BRIDGESTONE TYRES
Discussion
I am about to replace another 2 Bridgestone Potenza tyres that have failed before the majority of the tread has worn out.
I am 71 and no boy racer. This is the THIRD TIME this has happened on two different cars (AM Vantage and BMW 320D E92 sport)
The BMW has run flats and the Vantage standard tyres.
I am a stickler for maintaing tyre pressure and tracking. The type of failure is the same every time and this is always on the front of the car. The outer and inner tread wear out leaving about 5mm of tread in the middle of the tyre. . Additionally the tyres are cracking prematurely between the tread pattern. I do about 6 to 8k miles p/a and I understand that the rubber will crack on old tyres but not after 3 years ... come one!
I have not experienced this type of failure on any other makes and I have not changed ny driving style for decades.
I hate Bridgestones for this poor tyre life. Can anyone suggest a non runflat tyre that I can fit to the BMW that wont rot so quickly?
Cheers
I am 71 and no boy racer. This is the THIRD TIME this has happened on two different cars (AM Vantage and BMW 320D E92 sport)
The BMW has run flats and the Vantage standard tyres.
I am a stickler for maintaing tyre pressure and tracking. The type of failure is the same every time and this is always on the front of the car. The outer and inner tread wear out leaving about 5mm of tread in the middle of the tyre. . Additionally the tyres are cracking prematurely between the tread pattern. I do about 6 to 8k miles p/a and I understand that the rubber will crack on old tyres but not after 3 years ... come one!
I have not experienced this type of failure on any other makes and I have not changed ny driving style for decades.
I hate Bridgestones for this poor tyre life. Can anyone suggest a non runflat tyre that I can fit to the BMW that wont rot so quickly?
Cheers
Michelins or Continentals.
I have the Bridgestone RFT on our Z4C that we've had for 14 years the tyres do crack and then need replacing every 5 years but that's due to the minimal mileage the car does (3-4k per year) the wear pattern you describe doesn't occur however so I'd look at your pressures and tracking.
I have the Bridgestone RFT on our Z4C that we've had for 14 years the tyres do crack and then need replacing every 5 years but that's due to the minimal mileage the car does (3-4k per year) the wear pattern you describe doesn't occur however so I'd look at your pressures and tracking.
Yes, beginning to hear this more now.
A couple of guys from Dealers and tyre companies have told me that I am running my front tyres at too low pressure but I am not - triple checked this.
I do note that the new tyre has significantly less tread at the edges of the tyre so that does not help. I am now running the fronts at + 6psi which does not seem to affect handling , to get a few more miles out of them but not really pushed them in the wet yet .
Definitely the last Bridgestone I will buy. It makes them expensive when you fail the MOT after 4 years of light driving.
Michelin P4S for me
Thanks for feedback!
A couple of guys from Dealers and tyre companies have told me that I am running my front tyres at too low pressure but I am not - triple checked this.
I do note that the new tyre has significantly less tread at the edges of the tyre so that does not help. I am now running the fronts at + 6psi which does not seem to affect handling , to get a few more miles out of them but not really pushed them in the wet yet .
Definitely the last Bridgestone I will buy. It makes them expensive when you fail the MOT after 4 years of light driving.
Michelin P4S for me
Thanks for feedback!
I noticed heavy outer edge wear on the front tyres of my first couple of BMWs, an E46 Compact on Continental non run-flats then a 1 Series on Pirelli run-flats.
Since then I've not had any of my BMWs long enough to have that issue, but I hated the run-flat Bridgestone Potenzas on my 3.0Si Z4 Coupes - Pirelli run-flats rode and drove much better on my 1 Series and E91 325i.
I've only just gone back to non run-flats with my Z4M Coupe with Michelin Pilot Super Sports and they are just fantastic when they are warm, but not much good when it's cold and/or damp. I believe they are no longer available anyway and have been effectively replaced by Michelin PS4 that work much better in cold/damp conditions from what other Z4M owners have said.
But I need new tyres for my Z4M and Goodyear F1s are one of the options I am considering.
Since then I've not had any of my BMWs long enough to have that issue, but I hated the run-flat Bridgestone Potenzas on my 3.0Si Z4 Coupes - Pirelli run-flats rode and drove much better on my 1 Series and E91 325i.
I've only just gone back to non run-flats with my Z4M Coupe with Michelin Pilot Super Sports and they are just fantastic when they are warm, but not much good when it's cold and/or damp. I believe they are no longer available anyway and have been effectively replaced by Michelin PS4 that work much better in cold/damp conditions from what other Z4M owners have said.
