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In both caese, I equip the car with a "donut" spare / electric jack (lighter plug in type) / tools etc.
YES. There is truck space loss but we have not notices that we cannot pack all we need because of it. A day's shopping is the worst situation (more that a weekend's traveling).
After all, the "donut" sits neatly and quietly on the truck's floor.
Have a great day!
JOHN - Springfield, Oregon
My (traded-in) 2007 335xi has 29,150 city and highway miles and 3 New England winters on the Continental ContiProContacts. My wife has about 25,000 miles on the OEM Bridgestone EL42s and my new ride has the Continentals again. Neither of us has had any trouble or complaint whatsoever with the tires. In fact, the OEM tires on the '07 are in such good shape that the car is now on sale at my dealership as a CPO vehicle with the original ContiProContacts.
Someone will undoubtedly retort that the handling would be better with GFTs but the risk of a serious accident at highway speeds if a tire suddenly goes flat is a far bigger issue than a slight reduction in handling. Since I've never driven my car on GFTs, as far as I'm concerned, there is no difference, and I have the use of the entire trunk all the time.
Unless, or perhaps until, I have any issues with the tires, I wouldn't have it any other way.
xeye
-- Both of your cars apparently have the All-Season version of the RFTs, a longer lived (from a tread wear perspective) and a rather more compliant (but still stiff) tire than the ones mounted on the cars with a sport package.
-- Cars in general and BMWs in particular have been running around for decades with GFTs and even in the event of a high speed blowout (something that is exceedingly rare), a serious accident is an extremely remote possiblity. Remember, we're not talking about a Ford Explorer here, we're talking about BMWs. Think about it this way, back in the pre-RFT days (which in the case of most manufacturers is today), running down the Autobahn in Germany at 150+ and suffering a tire failure is still very unlikely to result in an accident. Said another way, given the sophistication of modern stability control systems, having a catastrophic tire failure at only 80 mph or so will be no more dramatic than suffering a loss of pressure in RFT tire. Simply pull to the side of the road and have the tire changed.
the go flats make the ride so much better, it's worth hogging up the whole trunk with an extra wheel.
"All the same, I like not having to change my tires twice a year..."
Last time I checked, GFTs were still available in the All-Season variety.
"I also like the decreased likelihood of having to change my underwear after a front tire blowout at high speed, resulting accident or not, even in a BMW."
If you suffer a spontaneous "blowout" (something I haven't heard of happening in decades, especially with speed rated tires) as opposed to a catastrophic tire failure due to impact, there may be some difference in how the car handles, but at the sedate speeds we travel at here in the States, any difference will be negligible. As for the catastrophic tire failure due to an impact with road debris or a curb or a pot-hole, I seriously doubt the RFT will behave any better (and possibly worse) when it comes to safely getting your vehicle over to the side of the road.
I've been here 7 years. The thought of having to struggle to get out of the way should the unfortunate flat happen and leave me vulnerable still makes me very uneasy. In this asylum of pseudo-drivers, they can spot injured prey like a lion can sniff out a bleeding antelope from miles away.
Give me 300 hp, 300 lbs-ft of torque and the Run (-away) Flats any day!
I also only mentioned the all-seasons because you did. I thought the EL42s and the ContiProContact were the only RFTs available on the 3-series, and they're both all-season tires?
Your turn.
On another note. I may have brought another set of run flat tires, if the new 3G RTF tires were out. But Bridgestone and BMW missed up. They announced this new tire technology almost 15-most ago, and as of date, nothing. BMW advises the new 3G will be out next year. Why announce with fan fair a technology that will not be available to the public for almost three years, and make it sound like it is right around the corner.
What non-RFT tires did you end up getting, and did they re-use the tire sensor from the RFTs or did you have to buy new TPMS sensors for 4 tires?
Did you buy some patch kit in case you get a flat on the road?
I only use the car on local suburban roads, and on the highway occasionally. My previous (07) 3 series had Bridgestones and I changed to non runflats and bought a donut spare kit after 1000 kms.
My 09 model has Continentals and they are 100% better, but the cars still rides bumpy over our roads.,
I finally talked to somebody (Fred ?) from our biggest Continental depot in the state who told me this: deflate the tyres to 25 PSI and drive with that pressure. I did, and the ride is miles better. Like a 'normal' car. Maybe they'll wear out a bit quicker but i don't do many miles a year. I had a flat in one of the Bridgestones and didn't even notice it. Drove around for about a week wondering why the dashlight kept coming on. (I'm 66, and getting a bit vague) Anyway, the moral is that they are designed to run FLAT. So, if they are under inflated a bit so what. I know, I'll stir up a hornets nest with this but I'm sick of being told by idiot tyre fitters to over inflate the tyres, otherwise the sky will fall.
Let em down and be comfortable! :mad:
They are designed to run flat for 50 miles at 50 mph! The problem is the way they will fail. The actual failure will occur under the sidewall support and you won't be able to detect it until it actually loses structual integrity. I'm just glad you're half a world away so I won't be anywhere near you when it happens!
Yes, I checked with ALIANZ and they said it wasn't a problem because tires aren't considered a modification to the car. I double checked and got the same answer. I also checked with BMW and they said it wouldn't affect my warrantee in any way.
If you do this, you will think you've got a new car! Amazing difference!
The other thing is you can buy a "spare wheel kit" from BMW which is a donut spare, jack and a zip up bag to store it in. I found out that by buying the same items separately from the dealer spare parts section worked out over 1/3rd cheaper. Check that out if you do it.
let's know sometime ahead if you changeover . regards, Kev http://www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/emotorcons/emo_smiley.gif
I'm insured with Allianz as well. I've just changed one tyre, so now I'll wait until these tyres ware out and will seriously consider using regular tyres. The run flats are ridiculously expensive and in my experience, don't do what they're meant to, that is, let you drive long enough to get to a tyre shop to get them replaced or repaired. I'll let you know what I do when the time comes. Do you recommend any tyre in particular? Cheers.
