Second flat in 2 weeks with runflats

[E92Vancouver]

I just picked up another screwnail in my tire. The second one in 2 weeks. Part of the problem is I live in Vancouver and downtown. I am told we have the hottest real estate market in the world right now and there is a flipping crane on every corner with lots of highrises being built. The problem is the dump trucks and concrete trucks with their big muddy tires, pull nails and shrapnel onto the road, leaving a nice present for unsuspecting luxury car drivers.

The dealership says the runflats are prone to getting punctures. The rubber is soft and gooey and the tires are wide, easily picking up any metal screws, nails and bits. One of their customers had 4 flats in 2 months.

My puncture was too close to the sidewall, so they replaced the tire at a cost of $620 USD which also happens to be $620 CAD.

Luckily I have the road hazard warranty. The insurance company has spent $700 on me so far.

Anyone buying a new Bimmer with RFT should BUY the Road Hazard Warranty they offer.

I got mine after the fact after I blew out a tire hitting a pothole. Low profile tires don't take much of a beating but sure look good.

[mryakan]

I just picked up another screwnail in my tire. The second one in 2 weeks. Part of the problem is I live in Vancouver and downtown. I am told we have the hottest real estate market in the world right now and there is a flipping crane on every corner with lots of highrises being built. The problem is the dump trucks and concrete trucks with their big muddy tires, pull nails and shrapnel onto the road, leaving a nice present for unsuspecting luxury car drivers.

The dealership says the runflats are prone to getting punctures. The rubber is soft and gooey and the tires are wide, easily picking up any metal screws, nails and bits. One of their customers had 4 flats in 2 months.

My puncture was too close to the sidewall, so they replaced the tire at a cost of $620 USD which also happens to be $620 CAD.

Luckily I have the road hazard warranty. The insurance company has spent $700 on me so far.

Anyone buying a new Bimmer with RFT should BUY the Road Hazard Warranty they offer.

I got mine after the fact after I blew out a tire hitting a pothole. Low profile tires don't take much of a beating but sure look good.
That's why I got the tire hazard warranty. Didn't want to be in your shoes but without it. I have had previous incidents of multiple punctures (even in the same day). I'm going with RFT at least for the winter. Once spring is here, I'll revisit that again and see.

[crazerbimmer]

That's why I got the tire hazard warranty. Didn't want to be in your shoes but without it. I have had previous incidents of multiple punctures (even in the same day). I'm going with RFT at least for the winter. Once spring is here, I'll revisit that again and see.

How much is the tire hazard warranty, and do you have to buy it from the dealer or can i buy it at tirerack as well???

[mryakan]

How much is the tire hazard warranty, and do you have to buy it from the dealer or can i buy it at tirerack as well???
The dealer just gets is a middleman for a 3rd party, was easier to deal with them for me when buying the car. I am not sure how different the Tire rack one is and if it only applies to that tire or what have you. The one I got applies to any tire/rim combination on my car for the duration of the coverage, so I am covered for my winters and when I swap to 18"s in the spring. I paid 550 CAN + tax for 3 years, some paid less some paid more. There was a thread about this earlier. Search and you'll find more price quotes.

[UFOGUY]

how can the dealer justify over $600 for ONE RFT? another example of dealer gouging. this BMW runflat situation is a racket.

no RFTs for me. i will stick with my $80 tire dealer insurnace package that provides for a replacemnt, NOT a prorate, for un-fixable flats (close to the sidewall), vandalism, road hazards, etc. ofcourse my wheels are not covered unless it is a defect and the fault of Toyo, the manufacturer.

i'll put my money in stock and take my chances.

[crazerbimmer]

The dealer just gets is a middleman for a 3rd party, was easier to deal with them for me when buying the car. I am not sure how different the Tire rack one is and if it only applies to that tire or what have you. The one I got applies to any tire/rim combination on my car for the duration of the coverage, so I am covered for my winters and when I swap to 18"s in the spring. I paid 550 CAN + tax for 3 years, some paid less some paid more. There was a thread about this earlier. Search and you'll find more price quotes.

