Can i change my runflat tyres for normal tyres on BMW118

Can i change my runflat tyres for normal tyres on BMW118

Author
Discussion

woodsy71

Original Poster:

4 posts

111 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Getting mixed messages is it possible to change my tyres without any noticeable safety issues to the handling of my car.
Also does it bring any warning lights(messages) up on dash after changing the tyres.
Have people done this as it saves a fourtune cos run flats are so expensive and also a hard ride.

Other question about the 118 convertible 11 reg is ever since ive brought it from new it judders upon moving in 1st gear ive had the coil pack replaced but it still judders in 1st and hesitates during acceleration ive heard this is a common fault on this car but bmw don't seem interested when ive complained.
Ive still got year an half left on warranty and would like advice on how to tackle bmw to get this sorted.

thank you in advance of any responses.

woodsy71

Original Poster:

4 posts

111 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
PLease some help and advice would be most welcome on this topic as I need to buy 4 tyres

Farmer

1,287 posts

273 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Yes no problems for 99.9999% percent of the time as you get better ride , better grip , better handling , and cheaper tyres . For the .0001% of the time when you get caught in the rain on a dark hard shoulder with a flat you will curse a bit . Would you prefer a compromised car all the time or .0001% of the time . Personally recommend Goodyear eagle Asymmetric2 . fantastic tyre .

R8VXF

6,788 posts

114 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
If you do not have a spare wheel you will also need a can of tyre weld to pass the MOT, or that was what I was told when I got rid of my runflats.

wax lyrical

881 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
I have non run-flats on my 08 335i (Goodyears) and recently had my MOT done at my local BMW main dealer - no issues. I don't have a spare or a can of tyre-weld.

A lot of tyre places (even big, reputable ones) spout a lot of cr@p about switching over from run-flats. Some will point blank refuse to do it!


R8VXF said:
If you do not have a spare wheel you will also need a can of tyre weld to pass the MOT, or that was what I was told when I got rid of my runflats.

Farmer

1,287 posts

273 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
R8VXF said:
If you do not have a spare wheel you will also need a can of tyre weld to pass the MOT, or that was what I was told when I got rid of my runflats.
Don't need a spare for mot it's not a safety feature, it's just a convenience . if it's there it needs to be legal

Sohlman

590 posts

253 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
This is well worth doing and will transform car. You need to replace all 4. I suggest either getting from BMW the flat tyre pack which includes tyre weld and pump plus BMW bag about £80-£100. Or buy from Halfords a electric pump and some tyre weld £40 should do it.

Best tyre money can buy in almost every tyre review are continental sport contact 3's. That's what I put on my 3 series and they where excellent dry and wet and last 25k and still had 4mm left when I sold car including two track days.

FastNReliable

308 posts

178 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
This transformed my car when I made the change nearly 4 years ago. I used to dodge cats eyes on the motorway. My car has 19" wheels with 30 series tyres. I suspect the benefits are less for smaller rims and higher profiles.

smashy

3,030 posts

157 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
I havent bought tyre weld ,could end up a night mare .I paid £70 to have this put in the tyres,

http://www.ultrasealgb.co.uk/site/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XZ_pjnsmEU

woodsy71

Original Poster:

4 posts

111 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
thank you all for your advice that me then im off tomorrow to get 4 new boots for the car
happy xmas everyone

MGJohn

10,203 posts

182 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
Get a spare wheel would be my advice. Not a fan of run-flats either. Some early Rovers and MGs had them years ago. Expensive and not all that convenient.

Annoyingly many modern cars come without a proper spare wheel or even a space saver for some years now. I dislike either option and for all the cars in my immediate family, I have obtained a decent full sized matching spare.

Waiting to have my Uniroyal Rainsport Tyres fitted to my car, the BMW in front of me had one of its Runflats replaced. Speaking to the owner, I was surprised at the much higher pressure put in that runflat. Must give a very harsh ride with pressures like that and low profile except on billiard table smooth roads which are largely extinct in the UK now.

woodsy71

Original Poster:

4 posts

111 months

Tuesday 23rd December 2014
quotequote all
thanks john I will look to get a spare for the car and I hope it gives me a smoother ride.
once again great advice from all on here.

R8VXF

6,788 posts

114 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
MGJohn said:
Get a spare wheel would be my advice. Not a fan of run-flats either. Some early Rovers and MGs had them years ago. Expensive and not all that convenient.

Annoyingly many modern cars come without a proper spare wheel or even a space saver for some years now. I dislike either option and for all the cars in my immediate family, I have obtained a decent full sized matching spare.

Waiting to have my Uniroyal Rainsport Tyres fitted to my car, the BMW in front of me had one of its Runflats replaced. Speaking to the owner, I was surprised at the much higher pressure put in that runflat. Must give a very harsh ride with pressures like that and low profile except on billiard table smooth roads which are largely extinct in the UK now.
Never ran my runflats at particularly high pressure, about 32-36psi I think. What gives the nasty ride is how thick and stiff the sidewalls are. When I had mine replaced, the guy who did it demonstrated standing on the unsupported tyre, there was very little deformation in shape. Think he said he weighed about 16 stone! The Falkens on the other hand could be shape deformed by hand.

