New 5-series available in UK without run-flat tyres

[YC 652]

Hello, a newbie here so apologies if this has already been covered: I'm just wondering if this is a recent change or if BMW are considering moving away from run-flat tyres as the default choice on some of the models they sell in the UK.
Anyway, playing around with the new car configurator on the BMW UK website, I see that the new BMW 520d saloon is not available with a 17-inch wheel and run-flat tyre combination. The basic list price is quoted as £36,025 in the separate price list (i.e the brochure) but appears on the configurator as £36,270. The £245 difference is becaue the space-saver spare wheel is automatically ticked as an option on the configurator, and can only be unticked if you opt for 18- or 19-inch wheels with run-flat tyres.
I think this is good news because, all other things being equal, if would transform the basic 520d's ride compared with the outgoing model.

[Locknut]

Does it have a wheel-well for the spare in the boot or is the space-saver lying on the floor of the boot and taking up space?

I think the fundamental problem is that the spare wheel has been "engineered out" by omitting a wheel-well in the boot.

[Digitalize]

They'll probably do the same as many manufacturers do who have no spare wheel and non-runflat tyres with a compressor and goo temporary repair.

[Allan L]

Locknut said:

Does it have a wheel-well for the spare in the boot or is the space-saver lying on the floor of the boot and taking up space?

I think the fundamental problem is that the spare wheel has been "engineered out" by omitting a wheel-well in the boot.

Exactly my thoughts. I said I'd never buy a car which had no provision for a spare wheel but we are left with no choice and the ever-increasing size of the wheels means I have had to have an estate to get at least some luggage space with the spare wheel occupying such a large volume.
Space-saver is no better as (a) you still can't go fast or far with it in use and (b) the dead wheel is full size and has to go somewhere.

[anonymous-user]

From what I've been told if you opt for non runflat, you get the spacesaver, jack etc and the boot is reconfigured to store it under the floor.

Given it's a limited speed/distance spare it seems a toss up whether it's better than RFTs. The ride might be better but that's possibly not a real issue with the G30 unless you go for very low profile tyres which appear to be RFT only in any case.

[Locknut]

Allan L said:

... with the spare wheel occupying such a large volume.
Space-saver is no better as (a) you still can't go fast or far with it in use and (b) the dead wheel is full size and has to go somewhere.

Yes, many people don't think of transporting the full-size dead wheel when the space-saver is in use, but at least the car is not immobilised. You will find some way of stuffing it in when you have to.

We had that experience here with a small Daihatsu. When we fitted the space-saver the full-size dead wheel would not fit in the wheel-well and would not even fit in the boot. We had to put it in the back seat but at least we got home.

[GTEYE]

REALIST123 said:

From what I've been told if you opt for non runflat, you get the spacesaver, jack etc and the boot is reconfigured to store it under the floor.

Given it's a limited speed/distance spare it seems a toss up whether it's better than RFTs. The ride might be better but that's possibly not a real issue with the G30 unless you go for very low profile tyres which appear to be RFT only in any case.

I'd be surprised if the "reconfigured" boot really amounts to much - I'd be amazed if there was a spare wheel well.

Given that RFTs have been on BMWs (in volume) since the E90, which came out early 2005, I'd be inclined to stick with the RFTs.

Evidence seems to suggest that the roadsides are not littered with stranded BMWs, so I'm not really sure having a space saver and probably compromised boot space would really help. And then the problem of a filthy and huge 19 or 20" wheel to mess up your interior....

[Ken Figenus]

You are in mid Wales on a Sunday afternoon and have 19" 245 40 tyres. You get a big RFT flattie - you wont even make it to a Kwik Fit to get stung for a brand new tyre given the RFT's 50 mile range. Still the ride compliance may be a bit better in one corner . No spare can ruin your week and cost your business money in missed appointments! At least with a space saver you can get there and get home rather than have to be b recovered on a truck

It absolutely totally and utterly defeats me what BMW were thinking - wheels crack due to the lack of compliance in RFTs and the ride quality engineers must be the most, ahem, deflated people in the industry.

RFT's are better by 2016 but they are still pretty poor compared to proper tyres. My space saver spare arrived today - but I have nowhere to put it

[smashy]

I do not have RFTs I have Michelin PS3s with ultraseal in them..however I have done 150 miles on a punctured runflat Lincoln to Gloucester no issues

[Ken Figenus]

Just drove up and down Wales in a day inc my favourite Evo type photo-op road in Mid Wales - cemented thoughts that RFT's are despicable things. They have to go - just an expense you need after shelling out for a new car . Should I flog them or keep them in case I trade it in to a dealer? Will they insist on RFT's I wonder?

That Ultraseal looks interesting - great use of video http://www.ultra-seal.eu/ Not much idea where to get it though?

[smashy]

Ken Figenus said:

Just drove up and down Wales in a day inc my favourite Evo type photo-op road in Mid Wales - cemented thoughts that RFT's are despicable things. They have to go - just an expense you need after shelling out for a new car . Should I flog them or keep them in case I trade it in to a dealer? Will they insist on RFT's I wonder?

That Ultraseal looks interesting - great use of video http://www.ultra-seal.eu/ Not much idea where to get it though?

hello ken sadly you have to go to sussex now to get it in. Interstingly they do say if you get a nail or whatever in the shoulder it will not help however that happened to me and it turned the Tyre into a run flat able to drive 60 miles on it.

