E90 Spare Tire Kit

[ChitownIrish]

I came across this on the BMWCCA site, has anyone had any experience in using this?

http://leatherz.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=SpaceSaverSpare&Category_Code=E90Safety

[shifterkart33]

I have one. It takes up some room in the trunk, but at least you get rid of the RFT's without worrying about being stuck on the side of the road.

[Georgere]

I have one. It takes up some room in the trunk, but at least you get rid of the RFT's without worrying about being stuck on the side of the road.

what is your experience with "aftermarket" tires? was it worth it performance and cost wise?

thnx

[shifterkart33]

Yes. They are significantly lighter, cheaper, and more comfortable. The stock wheels are very heavy too, so for the biggest improvement, change them also.

[ChitownIrish]

I have one. It takes up some room in the trunk, but at least you get rid of the RFT's without worrying about being stuck on the side of the road.

Did you do something to keep the tire and jack kit from rolling around in the trunk?

Have you had to use it? If so, is it difficult mount with the spacer?

[shifterkart33]

I put it on just to check and it wasn't a problem.

I have a 328 so I put the jack and tools in the under trunk compartment. The 335 under trunk compartment is probably too small to do that. I put a tie down over the spare tire, but it really doesn't do much. They should make a tire cover that ties to the trunk tie down points.

[mniemiec]

I want to buy something like this. I hate the no spare in the trunk concept with a passion. Whoever thought of that should be fired and then shot outside the building.

This has to be the stupidest concept of all time.

I keep mentioning this to the service rep, and he's like but you can drive for like 150 miles. yeah 150miles maybe if your car is empty and you're driving like 45 mph. If you're taking a weekend trip to go snowboarding or something with friends and you get a flat your weekend is pretty much ruined. Good luck finding run flat tires in small towns let alone drive the car far with the hefty load.

Sorry for venting but I'm hopinh BMW retracts this dumb "feature" so that future BMW owners don't have to go through this.

Is there anyway to convert back so that a spare can fit in the trunk under the liner?

[mryakan]

I want to buy something like this. I hate the no spare in the trunk concept with a passion. Whoever thought of that should be fired and then shot outside the building.

This has to be the stupidest concept of all time.

I keep mentioning this to the service rep, and he's like but you can drive for like 150 miles. yeah 150miles maybe if your car is empty and you're driving like 45 mph. If you're taking a weekend trip to go snowboarding or something with friends and you get a flat your weekend is pretty much ruined. Good luck finding run flat tires in small towns let alone drive the car far with the hefty load.

Sorry for venting but I'm hopinh BMW retracts this dumb "feature" so that future BMW owners don't have to go through this.

Is there anyway to convert back so that a spare can fit in the trunk under the liner?
NO. Live with it or get another car. The M cars have been without a spare for like forever. People bitchin about it on an online forum or to their SA will not cause BMW to change their minds. Sorry to be the one to tell you the truth of the matter, I know it will disappoint you, but the faster you accept it the easier you will get along with your loss. Or hang on to a spare taking up your trunk space, no one is denying you that.

[E92!Dreier]

NO. Live with it or get another car. The M cars have been without a spare for like forever. People bitchin about it on an online forum or to their SA will not cause BMW to change their minds. Sorry to be the one to tell you the truth of the matter, I know it will disappoint you, but the faster you accept it the easier you will get along with your loss. Or hang on to a spare taking up your trunk space, no one is denying you that.

+1

BMW has also softened their stance -- they seem to realize that some particular RunFlat Tires are junk - BMW has changed what tires they use, and has asked for a redesign (and gotten one) from Bridgestone.

In addition, My SA (who once told me that BMW would refuse to pay for Road Side Assistance on cars with flat non-run flat tires) has recently told me things like: "Listen. Get the best tires for you." and "Of course BMW will still offer you assitance in the event of a blowout...you paid for it when you bought the premium priced BMW, instead of an Acura."

But, while I understand that some people don't like the Runflats (they were jammed down our throats, and are not the "same" as we are used to), and I can almost understand why they dislike them, I agree with our illustrious moderator.

BMW has adopted Runflat tires as standard for 1) safety 2) marketing 3 )legal reasons (in no particular order).

RFT's will only become more pervasive, throughout the car world, in the coming years. I have never heard of an epidemic of rollovers with the X5 -- after all, it's not a Ford Exploder. Err...Explorer. Part of the backlash from that debacle (FYI -- My Explorer never flipped) is that enthusiasts have had their cars dummy proofed to some extent -- tire pressure monitors , and runflat tires. Neither system is flawless, but they help prevent litigation, and dnager int he first place. BMW was also sued by a motorist whose jack slipped out from under a car, injuring him and damaging his vehicle...no more jacks for hacks!

But, I would rather have a brand new answer to an age old question than no answer at all. The sooner we embrace some of BMW's quirky new technolgies, the sooner we can move on.

For instance, people new to the E9x's love to complain about electronic dipsticks and funky turn signal actuators. Within a week, they chaneg their tune. "Oh, the turn signals are so intuitive..they are like butter!" or "Damn...I hated that my car had no dipstick when I bought it. But, then I checked my oil level while I was driving in the rain without stopping and I realized how cool it is."

It's like when Ralph Nader forced the use engineering of safety restraint systems in cars. A lot of people were like "Wah, the seatbelt thingy will trap me if I flip, and it'll decapitate me!"

50 years later, the seatbelt is the single most important safety device, ever.

