F10 535D: Consensus Tyre Choice?

[ocsine]

I have been running an F10 535d for the past two years and thinks it's an amazing vehicle. Adaptive drive and comfort seats ensure that the 40k+ miles I have piled on have been totally relaxing. Happy to field questions regarding suspension and other experiences if required. My only concern right now is with road noise from the 19" Michelin Primacy RFTs. This plagues most big BMWs and I know the answer is to go non-RFT but I want to chop the car in to BMW in six months and need to keep it stocker for now. Is there a consensus around the best RFT tyre to help reduce the incessant roar on UK roads? It appears that Goodyear Eagle F1 and Dunlop SP Maxx GT have the lowest noise rating however I read reports from users that suggest otherwise. Any help much appreciated.

[rassi]

I have the Dunlop SP Maxx GT in 245/50/18 dimension on my F25 X3, and I find it a quieter tyre than the (non-RTF) Continental SC5 (225/45/17) I used in a previous car, so no complaints here (ok, so two different tyres, and two different cars, which renders this comparison pretty much useless...)

[Roo3Stuart]

Same car, I have the Dunlops and no complaints. They are all I have ever had (on my second set) so can't compare but certainly I have never been bothered by tyre noise - it is mainly a motorway car.

[anonymous-user]

ocsine said:

I have been running an F10 535d for the past two years and thinks it's an amazing vehicle. Adaptive drive and comfort seats ensure that the 40k+ miles I have piled on have been totally relaxing. Happy to field questions regarding suspension and other experiences if required. My only concern right now is with road noise from the 19" Michelin Primacy RFTs. This plagues most big BMWs and I know the answer is to go non-RFT but I want to chop the car in to BMW in six months and need to keep it stocker for now. Is there a consensus around the best RFT tyre to help reduce the incessant roar on UK roads? It appears that Goodyear Eagle F1 and Dunlop SP Maxx GT have the lowest noise rating however I read reports from users that suggest otherwise. Any help much appreciated.

I wonder if the road noise isn't more to do with the tyre size than make? I deliberately went for 18" rims on my F10 530, because I bought it to be a quiet cruiser. It has Pirelli RFTs and road noise isn't bad.

[Welshbeef]

REALIST123 said:

I wonder if the road noise isn't more to do with the tyre size than make? I deliberately went for 18" rims on my F10 530, because I bought it to be a quiet cruiser. It has Pirelli RFTs and road noise isn't bad.

I'd say this - those rears are like rollers...

[drmark]

It must be the size of the rears on the F10. I run a F11 on 19 inch 245s all round and Michelins but no road noise to speak of. On adaptive too.

[ocsine]

Thanks all for your responses. I suspect it is the size of the rears that is plaguing refinement. I bought the car at 12 months old so didn't have a say in the specification. I have noticed similar tyre roar in a 740d recently so it's not just my car, it must be a wheel size issue. I'll give the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT a go and see if that improves the situation. This is mainly a UK problem though: whenever I (regularly) visit the continent I feel like the car is flying, there's so little noise from the wheels.

Maybe a bit of well-placed dynamat sound deadening material would do the trick. Mercedes seem to have pulled this off with the new S class.

[drmark]

Whatever you choose, new tyres will be much quieter than worn old ones .... For a while anyway

[anonymous-user]

ocsine said:

Thanks all for your responses. I suspect it is the size of the rears that is plaguing refinement. I bought the car at 12 months old so didn't have a say in the specification. I have noticed similar tyre roar in a 740d recently so it's not just my car, it must be a wheel size issue. I'll give the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT a go and see if that improves the situation. This is mainly a UK problem though: whenever I (regularly) visit the continent I feel like the car is flying, there's so little noise from the wheels.

Maybe a bit of well-placed dynamat sound deadening material would do the trick. Mercedes seem to have pulled this off with the new S class.

This. Every car I have owned has felt so much better on the continent. A 500 mile drive through France is such a pleasure compared with the same distance anywhere in the UK.

[HoHoHo]

REALIST123 said:

ocsine said:

Thanks all for your responses. I suspect it is the size of the rears that is plaguing refinement. I bought the car at 12 months old so didn't have a say in the specification. I have noticed similar tyre roar in a 740d recently so it's not just my car, it must be a wheel size issue. I'll give the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT a go and see if that improves the situation. This is mainly a UK problem though: whenever I (regularly) visit the continent I feel like the car is flying, there's so little noise from the wheels.