[Ken Figenus]

Never had a nail in the shoulder mate! Looks a good, ahem, solution - if too far mind - but I swear to god the few quid and few kg saved is SO not in a customers interest... I'll NEVER buy another Beemer if it comes on RFTs - my missus M235i came std with PSS for a very good reason - so no point them trying to blag it... They know the score...

[GTEYE]

Ken Figenus said:

You are in mid Wales on a Sunday afternoon and have 19" 245 40 tyres. You get a big RFT flattie - you wont even make it to a Kwik Fit to get stung for a brand new tyre given the RFT's 50 mile range. Still the ride compliance may be a bit better in one corner . No spare can ruin your week and cost your business money in missed appointments! At least with a space saver you can get there and get home rather than have to be b recovered on a truck

It absolutely totally and utterly defeats me what BMW were thinking - wheels crack due to the lack of compliance in RFTs and the ride quality engineers must be the most, ahem, deflated people in the industry.

RFT's are better by 2016 but they are still pretty poor compared to proper tyres. My space saver spare arrived today - but I have nowhere to put it

In the last 9 years or so, I've put 250,000 miles on 7 different BMW's all with runflats. I've had 3 maybe 4 punctures, and I've never been stranded by the roadside once. The 50 mile range is based on zero pressure deflation (a rare occurrence), the more likely scenario is a nail and resulting slow puncture.

If there was a total deflation, I'd probably take my chances on the 50 mile range rather than trying to change a filthy tyre in the dark on a Welsh roadside - especially if the tyre was toast anyway.

Maybe BMW was the wrong choice if you really can't tolerate the RFTs....as you'll presumably ruin your loadspace with a spacesaver rattling around...

Edited by GTEYE on Thursday 9th February 11:14

[kurt535]

Beemer 5 series tourings i used to drive up until 2014 alway had excessing wear on the inside of the rears. so, if you did get a flat, as i did twice, there was no way they would go 50 miles. both shredded within 10 miles because side wall was already naturally weakened. nasty things!

[Ken Figenus]

GTEYE said:

Maybe BMW was the wrong choice if you really can't tolerate the RFTs....as you'll presumably ruin your loadspace with a spacesaver rattling around...

Edited by GTEYE on Thursday 9th February 11:14

I think you are right - it was the unexpected loss of the spare wheel well however that torpedoed me. I do like most other things about it (well other than bunches of car/house keys rattling in cupholders) but I've ranted enough

[Mr Tidy]

Ken Figenus said:

You are in mid Wales on a Sunday afternoon and have 19" 245 40 tyres. You get a big RFT flattie - you wont even make it to a Kwik Fit to get stung for a brand new tyre given the RFT's 50 mile range. Still the ride compliance may be a bit better in one corner . No spare can ruin your week and cost your business money in missed appointments! At least with a space saver you can get there and get home rather than have to be b recovered on a truck

It absolutely totally and utterly defeats me what BMW were thinking - wheels crack due to the lack of compliance in RFTs and the ride quality engineers must be the most, ahem, deflated people in the industry.

RFT's are better by 2016 but they are still pretty poor compared to proper tyres. My space saver spare arrived today - but I have nowhere to put it

I suppose it all depends upon personal experiences!

I had a puncture in my 320td Compact in the summer - stopped in Windsor Great Park and put the space-saver on. Arrived at work a bit late, but not a problem!

Traded the Compact for a 123d with Pirelli RFT's - first puncture was in January in the snow, so I just drove on!

Next flat was also in the winter with snow falling - just drove home and got it repaired for £10!

BTW BMW say a punctured run-flat will do up to 150 miles depending on how loaded the car is! Would rather have a full-size spare, but I think RFT's are a better option than space-savers based on my experience.

[Ken Figenus]

Ok if we are doing anecdotes...what sealed the deal for me was nipping down the M4 at 5am in my previous E61 and getting a flattie after 70 miles at Swindon. I had the BMW space saver kit I'd bought for the once not too unreasonable £200 stowed in the under-boot floor spare wheel well. I popped it on, continued to Soho, arrived on time, did my first bit of work with the 'only there for the day' client (an Alpina owner who once drove K.I.T.T ), then drove the client to a few London landmarks for additional shots and then drove the 150 miles back home. If I was on an RFT it would have ruined my day and I would have lost a client and failed to put food on the table! I did find a tyre place on the way back but they didn't have a matching PSS to replace the shot tyre and at almost £200 for something I didn't want I passed and replaced in my own time. Hope that gives some rant perspective

[HustleRussell]

kurt535 said:

Beemer 5 series tourings i used to drive up until 2014 alway had excessing wear on the inside of the rears. so, if you did get a flat, as i did twice, there was no way they would go 50 miles. both shredded within 10 miles because side wall was already naturally weakened. nasty things!

The Goodyears on my Dad's F11 did the same thing. One minute he was remarking that his rear tyres had lasted 20,000 miles and still had 5mm tread left, next time I saw him both tyres were on the heap having deflated in use with the very edge of the inner shoulder shredded down to the steel belting. Give me proper tyres and a can of goo any day. The invention of pneumatic tyres was progress, making them rock solid again is backward.

[jimmydash]

This is fascinating, tyres worn down to the "air" on the inside edge. I had this, had the tracking done, reportedly it was a mile out. How come this is common?

[bad company]

Luck being what it is I got my only puncture in my 335d on a Sunday morning when leaving for a 150 mile run. KwikFit didn't have a replacement but some super glue slowed matters down sufficiently for me to get there. I did have a compressor onboard to 'top up'.