It takes up some room but not as much as i thought it would because it ties down with the hooks just behind the back seat. We don't travel much so don't use suitcases etc. OK in general
I finally got Continental Conti Extreme Contact DWS tires yesterday. The ride is much improved. However, I have a question regarding psi. The people at Discount Tire filled the tires to 35 psi claiming that was the appropriate amount because these are performance tires. The door sticker and manual for the car state 29 psi.
What is the appropriate level?
I've had lots of cars, and in my younger days was a Police driver training instructor, and also drove 'open wheeler' junior formula race cars. If anybody should have thought of this I should have but I didn't, so you are not a 'stupid woman' --- the idiot who came up with this scheme in BMW to save a few $ is the stupid one. So there! :mad:
BMWannabe2
I phoned the BMW dealer that I got my spare kit from last time, and they said that there is a kit which includes a 'false floor' panel, or you can buy a donut spare, jack and bag like I did as seperate parts. They have to order these items from BMW. Last time somebody asked me the same question and I found the part numbers and sent to him but I can't place the paperwork now. Although i am in Australia the part numbers are universal and the same worldwide. I suggest you try again and maybe phone BMW direct. Or speak to the sales manager of a new car dealership near you and explain and ask them to find out.
It wasn't easy, but you can do it if you persist.
regards, Kev
1.) "Donut" spare that you can find in excellent shape at any auto wrecker.
2.) "Tire Tools" same as above.
3.) I found it easier to buy a powered jack in carrying case.
I have used above for 3 Bimmers now. HA!!!!!!!! NEVER HAVE HAD TO USE
John
Springfield OR
I live in NY. If I had to drive 50 mph on a flat tire to go anywhere on business days; I'd starve!!!!!!!!!
For every flat I get I'll replace it with a regular tire preferrably the the Nitto 555s..They're truly great tires but not prohibitively expensive.
What are your thoughts???
Any better suggestions for tires. Your expertise is welcome.
Bad plan.
I doubt that you're old enough to have had to deal with the transition from bias-ply tires to radials, but the caution at the time was to NEVER mix the two. I ignored this once (had a bias-ply spare) & when I went around a 270 deg on-ramp that way, it was definitely worth the price of admission. Fortunately there weren't any other vehicles in the vicinity. Never again.
By all means you should replace the RFTs with real tires, but do them all at once & sell the originals on E-Bay. God knows, there's a market for them.
I've driven Fusions with both engines (i.e. the I4 and the V6), and while the four-banger Fusion does pretty well in the handling department, it doesn't hold a candle to even a non-SP 328i. The V6 version of the Fusion is another story entirely; that car is (as I said before) a grossly understeering pig when rounding your friendly neighborhood freeway ramp, regardless of the drivetrain downstream of the transmission.
As for the Fusion being a winner in "several areas", the tires are easily fixable (and if I ultimately buy another BMW that comes with RFTs I'll surely swap the tires out for GFTs), the value of the better "technology" is extremely questionable in my mind, and given the different market spaces these cars occupy, I believe the price argument to be irrelevant.
Now, if you were comparing an Audi A4 2.0t to a 328i, then I'd be hard pressed to come up with significant objective arguments that favors one over the other. :shades:
BM-36120416268
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JV
What made me mad was the dealer wouldn't swap them out.So I had to buy 6 tires, Continetals and have two studded for winter , plus wheels.
Now the dealer tells me this isn't the old days and I should have the same 4 tires on all year round. Who is right.? I think he is upset because I went to Tire rack. Beside my car is an I model,not AWD.
BMW makes the Mini don't they and they will give you you choice of runflats, or all season tires?
I like a rear wheel drive car and the soon to be exstinct six speed tranny.
From I have heard from some bimmer owners; someimes the car is not even driveable at all on these tires.
They are different cars for different purposes.While I admire BMW for handling and a solid built I do not see much differences in both engines as a user. Advantages of L6 look to me like a mirage in comparison with V6. Both engines are equally good. Fusion has acceleration similar to BMW 06 325i, is very quiet, has better audio, has Synk and has no BMW problems with RFT's. And it is much chipper. I am not advocating for Fusion, I am glad that at last Ford built a good car.
PS The Fusion's steering is worse than by previous models and not to compare with BMW.
Lehrer1
Please understand, I do like the Ford; for the money it is a screaming bargain (especially with the I4 and three pedals under the dash) and a car that I usually opt for when I'm on the road and needing a rental. That said, none of the Fusion models like to be pushed hard around curves and none of them offer the visceral feedback to let you know what is going on down there on the road surface. If you value the "drive" more than the "goodies", then putting a Fusion up against a 3-Series makes for a poor comparison; however, if all one cares about is the stuff, then why bother opting for a BMW.
The answer is: NEVER.
Thank you for your message.
Thank you.
Oct '09: BMW reports uneven tire wear (15,000 miles on tires), recommends rotation, a complete reversal of their previous policy. Further examination reveals bent rim. Bought another set of Michelins. This time I picked out the tire (HX MX M4). Very little road noise.
Aug '10: Purchased 09 328i with 8000 miles and Bridgestone Potenza's. Very little tread wear. I was surprised at the low road noise.
My Sportwagon weighs about 500 pounds more than my 328i, but has smaller tires. (225/45 17 vs. 255/40 17). It appears that BMW figured out they needed a more substantial tire. Does anyone know?