Even though gas prices are higher, still see plenty of giant SUV's out there, driven by geriatrics, soccer moms, angry wall streeters, "5. 0", et cetera. However, I rarely see them parked next to me checking their tire pressure in the gas station. I wish they were all in BMW's, so that I knew that they had Runflat tires (no blowout + rollover), and a TPMS (no low tire pressure + rollover).

/rant

[mniemiec]

I think you guys misunderstood what I am trying to say. I don't hate the run flat tires, I like them.

I Hate the fact that I can get stranded in the middle of the night with no way to get going passed the damn 100 miles or so. This is just retarted and makes me feel uncomfortable especially when in the boonies in Pennsylvania.

I love the run flat concept that you can drive away from danger, stability, and so forth. Great idea. What does a spare tire have to do with run flat tires? These are two different concepts. What if you hit something and bust your rim? How is a run flat going to help you?

But the main point is this.... At least give people the option to choose whether they want a spare tire or not.




+1

BMW has also softened their stance -- they seem to realize that some particular RunFlat Tires are junk - BMW has changed what tires they use, and has asked for a redesign (and gotten one) from Bridgestone.

In addition, My SA (who once told me that BMW would refuse to pay for Road Side Assistance on cars with flat non-run flat tires) has recently told me things like: "Listen. Get the best tires for you." and "Of course BMW will still offer you assitance in the event of a blowout...you paid for it when you bought the premium priced BMW, instead of an Acura."

But, while I understand that some people don't like the Runflats (they were jammed down our throats, and are not the "same" as we are used to), and I can almost understand why they dislike them, I agree with our illustrious moderator.

BMW has adopted Runflat tires as standard for 1) safety 2) marketing 3 )legal reasons (in no particular order).

RFT's will only become more pervasive, throughout the car world, in the coming years. I have never heard of an epidemic of rollovers with the X5 -- after all, it's not a Ford Exploder. Err...Explorer. Part of the backlash from that debacle (FYI -- My Explorer never flipped) is that enthusiasts have had their cars dummy proofed to some extent -- tire pressure monitors , and runflat tires. Neither system is flawless, but they help prevent litigation, and dnager int he first place. BMW was also sued by a motorist whose jack slipped out from under a car, injuring him and damaging his vehicle...no more jacks for hacks!

But, I would rather have a brand new answer to an age old question than no answer at all. The sooner we embrace some of BMW's quirky new technolgies, the sooner we can move on.

For instance, people new to the E9x's love to complain about electronic dipsticks and funky turn signal actuators. Within a week, they chaneg their tune. "Oh, the turn signals are so intuitive..they are like butter!" or "Damn...I hated that my car had no dipstick when I bought it. But, then I checked my oil level while I was driving in the rain without stopping and I realized how cool it is."

It's like when Ralph Nader forced the use engineering of safety restraint systems in cars. A lot of people were like "Wah, the seatbelt thingy will trap me if I flip, and it'll decapitate me!"

50 years later, the seatbelt is the single most important safety device, ever.

Even though gas prices are higher, still see plenty of giant SUV's out there, driven by geriatrics, soccer moms, angry wall streeters, "5. 0", et cetera. However, I rarely see them parked next to me checking their tire pressure in the gas station. I wish they were all in BMW's, so that I knew that they had Runflat tires (no blowout + rollover), and a TPMS (no low tire pressure + rollover).

/rant

[mryakan]

I think you guys misunderstood my point. I should have stated it differently. I don't hate the run flat tires, I like them.

I Hate the fact that I can get stranded in the middle of the night with no way to get going passed the damn 100 miles or so. This is just retarted and makes me feel uncomfortable especially when in the boonies in Pennsylvania.

I love the run flat concept that you can drive away from danger, stability, and so forth. Great idea.

But the main point is this.... At least give people the option to choose whether they want a spare tire or not.
fair enough. The 5 series gets that, but it seems they ran out of space on the e90 for a spare or even a donut.

[02325]

you also have to think about the weight savings. bmw is big on 50/50 weight distrubution and great mpg. plus the cost.

[tjsolimeo]

I had the right front go flat on my '08 E90 335xi on the way to the beach for a week. BMW roadside assist would only tow me to a dealer who was either closed or had no loaner/rental cars. I was still over a 100 miles to the vacation site, so I figured I would fill the tire with flat-fix ( the hell with the sensor), drive to the beach and then have the car towed to the dealer and have the tire replaced while I vacationed. Wrong! The first can of flat-fix blew out of the 1/4 in hole in the tread as soon as it went in. I stopped again for a bottle of green goop that I have used before. Only half a pint would go onto the tire. I figured the tire didn't have much air space with all of the extra rubber inside and sitting flat. The green goop drained as quickly as I filled it also. So, I headed to the beach on the flat tire as it wasn't too far past the recommended distance. I stopped at a Firestone dealer and located a replacement tire only 110 miles away. I got there a couple of hours later after traveling at speeds up to 75 mph. The tread looked new, the tire wasn't even warm and the car had only developed a very light drift to the right. I would say that the speed and mileage suggestions for the runflats are very conservative. BTW, the tire pressure sensor/transmitter was not damaged by the flat-fix chemicals.

[mryakan]

You wouldn't be that guy whose tire blew (see this post: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1065369). That guy was lucky he had RFTs. That is their main advantage.

[KUpolo]

I noticed that they are out of stock on this kit. Does anyone else have a lead on where to get one of these or any experience with them in the 335?

I'm looking at a 335xi, but do way to much remote driving to not have a spare tire in my trunk, run flats or not.

Any input here would be great. Thanks.