are poor compared to my last car and the headlights are appalling.

It can stay on the drive and I will take my wifes Golf 2.0 Match outside instead, comfortable, handles and quiet.

I hate my new BMW and can’t wait to sell it

paul

At least your honest and not a complainer , sell that pig and move on ! I drove out to Glennallen Alaska last night it was -34 below zero with a windchill factor of -47 below zero , my BMW 335xi with Bridgestone Run Flat Tires started right up this morning ,[oil pan heater , trickle charger] I allowed the car to idle while I was eating breakfast , efficent powerfull heater , heated seates were comfortable , the tires provided great traction in the mountians and valleys , 85 % of the drive was in the mountians and valleys of the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanuska-Susitna_Valley

Scott

Interesting debate here – first off, on the topic of increased susceptibility to punctures, I’ve had 2 in the first 5 months on my 2007 328i (Sport package). In my previous 9 years of driving, I hadn’t had one puncture. Interesting. As for very cold, remote driving, this is the main reason that I am now considering selling this otherwise WONDERFUL car. While driving through Northern Alberta in -30 degree weather, I hit a pothole and damaged the tire and rim (which is very likely with the ultra stiff sidewall of the RFT’s. After 150 miles, I cannot drive any longer. I am now stranded, waiting for roadside assistance on a dangerous (lots of long haul truckers) 2 lane road with narrow shoulders in brutally cold temperatures. Not fun, and in no way safer than simply swapping the flat with a full size spare. The nearest shop that actually has and can mount RFT’s is 400 km’s away in Edmonton. End of my family road trip. I need to head to Edmonton, where the car is booked in for 3 days, as there are no RFT’s in stock. $490 (CDN) for one tire. No loaner cars available unless you book 2 weeks in advance. All of this would be avoided if the car had non RFT’s and a spare. I’ve changed tires on the side of the road in cold weather all my life, and I’ll continue to do so once I switch to a car that doesn’t come with RFT’s. Sorry BMW, you’re losing a customer on this one. Deliver the product that customers want – not the product you think they should want.

paul

My glass is always half full or a refill is a nod away { I perfer hefeweizen } All situations are different , for me and lots of other folks BMW + R.F.T. are the cats meow , its not broke so it dosn’t need fixing . I see where Alberta is going to build an oil pipeline to the lower 48 from the Fort McMurray tar sands complex , Alaska had better get busy with our gas line or Canada will dominate the oil / gas supply from the north . Earth First we will get to the other planets later . Gotta love it !

paul

http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/23/news/economy/oil_sands_pipeline/

Rafim

I’m looking into a 2008 BMW 550i with the M-Sport package. The car has run flat tires and when I was test driving it I noticed that there was a considerable amount of road noise at highway speeds, sounds of constant whirring and mild thumping. It was however cold outside (about -5 Celsius) so the compound of the tires could have been a bit too cold to really show it’s potential.

My question is can regular tires be used on the BMW especially with it’s 19 inch wheels? Or will that cause the tire pressure warning to illuminate and destroy the wheel? I really love the entire driving experience with a BMW and I would hate for something as simple but important as tires prevent me from buying and thoroughly enjoy the car.

Tony

If your intent is to run winter tires, you should seriously consider another set of rims. Mine are only 17s but I do run regular tires for both winter and summer. The majority (exclude Paul) of BMW owners (those of us who’ve had BMWs for years) do not like RFTs. They are rough, very hard and add little to the driving experience. A BMW is a driving machine, good rubber makes all the difference.
- Rafim
  
  Thanks for your input. I should have mentioned in my comment that I would be using my new car of choice, be it the BMW 550i or possibly a MB CLS 550 (they don’t have a tire issue) in the summer time only so all season tires would be just fine. I plan on keeping my 01 Olds Aurora, I’ve driven North American for over 20 years, for winter usage. I was thinking that the cold temperatures were making the RFTs make more noise at highway speeds and it would quiet down in the summer time but it seems to be a common complaint no matter what the time of the year it might be in any particular location.
Scott

The 550i is a beautiful car – I can relate to wanting the car, but having serious reservations about the runflat tires. I’ve fitted aftermarket 17 inch rims mounted with regular snow tires (Nokian Haakapelita R’s) and they are fantastic in the snow. We have had a record amount of snowfall in Alberta this winter, and the car has handled these conditions with ease.

As for the runflat’s noise and thumping, I can live with it, but they are certainly not as smooth as regular tires. My biggest problem with the runflats is the risk of being stranded on a roadtrip when far away from a service centre that carries (and can mount) the runflats. You can switch to regular tires on your 19′s, but you then have issues with no spare tire – I’ve resorted to carrying a compressor and sealant, and a patch kit.

Best of luck with the 550i!
- Rafim
  
  Thanks for your input. I should have mentioned in my original comment that I plan on using my new car of choice 6 months of the year at most, I plan on keeping my 01 Olds Aurora for colder month usage so all season tires would be fine. So regular tires on the 19 inch wheels that come with the M-Sport package won’t cause any problems with the tire pressure warning? I read on another site that that you can use aftermarket rims and regular tires but not the stock rims with regular tires.
  
  Another concern of mine is similar to yours with regards to the shops fitting specific tires for a car. Some shops might refuse to install a different type of tires other than the factory spec tires. Happened to me at Costco with my Aurora and using H Rated tires only.
  
  I’ve located a shop near to where I live that specializes in BMWs and MBs so I will give them a call during the work week to see what can be done. I really love that BMW!

paul

This is one of very few blogs complaining about RFT , I again state that the vast majority of BMW owners like the RFT , where is your proof of mass dis-like of this tire choice ? This blog ? A few random compliants ? BMW 1st and 2nd at the Rolex 24 of Daytona . A lot of my friends have BMW and there NOT complaining about RFT . Tony is a chronic complainer looking for support un his miserable existance , as they say –Misery Loves Company — Yet you will not get any support from me , if you do not like the system , sell your BMW and move on , just STOP complaining .

paul

More then anything elce you guys need to toughen up , suck it up and STOP being chronic complainers , I read your responces and think , in a real life threating situation these guys would die , I mean the solution is simple in its most complicated form , you guys are just kinda wimps , handle the situation , man up !