Sohlman

590 posts

253 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
Run flats as the name suggests are designed so that they can run with 0 psi in them. Thus when flat you can't tell without a gauge. As you can't tell when they are low many run flat shod cars are running low on pressure as people frankly don't check which is why there are lots of stories of uneven wear. From a safety perspective in theory they give an extra layer of protection for a motorway blow out. The flip side is they are a lot heavier as they are full of steel belts in the sidewalk. This extra unsprung weight harms handling, steering etc. Seeing that the profile of the tyre accounts for about 30% of your suspension compliance this explains why the ride is so bad. The other downside particularly with very low profiles is that because the tyre does not give when hitting a pothole/bump something else has to. In this case the rim. Thing is rims don't do that very many times before they crack thus why bmw's have a reputation for cracked allows. Ditching the run flats will almost completely negate this risk.

Having a spare at home is a good idea. Tyre weld and pump will keep you mobile for a small puncture. Large puncture you are stuffed with or without run flats. That's when the AA comes in handy.


You will not regret the move I assure you.

As a closing comment my local tyre place is having to repair 5 wheels per week on average. You guessed it run flats causing cracks requiring welding.

smashy

3,030 posts

157 months

Wednesday 24th December 2014
quotequote all
Tell you something else about run flats which i hadnt thought about.

Talking to lorcan who runs the AC Schnitzer distributorship at Rossiters.He said that Run Flats puncture very easily things dont bounce off them they go in and puncture ,he asked how long I had had run flats and how many punctures. I reckoned doing 25k a year about 4 in 6 years!! ,yet the last 25 years on normal only about 3 yes he was right.....and low and behold thinking about putting non run flats on my 3 week old car I get another one!!! A nail hanging outside on the corner,of which the Tyre guy reckoned would have bounced off a normal tyre.

That made my mind up to get rid,and re the comfort on the road so glad I did,

MGJohn

10,203 posts

182 months

Thursday 25th December 2014
quotequote all
R8VXF said:
MGJohn said:
Get a spare wheel would be my advice. Not a fan of run-flats either. Some early Rovers and MGs had them years ago. Expensive and not all that convenient.

Annoyingly many modern cars come without a proper spare wheel or even a space saver for some years now. I dislike either option and for all the cars in my immediate family, I have obtained a decent full sized matching spare.

Waiting to have my Uniroyal Rainsport Tyres fitted to my car, the BMW in front of me had one of its Runflats replaced. Speaking to the owner, I was surprised at the much higher pressure put in that runflat. Must give a very harsh ride with pressures like that and low profile except on billiard table smooth roads which are largely extinct in the UK now.
Never ran my runflats at particularly high pressure, about 32-36psi I think. What gives the nasty ride is how thick and stiff the sidewalls are. When I had mine replaced, the guy who did it demonstrated standing on the unsupported tyre, there was very little deformation in shape. Think he said he weighed about 16 stone! The Falkens on the other hand could be shape deformed by hand.
Yes, that BMW I saw with the replacement runflat had a recommended 40psi! The reinforced sidewalls do indeed create a false impression that they are inflated when showing little more than zero psi. To a lesser extent some low profile ordinary tyres also do not show much evidence of pressure loss just by looking at the sidewalls. They can look fully inflated when only 12 psi in them. The 40 profile Falkens on my MGF look fully inflated with only 10psi in them! Driving like that can be asking for trouble.

So, if you rely on a glance at your wheels instead of a proper pressure check, change your ways. Your tyres may be seriously under inflated, depending on the profile and construction of the tyres on your car.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 26th December 2014
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Moving from Run flats no problem, E90 is far better off them.


The juddering is a faulty cluth, well flywheel, massive issue for BMW that effects every manual car from mid 2005 to late 2011, but they don't want a recall.
They will however put a revised unit in for you if you shout loud enough, transforms the car.

More noticeable on the smaller diesels for some reason, probably because there are a lot more manuals and the diesel clutch is heavier which makes pulling away without the judder harder.
I have had people who swear their car has no judder, but when in the car with them you can feel it, then when you ask if the clutch is heavy the usual reply is "that is how BMWs are."
No there not, get in my 2.8i Z3 and it is really light and snappy, get in a 2012 car and it is the same.

Push them to replace it. They just might.

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 26th December 2014
quotequote all
If they won't replace it at least remove the grommet in the clutch delay valve, take 5 mins and a pair of mole grips to remove it and makes the cutch come up quicker which 'hides' he judder somewhat.

tgr

1,129 posts

170 months

Friday 26th December 2014
quotequote all
Gizlaroc if the car isn't in the dealer network and therefore unlikely to benefit from any BMW goodwill, what part is supposed to be replaced here? Clutch and flywheel?

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Friday 26th December 2014
quotequote all
tgr said:
Gizlaroc if the car isn't in the dealer network and therefore unlikely to benefit from any BMW goodwill, what part is supposed to be replaced here? Clutch and flywheel?
Yeah, both need to be replaced apparently.

But say you have been complaining about it while it was in warranty and you have just found out this is a real issue and known by BMW so you expect something to be done.