To run flat or not run flat ....

[jtispoindexter]

this is my question . If i have no spare , will a can of tire inflator repair totally mess up the TPMS in the rim , or buy replacement run flats ?
I am a first time Bmmer owner , not up on all the tech yet

thanks
JT

[news 4 u]

Try to find a cheap BMW Mobility Kit. It comes with sealant for the puncture location and a mini compressor to inflate the tire so you won't have to lug around a big, heavy spare or use runflats (the OEM bridgestone's on my E90 were god awful but the continentals I switched to actually weren't bad for street driving. If you don't track your car and just drive it on the street, I'd check them out).

[samger2]

To answer your initial question though, yes, the can of tire inflator repair can mess up the TPM monitor in the wheel.

Do you like how your car handles and performs now? The sidewall on a runflat is very stiff and contributes greatly to how the car handles and performs...taking the runflats off will change those characteristics. Many say it changes them for the better...but nonetheless, make the decision for yourself, if you like your current setup, then stay with what you have.

[jtispoindexter]

Thanks , i thought if i used the flat fix inflator i would be into a rim cleaning and a TPMS sending unit replacement .. as my father did it to his Buick , and the car did not like it lol :)

[samger2]

Yeah, that stuff is nasty and corrosive. Even back in the day when I was changing tires 15 or 16 years ago before TPM sensors were around...or around on anything except a corvette...we hated fix a flat...every tire that had that stuff in it had to be dismounted and thoroughly cleaned otherwise it'd throw off the balance and cause vibrations.

[mryakan]

How long have you had the car for? If it is just recent, I advise you to try the runflats for a while, you may not hate. They are not as bad as everyone makes them out to be, I am on my 5th set now, and getting a 6th in the spring.

[GunnerNell]

Just for another viewpoint (and also because I get a kick out of disagreeing with mryakan :D), I changed out my 128i's runflats for conventional tires -- all seasons, actually. The runflats were thumpier, but not all that bad. It's just that they were performance tires and I burned off the rears in less than 20k miles (staggered set up, so I couldn't rotate them). I got tired of spending all that extra money for tires that weren't going to last very long. The Michelin Pilot Sport + A/S tires are not quite as sticky as the performance tires, but I didn't expect them be. They do ride better, they're absolutely fine for spirited daily driving, and they're warranted for many more thousand miles. BTW, the tire guy said what others have said -- that fix-a-flat stuff will mess up your tire pressure monitors and will just generally muck up the insides of your rims. For now, I'm going to rely on the tire warranty, AAA, and the BMW assist in case I have a flat. Still trying to figure out a Plan B.

[mryakan]

Just for another viewpoint (and also because I get a kick out of disagreeing with mryakan :D)
:embarrasm.
They do make all season runflats, but we've been through this before I believe ;). No matter what, I say everyone should try them out then decide. Obviously you took that approach and then decided to switch.

[samger2]

I think that's the key...decide for yourself. I can't tell you how many calls I get from people that said "I read on the internet...."

Heck...I read all over the internet how fantastic Yuenling beer is...but I still think Miller High Life tastes twice as good regardless of what the interwebz say.... :)

[jtispoindexter]

TY all , just got the car , 41k on the Odo , and 2 tires are near replacement , Ill prob get the same as the newer tires for now to keep them all the same , a bit OCD i guess lol:D

[GunnerNell]

Heck...I read all over the internet how fantastic Yuenling beer is...but I still think Miller High Life tastes twice as good regardless of what the interwebz say.... :)

Them's fightin' words for us Pennsylvanians!

And yes, mryakan, I couldn't agree more (dang, I hate when that happens) that trying before deciding is the best strategy.

[Cliche Guevara]

I think that's the key...decide for yourself. I can't tell you how many calls I get from people that said "I read on the internet...."

Heck...I read all over the internet how fantastic Yuenling beer is...but I still think Miller High Life tastes twice as good regardless of what the interwebz say.... :)
Ew. Just.... ew. I've never heard of Yuenling, but anything Miller is just cheap, disgusting beer that should never be willfully consumed by anyone that considers themselves a beer lover.

What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, tires. If you can afford the price bump with runflat tires I would stick with them. I honestly don't think the slight difference in ride quality is worth having to lug a spare around or call a tow truck every time you get a flat. Your 328ix probably has the Continental SSRs, which are pretty good tires. Just don't ever get the Potenza RE 050s. They're really quite terrible.

[samger2]

haha..I knew that would get some responses

[bimmerzone]

to OP, if you are interested in a spare, do check out:
http://www.bimmerzone.com/BMW_Performance_Spare_Tire/BIM-SST-E90-KIT.html


I am assuming its for your E90+?


http://www.bimmerzone.com/images/E60Spare02.jpg (http://www.bimmerzone.com/BMW_Performance_Spare_Tire/BIM-SST-E90-KIT.html)

[ocpinstead]

Just remember that if you have a tire problem and you don't have runflats, BMW will not pay for the towing under the BMW Assist program.

[amtex]

They paid for me :) I had a flat "non run-flat" tires just recently and the only thing I paid at the BMW dealership was new tire mounting. BMW Assist knew that I had a non run-flat tires.

[GunnerNell]

Just remember that if you have a tire problem and you don't have runflats, BMW will not pay for the towing under the BMW Assist program.

Hmmm, but when you think about it, why would you need towing for a "flat" tire if you had runflats?? :dunno

[mryakan]

Hmmm, but when you think about it, why would you need towing for a "flat" tire if you had runflats?? :dunno
Runflats can also fail if they operating parameters are exceeded (speed, distance, load, etc), just saying. The towing guy does not know/care and BMW will not know what happened unless the dealer tells them something, so chances are you will get towed for free unless it is an accident.

[sqwerl]

Besides the cost factor and the fact that they can still fail like mentioned above there are a couple of other things to consider.



There is debate and I can't find a conclusive answer on whether they can be repaired safely or not. Years ago, I believe some tire manufacturers were recommending that ONLY THEY repair the tire but that could have changed.
The stiffer sidewalls can make for a harsher ride but some claim they counter that by using a softer tread compound leading to faster wear.

I just keep towing added to my insurance and don't bother with the BMW Assist.

[bimmerzone]

agree..... once punctured, it can only last so long, and depends how its punctured or cut too...

on the joking end of things.. arent the tow truck drivers suppose to know everything ?? :(




Runflats can also fail if they operating parameters are exceeded (speed, distance, load, etc), just saying. The towing guy does not know/care and BMW will not know what happened unless the dealer tells them something, so chances are you will get towed for free unless it is an accident.