BMW UK Don't want to know about stearing problems.
Discussion
Hi everyone.
BMW UK sent out to look at handling faults on 318 M Sport 2006 but as of today they said there is nothing wrong with handling with car,but as i said to them cars seems to oversteer and slide in wet conditions,but BMW UK DID A TEST DRIVE IN DRY CONDITIONS WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THE FAULT WAS IN WET CONDITIONS.So today they have come back to me saying that there was nothing wrong and the have closed the case now,So now after being on the phone with BMW UK for over an hour i have now got to go and get proof for myself and prove to them that their run on flats can not handle well in the wet conditions for them to even look at this problem.I have noticted that this has come up quite a few times on this site,so all i would like to know is where the best place to go and find the proof they want and prove them wrong that these run on flats do have a problem with them.
The run on flats that i have are 18"Bridestone Potenza with good tread(6mm all round)
Any one else had this problem???? If so please help.
SOMEDODY WHO HAS LOST FAITH IN THE BMW BRAND
BMW UK sent out to look at handling faults on 318 M Sport 2006 but as of today they said there is nothing wrong with handling with car,but as i said to them cars seems to oversteer and slide in wet conditions,but BMW UK DID A TEST DRIVE IN DRY CONDITIONS WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THE FAULT WAS IN WET CONDITIONS.So today they have come back to me saying that there was nothing wrong and the have closed the case now,So now after being on the phone with BMW UK for over an hour i have now got to go and get proof for myself and prove to them that their run on flats can not handle well in the wet conditions for them to even look at this problem.I have noticted that this has come up quite a few times on this site,so all i would like to know is where the best place to go and find the proof they want and prove them wrong that these run on flats do have a problem with them.
The run on flats that i have are 18"Bridestone Potenza with good tread(6mm all round)
Any one else had this problem???? If so please help.
SOMEDODY WHO HAS LOST FAITH IN THE BMW BRAND
You want to try the new A4 mate, the front wheels slide out from underneath it in the wet on the FWD car, now that is worrying.
I agree the run flats are poor, and the bridgestones are the best of a very bad bunch.
Why not swap for some proper tyres and enjoy the car??
Far easier than wasting your time trying to change BMW's policy. £300 and you will have a fantastic car.
I agree the run flats are poor, and the bridgestones are the best of a very bad bunch.
Why not swap for some proper tyres and enjoy the car??
Far easier than wasting your time trying to change BMW's policy. £300 and you will have a fantastic car.
So where's this steering problem that BMW don't want to know about, or is it purely a rant about RFTs?
Personally I find the correct application of the loud pedal at the appropriate juncture negates the poor quality of some tyres - and I've taken cars with RFTs on track too, in the wet!
Personally I find the correct application of the loud pedal at the appropriate juncture negates the poor quality of some tyres - and I've taken cars with RFTs on track too, in the wet!
It's a shame that folk have to spend hundreds of pounds on replacement tyres before a car will handle correctly... especially when that car was made by a manufacturer that claims to produce 'the ultimate driving machine'. The only benefit of RFTs is to enhance the car's handling during extraordinary circumstances... at the expense of the car's handling during ordinary circumstances. It's tantamount to making a car that handles brilliantly in snow but appallingly on dry tarmac... and then selling it in the South of France! RFTs should be optional so folk aren't forced to either suffer their naff road manners or the expense of putting proper tyres on.
I've spent a lot of time in BMWs equipped with the run flats. Good straightlne traction, but abysmal lateral grip in the wet. Really, really bad!
I really can't see how the tyre manufacturers can't get it right. I guess the stiff sidewalls of the runflats cause the problem. I'm sure they have tried to surmount it, but to no avail.
I really can't see how the tyre manufacturers can't get it right. I guess the stiff sidewalls of the runflats cause the problem. I'm sure they have tried to surmount it, but to no avail.
t out of me in the wet.mikez328 said:
Those Bridgestone tyres are dangerous IMHO. I have the factory Conti's on my current Z4M & I think that (having experienced these tyres over the current cold spell) they are also very dangerous in wet/icy conditions. They will be changed forthwith for Falken's when they are worn.
Whereas I have the standard BMW Conti's on my Z4MC and have nothing but praise for them after reading how deadly they were going to be.They've done a trip on twisty North Wales roads (250 miles in 5 hours), they've done two track days, and they've been out in the snow any number of times.
I've not had any more of a problem with these tyres than I have with the Michelin PS2s on my e34 M5, or the SportContact2s on my other e34 M5.
I guess a lot of people just like to moan for the sake of moaning, and blame the tyres for their own less than stellar driving standards - i.e. "I am the ultimate driver in the ultimate driving machine, therefore it must be the tyres that are making me lose control".
BTW, I'm an average driver who likes to drive fast on both roads & circuits, and I've not had to blame the car or the tyres for anything...yet
I don't think it's a driver problem.
I have had the misfortune of driving an E60 5 series (non M Sport) fitted with run flat tyres, on the motorway in the wet, and found it to be a very unsettling experience.