But I need new tyres for my Z4M and Goodyear F1s are one of the options I am considering.
My 1 Series originally came with Bridgestone runflats, and in all honesty they were garbage. Impossibly hard sidewalls that would get worse as they got older, poor grip in the wet and the cracking issues you mention - and I was doing 20k a year at the time.
Got rid of them and put some Michelin PS4's on - much better. Fronts lasted about 60k before I had to replace them, and get 20 - 25k out of a set of rears. Wet grip is night and day different and I barely ever see the TCS light flicker any more, and the ride is a bit more comfortable (it's an M-Sport 1 Series so will never be truly comfortable, but I'd say it was acceptable now....mostly).
Got rid of them and put some Michelin PS4's on - much better. Fronts lasted about 60k before I had to replace them, and get 20 - 25k out of a set of rears. Wet grip is night and day different and I barely ever see the TCS light flicker any more, and the ride is a bit more comfortable (it's an M-Sport 1 Series so will never be truly comfortable, but I'd say it was acceptable now....mostly).
Philipcollins340 said:
Thanks Bodhi,
Thats the sort of information I needed. It seems like I will be cutting my tyre costs significantly going to PS4s.
Thanks !
Definitely - my Bridgestones were nearly £900 a set, the Michelins were just under £600 for the sizes I need (225 fronts, 255 rears, both 18s). Thats the sort of information I needed. It seems like I will be cutting my tyre costs significantly going to PS4s.
Thanks !
Other thing to bear in mind is what to do if you do have a puncture out there, as obviously you don't have the runflat aspect to get you home. I've gone for a can of goo and compressor, along with an AA Membership just in case. I'm pretty sure space saver spare wheels are available for the E92, so may be worth investigating for additional peace of mind.
When you have your tyres replaced ask the retailer to return them as faulty to Bridgestone for inspection and refund pro rata to wear.
I've done this with faulty PZeros which cracked in the treads and sidewall (Pirelli agreed faulty and paid for my new Goodyear F1 A2 tyres in full) and also for Goodyear F1 A2 tyres which split all the way around the inside of the tyre 5mm from the rims (Goodyear agreed faulty and refunded to the retailer 60/65% of the wholesale cost (£192.00) which the retailer has refunded to me.
I've only ever had Bridgestones on my 2003 E46 330ci cab. Tried to send me into a ditch all the time. This stopped when I changed to Conti SportContacts.
I won't now fit Bridgestone, Pirelli, Goodyear ever again.
Michelins from now on. My tyre retailer of 25yrs says EVERY other brand has problems.
I've done this with faulty PZeros which cracked in the treads and sidewall (Pirelli agreed faulty and paid for my new Goodyear F1 A2 tyres in full) and also for Goodyear F1 A2 tyres which split all the way around the inside of the tyre 5mm from the rims (Goodyear agreed faulty and refunded to the retailer 60/65% of the wholesale cost (£192.00) which the retailer has refunded to me.
I've only ever had Bridgestones on my 2003 E46 330ci cab. Tried to send me into a ditch all the time. This stopped when I changed to Conti SportContacts.
I won't now fit Bridgestone, Pirelli, Goodyear ever again.
Michelins from now on. My tyre retailer of 25yrs says EVERY other brand has problems.
I have always had Bridgestone Potenza S001 tyres on my Aston Martins and yes I find the front edges wear if run at recommended 2.5bar so increase them to 2.6 same as rear and whilst still get edge wear seem to wear less with slight increase in "white lining".
WARNING Just had new set of 295/35 R20 105Y POTENZA SPORT XL fitted to rear of my Rapide S after previous S001 got to 2 and 2.5mm on centre section of each tyre. Now the S001s started at 7mm depth but these new recommended improved wet and performance tyres only start with 5MM OF TREAD in centre and 4.5 on shoulder feathering to 2.5mm depth some 30% less than previous.
Feel conned by this as very little price difference if went for the older style S001s
Is this Bridgestone compensating for edge wear?????
Cannot find on any tyre comparison site one that shows new tread depths.
WARNING Just had new set of 295/35 R20 105Y POTENZA SPORT XL fitted to rear of my Rapide S after previous S001 got to 2 and 2.5mm on centre section of each tyre. Now the S001s started at 7mm depth but these new recommended improved wet and performance tyres only start with 5MM OF TREAD in centre and 4.5 on shoulder feathering to 2.5mm depth some 30% less than previous.
