Getting rid of runflats!!!
Discussion
Gents, apologies for being a pain in the backside as I'm sure this has been asked before.... My '07 320D M Sport Touring is RUBBISH, to the point where I wanted to hand it back..... Ride quality is poor - it tracks on cambered surfaces, is noisy especially at low / medium speeds, oversteers at the earliest available oportunity in the wet (at embarrassingly low speeds), and is also useless in the snow. I love the car due to it's performance (re-map), styling, economy (it's my company car) and build quality but the ride kills it. As the tyres (Bridgestone OE fit) are knackered I want to bin then and go non run-flat. I have the optional 193 style 8 and 8.5 J 18 inch rims, I assume I need to change these to conventional rims?? I'm thinking Dynamics Pro-race 1.2 with some decent tyres. Once again apologies for what must be one of the most talked about subjects on BMW forums... Cheers, Jon.
Hi Jfp you will find a lot of info on non runflats on a current thread on www.babybmw.net. I wont buy another BMW on runflats.
Edited by carlovers on Friday 6th February 22:08
jfp said:
Gents, apologies for being a pain in the backside as I'm sure this has been asked before.... My '07 320D M Sport Touring is RUBBISH, to the point where I wanted to hand it back..... Ride quality is poor - it tracks on cambered surfaces, is noisy especially at low / medium speeds, oversteers at the earliest available oportunity in the wet (at embarrassingly low speeds), and is also useless in the snow. I love the car due to it's performance (re-map), styling, economy (it's my company car) and build quality but the ride kills it. As the tyres (Bridgestone OE fit) are knackered I want to bin then and go non run-flat. I have the optional 193 style 8 and 8.5 J 18 inch rims, I assume I need to change these to conventional rims?? I'm thinking Dynamics Pro-race 1.2 with some decent tyres. Once again apologies for what must be one of the most talked about subjects on BMW forums... Cheers, Jon.
not sure what wheels you need (can't the standard ones take 'normal' tyres? run flat tyres big debate. IMO it's worth getting some decent tyres at the expensive on an extra £1-200 all round, offer so much better grip. hope someone else can help.useless in the snow....can't be worse than mine. i ended up having to reverse 1.5miles down a thin, undulating, icy country lane earlier as i couldn't get up this snowy incline. took me 45 minutes. worst. drive. ever. still....i thrashed to car to bits on the drive home and she still took it
You can keep the rims, conventional tyres fit runflat rims, just not the other way round.
Definitely worth doing, it's transformed the ride and handling of my 1 Series, but as its your company car it might be worth checking the lease/insurance companies are Ok with you ditching them though.
Definitely worth doing, it's transformed the ride and handling of my 1 Series, but as its your company car it might be worth checking the lease/insurance companies are Ok with you ditching them though.
"If you were to use conventional tyres on this vehicle then the BMW Approved Dealership or BMW UK reserve the right to reject any warranty claim if it is felt that the cause of the fault or defect is directly attributable to the use of a non-approved BMW partorrespondence from BMW to another forum member."
That from BMW to another forum member
That from BMW to another forum member
Its just standard blurb though, they even sell a "Mobility" kit for the 1 Series that consists of puncture repair goo and a compressor, what would you use that for if not for when running non-runflats?
Also it seems that the 2009 1 Series cars will be mostly supplied with conventional rubber, with RFTs a cost option (although most would pay for them not to be on there!)
Also it seems that the 2009 1 Series cars will be mostly supplied with conventional rubber, with RFTs a cost option (although most would pay for them not to be on there!)
LocoBlade said:
You can keep the rims, conventional tyres fit runflat rims, just not the other way round.
Definitely worth doing, it's transformed the ride and handling of my 1 Series, but as its your company car it might be worth checking the lease/insurance companies are Ok with you ditching them though.
Thanks for the info, that's a shed load easier than I thought. Insurance is not an issue as we have a trade policy and they know for example our cars are fitted with big brakes, used occasionally for track work etc.. Cheers Chaps, what a helpful bunch, much apreciated.Definitely worth doing, it's transformed the ride and handling of my 1 Series, but as its your company car it might be worth checking the lease/insurance companies are Ok with you ditching them though.
LocoBlade said:
Its just standard blurb though, they even sell a "Mobility" kit for the 1 Series that consists of puncture repair goo and a compressor, what would you use that for if not for when running non-runflats?
Also it seems that the 2009 1 Series cars will be mostly supplied with conventional rubber, with RFTs a cost option (although most would pay for them not to be on there!)
Loco ,playing devils adv. Maybe thats for people who are willing to take the risk.Again yes the new cars apart from the 135i and 123d can be had on normal,so they might not have a comeback,unless they say "yes sir, but YOUR car was made for runflats" Actually thinking aloud the new models can have both cant they.Oh christ i dont knowAlso it seems that the 2009 1 Series cars will be mostly supplied with conventional rubber, with RFTs a cost option (although most would pay for them not to be on there!)