Tony

Pay not a wit to Paul’s ego or high opinion of himself. Only a self centred person would compare a terrible tire to the ability of a man to survive or God forbid resemble Paul. The issues with RFTs are known and have been experienced world wide. Newbie BMW owner know-it-alls will learn their lesson too one day.

paul

Tony your an idiot and a CHRONIC COMPLAINER , as if you have so much experiance , my family has owned BMW since the 2002 , my mothers BMW had 200K on un-till she parked it due to her age , my sisters burned to a crisp etc etc — You strike me as a middle manger , unable to make a decision . The economy is changing , middle mangers are on the way out , I love it ! As to God LOL I ‘am Cathoilc and French-Canadian and its common knowledge that we sit on the right hand of Jesus Christ himself , as to my ego , I come from a family , a culture , a sence of being that were are the elite , my great grandfathers actions , my grandfathers actions , my fathers actions , my PAST PERFORMANCE IS A GOOD INDICATION OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE of this is evidences of that .

http://www.hotmail.com ExoN

..oh boy..Paul..cars are a machines..machines are builted by men, men tend to do mistakes, therefore causing machines to be faulty too..in this case, we are talking about RFT’s .. I do have Manhart Z4 and that’s real mean machine..however, it was a dead meat on road with RFT’s, and very dangerous to drive on high speed due unnatural vibrations RFT’s caused..bear in mind, its 550 HP engine(M5), installed on to 2 seater chassis..on tests car take 3.5 seconds up to 110 km/h, yet RFT’s makes it slowest car i have had, when we talk about acceleration (whole car shaking so ugly)..I have changed it to normal sport Michellin tires and car turn to be a live, and real real joy to ride..so, either you appreciate inputs and experiences other people sharing here or not, you should be clever enough and not been so rude toward people who’s trying to have some useful talks here..its benefit for all, you know..

paul

its really simple run flat tires stink. They last about 25k and then there like running on rims. The dilemma is that we think that having no spare is too high of a risk so most of us just suffer through a rough ride. I am on my third consecutive BMW and i understand that BMW now care more about being cheap then customers. I am done. Also the latest is that the customer service reps have had there salary and incentives taken away and now will have to rely upon service sales figures.Im sure that they will be forced to up sell any and all items so they can pay their own bills

Tony

Btw Paul… “you are” is spelt “you’re” not “your”. Your opinion of RFTs is wrong as well. All of your childish name calling and finger pointing won’t change that.

Scott

Rafim – I’ll focus on your concerns regarding the runflats on the 550i. I have friends running regular tires on 2009 335i with 18 inch sport package – no problems. Can’t comment on whether it’s possible with the 19′s though. In general, you will likely notice a quieter, smoother ride – regardless of weather/temperature. However, the suspension on the 550i is designed specifically for the ultra-stiff sidewall of the RFT, thus you might notice some differences under hard cornering if you go with regular tires. Be sure to have a backup plan if you switch to regular tires, as you will not have a spare.

Bottom line: BMW’s are, as you point out, fantastic cars – nothing I’ve driven comes close to providing the same driving experience. Just be aware that the runflats come with some pro’s and cons (especially on long roadtrips if you blow a tire far from a service station) – I wouldn’t let it sway you from this great car though.

Cheers

John

Interesting, however, i have had BMW’s for 30 years and my last one is quite positivley the worst car I have owned, not only are the run flats (conti’s) even worse than the one’s on my 335d , the seats are now 20mm narrower and 25mm in depth shorter than my last ones ( seems little but makes for uncomfortable seats ) , the lights are dismal. THe windscreen is 3mm thinner and the body shell thinner., The engine is like a tractor compared to my wifes 2.0 golf tdi
As I live in the UK – the dealers are not interested,
Paul obviosely works for BMW t o be that defensive, would be nice if the customer service team in the uk were that keen
I am not a moaner, i just feel efficient dynamics = thinner and tinnier

paul

Negative , I only drive BMW , I work in the gold mines , oil field , re-mote construction , general hard labour . did I ever tell you about the time a Polar Bear almost grabed me when I was peeing by the tracks of the Nodwell , now those are some big paws !

paul

How to fix the susposed RTF tire problem , call you local BMW dealer and politely schedule an appointment , after the work is done present you Debit Card , Visa , cash etc etc , drive away and be happy . as to ExoN I fully understand machinery and its short commings , on the HPFP blog I decribed a componet on a Caterpillar fracturing at -50 below zero during ripping operations , the componet weighs as much as a 3 series BMW , everthing breaks , everthing has a stress limit . As to my attitude when I meet a new French-Canadien boy it like , so how are you , is everthing OK , do yoy ned anything , wanna go eat , drinking , get out the sleds and ride , right from the get go its all good . On the other hand when I meet a new American guy its like , what are you looking at , Yo wanna pop off , I’ll talk down to him and see what he will do . just kind like what do you want ? At 250 lbs and 6′ 2′ its a no brainer , why because of the way so many of you Yahoo’s talk down to and about French peoples . You economy is in shambles , your engaged in a never ending war , from a historical prepective you have become a problem , yet like I’ve said in the past between the eastern Europeans , Mexicans , etc etc [Anchorage is full of Russians , other eastern Europeans and there cool and a lot are my friends] we have flat ass taken over . I do NOT really hate American guys I just do NOT respect them like I do my own peoples , so they do not get the same respect . Present day American replace the Indians , now we will / are / have replaced you .——BMW 1st abd 2nd at the Rolex 24 hours of Daytona !

ExoN

..Paul, im not from US..Im German, and im not sure what you talking about those national issues..I was just talking about RFT’s, caused my car shaking like a crazy horse..we have tested RFT’s installed on my car, on wheel balancing assembly inside service center and when speed was set to one equal i had while i was driving, whole assembly unit start jumping up down intensively..it was RFT’s what cause my Manhart drive like a turtle..simple as it is..in your case, obviously they do work great, and im happy that you enjoy ride with your RFT’s, however, for sport vehicles, RFT’s are just plain joke..as for Polar Bears, try to use pepper spray ;)

