Check your tyres!!
Discussion
A friend of mine recently bought a new 535d. At the time he was persuaded to take out tyre insurance based on the fact that his vehicle had "run-flats" which were very expensive to replace.
Last week he got a screw in the tyre and having been told rf's are unrepairable he set about getting a replacement and making a claim. Firstly after giving the dealer the number on the tyre he was told they had none in stock until the end of April and advised him to go to a local tyre fitters.
When he got to a fitters the 1st thing he was told was they were normal tyres, not rf's and quite easily repairable as the screw was right in the middle of the tread.
Two points to this:- Firstly he was sold a policy based on run-flats which the policy states, and secondly, believing he had run-flats he could quite easily have travelled 200 miles on a deflating tyre assuming it was safe to do so.
Might be worth checking your tyres and also availability should you need a replacement.
Cheers Di
Last week he got a screw in the tyre and having been told rf's are unrepairable he set about getting a replacement and making a claim. Firstly after giving the dealer the number on the tyre he was told they had none in stock until the end of April and advised him to go to a local tyre fitters.
When he got to a fitters the 1st thing he was told was they were normal tyres, not rf's and quite easily repairable as the screw was right in the middle of the tread.
Two points to this:- Firstly he was sold a policy based on run-flats which the policy states, and secondly, believing he had run-flats he could quite easily have travelled 200 miles on a deflating tyre assuming it was safe to do so.
Might be worth checking your tyres and also availability should you need a replacement.
Cheers Di
Just to clarify, RFTs are repairable. No doubt. At all.
Michelin, Goodyear and others even issue instructions for repairing but some not in the UK, interestingly. Continental 'recommend' that they aren't repaired but for no valid reasons.
Anyone who tells you they are not repairable is misleading you. There are even professional repair kits available to tyre shops, with all the bits they need and instructions how to use.
Anyway, an RFT isn't that much more expensive than a regular tyre of the same size so why insure?
Michelin, Goodyear and others even issue instructions for repairing but some not in the UK, interestingly. Continental 'recommend' that they aren't repaired but for no valid reasons.
Anyone who tells you they are not repairable is misleading you. There are even professional repair kits available to tyre shops, with all the bits they need and instructions how to use.
Anyway, an RFT isn't that much more expensive than a regular tyre of the same size so why insure?
Edited by DSM2 on Tuesday 1st April 13:53
DSM2 said:
Anyway, an RFT isn't that mush more expensive than a regular tyre of the same size so why insure?
Really?Read this then.....
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
Jules.
DSM2 said:
Just to clarify, RFTs are repairable. No doubt. At all.
Anyone who tells you they are not repairable is misleading you.
Well as he had been misled re insuring tyres he hadnt got in the 1st place, it wouldnt surprise me if the "cant repair" advice was wrong also.Anyone who tells you they are not repairable is misleading you.
Edited by DSM2 on Tuesday 1st April 13:53
lady topaz said:
DSM2 said:
Just to clarify, RFTs are repairable. No doubt. At all.
Anyone who tells you they are not repairable is misleading you.
Well as he had been misled re insuring tyres he hadnt got in the 1st place, it wouldnt surprise me if the "cant repair" advice was wrong also.Anyone who tells you they are not repairable is misleading you.
Edited by DSM2 on Tuesday 1st April 13:53
BMW's instence on staying with run-flats is a total dissgrace.
I ran on a run flat (320d touring) at 90mph up and down the motorway for a week, often with my family in the car, without knowing it was running on approx 10% of the tyre pressure.
The warning system did not alarm the nail stuck in the centre of the tyre and there was no indication (obviously) that the tyre was slightly deflated by looking at the side-wall.
I then spend a Saturday trying to get a matching tyre, much to the anoyance of my family who were expecting to spend the day with me - not driving from tyre shop to tyre shop.
I only found it because there was a slight wheel vibration so thought it has thrown a weight, tyre technician spotted the nail, while balancing it.
And....I haven't even got started about what they do to ride and handling....!
I think my days with Bmer's are over, having had 5-6 of these with total satisfaction previously. They'll be great again in 5-6 year so I'll go to Audi and switch back then. It's the only way to make yourself heard.
I ran on a run flat (320d touring) at 90mph up and down the motorway for a week, often with my family in the car, without knowing it was running on approx 10% of the tyre pressure.
The warning system did not alarm the nail stuck in the centre of the tyre and there was no indication (obviously) that the tyre was slightly deflated by looking at the side-wall.
I then spend a Saturday trying to get a matching tyre, much to the anoyance of my family who were expecting to spend the day with me - not driving from tyre shop to tyre shop.
I only found it because there was a slight wheel vibration so thought it has thrown a weight, tyre technician spotted the nail, while balancing it.
And....I haven't even got started about what they do to ride and handling....!
I think my days with Bmer's are over, having had 5-6 of these with total satisfaction previously. They'll be great again in 5-6 year so I'll go to Audi and switch back then. It's the only way to make yourself heard.
DSM2 said:
So? My 320 is on its 3rd set of RFTs. the first two were Contis, the latest set Michelin. I paid £85 +VAT per tyre. I'm not saying you won't pay a lot more but you don't have to.
Other than the ride, I think the big negative for RFTs is the wear rate, I get about 22/23K per set.
My point is that not all runflats are of comaprative cost to normal tyres. Maybe it is size dependant.Other than the ride, I think the big negative for RFTs is the wear rate, I get about 22/23K per set.
For me it was £600+ for two RFT's v £330 for four "normal tyres"
I don't think they wear any quicker than standard tyres (20k on 335 rears is good!) and on the 335 the ride quality isn't as bad as people make out, I've not really noticed that much of a difference since ditching them for normal tyres.
Jules.
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