Feel conned by this as very little price difference if went for the older style S001s
Is this Bridgestone compensating for edge wear?????
Cannot find on any tyre comparison site one that shows new tread depths.
Personally unless I have any issues with the set of Goodyear Eagle F1A5s I've not long had fitted to my E46 then they will be all that I will fit to my car from now on. I went through a couple of pairs of Michelin PS4 tyres on the front and had an issue with both pairs developing irregular wear (cupping) on the inside edge as the tyres got to just under 5mm tread remaining. Good tyres other than that, but can't be dealing with having to chuck out tyres prematurely when they aren't the cheapest to begin with. The car went in for a laser wheel alignment out of precaution each time tyres were fitted with minimal adjustment needed and no known suspension issues. Had Eagle F1A2s before and no such issue with those, even had budget tyres on the front when I first bought the car and from a wear point of view those provided nothing to report either. Obviously there are thousands of people out there wearing through PS4 tyres without issue, but that is just my experience of them.
Continentals aren't something I generally consider after a relative of mine fitted a set of Sport Contact 5s to his E46 touring and nearly cried at how quickly he hit the wear markers on the rear. He doesn't do burnouts or any particularly hard driving, he was just doing 10K a year commuting at the time, but those tyres just didn't last anywhere near long enough to justify the price. Apparently good while they were legal, though.
I don't look at Bridgestone because the internet has instilled me with the thought that all of their tyres are rock hard and not particularly good in the wet. I don't look at Pirelli for similar reasons although another relative has PZeros on her Golf GTD and she hasn't found a hedgerow yet. I would sooner look at the likes of Vredestein or Kumho before Bridgestone or Pirelli.
Michelin is slightly more expensive, but the wear rate and the steering feel/feedback is slightly better than the Goodyear - personally found grip levels to be about equal day-to-day. However, I'm not a track-day enjoyer or anything like that so I'm not testing the absolute limit of the tyres.
Continentals aren't something I generally consider after a relative of mine fitted a set of Sport Contact 5s to his E46 touring and nearly cried at how quickly he hit the wear markers on the rear. He doesn't do burnouts or any particularly hard driving, he was just doing 10K a year commuting at the time, but those tyres just didn't last anywhere near long enough to justify the price. Apparently good while they were legal, though.
I don't look at Bridgestone because the internet has instilled me with the thought that all of their tyres are rock hard and not particularly good in the wet. I don't look at Pirelli for similar reasons although another relative has PZeros on her Golf GTD and she hasn't found a hedgerow yet. I would sooner look at the likes of Vredestein or Kumho before Bridgestone or Pirelli.
Michelin is slightly more expensive, but the wear rate and the steering feel/feedback is slightly better than the Goodyear - personally found grip levels to be about equal day-to-day. However, I'm not a track-day enjoyer or anything like that so I'm not testing the absolute limit of the tyres.
curvature said:
I’ve had runflat Bridgestones on a 318d, 330d and my 640d and only suffered the type of wear you state when the geometry has been out.
It’s worth having a full 4 wheel geometry check done.
Hi my Bridgestones are wearing on the outside edge on the front tyres can anybody recommend a good garage to carry out a 4 wheel alignment check in the north east and the likely cost ? It’s worth having a full 4 wheel geometry check done.
Thanks
Edited by ClubsportStr on Thursday 13th January 10:49
I have this edge wearing problem on my BMW320 and my Aston Martin Vantage. The Wheel alignment has not been checked on my BMW but has been checked OK on the Vantage.
The edge wearing is caused by a design fault. Its clear that the manufacturer does not appreciate that the edge of their tyres are in contact with the road and will wear. The tread on the edge of the tyre is thinner on a new tyre and consequently wears out prematurely. I am fed up getting MOT failures on the Run-Flat Bridgestone tyres when they still have 3mm+ of the main tread.
This effect is much more pronounced on the front tyres.
Got Eagles fitted now. See how it goes.
Phil Collins
The edge wearing is caused by a design fault. Its clear that the manufacturer does not appreciate that the edge of their tyres are in contact with the road and will wear. The tread on the edge of the tyre is thinner on a new tyre and consequently wears out prematurely. I am fed up getting MOT failures on the Run-Flat Bridgestone tyres when they still have 3mm+ of the main tread.
This effect is much more pronounced on the front tyres.
Got Eagles fitted now. See how it goes.
Phil Collins
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