paul

I have seen dozens of Polar Bears and hundreds of all kinds of bears , Black , Brown , Coastal Brownies , Grizzlies , pepper spray , LOL ! As to RFT , as I have said before Anchorage is full of BMW of all models , sizes etc etc , a man up on Hillside has a 2002 turbo in his garage , what a cool looking machine .The RFT here is not an issue , no tire will behave %100 on all road surfaces , all the time . Racing into the canyons of the Mat-Su Valley 12 months of a year you can encounter all road conditions , in the sun you may have dry pavement , in the shade a layer of ice , along a river a layer of frozen spray , so there is no tire made that will conquer all conditions that are possible , absolute dry pavement is not a guarante anytime . I was racing a turbo Porsche some time ago , he was woopin me un-till we entered the canyons , and then his summer racing tires lost traction on some fallen leaves in a shady place slick place and round and round he went and crashed into the rock wall forming the canyon less then 6 feet from the road surface , it was bad , real bad , oil leaking from damage the rocks in the ditch that had fallen over the years became wedged under his machine , the guy had Florida plates so I think he was not very experianced in driving fast on two lane roads , with verying climatic condition due to elevation gain , the mountians , trees etc blocking sunlight . I play with my friend and our sport machine on a regular schedule and the RFT issue is not an issue , some guys put racing tires on in the summer but are experianced enoght to know that snow is possible 12 months a year in the mountian passes , even during the warmest part of the year it can freeze in certain conditions and elevations . i perfer to keep the RFT because do I know more then the boys in Munich ? Is it possible to really run the car full speed for very long ? Its 2000 miles from Anchorage to an actual 4 lane interstate , thats 2000 miles of 2 lanes road through the forest , canyons , along rivers , high mountian passes , mile afer mile of twisting , winding , in and out up and down , ITS GREAT IF YOU LOVE TO DRIVE FAST and have the ability to pay attention hour after hour , watching for animals on the road , fallen rocks , etc etc . If you want to get any place in the far north in a resonable amount of time you had better learn to drive fast on narrow two lane roads . I LOVE IT — and my BMW 335xi has delivered as a the true Ultimate Mountian Machine . Grand Ma and Grand Pa puttering through the canyons in there R.V lookin at the superlative scenery holding traffic up is the racer nighmare , un-till the chance presents its self to pass safely , chances are a lot of times few and far between in a lot of places . so a hard acceleration is necessary because there is a huge truck comming at you full of drill pipe , or well casing , drilling mud etc etc bottom line some real heavy stuff , this BMW factory equpied with RFT has delivered , in my opnion the boys from Munich made the right choice .

Tom

Paul, somebody’s got to tell you, once and for all: you are NUTS – and a total waste of time. So quit wasting ours.

paul

Gotta some thing to say Tom ? Got a misersble life Tom ? Are you another Standard Domestic Loser Tom ? i’ll bet your an S.D.L. Tom . Your BMW not to your liken Tom ? RFT puttin a woopin on you Tom ? Just can not figure it out Tom ? Jealous Tom ? Even during the worst ressesion / depression since the 1930′s Great Depression guys like me have not missed a beat . I wonder if its the ressesion that has created such an up roar over a few thousand dollars to replace RFT with the tires of your choice ? A few grand eh ? Yes I maby be NUTS , but being well off reminds me of a poster I saw at a yard sale . POVERTY S _ _ ! I told you how to fix the problem , hum for just a few grand !

Tony

This guy either reads too many westerns or has just not grown up. I can’t imagine how a 250, 6’ 2” man would fit in a 3 series.

Any way fellow BMW owners, there are options out there to replace RFTs. You can downsize the wheel/rim and put a higher profile on, which will be great for winter driving. I’m not sure where BMW is getting of telling owners that their cars can only run RFTs. As long as the tire size is the same, nothing else changes. Good luck and do the tire research yourselves as some people will try to sell you far more than you need. And don’t buy the tires from a BMW dealership. Good luck.

paul

Yes it is kind of a tight squeeze in a 3 series , add my big women of a girl friend and its diffently coozy , like Led Zepplin said “Whole lot of Women” my next BMW will be a 550i xdrive or maby a 7 series . If I can afford it maby an Alpina B-5 or 7 . Of course HQ will have to sign off on a purchase like that . So Tony are you one of these mice men ? The way sussposed grown men have gone on and on about such a trivial issue , whining and complaing , sniviling and moaning , analyzing and discussing it , looking at it from every angle and possibility taking this susposed issue all so seriously NONE of you have any place to pop off ! Oviously none of us must have any real “issues” to have the time and energy to banter back and forth on such a nonsense topic . I guess this is the males version of Kate loves William , assuming were all really males . Its comical to say the least . It snowed like a Big Dog last night so I get to race my BMW through the snowy streets on my “boys of Munich” RFT tires . YAHOO ! Yo Tom where you at boy , hope your feeling are not to hurt , need Dr. Phil ? Oprah ? Mama ?

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGIrNBwt3Qo&feature=related

Tom

This is my first post but I have been perusing this blog for at least 2 years. And during those years I have been amused by the pro-run-flat crowd’s lame (self-serving?) attempts to justify their use and to scarify us by predicting suspension and computer breakdowns, not to mention having to purchase $2,000 worth of new wheels, if we dared to consider installing conventional rubber on our rides. I drive a 2007 335i with the sport package and it is one of the most wonderful cars to simply drive I have ever owned. I say that in spite of a ride (on the run-flats) that rivals my 1984 Corvette coupe. Uh, that’s a bad thing – a terrible thing – and incongruous considering the otherwise exemplary aspects of the BMW.
- Tom
  
  PART 2: Just as I was about to expound on the UNBELIEVABLE virtues of driving a modern BMW, of any ilk, on NON-run-flats, my computer (obviously BMW-influenced) contrived to cause my laptop batteries to fail. So (with new batteries), to cut to the chase, after 48,000mi of sacrificing ride/handling quality on my 335′ for a “concept” (BMW manual-speak), I installed (from Tire Rack) Continental ExtremeContact DW tires (FR: 225/40ZR -18 RR: 255/35ZR -18) and I am going absolutely bonkers over the most incredible ride/handling I have ever experienced in a street car. This is my personal automotive epiphany – it can be yours too. Dump those run-flats and dump that BMW bullshit – they make the greatest automobile in the world but, in some areas, they have the strangest agendas – I don’t even have a dipstick and I’ll bet, neither do you!

