Experience with runflat tires, prospective owner

[cfabluenose]

I'm thinking about buying a new 3 series to replace my aging Saab ('97 with 344,000 km's). But I'm not thrilled with the run flat tires. What have folks' experiences been with these? Can I replace them with normal tires and, if so, is there a depression in the trunk where I can stick a mini-spare? Thanks.

[e90dr]

I'm thinking about buying a new 3 series to replace my aging Saab ('97 with 344,000 km's). But I'm not thrilled with the run flat tires. What have folks' experiences been with these? Can I replace them with normal tires and, if so, is there a depression in the trunk where I can stick a mini-spare? Thanks.

Run flats are so-so. They wear out pretty fast and become noisy. You can certainly replace them with the non-RFTs, and a repair kit. There is no reserved place for the spare inthe trunk.

Other than that, get the e9x -- great car.

[Kevlar]

Run flats are just fine ... they actually did a study on a 5 series at the Nurburgring in Germany and the 5series was faster with the run flats than without. You can swap them off if you want, you'll save some rotational mass, but it's not worth the piece of mind of to risk having a flat IMHO.

[x2delight]

since this is gonna be my first car with RFT(e90 Sedan) i was wondering what is the actual procedure when i get a flat? i know i can still drive on it. but the best thing to do is drive on it and get it to a tire shop correct? not keep driving on it? or do i just fill it back up with air and act like nothing happened and fix it later?

[greenie99]

since this is gonna be my first car with RFT(e90 Sedan) i was wondering what is the actual procedure when i get a flat? i know i can still drive on it. but the best thing to do is drive on it and get it to a tire shop correct? not keep driving on it? or do i just fill it back up with air and act like nothing happened and fix it later?


Lets put it this way. You can drive on it until you get it fixed! I have driven on RFTs for years and they are fine.

[greenie99]

Run flats are just fine ... they actually did a study on a 5 series at the Nurburgring in Germany and the 5series was faster with the run flats than without. You can swap them off if you want, you'll save some rotational mass, but it's not worth the piece of mind of to risk having a flat IMHO.

+1

[Harve]

Actually I just purchased a set of summer tires on 18" replica M5's today. When I get my car I'm taking the runflats off and putting those on right away. Second thing I'll do is sell the runflats as brand new to recover some cost.

Run flats are expensive to replace and besides BMW, who else sells them?

[mose121]

since this is gonna be my first car with RFT(e90 Sedan) i was wondering what is the actual procedure when i get a flat? i know i can still drive on it. but the best thing to do is drive on it and get it to a tire shop correct? not keep driving on it? or do i just fill it back up with air and act like nothing happened and fix it later?

They are not designed to be driven on longer than 100 miles. Less than that if you're carrying passengers or additional weight other than yourself. 90% of the time, the tire will need to be replaced.


Lets put it this way. You can drive on it until you get it fixed! I have driven on RFTs for years and they are fine.

Ummm....if you value your life don't listen to that advice. 100 miles tops, and that's pushing it.

RFT's are without a doubt a great safety feature. Soon, they will be standard on every car. They already are standard on all new BMW's.

[PhilG]

Run flats are just fine ... they actually did a study on a 5 series at the Nurburgring in Germany and the 5series was faster with the run flats than without. You can swap them off if you want, you'll save some rotational mass, but it's not worth the piece of mind of to risk having a flat IMHO.

I bought a coverage policy for my wheels and tires from the dealer when I leased my 328xi. For $500 it will replace tires if a flat occurs for any reason - for example, a nail puncture can not usually be repaired with these as I understand it - the tire needs to be replaced. The policy I bought covers it for 3 years. It also will replace the wheel if damaged/bent ie. by a pothole (doesn't cover curb rash, but that's to be expected). It gives me peace of mind knowing that if I get a flat for any reason, I can drive into any BMW dealership and have the tire replaced for free.

[Kevlar]

I bought a coverage policy for my wheels and tires from the dealer when I leased my 328xi. For $500 it will replace tires if a flat occurs for any reason - for example, a nail puncture can not usually be repaired with these as I understand it - the tire needs to be replaced. The policy I bought covers it for 3 years. It also will replace the wheel if damaged/bent ie. by a pothole (doesn't cover curb rash, but that's to be expected). It gives me peace of mind knowing that if I get a flat for any reason, I can drive into any BMW dealership and have the tire replaced for free.

I purchased the same package... definitely worth it IMHO.

