Ditching The Runflats An Upgrade Or Downgrade?

[Urban Sports]

Evening,

My e90 M Sport will very soon need a full set of boots all round and like others I'm not really impressed with the runflats so am thinking of an alternative.

I'm probably going to keep the car for another 6 - 12 months.

The question is when I come to sell it the car will have full history and an extended warranty but will the change of tyres be seen as an upgrade or downgrade?

Obviously whichever tyre I buy (and I'm wide open to suggestions ) will be a premium brand and suited to the car.

[roofer]

I've hanged every RF shod BMW i've bought straight away, its an upgrade of massive proportions,

[PawnSacrifice]

EDIT: Just re-read the question... this doesn't really answer it. Depending on who you're selling to it may be seen as a downgrade - if trading in you will be charged for new run-flats (through the trade in value). If your likely market is someone that knows cars then they'll see it as an upgrade. If not a car person, you need to hope they haven't spoken to a dealer who would have been peddling the safety benefits.

One thing I would do if you are selling privately, or even for your self, is invest in a space saver and jack (for longer journeys) or possibly the BMW Mobility Kit - as supplied to Ms that use proper tyres. Can pick them up on eBay. Otherwise Holts Tyreweld is meant to be pretty good. Never used it.

Edited by PawnSacrifice on Sunday 30th January 23:17

[Urban Sports]

Cheers

So what would be recommended? A different bridgestone to the ones that are on it or is there a better alternative?

[MidlandDan84]

Im keeping RFTs on my E90 320d, to be honest i dont find the RFTs that bad and they seem to wear very well, also when i come to get rid of it id rather have the factory fitted tyres, dont need an excuse for the 'Oh sorry Sir....they dont sell without RFTs' BS.

[briers]

RFT's are horrid, especially in colder temp's. Zero grip and rock hard.

However the turn in precision and cornering stability is night and day over standard rubber. However i'm comparing 19" run flats with 17" winter tyres.

I'm planning to ditch the runflats when they are due to swap but i will make sure i get a tyre with a stiff sidewall / re-enforced to retain some sort of precision and cornering stability. Something like a ps2 and cs3/cs5.

[Salom]

Run Flats are rubbish, when I bought an E46 328i touring a few years ago I couldn't wait to get the damn things off! Fitted Michellin PS2s, a superb tyre!

[mmm-five]

The simplest solution is to replace the RFTs with normal tyres and keep the RFTs in storage for when you come to sell, and then offer the buyer both sets.

[cheadle hulme]

If you're chopping it in at BMW, they WILL charge you/reduce px by the value of putting RFTs back on.The Z4 I've just bought had RTFs on for this reason (ie previous owner was thinking of another BMW). This is despite the fact that he didn't like them and neither do I!

[MidlandDan84]

cheadle hulme said:

If you're chopping it in at BMW, they WILL charge you/reduce px by the value of putting RFTs back on.The Z4 I've just bought had RTFs on for this reason (ie previous owner was thinking of another BMW). This is despite the fact that he didn't like them and neither do I!

I was told something similar, im getting rid of mine next year, and for the sake of another set of RFTs i couldn't be bothered with the hassle.

[djone101]

I chopped my 520d in recently (at Sytner) with non RFTs - the dealer only looked at the tread depth and not specifically at what type of tyre it was. I would risk the potential of any reduced trade in for the added comfort and improved ride harshness personally.

[Gunk]

Salom said:

Run Flats are rubbish, when I bought an E46 328i touring a few years ago I couldn't wait to get the damn things off! Fitted Michellin PS2s, a superb tyre!

BMW only fitted them to the 2005 on E9x cars, all the E46's had standard rubber.

[Urban Sports]

Salom said:

Run Flats are rubbish, when I bought an E46 328i touring a few years ago I couldn't wait to get the damn things off! Fitted Michellin PS2s, a superb tyre!

Oooops

[DSM2]

Gunk said:

BMW only fitted them to the 2005 on E9x cars, all the E46's had standard rubber.

I don't think that's correct. I am sure some of the earlier models had RFTs and a TPMS. Not the cooking models but a 328 may well have had them as OE.

I stand to be corrected.

[Gunk]

I have owned 2 E46 3 Series BMW's a 330 ci convertible and a 330i touring and I can categorically confirm with 100% confidence that even on the later E46 models RFT's were never offered as an option, the wheel rims on the E90 cars are a completely different design to accommodate the run flats.

[Urban Sports]

Gunk said:

I have owned 2 E46 3 Series BMW's a 330 ci convertible and a 330i touring and I can categorically confirm with 100% confidence that even on the later E46 models RFT's were never offered as an option, the wheel rims on the E90 cars are a completely different design to accommodate the run flats.

Same here they definately were not runflats on my e46 nor my Brothers!

[Gunk]

Just to add to the debate. I run a 2005 E91 touring with 17" run flats and with a young family I like the security of having RFT's especially on a long run with the car heavily laden. I am just about to replace all four and it will be another set of OEM Bridgestone RFT's

[Salom]

Urban Sports said:

Oooops

The car was second hand and they had been fitted by the previous owner, dipsts!

[Urban Sports]

Salom said:

Urban Sports said:

Oooops

The car was second hand and they had been fitted by the previous owner, dipsts!

OK

[sjj84]

DSM2 said:

I don't think that's correct. I am sure some of the earlier models had RFTs and a TPMS. Not the cooking models but a 328 may well have had them as OE.

I stand to be corrected.

No E46 models came with runflats. They did have a tyre pressure monitoring system, not sure if it was an option on all models. My M3 had it, but my previous 330 didn't.