Tom

My Bridgestone run flats on my 335d coupe were quite good. the continental run flats on my 320d Msport are appalling, noisy and match the new build quality of BMW in 2011
Thin tinny and cheap – even the seats are made shorter
After 30 years of BMW never again.
Rather than winge to the dealer – i just tell everyone that my wifes 2.0 golf is a far better car that i prefer to drive

paul

In the Koyukuk there are log cabins that the old timers built in the 1800′s and early 1900′s that are still standing , there is even and example of one that slid down a cliff and is still standing , today in Anchorage we build some supposedly earthquake proof flimsy crap , scabed togther with a all kinds of super engineered panels and metal straps that are supposedly rated for the mega quake that is comming . I would love to have a BMW 2002 turbo and a 1970′s Army 6×6 to cover my driving needs when the internet / EMP blast / 12/21/2012 event hits . Nothing is built like it use to be , everthing is built cheaper , at one time North America was populated by iron men doing the impossible , now its populated by rotten wooden men whom complaing about the slighest incovenience and are certain to think up a reason why something will not work or can not be done . when I was younger I would smack anyone whom got out of line with me right then right there no disscusion , pow and put the boots to them , now with all the rules , regs , lawyers and social experts I have had to alter my way of handling myself , BMW has followed suit , there a kinder , more gental company now , Joy , Love etc etc , yet for the money its still the best deal out there . Later this year I’ll be in my Bimmer driving over to the tar sands to work , 2086 miles from Anchorage of two lane Ultimate Driving Machine road , I love you all , even if some times I’am a bit harsh , as its just my nature and I can not help it .

Tom

Paul,
I called you NUTS in an earlier post but I think I was a bit harsh. My initial impression was that this was a blog which concentrated on the BMW run-flat controversy. However, with most of your comments and your obvious attempts at machismo aside, one can easily see that you’re just…..lonely. And, correct me if I am wrong, this blog is about you? Yes? However, I must confess that I am envious (jealous) of the environs you call home and admire the obvious tenacity it would require to achieve success in such remarkable/scary/dangerous/challenging/stupefying/mind-boggling/overwhelmingly out-of-this-world conditions. But you sir, with that overblown ego and ridiculous sense of self-importance (which apparently offsets a terminal lack of self confidence), should be driving a Ford Pinto, not anything called BMW. You also need to work on your vocabulary, not to mention your spelling. Get out and circulate a little more. OK? B – M – W! (I really look forward to this response which customarily will have nothing to do with RUN-FLATS!)

paul

Another expert social engineers opnion , I have a huge family , this blog is a form of entertiament to amuse myself with , I love to read the responces , as my girl friend finds them amusing also , this blog takes what a few minutes , and it proves my point of rotten wooden men , complainers . I have a lot of respect for my people the French-Canadiens , Russians and Eastern Europeans , everthing is tied togther , man driving BMW with run flats , tire goes down , complain -negative , fix it yes and move on . this is how we would handle it I respect tough peoples [ie] Russians , Eastern Europeans , I laugh at weak people . At this place and at this time BMW has for what ever reason decided to equip there cars with run flat tires , I choose to drive there cars so I accept there decision , if I did not like it i would ether change tires or trade cars , not complain endlessly , I would expect a blog that has such great minds blogging it could come up with a detailed solution and not the constant moaning and complaing . Your country is in shambles , the US is in shambles , and yes I have a 54 inch big screen to watch it crumble on . As to ego how would you fare with a neighbourhood full of guys like me , cower in your house ? BMW’s roaring up and down the street , loud music , all night wild drunken partys till 3-4 AM . Alaska is great , Canada is even better and its all to the ends of the world to have a BMW to race around in and live it up as if tommorrow will never come . Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez .

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiroepFi1fw now this is what i really need !

Tony

Tom, I’m sure you saw that coming. Worst part is the “solution”, which is changing out the RFTs, is not recognized. Those of us who’ve done that and have realized a huge difference in handling and noise reduction must be mice among men like Paul Bunyan. My 530XIT felt like a different car with regular tires, much better. Winter performance is night and day as well. Good luck with the 335i.

paul

You guys are comical to say the least , grown men disscusing such trivial issues , looking at the subject from all angles , vantage points , coddling each other , consouling each other , forming little clicks male bonding and rallying to the cause , for the guys on this blog its like women discussion what dress Kate will were when she marrys William . Here is the solution to solve the Run Flat Tire issue , drive down to the local BMW dealership , Yo how about putting theses 225/45/R17 Z rated tires on my car , slap a spare in the truck , present C.C. , drive off . I love this blog , I love reading the responces , this blog is diffently a girly mans Kate loves William , I bet that if Arnold , Sly , Jason Statham {The Transporter , BMW 7 series action} or Raylan Givens had a BMW and was on this blog they and I would be buddies , I just bringing a new perpective to the blog , you should feel privileged to banter / spar with me !

paul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hire

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKYUtUw-8ig

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9QCX606Aw8

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tDg1YKp8M0&feature=related

paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W10iUaGh1U&feature=relmfu

paul

Ok so notice how the Bimmers NEVER GOT A FLAT , Run Flat Tires , here in the United States everybody owns guns , there cheap and plentiful , its is estimated that most Alaskan have guns in there cars , in the trunk , under the seat , on there hip , so if someone is involved in a shoot out the Run Flat Tire will allow you to get back to the Hacienda and re-group , re-load , or get more guns , more ammuntion or more powerful hardware to quell them dogs down . In the future Run Flat Tires will be more favoured for there ability to take a round and keep on rolling . USA 300 million people and 200 million guns and more are made everyday .Give up my Run Flats , what are you crazy ?

http://www.wheelalignmentequipment.co.uk Wheel Alignment Equipment

My personal view will be,run flat tyres is helpful for that situation.It can happen anywhere and anytime.So what if,technician is not available,or auto shop is far.There are instances that you need to drive your car to reach some help.

http://www.bmwblog.com Horatiu B.

I have to agree on this, I was in a similar situation recently when the preferred choice was to keep driving rather than stopping and fixing a regular tire

Raj Arya

Anybody here have experience with 1 series.

I have standard fit 16inch with RFT. I feel the drive is not so comfortable so would like to try the standard tyres. I have two question for any expert or somebody with relevant experince

Do I need to change the alloys if i want to use standard tyres?

Secondly currently I have 205 55 16 RFT’s, Do i buy the same size new tyres or should they be changed?

Thanks for sharing your experiences in this blog.

Tony

I used the original alloy rims and I put the original tire size on, only a much better sport tire. I did the same for my Winter tires. My 530xit loves the snow.

Raj Arya

I will give it a go, although the local garage is not happy with it saying that the edges on the alloys are different for RFT and so i can’t fit standard tyres.

I wil feed it back once done.

Thanks for the reply

Tony

Local garages don’t like it because they often do not have the appropriate equipment to change those HARD RFTs. Last summer, while on a week long road trip, I drove into a town to catch a six hour ferry. I had to check in with the ferry one hour before departure. Well, two minutes away from the ferry I got a flat. Thankfully I was able to limp to a local tire garage. They found a small rod about 4 inches long and 5/16 in diameter inside the tire. The tire was beyond repair and thankfully I was able to purchase a new tire. The odds of finding your tire size in a regular tire are far greater than finding an RFT replacement. Even in this small town I was able to find the correct tire size for my 530xit. I did make the ferry check in by five minutes…whew.