[White94RX]

run flat tires can be patched just like any regular tire. the reason they tell you not to, and replace it is because we, as a dealership, don't know how long the car has been driven on with low air pressure, which could compromise the integrity of the sidewalls. if it's just a nail puncture, and the flat tire monitor goes off like it should with a drop of only around 5 psi or so, the tire should be fine. many places won't patch them, but we do.

but yes, runflats, mainly the bridestone turanza's on the E90's get VERY noisy after 10-15 thousand miles. continental also just came out with a runflat which BMW is now using after experiencing these noise problems with the bridgestones.

[rifle]

Obviously it depends on your driving habits but what is the average tire life of the runflats?

[mose121]

Obviously it depends on your driving habits but what is the average tire life of the runflats?

If you get 20k out of any V rated tire, you should consider yourself lucky. RFT or not. I'd plan on 15k, then you won't be shocked when they need replaced at 16k.

[KoKiNo320i]

how much more do the runflats cost than normal tires? is it going to break the bank everytime they need replacing?

[BimmaBwoy]

They are not designed to be driven on longer than 100 miles. Less than that if you're carrying passengers or additional weight other than yourself. 90% of the time, the tire will need to be replaced.



Ummm....if you value your life don't listen to that advice. 100 miles tops, and that's pushing it.

RFT's are without a doubt a great safety feature. Soon, they will be standard on every car. They already are standard on all new BMW's.

Can anyone confirm or deny the life of run flats b/c it seems hard to believe a tire that has 100mile life. I drive 100 miles everyday? Am I missing something?

Edit*** I think i misread what he was saying but someone please confirm anyway. Are you saying that AFTER you receive a flat it's ok to ride on the tires up to 100 miles? If so what is the average life of a RFT if it's your everyday driver?

[cfabluenose]

Lots of feedback..thanks. Overall I think that I would prefer to avoid RFT's. If I buy the 3 series, I'll try to find a minispare and a tirecover and stow it in the trunk. I won't worry too much about a jack as I most likely would call the CAA (Canadian branch of AAA) to change the tire. I'm lazy. Plus last time I tried to change the tire the dumb wrench broke in half. Fat lot of good it was.

[PhilG]

run flat tires can be patched just like any regular tire. the reason they tell you not to, and replace it is because we, as a dealership, don't know how long the car has been driven on with low air pressure, which could compromise the integrity of the sidewalls. if it's just a nail puncture, and the flat tire monitor goes off like it should with a drop of only around 5 psi or so, the tire should be fine. many places won't patch them, but we do.

but yes, runflats, mainly the bridestone turanza's on the E90's get VERY noisy after 10-15 thousand miles. continental also just came out with a runflat which BMW is now using after experiencing these noise problems with the bridgestones.

Very interesting info from a credible source. Thanks - I'm still glad I purchased the wheel and tire coverage - it's worth it for the peace of mind. Bought the policy for my kid's Mazda 3s - pothole destroyed his tire - replaced at no charge, no questions asked.

[777ER]

If my dealer offered the wheel/tire warrenty at $500 I would've got it but they offered it at $998...no way!

[777ER]

run flat tires can be patched just like any regular tire. the reason they tell you not to, and replace it is because we, as a dealership, don't know how long the car has been driven on with low air pressure, which could compromise the integrity of the sidewalls. if it's just a nail puncture, and the flat tire monitor goes off like it should with a drop of only around 5 psi or so, the tire should be fine. many places won't patch them, but we do.

but yes, runflats, mainly the bridestone turanza's on the E90's get VERY noisy after 10-15 thousand miles. continental also just came out with a runflat which BMW is now using after experiencing these noise problems with the bridgestones.

Where does BMW stand on the Bridgestone Turanza EL42 if they get noisy at 15k?

[JNMACE]

I have posted about the awesome safety aspect of having run-flats (I think it was on this forum). However, while it may be the particular tires that BMW has chosen to put on the car, the tires on my 328i Coupe are nowhere near as grippy as the $170 per tire (in other words...cheapies) 245/45/18 Dunlops that were on my E39. The ride is not a problem, but the lack of grip during acceleration is going to get on my nerves...first gear is generally useless.

[PeterC4]

I'm thinking about buying a new 3 series to replace my aging Saab ('97 with 344,000 km's). But I'm not thrilled with the run flat tires. What have folks' experiences been with these? Can I replace them with normal tires and, if so, is there a depression in the trunk where I can stick a mini-spare? Thanks.

Why are you not thrilled with the run flats?