I have a 2006 325i and have the Hell tires Brid's and I am shopping for tires and I'm thinking about continentals and have 2 optiosn go with the tirerack guys (it is appox 600 for all the 4 sets with installation) and If i go to the dealer and I fall in the category where they are going to pay for 2 (I hae 19,000 miles) then i guess it is going to be appox same (but i need to get confirmation that he is going to have Continental RFT's because I donot want to carry anything in teh trunk) If he promises that he will have the Conti's then I might go with them because the Price is almost the same, One mroe question what all do I have to get done when I'm getting new tires like rotation, balancing....???? Can you please help me with that and also appox pricing for them... I know if i ask the dealer then he is going to screw me ....

[mryakan]

I have a 2006 325i and have the Hell tires Brid's and I am shopping for tires and I'm thinking about continentals and have 2 optiosn go with the tirerack guys (it is appox 600 for all the 4 sets with installation) and If i go to the dealer and I fall in the category where they are going to pay for 2 (I hae 19,000 miles) then i guess it is going to be appox same (but i need to get confirmation that he is going to have Continental RFT's because I donot want to carry anything in teh trunk) If he promises that he will have the Conti's then I might go with them because the Price is almost the same, One mroe question what all do I have to get done when I'm getting new tires like rotation, balancing....???? Can you please help me with that and also appox pricing for them... I know if i ask the dealer then he is going to screw me ....
I was quoted 160$ for mounting and balancing the RFTs by my dealer. They said it's around 98 for non RFT. I shopped around and I found one who will do them for 96 and another said 64 but not sure if RFT will be more, he has to check with his tech on Monday. That is all Canadian dollars. Check out my other post on mounting RFTs:


http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=834888

[E92Vancouver]

That's why I got the tire hazard warranty. Didn't want to be in your shoes but without it. I have had previous incidents of multiple punctures (even in the same day). I'm going with RFT at least for the winter. Once spring is here, I'll revisit that again and see.

You made me feel a lot better!!! You had multiple punctures in one day!!!!!! What happened????? I thought only I had the bad luck. The tire warranty is awesome!!!!!

[E92Vancouver]

How much is the tire hazard warranty, and do you have to buy it from the dealer or can i buy it at tirerack as well???

I paid $600 which is the cost of one RFT. I declined it when I bought the car because I never got flats or ran over pot holes. 2 days laters I baked a tire on a pot hole and went back to the dealer and bought the tire warranty.

[E92Vancouver]

how can the dealer justify over $600 for ONE RFT? another example of dealer gouging. this BMW runflat situation is a racket.

no RFTs for me. i will stick with my $80 tire dealer insurnace package that provides for a replacemnt, NOT a prorate, for un-fixable flats (close to the sidewall), vandalism, road hazards, etc. ofcourse my wheels are not covered unless it is a defect and the fault of Toyo, the manufacturer.

i'll put my money in stock and take my chances.

I paid $600 and it covers tire, rims, flats, etc. It is zero deductible and well worth it!!! The insurance is provided by an independant company from the dealer.

[Wizzle335]

If you have aftermarket wheels and tires can you still get the warranty?

[mryakan]

You made me feel a lot better!!! You had multiple punctures in one day!!!!!! What happened????? I thought only I had the bad luck. The tire warranty is awesome!!!!!
Old car, old tubed tires, bad luck. Actually counted them 4 in 1 day, 1 in morning, and spare was flat. One later after being patched and the one as soon as I got to the tire place (after placing the spare) to patch the latest flat. I think they were all different tires, like not the same tire going flat twice. Needless to say I got 4 new tubeless tires on the spot. That was my dad's 1978 730i.

[mryakan]

If you have aftermarket wheels and tires can you still get the warranty?
Should, they don't care about what you have on there.