Now had I had RFTs on the car, I would have be able to drive to a garage to get it replaced. Problem is, there were no RFTs within 1500 KMs of my location. Even more drastic, there are no garages that would have the equipment to change RFTs. So really, having the RFTs would have stranded me, or had me limp my way home or to the nearest BMW dealership. Even then, it would be luck if they had the correct size for my car.

Best of luck with your new tires Raj. I’m sure you are going to notice the difference right away. Keep any eye on the tire pressure to see if the tires remain sealed. Also make sure the garage doesn’t damage your rims.

paul

A friend of mine owns a small gold mine in the Koyukuk drainage system , he called me up the other day and asked me to aid him in the transfer of some gold . He wanted me to pick up an Asian couple at the Ted Stevens I A P in Anchorage . So I washed and detailed the Bimmer to Spic ‘n Span super clean and shinnyness , arranged for another hombre to shadow me through out the day , picked up the translator and off to the airport we went , she went inside and located the couple , we all drove off in my BMW 335xi with RFT and meet the seller The translator , the seller and the buyers all went to a restraunt for drinks , I stayed out side with the car , an hour or so later I took the buyer to a local bank where they withdrew a large sum of cash and transported them to a hotel room to do the weighing , grading and buying of the gold , I waited outside of the hotel door ensuring that no one would get in , or out with out my employers approval . A few hours later the seller and buyer informed me that the deal was done and they wanted to go back to the airport , so off we went and an hour later there were on the airplane back to Asia . We all then went back to the sellers home where we were very well compensated for our efforts . Thing went super smooth ,YET IF THINGS GOT OUT OF HAND and my BMW got a flat tire I DO NOT think I would have time to stop and deal with that issue . I ‘am certain that there will be the usual yahoo’s squaking but who cares what the cubical crowd has to say . As the U.S. decends into the abyss of debt and total economic collapse scenarios like this will be more common as the people from “cashed up countries” come here to buy our natural resources and they will need protection . I choose BMW with RFT to aid me in my delivery of that protection .

Tony

LOL. Just like a bad B movie. Dog the bounty hunter or some such foolishness. LOL

paul

i have solved my RFT problem. I have purchased an Audi. After 20 years of owning BMW I could not endure the horrible ride of the new technology of the RFT rough ride. Good luck to everyone on this blog. Adios!!!

Tony

All the best to you on your Audi journey.

paul

WOW ! Now that is what I can decisive action ! Audi’s are very nice cars , I see a lot of them on the road lots of A-4′s and S-4′s and a few RS-4′s . Audi has a long proud history dating back to Auto-Union , they introduced quattro to rally racing , presently they own Lamborghini and share technology . add there series of Le Mans victorys , the company is diffently on the move . In Latin Audi means Listen , so Audi has been busy paying attention , If I did not perfer BMW I diffently would hoppiety foot down to Morrison Auto Group and buy an S-4 , today , right now . ——– As to Big Tony some times the truth is more interesting then fiction , some guys spend all day in there cubicle lost in a Walter Mitty scenario , Paper pushers and there mundane lives , shinny un-blemished sport machines parked inside pouting / restrained / miserable from being cooped up and neglected ! My BMW is stone chiped with a few tears in the clear bra , the head / fog lights have been sand blasted , My Bimmer gets to run and do what Bimmers do best , go on long runs or race around town and have fun ! My BMW 335 xi is outside , all excited and ready to run waiting for me to come out and play . Your Bimmer parked next to mine , Tony standing next to me , Jealousy Rears its Ulgy Head .

Murray

Who needs a spare tyre anyway. Keep a can of Holts tyre weld in the boot and problem solved.

paul

Big Murray steps up to the plate and knows how to T.C.B. Take Care of Business

GAC1077

All i will said its 8 tires in 20 months at 500 per tire =Ridiculous and 4,000 dollars my last BMW it is can wait for my lease to expire and give my money to Audi or Benz whoever has real tires.

Timb88

I was recently forced to replace a bent rim and a run Flat tire, due to the poor roads here in New England.

I have strongly disliked these RFT’s since buying my 2008 335xi couple. The car CRASHES over bumps, or imperfections on any road. I have owned many BMW’s since buying my first: a 1968 2002. None of the previous cars have had such a horrid ride and it has been obvious since Day #1 that these tires suck.

Oh – as it turns out, the DEALER told me that all 4 of my 17″ Rims were bent ! They straightened the right front rim & replaced my tire (for free). Great tire/wheeel combo, BMW :)

I called Tire Rack the same day and ordered 4 Michelins on 4 nice rims ($1068).

These conventional tires have COMPLETELY transformed my 335xi. It now rides beautifully and smoothly. The suspension absorbs potholes and road imperfections. The car handles just as well now or better. I had already purchased a compact spare kit from Bavarian Auto, because of my fear of getting stranded at some distant locale.

BMW should offer the option to buyers of new cars the choice: conventional tires or RFT’s.

BMW:

Mikec

I just purchased a 2008 335i with low km’s. I find the car has what I can only describe as a “road feel vibration” around 60 km/hr. I believe it’s the run flat tires. I had a similar issue with my 323i and the BMW dealer said my run flats were worn out, even though they had lots of tread left. Once replaced, the 323i ride was fine. Have you experienced this? Also, what model of Michelin tires did you purchase?
Thanks, Mike

martyn

Are there non – run flats available for my BMW 3201 Coupe M pack with 19″ rims or am I forced to stick with my run flats ? any advice would be helpful . Thanks, Martyn

gordon

Run flat tyres are safe you won’t flip over on the motorway if you get a puncture, but their alloy wheels aren’t up to the task. hit a pothole that other cars survive and you end up with a split rim right round the well. this defeats the safety point because a broken wheel sends you all over the place, i know it’s happened 4 times had long running battle with BMW who just keep denying liability so i’ve switched to Audi. if it happens to you look at how close the split is to the flat bit of the wheel next to the valve. at one point BMW said to me the wheel is designed to break to protect the integrity of the tyre, what a load of rubbish when the wheel splits it cuts the tyre so where’s the protection

David Postlethwaite

I have a 2010 series 6 with run flat tyres it has done 6000 kms. Last week I had a puncture drove 20 kms to a tyre specialist who informed me the tyre needed to be replaced. I was so shocked that after the puncture was repaired I drove to my BMW dealer, he examined the tyre and informed me it needed to be replaced. I was amazed as I thought the principal was that if driven as BMW advise the tyre remained in a good state for repair, however my BMW agent informed me that this might be so on a small car but that my series 6 was too heavy for this to apply. In short be warned a puncture means a new tyre at more than Euros 500.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RQU25GHGLMEM7CX4I7JV5WXWTA Kathleen Mizrahi

nice tires,.. very high in quality…
American Tire Depot Bakersfield

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CBELF2XQOHH7VFJWF4HBUQ3AS4 Country fan!