[DTRJ]

I have A 2007 335i Coupe With The 17" Conti Runflats. 225/45/17. These Tires Are Not That Expensive. I Bought One At The Tire Rack To Have Around Just In Case. The Price Was 136.00+ups. They Can Be Installed Locally By Their Recommended Installers For About $40 Each. My Mother Has A 2007 328xi Sedan. Bought A Conti Runflat For Her Car At The Tire Rack As Well. It Was $106.00. Since These Tires Are Hard To Find Except At The Stealer, Thought This Was A Good Move. When I Need Replacements In A Year Or Two I Will Only Need To Buy 3 More

[Emory]

I've formulated some opinions about run-flats, because I was in a position to be concerned: I was out of town (actually out of state) when my tire monitor alarm went off last October.

My first comment: Go buy a tire pressure gauge and stick it in your glovebox. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, just get one - because when my alarm went off, I had no idea which tire was low. You cannot tell by looking or feeling, because the sidewalls are so much firmer in runflats.

Second: Yes, they are repairable. I found the culprit, a small nail in the dead center of the tread. I went to America's Tire and they were very comfortable and reassuring about repairing (the point is, not every shop can.)

Third: The disadvantage of a run-flat - if you get a flat, it's unlikely you'll find a place that carries a replacement run-flat in stock. Flat tires always adhere to Murphy's Law - worst time, worst place. After my experience, I looked into who carried them. Not many places! Which leads to...

Fourth: Agree with what the poster DTRJ just said (even if he has a habit of capitalizing each word ;) ) - the Tire Rack is great. I have purchased tires from them. My wife's Lexus has Bridgestones, and a couple of years ago she got a nail. I called around, and a replacement locally was quoted me $190 for one. I got one delivered from the Tire Rack for $120, and paid a Tire Rack-recommended shop $20 to install it. I had to replace the other three within the year due to misalignment and yet another bad puncture. Through the Tire Rack, I saved $50 per tire, which is nothing to sneeze at. It may seem funny, ordering tires via UPS, but I will testify to it. I've already looked - the Continental RFTs, as DTRJ states, are $108 each for my 2006. You can't get tires cheaper at Costco, and they don't carry them (I checked.)

[PhilG]

The nice thing about the tire/wheel warrantee is that should the TPMD light up and you have a nail in a tire, BMW dealer will replace (not repair) at no charge. I'm glad I went with it.

[BMLRacer]

Run flats are just fine ... they actually did a study on a 5 series at the Nurburgring in Germany and the 5series was faster with the run flats than without. You can swap them off if you want, you'll save some rotational mass, but it's not worth the piece of mind of to risk having a flat IMHO.


Link to this study? Who funded it? I can tell you for a fact that a E90 is quicker, more responsive, and most certainly better on track once you get rid of the RFT. The first thing we did with our test fleet was get rid of the RFT. And I worked for the OEM supplier of the RFT's.

[greenie99]

Actually I just purchased a set of summer tires on 18" replica M5's today. When I get my car I'm taking the runflats off and putting those on right away. Second thing I'll do is sell the runflats as brand new to recover some cost.

Run flats are expensive to replace and besides BMW, who else sells them?

Who else sells them? Are you kidding? Tire dealers!!!

[330iMan]

Thanks for all the information. Is it only the 16 and 17" wheels/tires that have the wear issues? I have 18's with only 2000 miles, but I've been reading this thread with great interest.

[steveo242]

They are a little louder on freshly paved roads.

If you can live with the risk, I hear the Michelin Pilots are the best

[TheRealMadDog]

<TABLE cellPadding=4 width=720 bgColor=white><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=394>SI B 36 06 06
Wheels and Tires


</TD><TD vAlign=top width=240>January 2007
Technical Service


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Thanks for the great info. Since I have only ~ 2K miles on my EL42s, I'm going to monitor the noise very closely.

TRMD

[aftp302]

Thanks for the great info. Since I have only ~ 2K miles on my EL42s, I'm going to monitor the noise very closely.

TRMD

+1

Thank you White94RX for providing this Service Bulletin information. This will help everyone know exactly what their recourse should be if they experience this problem.

I don't have my car yet, but it arrives next week and I will definitely be keeping an eye on the noise if mine is equipped with the EL42's.

[Bulldog 6]

I bought a coverage policy for my wheels and tires from the dealer when I leased my 328xi. For $500 it will replace tires if a flat occurs for any reason - for example, a nail puncture can not usually be repaired with these as I understand it - the tire needs to be replaced. The policy I bought covers it for 3 years. It also will replace the wheel if damaged/bent ie. by a pothole (doesn't cover curb rash, but that's to be expected). It gives me peace of mind knowing that if I get a flat for any reason, I can drive into any BMW dealership and have the tire replaced for free.
I didn't buy the coverage because the finance rep couldn't explain all the terms. My research shows that people are having to replace RFT's on average of 25K miles. What mile mark do y'all think we will have to replace? Also if you replace your RFT's at 2 yrs will they be covered for the remaining 1? I plan to upgrade to the 19" factory 5 spoke and see if I can buy the warranty then.