I always got the feeling that the car wasn't going to turn into bends, with so little feedback through the steering that it felt as if the steering wheel wasn't attached to anything.
Once into the bend, the car then felt as if it was constantly moving around underneath you, with any mid corner bumps or ridges causing it to bounce quite a distance sideways.
All in all I had no confidence in the car what so ever, and I will not buy another BMW if it's fitted with these tyres. Fortunatly M cars are not.
These problems won't be resolved any time soon, BMW have a history of poor tyre choice for their vehicles, usually due to following fads and gimmicks. At the moment it's run flats, back in the 80s and early 90s it was metrics, with them insisting on fitting Michelin TRX tyres to performance models for years on end, despite the fact that they were not suited to the cars, caused handling problems and were almost universally criticised.
I have had the misfortune of driving an E60 5 series (non M Sport) fitted with run flat tyres, on the motorway in the wet, and found it to be a very unsettling experience.
I always got the feeling that the car wasn't going to turn into bends, with so little feedback through the steering that it felt as if the steering wheel wasn't attached to anything.
Once into the bend, the car then felt as if it was constantly moving around underneath you, with any mid corner bumps or ridges causing it to bounce quite a distance sideways.
All in all I had no confidence in the car what so ever, and I will not buy another BMW if it's fitted with these tyres. Fortunatly M cars are not.
These problems won't be resolved any time soon, BMW have a history of poor tyre choice for their vehicles, usually due to following fads and gimmicks. At the moment it's run flats, back in the 80s and early 90s it was metrics, with them insisting on fitting Michelin TRX tyres to performance models for years on end, despite the fact that they were not suited to the cars, caused handling problems and were almost universally criticised.
Interestingly, having just come from a 320d to a 530d, both with RF, they couldn't be more different. The 3 felt very lively on the rear. The 5, despite more power, doesn't feel anywhere near as twitchy. I guess the alu suspension on the 5 is lowering unsprung and helping it cope better with uneven surfaces.
But wesiously, if you find a drive unsettling, you're going too fast for your skill level. Slowing down is a lot cheaper than buying new tyres in the hope it will fix things.
witches72 said:
Hi everyone.
BMW UK sent out to look at handling faults on 318 M Sport 2006 but as of today they said there is nothing wrong with handling with car,but as i said to them cars seems to oversteer and slide in wet conditions,but BMW UK DID A TEST DRIVE IN DRY CONDITIONS WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THE FAULT WAS IN WET CONDITIONS.So today they have come back to me saying that there was nothing wrong and the have closed the case now,So now after being on the phone with BMW UK for over an hour i have now got to go and get proof for myself and prove to them that their run on flats can not handle well in the wet conditions for them to even look at this problem.I have noticted that this has come up quite a few times on this site,so all i would like to know is where the best place to go and find the proof they want and prove them wrong that these run on flats do have a problem with them.
The run on flats that i have are 18"Bridestone Potenza with good tread(6mm all round)
Any one else had this problem???? If so please help.
SOMEDODY WHO HAS LOST FAITH IN THE BMW BRAND
Forgot to mention the problem is at low speed and mainly on sharp bends and roundabouts.Very unpredictable in wet conditions.I am also an experienced BMW driver and proffesional HGV driver.BMW UK sent out to look at handling faults on 318 M Sport 2006 but as of today they said there is nothing wrong with handling with car,but as i said to them cars seems to oversteer and slide in wet conditions,but BMW UK DID A TEST DRIVE IN DRY CONDITIONS WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT THE FAULT WAS IN WET CONDITIONS.So today they have come back to me saying that there was nothing wrong and the have closed the case now,So now after being on the phone with BMW UK for over an hour i have now got to go and get proof for myself and prove to them that their run on flats can not handle well in the wet conditions for them to even look at this problem.I have noticted that this has come up quite a few times on this site,so all i would like to know is where the best place to go and find the proof they want and prove them wrong that these run on flats do have a problem with them.
The run on flats that i have are 18"Bridestone Potenza with good tread(6mm all round)
Any one else had this problem???? If so please help.
SOMEDODY WHO HAS LOST FAITH IN THE BMW BRAND
.
I was shocked at just how little lateral grip the runflats had in the wset. Granted, the Nordschleife is especially slippy in those conditions, but the runflats are absolutely abysmal! The worst. Beyond belief!
They seem to have good traction but once asked to contribute to a turn there is nothing. Really spooky!
This was on a Z4.
They seem to have good traction but once asked to contribute to a turn there is nothing. Really spooky!
This was on a Z4.
darreni said:
Get rid of the runflats.
BMW must have a reason why M cars are NOT supplied with them.
PS2's are the best tyre i've used & (to me anyway) are worth the cash & i suspect would transform the handling of a runflat equipped car.
Nope, not really. Swapped the RFTs on the Z4 to PS2s and the handling hasn't improved at all, although the ride quality has.BMW must have a reason why M cars are NOT supplied with them.
PS2's are the best tyre i've used & (to me anyway) are worth the cash & i suspect would transform the handling of a runflat equipped car.
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