I have a BMW X5 with run flat tires and have already had 4 tires replaced due to nails puncturing the tires. In my opinion, I like run flat since I feel safer with it especially with kids in the car. There’s no need to pull over somewhere and call someone to change the tires, especially at night. I purchased the tire warranty and I’m glad I did. I actually had my tires punctured driving at 45 miles per hour and felt a loud thump but I didn’t lose control of the car. There are nuances of having regular and run flat tires but based on my needs I opted for the run flat tire.

shar

I am paranoid on what to do on my 2010 x5 rft 20 inch sports tires. The dealer said my rear tires are worn badly on the inside and need replacement and I have 14,000 miles on them. Apparently out of alignment as I always kept air proper and only have had the car a yr. The dunlaps are $525 a piece and he said i could replace all 4 with bridgestone rft. the rears are bigger then the fronts. He said if you switch brands you really should replace all 4, even though my fronts have maybe 4 or 5,000 m left. His price is $200 higher then Costco but costco doesn’t do alignment and obviously i need one. Anyone, should I stick with the Dunlaps and just get the two for now or go with the 4 bridgestones? I felt the ride was fine with the dunlaps and have had no problems with them. After reading some of your comments on the bridgestones, I am not convinced I should switch. Thanks for any opinions.

MikeMxo

2 flat tires, 2 loaner cars, $900 for run flats on my new BMW 535i. I swapped to conventional tires and am getting a much smoother ride, better gas mileage and hopefully longer tire life. Conventional tires are reasonably priced and can be repaired without going to a dealership and getting a loaner car for a day or so while they special order the Run-Flats. Now I can enjoy the car!
MikeMxo

2 flat tires, 2 loaner cars, $900 for run flats on my new BMW 535i. I swapped to conventional tires and am getting a much smoother ride, better gas mileage and hopefully longer tire life. Conventional tires are reasonably priced and can be repaired without going to a dealership and getting a loaner car for a day or so while they special order the Run-Flats. Now I can enjoy the car!
- Akhurdajian
  
  do you have to adjust the suspension if you switch them to regular tires?

Maureenandjohn

BMW bought 2008,21000 miles lady owner 76 years of age.four run flat tyres purchased in less than three years.Unacceptable?

Comments

Bojangles

If you replace the RFTs with conventional tires do you have to replace the rims?

sisko

No not at all. just changed my 2010 bmw x5 runflats to conventionals and the ride comfort is now superb. would never use runflats again.
- Royalt
  
  Sisko Hi What size and kind of tires did you replace them with I hav a 2010 X5 and it came with 255/50R-19 fronts and 285/45 R19 on the rear

Bert Nodules

I understood that the reason Run Flats were fitted is because the North Americans are paranoid about getting a puncture and being stranded at the side of the road. I also understand that RFs make a 15% degradation in ride quality. RFs sound a great idea on many counts but BMW owners all over the world are paying the price to develop this technology in financial cost and ride quality and I for one do not think it’s worth it.
BMW please go back to proper tyres, with a space saver spare if you must, and ditch these RFs that only have one advantage over normal tyres and lots of disadvantages. It would be more beneficial to make sure alloy wheel didn’t weld to steel hubs, even copper grease does not last long.

Irvkelley

I traded in a 2006 325xi last month; I purchased a 2011 328i, I’m concerned about rear wheel driving performance of the 328i in the snow. I spoke with BMW NA and was told that the weight of the 2011 3 series were 51.9 front and 48.9 rear which make the weight distribution almost even and therefore the 328i should perform well in the snow.

Can I get a simple and straight forward answer does the 328i perform well in the snow or not. Irv

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_XIDFFUWFUUQXLXMG2GBQ52MXEM Euro trash

I just purchased a 05 645 convertible with 60 000 miles super clean
and brand new set of Goodyear excellence run flats
Friday my low pressure light came on ..Pulled over checked tires ,everything seemd normal but to be on safe side stopped at the local parts store purchased a brand new shiny digital tire pressure gauge could of went with the 4.99 model
but hey i now own a BMW so i want the best thingy for my BMW 9.99 Ha
pressure all correct ok reset on my way an hour later light comes back on ..well im 20 min from home they are run flats ah what the hell …well about 5 miles from home and car started shaking violently yes violently
wth… checked tires my rear tire sidewall was separated about half way around wheel wow
no spare no run flat wth had to flat bed it home called all around tire back ordered from goodyear
have to ship it in from the west coast
wth………Pain in my arse why would this seem like a good idea to anyone in beyond me
they offer a terrible ride …they dont work the cost is double that of a regular high performance tire
stupid

Gffoye

I own Mini Cooper. Will never again purchase a vehicle with run flat tires:
extremely rigid, uncomfortable ride; high replacement cost; have to replace set about 12K miles.

Brian

I bought a 2000 BMW 3 series and loved that car, I traded it for a 2008 3 series xi model because I live in Maine and was tired of have to swap tires every year . Well I had the car and did not enjoy the car because it was so stiff every bump was jarring , it seemed I would have a kidney belt to drive it , granted this is Maine and BMW is made in Germany who have the nicest roads in the world. Anyway for a daily commuter I couldn’t drive it and had to trade after a year. Now I never had an all wheel drive so I am not sure if that was why it was so stiff , but we came to the conclusion it may have been the run flat tires, now if that was the problem they should adjust the cars suspension to adjust for the rough ride the tires give the customer.
Believe me I had a BMW for eight years prior to trading it for the 08 and truly love it. And we tried everything at the dealer to correct the problem before I couldn’t take it anymore and traded it for an Audi A4. My feeling is if the customer would like to have any tire on the car they should be able to have what they want and not be forced to have run flats , This is not a good policy for BMW to undertake .. All I can say is good luck but we are in the market for another car but refuse to play the run flat game with BMW.
-Brian

disgruntled

I have just had to replace my second rear tyre within 6 months, on my 530d tourer (apparently they always wear out on the inside wall, whilst the tread still looks fine)
Mobile tyre mechanic came out and told me 50% of his business was with BMW’s and run flat tyres… They are a nightmare! It took 3 days to get hold of the tyre (Bridgestone NCT5), which is 60% more expensive than the non run flat equivelent…
And “run flat” my ar$e – the tyre was completely shredded after driving just 10 miles after losing tyre pressure warning. Result – I ended up getting towed home by the RAC, because I had no spare wheel… Doh!!