[muskie335]

I bought the BMW 4 year tire and wheel protection for my 18" Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires. It cost $599cdn. I was told that not all BMW dealerships warrant this protection, so the advice I got was if I had a problem elsewhere, to buy the replacement tire and then get compensated by my dealership.

I also bought a set of 17'' wheels and Himalaya non-RFT winters.

Anyone had any experience with either of these tires?

[Slow Down Abhi]

I was on the GW and had a 4 inch gash on the rear right. I drove on it for about 40 miles and had to stop at a dealer in Conn only because the drive home would have been too many miles on the tire. They got me for about $350 for tire and labor. If I was closer to home, I had an extra i ordered just for times like these I could have thrown on. They work great, just dont drive more then a 100 miles on a flat.

[Emory]

I was on the GW and had a 4 inch gash on the rear right. I drove on it for about 40 miles and had to stop at a dealer in Conn only because the drive home would have been too many miles on the tire. They got me for about $350 for tire and labor. If I was closer to home, I had an extra i ordered just for times like these I could have thrown on. They work great, just dont drive more then a 100 miles on a flat.
Thanks for the above anecdote. I think you've made a convincing case for RFTs.

I once had a flat in a Michelin tire in my old Honda (that was two BMWs ago.) I was returning from the supermarket, which is 1.1 miles from my house. The ride felt funny, so I pulled over and noticed a 2 inch gash on the left rear tire sidewall. It was at night, and I knew the tire was non-repairable, so I figured I would just drive the remaining distance home, which was less than half a mile. After just that half a mile, the tire was smoking and the rim was red hot. You were able to drive 40 miles with a bigger gash. Yes, it cost you $350, but can you imagine changing a tire on the GW Bridge?? :eek:

[I30boogie]

So, if I understand everything I just read there is NO option for a spare tire from the dealer (i.e. buyers have a choice of 4 standard tires or 4 RFT's but no spare for either option)?

If so, that is the first disappointing thing I have found about the 335i :(

[BMLRacer]

So, if I understand everything I just read there is NO option for a spare tire from the dealer (i.e. buyers have a choice of 4 standard tires or 4 RFT's but no spare for either option)?

If so, that is the first disappointing thing I have found about the 335i :(

The 335's, and almost all new BMW's, are only offered with the RFT's. There is no factory option for nonRFT, IIRC.

The E90 isn't the first BMW to come without a provision for a spare tire. The E46 M3 and the old MZ3 and MCoupe came without RFT's and no spare, but had the M-Mobility system. That system was basically a can of fix a flat and a small air pump.

For the person that paid $350 for a RFT, you got screwed. For one thing, if the shop doing the work wasn't RFT certified, they shouldn't have done the repair in the first place. Secondly, with the RFT system used by BMW, you are not required to use another RFT in the event of an emergency. You can simply install a non-RFT product and be on your way. With the Michelin PAX system you can find yourself up shit creek without a paddle. And 3rd, you should never pay 3x what Tire Rack is selling a product for, no matter what the situation.

[PeterC4]

One thing I've experienced with RFT is that when you suddely hit a deep depression in the road (not quite a pothole, but you get the picture) I feel a firm "jolt" as the sidewalls are quite unforgiving. Maybe its the Coupe's sport suspension but I think its the tire. Other than that they're fine.

[777ER]

For the person that paid $350 for a RFT, you got screwed. For one thing, if the shop doing the work wasn't RFT certified, they shouldn't have done the repair in the first place. Secondly, with the RFT system used by BMW, you are not required to use another RFT in the event of an emergency. You can simply install a non-RFT product and be on your way. With the Michelin PAX system you can find yourself up shit creek without a paddle. And 3rd, you should never pay 3x what Tire Rack is selling a product for, no matter what the situation.

I agree. Same thing happened to me when I had a flat a few years ago...the local tire shop (Mavis) wanted to charge me $300 for a 245/50/16 Goodyear RS-A all because of a pinhole on the sidewall that wasn't found unless it was put in a water tub.

They suspected someone did it...damn high school kids in parking lot.