[Biglew]

The dealership says the runflats are prone to getting punctures.

:confused ? Driving over nails makes any tire prone to getting punctures.

[Biglew]

I was quoted 160$ for mounting and balancing the RFTs by my dealer. They said it's around 98 for non RFT. I shopped around and I found one who will do them for 96 and another said 64 but not sure if RFT will be more, he has to check with his tech on Monday. That is all Canadian dollars. Check out my other post on mounting RFTs:


http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=834888
They are probably more because they are about 100 times more of a pain in the ass to mount as opposed to conventional tires.

[mo wnd]

Regarding the C$620 for an RFT, BMW Autohaus in Thornhill ( a pricey dealership) offered me a replacement 17" Continental tire for C$234. There seem to be a wide gap here between Canadian dealers!

[andrewket]

Can you guys share with us who is underwriting your policies? I am considering purchasing a policy but would rather by-pass the dealer and the markup.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Grumpa72]

My '07 328 with Continental RFT are a great ride. Tire Rack has the Continental SSR for $110 plus delivery. They have the Bridgestones for $181. Why not but a set of Contis (and tell your dealer to stuff sand the $620 charge) and then install them? In most cities you can rent a car for under $200 for the week it takes to get your new tires.

How does the dealer get off charging over five times the rate for the same tire? For that price difference, you could order four Contis, get them balanced and mounted, rent a car for a week and be even on the money. Well, almost! ;)

Gary

[E92Vancouver]

Can you guys share with us who is underwriting your policies? I am considering purchasing a policy but would rather by-pass the dealer and the markup.

Thanks,
Andrew

I use First Canadian:

http://************/226fy4

They are awesome!!! My dealer fixes or changes the tire and sends them the paper work after the fact. One tire insurance company that my dealer uses has to approve any work and sometimes, that company takes 5 to 8 hours to return a call.

First Canadian rawks the haus.

TIRE INSURANCE FEATURES FROM FIRST CANADIAN INCLUDE:

flat tire repair
replace un-repairable tires
replace rim if damaged and won’t hold air
all related taxes & levies
no deductible
mounting
balancing
installationPLUS

Covers original or replacement tires
Coverage is not pro-rated and is totally transferableAVAILABLE FOR NEW AND USED VEHICLES

[mryakan]

Platinum Tire and Rim Protection (PTRP) of Sherwood Park Alberta

[Benzwiz]

RFT's are a racket. We should all be writing to BMWNA for them to change the OEM tires, not penalize us for switching back to conventional tires, and provide a solution for a flat with a conventional tire without having a SPARE tire!!!
BMW NA
Customer Assitance Center
PO Box 1227
Westwood NJ
07675-1227
800 831-1117

I just got a flat this past weekend and was forced to replace the RFT at a cost of over $600. This is RIDICULOUS. I've never spent more than $140 (price of a new tire) prior to this, and it usually cost <$15 to simply have it patched. Nobody informed me when I purchased the car that the tires couldn't be patched and I would be charged that much for a replacement. What they said was they are RFT's, they will go 50 miles from when they were punctured, and BMW roadside assistance will come and take care of it. BMW roadside assistance took care of it by towing me to the dealer, which in turn refused to patch the tire, or place a conventional tire on, and fed me some BS about not having any tires in stock and having to buy it from some local place in town above cost, and having to translate that cost to me, the poor unsuspecting customer. BMW will be hearing from me, and I will not be penalized in the future for switching to conventional tires, which means they will have to come up with acceptable solution for getting a flat with conventional tires without a SPARE!!!!!