I cannot help thinking BMW’s decision to fit run flats on their cars is more to do with a healthy balance sheet in their favour, than car safety. It has certainly left a hefty dent in my wallet, and a bitter taste in my mouth.

At the end of the day I will think very carefully about buying a BMW with run flat tyres again… And that Mercedes E-class estate my neighbour has recently bought, does look very nice…..

Akhurdajian

Do any of you recommend putting run-flats in the front and standard tires in the back? I’ve had to change the front tires already so it’s too late to change those. Now it’s time to change the back ones and I’m considering getting regular tires because of the nightmare run flats have caused.

Mdgladstone

I just replaced the Bridgestone RFT tires that came with my 2003 BMW Z4 after 36000 miles. I was apprehensive about taking the step to replacing them with regular tires but after much research and anguish I
bought 4 Dunlop Direzza z101 225/50r16 because I read some good reviews and they were only $130 each. I
only use the car in nice weather (extra car) so we only average 4k miles per year. The new tires are 1000 percent better. They are quiet and they ride and handle like a dream. The comparison is like these tires have air in them and the run flats were solid rubber. I can’t believe I waited so long to do it. I don’t understand BMW’s hard line philosophy.

Royalt

BMW and their tires are BS Complete BS I have a 2010 X5 and a 2009 Z4 with a V rated tire and I hate the cars . That tire is a soft tire thats rated for 150mph and costs an arm and to add insult to injury they only last 20k miles . Who in their right mind needs a V rated tire rated at 150mph in normal day to day commuting . Everything about BMW is status I thought they were an above average preforming vehicle with an above average resale . They are are worse than any other car made . The dealers thrive on some .10 millionare comming in and paying 5x more than anything is worth .And if something is wrong you better get out the checkbook cause they are going to stick it to you like nobodys busisness . Im going back to Honda Honda & Toyota are the best deal in the market dollar for dollar you cant beat them . I dont have to impress anyone . BMW can stuff their status up somewhere where the sun dont shine

Msquellor

I would not have a car newer than 1999 because these stupid computer cars all suck just like these run flat (made to fail) pos.so called tires.

Wingfanz

My daughter bought her Mini about six months ago. She has had two flats in that time. Previously with her last car she had a total of one flat in three years and that was due to somebody purposely flattening the tire. These run flat tires (rlt) are a joke. Yes she can drive to a BMW dealer, oh and only if it has a mini dept and get it (replaced). There is no repairing these tires, according to the dealer. These tires are approx $250 each installed, ouch!! The BMW itself is a great vehicle. My son had a three series and was hit by someone who blew a red light. Hit him right on the drivers side. Car was total loss but he was not injured. The passenger compartment was not compromised in any way. The windshield spidered but did not come into the vehicle. I was very impressed the way it hyeld up.

MikeC

Run Flat tires can be patched. I did it once with my last BMW without problems (drove another 20,000 Km on them). BMW will tell you they can’t but as long as the puncture is in the tread, it’s fine. On my new BMW I have gotten rid of the run flats.

Nala

All of BMW’s reasons for using RFTs are invalid from my point of view. I have been changing tyres & repairing vehicles since early teens and know how to do it safely and correctly. Granted most people who now buy BMW cars wouldn’t have a clue, but those who do should have a choice. I have had many since my first BM in 1971 and think that the idea of BMW being a drivers car is becoming lost. Why would you buy an Auto Beemer, or need traction control or reversing sensors. I’m sad to say that Bmw now seem to be associated with yuppies where I live, most of these don’t even know where the engine is, let alone know how to change a wheel.

Victor

I have run-flats on my new BMW and I HATE them. I will NEVER buy another car with these worthless tires on it. My gas mileage sucks with them, they’re heavy, they lose air all the time for no reason, and I just got a nail in my tire and it was $400 for a new tire, because you can’t fix them. You just have to throw away a lot of rubber and steel. These tires are the WORST TIRES EVER and I’ve had a lot of tires in my 45 years of driving. I see NO advantage to these tires. They’re too expensive, they’re wasteful, they make my car perform worse and now I’m actually afraid to drive my new BMW because I’m taking a $1600 gamble every time I drive out of my driveway – or even just sitting in my driveway because there might be something sharp that’s gonna puncture them. I’ll take my Pirrellis back that they used to put on them. I’ve never been more furious at BMW for the stupid decision to put them on my car. If this is the future of BMW, I’ve just bought my last BMW.

Wilson Monakale

how to resert run flat on the dash board

Clerkin

Bought a new X5 yesterday. Dealer is pushing hard for me to buy tire & wheel insurance because run flats are very susceptible to damage from road surfaces (e.g. potholes) and wheels are much more likely to be damaged due to the low profile nature of run flats. The dealer indicates that it is not uncommon to replace 3 tires and possibly the wheels in a couple of years time and that the insurance which costs $1500 will pay for itself with just one incident. Is the dealer out to make a buck (of course) or is the insurance really a good idea for anyone purchasing a car with run flats??

Royalt

Id buy the ins Run flats just “suck” that’s all I can say for them I have them on my X5 and I just took them off my 328 . I have no idea why they ever came out with them . On my X they are a V rated tire . Thats stupid who needs a tire rated for 150 mph . BMW needs to go back to a compartment for a spare tire . The ride isnt as good with RFT . And a dealer wont patch a run flat some tire dealers will on the inside of the tire .
The only reason they came out with RFT is so they could save money on the compartment the jack and the spare tire and rim . The RFT wear out mine were shot at 15k
Im real dissapointed with the whole mess and Im not buying any more BMW’s because of it
- Royalt
  
  Also did your dealer tell you that they want $3,800+tx for a snow tire package ? I guess if you dont care how or what anything costs it doesnt matter . I lucked out and found a set of new set of 18″ #209 model bmw rim & snows with only about 4k miles like new for $1200.00 and I really didnt want to spend that
  If I get rid of the RFT Im getting Brigstone Blizzack DMV1 @$168.00 each and summer tires staggered Bridgestone Duler HP Sport @6b20776d8aca5340708c6c575755d7b3:disqus $218 .00 and $235.00 for the wider rears

Lynn

I have a 128i with just under 10K miles on it. I had to replace one of the run flat’s last year due to a “bubble” in the sidewall (which I still think was a defect, but couldn’t even get Pirelli to return my calls). Now, I’m at lease end and the dealer tells me that in order to pass a CPO, I’ll have to replace the other three as they are all getting bald. Did I mention that I have less than 10K miles on this vehicle? So I’ve made a decision to pass on the CPO and the extra two years of coverage that comes with it and put on standard tires. Three run-flats will cost me $1,000 USD. I can get 4 premium standard tires and a donut spare for that, and I’m sure I won’t be replacing them again in 10,000 miles! I think it’s awful that BMW forces these ridiculous tires on us. Not everyone drives the Autobahn to work everyday! At least offer them as an option at purchase, not a standard item.