[White94RX]

runflats do have a harsher ride due to the stiff sidewall. and the $350 isn't too high because the runflats are anywhere from 230-270 or something like that. you guys should just be glad you don't have the 18" Dunslop Sport SP's that came on the 545's, or the 19" that come on the E65/66. try 3-4 hundred per tire.

oh, and as far as spare tires go, the E60's have a donut spare, so you can easily buy one from a dealer and the tire and just stick it in your trunk. of course a small jack and tire iron from a parts store helps too.

[aftp302]

FYI - I just took delivery of my E90 335i today with sport package and it came with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A's. Hopefully these fare better than the EL42's in terms of road noise and the other complaints people had.

[Harve]

Who else sells them? Are you kidding? Tire dealers!!!

Actually I'm not kidding. I went around to a couple of local dealers and they don't carry them.

But anyways, I've decided to keep my factory runflats. Went to bmw yesterday and the sales manager swears with the new xdrive I won't even need winter tires. He says the all season run flats is all I would need eventhough he normally recommends winter tires.

[mose121]

Actually I'm not kidding. I went around to a couple of local dealers and they don't carry them.

But anyways, I've decided to keep my factory runflats. Went to bmw yesterday and the sales manager swears with the new xdrive I won't even need winter tires. He says the all season run flats is all I would need eventhough he normally recommends winter tires.

A/s tires will be fine on the xi models. I used to use all seasons on my e46 325xi demo and the e46 x drive sucked in compairison to the e90's.

[dpm]

Thought I would share some info I got earlier today from my service advisor at BMW Toronto. He said that there have been noise issues with the Turanza's on prior year models and he claimed that the 2007 BMW's that have this tire have a different version with a softer compound that results in a quieter tire. Hope he is right about that - my 2007 328i has Turanza's

[ATL04M3]

You remind me of when I first started using my debit card at the grocery store instead of cash or a check...kinda leary at first but I can't remember the world before debit visa check cards. same principle applies here. I wouldn't be so concernced about the run flats, you over analyzing a major purchase like the best of us.

What i can say about the new 3 was that it was designed with run flat from the inception of the design of the car. Mercedes, Audi, etc, great cars - but they tuned the suspension and added the run flat as options and I believe some now have it standard. BMW designed it into the car, so the ride quality was designed around these tires. I'm not a tech but I believe a mini spare would also throw your traction control/ABS sensor off. Thirdly, I feel like I'm writing a thesis, BMW assist, you have a cell phone, you can ride on them for 250+ miles (i think) ...

Anyway, hope you love your car. I just got a new 335i and absolutley love it. The technology in this car is so great. Like my M, I find myself wanting to just go out for a drive just because....rks



I'm thinking about buying a new 3 series to replace my aging Saab ('97 with 344,000 km's). But I'm not thrilled with the run flat tires. What have folks' experiences been with these? Can I replace them with normal tires and, if so, is there a depression in the trunk where I can stick a mini-spare? Thanks.

[gw94595]

It seems ridulous to pay top dollar for run flat tires that don't handle as well as regular tires; cost way more; can't be repaired. I mean what if I was driving in the boondocks (200+ miles from dealer) on the weekend and hit a nail? Where would I get a replacement RF tire of 255X35X18? Most would need to be ordered, right. Sounds like a bad syatem to me.

[Kevlar]

Link to this study? Who funded it? I can tell you for a fact that a E90 is quicker, more responsive, and most certainly better on track once you get rid of the RFT. The first thing we did with our test fleet was get rid of the RFT. And I worked for the OEM supplier of the RFT's.
It was in the Roundel... I'll try and find it.

[steveo242]

For the person that paid $350 for a RFT, you got screwed. .

You obviously have only looked at Tire Rack, Costco and these other el cheapo tire stores for replacement run flats...

Price out a Goodyear Eagle GT F1 Super Car tire and tell me if $ 350.00 is getting screwed... That's better than any tire store could buy one for. I know, my father in law's a dealer...

Check your stats hombre...

[mose121]

It seems ridulous to pay top dollar for run flat tires that don't handle as well as regular tires; cost way more; can't be repaired. I mean what if I was driving in the boondocks (200+ miles from dealer) on the weekend and hit a nail? Where would I get a replacement RF tire of 255X35X18? Most would need to be ordered, right. Sounds like a bad syatem to me.

That's why you have roadside assistance and trip interruption coverage in your warranty. BMW is more concerned about your safety than your conveinence. RFT's are without a doubt safer than non RFT's. The price will come down, and soon RFT's will be the only thing available for most cars. It won't be long until the government mandates RFT's as a standard for auto makers.