[Bandit335]

RFT's are a racket. We should all be writing to BMWNA for them to change the OEM tires, not penalize us for switching back to conventional tires, and provide a solution for a flat with a conventional tire without having a SPARE tire!!!
BMW NA
Customer Assitance Center
PO Box 1227
Westwood NJ
07675-1227
800 831-1117

I just got a flat this past weekend and was forced to replace the RFT at a cost of over $600. This is RIDICULOUS. I've never spent more than $140 (price of a new tire) prior to this, and it usually cost <$15 to simply have it patched. Nobody informed me when I purchased the car that the tires couldn't be patched and I would be charged that much for a replacement. What they said was they are RFT's, they will go 50 miles from when they were punctured, and BMW roadside assistance will come and take care of it. BMW roadside assistance took care of it by towing me to the dealer, which in turn refused to patch the tire, or place a conventional tire on, and fed me some BS about not having any tires in stock and having to buy it from some local place in town above cost, and having to translate that cost to me, the poor unsuspecting customer. BMW will be hearing from me, and I will not be penalized in the future for switching to conventional tires, which means they will have to come up with acceptable solution for getting a flat with conventional tires without a SPARE!!!!!


I totally agree. First of all, unless BMW is paying to have the tires repaired or replaced then it is not a good idea to have your wheels/tires serviced by the dealer. They are not good at it. PERIOD. This includes alignment issues. If you are going to the dealer for this and paying them the $600 or whatever crazy amount they want, then that is stupid. Go to a local major tire place and they will do a much better job cheaper. Plus, you can bring your tire from tirerack and save that way too. The dealre almost always says the tire is not repairable b/c they do not specialize in tires and they do not want to be liable should anything happen later. People need to wise up. If you are paying $ 600 to the dealer for a single rft replacement then you deserve it. Sorry.

[Arustik1]

How much is the tire hazard warranty, and do you have to buy it from the dealer or can i buy it at tirerack as well???

The tire hazard program retails for 800 but inventory amount is 400.

[Takashi]

How much do you guys pay for roadside hazard protection? The dealer is charging $700 bucks for 3 years. Do you think it's worth it given that most RFT are not repairable (or is this not true)?

[TwinTurbo335i]

RTFs are just as repairable as regular tires. You would have to replace the same tire if it was a non RTF if it was close to a side wall. I have had 2 flats and both were driven less than 15 miles on and repaired at a tire shop. I will probably go with a non RTF next set of tires. I will probably buy a mobility kit and if that does not fix it to get me to where I want, I will use AAA.

[daviddibona]

You know this whole issue of RTF really has upset me as well.....3 weeks ago I hit something while traveling on the High Way and blew both RFT tires on the right side. I then drove to NTB and had them look at the car....they don't sell RFT for my car and recommended some decent pair of Yokohama sport tires for about $129. I had the rear left RFT moved to the front right and put the new tires on the back....(RFT in front with Conventional in rear)....big mistake....care was all over the road at high speeds (70mph+). I spoke with BMW and they said that I needed all tires to be matched....So I went back to NTB and got two more....Now car runs fine.....HOWEVER, I WAS NOT AWARE THAT I DID NOT HAVE A SPARE!!!!!! Now I'm fcked if I get a flat....any recommendations?

Regards,
David

[Grumpa72]

daviddibona,
Somebody on this forum or bimmerfest gave the URL for a company making a kit for those with RFT. The kit was an emergency spare (donut), spare tire cover, jack, and handle. The cost was somewhere north of $400. Yikes! Of course, I lose trunk space since I don't have have a well for the spare.

Right now I am looking at the Conti Comfort Kit:

http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/conticomfortkit/index.jsp

which should keep me on the road.

I am still nervouse about driving any extended distances with RFT and no spare or ability to change a spare though.

Gary

Ok, found the link:

http://leatherz.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=SSFK&Category_Code=SafetyConvenience (http://leatherz.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=SSFK&Category_Code=SafetyConvenience)

scroll through the message and you can find the tire, cover, jack and equipment. The go to their main site and look up your specific car. The space saver spare shown was $245!

[galahad05]

Consider getting a (retrofit) wheel and tire insurance plan, grumpa.

One RFT replacement and it pays for itself. Great peace of mind. And you will then not mind actually using the runflat capability of the punctured tire then.