Jpezzuti

Who ever wrote this must not have RU. Flats on their car. So the whole reason why BMW puts Rft on their cars is because it dangerous to change a tire? Ok well first off how many times will you actually change a tire on your car? In the past my cars which didn’t have Rft I never had to change a tire the entire time I owned it! But this new BMW I have with Rft I have owned it a little over a year And a half and have replaced 6 tires and 2 rims! Plus the tires if they make it past. Few months and a few thousand miles only last less than 15k miles! Not to mention they are twice as much in costed.
So let’s recap, twice as much money, 1/2 the tread wear, rough hard ride, and just a crappy tire over all but lets put it on the ultimate driving machine! And the reason we want to do this is so you don’t have to change the tire on the side of the road……..yeah thAt worth it!

Lynn

The RFT’s are horrible! I am at lease end and am going to sacrifice the extra two years of warranty that I’d get by CPO’ing (Certified Pre-Owned) the car just so I can get rid of these tires and get standard ones! I think that it’s horrible that BMW forces these on us, and I told them so when they called to ask about my lease end decision. RFT’s should be an option, not standard gear on the car. Any tire that lasts less than 10K miles (I have 9,300 miles on the car and am being told I have to replace three of them if I want to CPO), is a waste of money. I don’t care if I have to change a tire if I have a flat – I’ll get AAA for that. And I don’t drive the Autobahn every day, so I’m not worried about a blow-out. In fact, in my entire life I’ve never had a tire blow-out on a car, and I’ve owned many cars.

Jpezzuti

Oh and one more thing doesn’t BMW have BMW assist and road side help? You get a flat call road side and have them change it so problem solved no danger changing a tire!

Art H

I greatly dislike my run flats on my 2011 X6 50i. They ride rough, are too noisy, wear too quickly, puncture too easily and cost too much. Will not buy another car where these are included in the purchase without the option of traditional tires with a spare.

Fred

I bought a 1993 325i in 1993 and kept it for 13 years (a great car) and bought a 2006 325i in Dec. 2005 not knowing much about RF tires. Within a couple months of owning my 06 beamer, I noticed the road noise inside the cabin and then I took my car to dealer and I was told that the noise is because of RF tires. I have to admit that I have not had a single flat tire or puncture ever since I bought my 3 series but the road noise and handling is a real draw back plus the fact that replacing RFs are more expensive than regular tires. I do agree with others that BMW had to leave the choice to customers to have either RF or regular tires.

Sunny Florida

I have owned my 128i for one month and on a road trip from Florida to the Washington D.C. area discovered how much run flat tires cost! Living in Florida pot holes are not an issue but driving in the rain I learned in North Carolina the hard way and $450.00 later – *sigh* now do I purchase the $1,500 tire warrantee ?

Steve

I have a 5 Series and have replaced endless RFTs (and I mean endless). Really want to buy an X5 because there is nothing that compares in terms of economy and performance HOWEVER I need to know if BMW have sorted out the problems on the X5 RFTs? If not I will buy an Audi? Would welcome feedback.

frog

I drive the BMW 320i in Hong Kong for 4 years, this is the 4th BMW which really disappointed me, IT is TERRIBLE for road conditions in Hong Kong, with lots of pot holes, road repair covered with uneven surfaces.. hurts my wife’s lower back on the bumpy roads, and attracts nails .. as said .. don’t know why BMW do this .. TERRIBLE TERRIBLE & TERRIBLE .. HOPE BMW Sees this and get back on the right track of giving a Quality with
a Quality drive, Not with a BUMPY Tires ..

AJ

2011 BMW 328XI. Labor day weekend, monday night. Was 300 miles away from NYC, in NH. Slammed onto a pothole at 80 MPH – RFT went flat upto the rimm, and car became un-derivable. My option was to stay with the car or park it and go back to work the next day. Had to call in tow service to the get my car to the nearest airport, about 80 miles – cost $420.

Parked my BMW there, got into a rental, drove back to NYC.

Bought the following the day after:
Wheel: $340
New RFT: $289
RFT pressure value: $168
Tire mount: $55
———————————————-
Total spent: $852

Rental cost: $130
Rental Fuel: $70
———————————————-
Total Rental: $200

———————————————-

Total money spent: $1052
Mental harassment: Limitless!!
———————————————-

This is my true story. Learn from it, avoid RFTs or BMW altogether.

AJ

Russ

I just got home from a trip to see my daughter in Maine and picked up a nail. My manual says 50 miles which was confirmed by my dealer. I was 160 miles from home. It is Sunday and no BMW service is open. A call to 5 retailers had no effect as no one carries these perelli. Two days to get them what do I do Miss work and hotel in Maine? This is a 2013 X3. What if my wife was alone. On my Infiniti I could have gone to any local garage and gotten it repaired. Fortunately I got some air in the tire an nursed it home. I am still out a $400 tire and if I have any wear at all. They will need to replace all four. I am totally pissed and will replace these or sell the dam car and go with my close second choice Audi

andrew cunningham

no spare tire is the reason we are getting rid of our 2007 335i for a Audi s5. but the poor share holders are saved a bit of money to pay their tax bill!!!!

Ed

Not impressed with the Dunlop run flat tires we have a 2012 x5 with 20″tire less than 11000 miles on tires and finally got the dealer toreplace the tires as the corners were worn off smooth as a piece of glass they would only go 75% when it was a problem since day one. This is our first BMW maybe the last.

Tom9

So they basically outline why BMW uses run-flats as standard equipment, then they say you shouldn’t take them off for official reasons, and then they tell you that you can go ahead and take them off. I sure took them off.

BMWBlog

Reasons to have Run-flat tires on your BMW

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