Maybe a bit of well-placed dynamat sound deadening material would do the trick. Mercedes seem to have pulled this off with the new S class.

This. Every car I have owned has felt so much better on the continent. A 500 mile drive through France is such a pleasure compared with the same distance anywhere in the UK.

I think to be fair a 500 mile journey on the continent is better than a 5 mile drive on the new M25 southern section..........what a fecking mess!

[cslwannabe]

Supersports (non run flats). Why does it need run flats even if being chopped in to BMW - the 6 series handbook states you can fit non run flats, so long as all 4 and not 'mix and match'.

[ocsine]

I would certainly consider fitting OEM M5 tyres, but are they quieter? I am after ultimate refinement, not handling ability. I like driving the 535d hard, but on an M40 conference call on Monday morning I want to hear my correspondents without having to resort to earphones. I'm also a diehard Radio4 listener. Tyre roar and Jim Naughtie's dulcet tones are not a compatible combination.

Edited by ocsine on Tuesday 28th October 21:31

[drmark]

ocsine said:

I would certainly consider fitting OEM M5 tyres, but are they quieter? I am after ultimate refinement, not handling ability. I like driving the 535d hard, but on an M40 conference call on Monday morning I want to hear my correspondents without having to resort to earphones. I'm also a diehard Radio4 listener. Tyre roar and Jim Naughtie's dulcet tones are not a compatible combination.

Edited by ocsine on Tuesday 28th October 21:31

Radio 4 rocks - but then I am biased

[ocsine]

How so? Are you Dr. Mark Porter? If so I am honoured to make your acquaintance!

[gizlaroc]

We put Dunlop Sport Maxx on the E350 estate, which had Continental Sport Contacts on that were really loud.
Made a huge difference.

[Welshbeef]

ocsine said:

How so? Are you Dr. Mark Porter? If so I am honoured to make your acquaintance!

Check out his garage .... Very good taste in cars and he certainly is fond of 1 brand...

[northpolar]

drmark said:

It must be the size of the rears on the F10. I run a F11 on 19 inch 245s all round and Michelins but no road noise to speak of. On adaptive too.

I changed from a 530d F11 earlier this year to a 535d F11 and I noticed no difference in road noise. Both have 19 inch wheels and the current car has GoodYear Excellence run flats. Not sure what was fitted to the last car but both are 245s all round. The last car had adaptive suspension and the current one makes do with sports suspension. Doesn't seem to make a difference. Both are really quiet rolling on UK roads.

I remember a while back when I had a 2003 330d touring sport which came with normal but very wide rear tyres. They made an absolute racket - particularly when they became worn. You'd think BMW would have figured this one out by now!

Peter

[drmark]

northpolar said:

I changed from a 530d F11 earlier this year to a 535d F11 and I noticed no difference in road noise. Both have 19 inch wheels and the current car has GoodYear Excellence run flats. Not sure what was fitted to the last car but both are 245s all round. The last car had adaptive suspension and the current one makes do with sports suspension. Doesn't seem to make a difference. Both are really quiet rolling on UK roads.

I remember a while back when I had a 2003 330d touring sport which came with normal but very wide rear tyres. They made an absolute racket - particularly when they became worn. You'd think BMW would have figured this one out by now!

Peter

The F10 has bigger rears than F11.

[drmark]

ocsine said:

How so? Are you Dr. Mark Porter? If so I am honoured to make your acquaintance!

And yours. PH is my dark side.

[ocsine]

Yes, 275 rears on the F10 - probably the cause of the additional road roar, but almost a non-existent problem on continental roads. I'll try out an F11 535d for size: road noise is the saloon's only flaw in my view. In the meantime I have ordered a set of Dunlop Sportmaxx GT: hopefully they'll improve matters as the bill is >£1k.

Mark, I'm an avid listener to your Case Notes podcast; it's not only fascinating and compelling but has been an extremely helpful family health resource over the years so I thank you sincerely. I'm mightily impressed and envious of your fleet. Having owned a 993turbo and 928gts in the past it seems I might also be suffering from a Stuttgart-originated syndrome you may want to devote a programme to.

Edited by ocsine on Friday 31st October 01:28