You are right , this has been done to death BUT it is still important.
I have the same car and it had the same problems PLUS others
I changed to Falken 452 all round and it transformed the car, there is a mass of discussion about this on the web.
Falkens are generally regarded as the best option if you trawl through the postings.
My insurer has no problem with the change as long as they are the correct speed rating.
The dealer does not exclude any warranty as not all 3 series are on runflats ( M3)
Do it and you will enjoy the car from then on
This topic has been done to death I know but for the record....
I've had non-RFT's fitted to my 130i for nearly two years. The front pair are wider than standard fit as the standard size isn't/wasn't available in non-RFT's.
During that time I've dealt with two different insurers, neither of whom had any issue with non-RFT's when I told them.
I've also had warranty work undertaken on the front suspension/steering links. My dealer is well aware that I run non-RFT's (I told him) but there were no issues getting the warranty work done.
I've had non-RFT's fitted to my 130i for nearly two years. The front pair are wider than standard fit as the standard size isn't/wasn't available in non-RFT's.
During that time I've dealt with two different insurers, neither of whom had any issue with non-RFT's when I told them.
I've also had warranty work undertaken on the front suspension/steering links. My dealer is well aware that I run non-RFT's (I told him) but there were no issues getting the warranty work done.
Yep, Falkens as said.
Not heard of one insurer so NO to RFT's yet (while getting quotes from all the mainstream ones and specialists)
Standard tyres will fit rft wheels fine, just the rft wheels are designed for rft tyres as well as non rft tyres (ie, the concession is made for rft, which does not the preclude non-rft)
In the end of the day, tyres are tyres, as long as the load/speed rating and dimensions are the same, then they are fine. If RFT/non-rft were an issue, then there would be a sidewall stiffness rating to meet too, because I've had non-rft tyres on other cars that are so stiff in the sidewall they still stand up on their own with no air in, while others go flat as a pancake!
Good luck with changing them. I'm just wanting to source some new wheels and fit Falkens, the Bridgestones are not so bad, but double the cost for what is ultimately a compromised tyre! If RFT is a must for you then the ZP (Zero Pressure) Michelin PS2's are meant to be great... not much more than the Bridgestones but a few generations newer and a world apart on the Z4 at least
Dave
Not heard of one insurer so NO to RFT's yet (while getting quotes from all the mainstream ones and specialists)
Standard tyres will fit rft wheels fine, just the rft wheels are designed for rft tyres as well as non rft tyres (ie, the concession is made for rft, which does not the preclude non-rft)
In the end of the day, tyres are tyres, as long as the load/speed rating and dimensions are the same, then they are fine. If RFT/non-rft were an issue, then there would be a sidewall stiffness rating to meet too, because I've had non-rft tyres on other cars that are so stiff in the sidewall they still stand up on their own with no air in, while others go flat as a pancake!
Good luck with changing them. I'm just wanting to source some new wheels and fit Falkens, the Bridgestones are not so bad, but double the cost for what is ultimately a compromised tyre! If RFT is a must for you then the ZP (Zero Pressure) Michelin PS2's are meant to be great... not much more than the Bridgestones but a few generations newer and a world apart on the Z4 at least
Dave
Last weekend a neighbour opposite me had visitors who owned an early 120d with runflats. About 5 miles from us the tyre pressure warning evidently came on so he checked the tyre wasnt in tatters then pottled on to finish the journey as instructed. I was out in the garage when my neighbour was having a look and when we scrabbled about on the floor and looked closely, the tyre had completely delaminated on the inside edge where it meets the sidewall and I suspect if he'd gone on a motorway with the tyre in that state, it would have completely failed fairly quickly.
I can't see that amount of damage occuring in 6 miles though so it may have been already flat when he started the journey and run longer in a flat state than designed to, but either way its quite concerning, if that amount of damage did occur in such a short distance then I wouldnt want to drive any distance on runflats anyway, and if the puncture occured earlier then its concerning the tyre pressure monitor didn't pick it up beforehand, so having seen that I'm not convinced of the safety aspect of runflats anyway, other than for an explosive blowout, but how often do those happen with correctly maintained, undamaged tyres?
I can't see that amount of damage occuring in 6 miles though so it may have been already flat when he started the journey and run longer in a flat state than designed to, but either way its quite concerning, if that amount of damage did occur in such a short distance then I wouldnt want to drive any distance on runflats anyway, and if the puncture occured earlier then its concerning the tyre pressure monitor didn't pick it up beforehand, so having seen that I'm not convinced of the safety aspect of runflats anyway, other than for an explosive blowout, but how often do those happen with correctly maintained, undamaged tyres?
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