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BMW 3-Series Run Flat Tires

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Comments

  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    edited May 2011

    I have '06 and '09 vehicles. There isn't anything in my manuals regarding battery registration. Neither vehicle has hot DC sockets. I would ask my dealer about battery registration, but I sometimes get bad info from them.


    You are probably safe on the 06 model, but I can almost guarantee the 09 3 series requires registration.

    Check out the statement at the bottom of the page in this link...

    http://www.autobahnperf.com/TechNews/BMW_Battery/Battery.html

    Your owners manual describes the registration process....go to the index and find the page for "battery replacement".
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    If you are disappointed in your run-flat tires and/or wish that your car had a spare tire, please email [email protected] no later than Wednesday, June 15, 2011 and be sure to include your city/state of residence and a few comments on the subject.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    What about the population of folks whom deliberately bought cars which have GFTs and/or refused to even consider a car with RFTs?
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    If you are disappointed in your run-flat tires and/or wish that your car had a spare tire, please email predmunds.com no later than Wednesday, June 15, 2011 and be sure to include your city/state of residence and a few comments on the subject

    Before I expend the effort to do so, could you please explain what the info will be used for?

    Or, is it just a survey?

    Thanks!
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,495
    What about the population of folks whom deliberately bought cars which have GFTs and/or refused to even consider a car with RFTs?

    Exactly. :mad:
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • dohrmcdohrmc Member Posts: 14
    I am in that number. I will be buying a new car in the next few weeks, and I won't consider a BMW due to all the issues I have read about on this forum. Someone who considers himself to be the smartest guy in the room at Munich has his ego riding on RFT and he is costing BMW some sales. Probably not a lot, but they have lost me.
    I routinely ask BMW drivers at my local gas station how they like their RFTs, and I have yet to meet one that knew they were on his car.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    edited June 2011
    I routinely ask BMW drivers at my local gas station how they like their RFTs, and I have yet to meet one that knew they were on his car.

    According to that "analysis", it would seem that the majority of BMW owners really don't see GFT .vs. RFT an issue.

    If an owner doesn't even know what type or brand tire is on his vehicle, then he really isn't in any valid position to have an opinion on the issue, is he?

    Still, if I had my way, BMW would at least provide a location to place a space-saver spare in the trunk for those who insist on running GTS's...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited June 2011
    Well that's certainly true. My friend was blissfully unaware that her 2007 3-series sounded like an 18-wheeler lumber truck running down the freeway. But then, she plays the stereo quite loud. :P
  • jagostjagost Member Posts: 13
    I have own three BMW, the latest 2009 328. What is funny about BMW and Bridgestone run flat tire bull... is that surfing the web, you read articles dating back to Feb-July 2009 that the new Bridgestone 3rd generation run flat tires have been tested, and that all types of automobile magazine reps were on hand and noted great improvements driving BMWs with run flat tires etc.... Now it is June of 2011, and where are the run flat tires? I feel they were just buying time, and ripped off. I already switched to regular tires, and I’m looking at trading in my BMW for a VW Diesel Golf that does 42 miles per gallon on the highway, at about 25K less, and no run flat tires. The bad part of trading my car in is that if I go to a dealer that knows his stuff, the dealer will give me less for my trade-in. He will ask, where are your run flat tires.
  • dohrmcdohrmc Member Posts: 14
    According to that "analysis", it would seem that the majority of BMW owners really don't see GFT .vs. RFT an issue.

    Wow, sarcasm! You might need to cut down on the caffeine.......Talking to actual customers provides "analysis" aplenty. It's not that they don't see it as an issue, they don't even know there is an issue. Probably playing the radio too loud.
    I am guessing, but I think the biggest concern of most of these drivers is nothing but how much the lease payment is. Some of them are enthusiasts, but most see the cars as something like a fancy Rolex watch. Something to be seen in. [I could be wrong, but I doubt it.] IMHO.
  • 1socalgal1socalgal Member Posts: 12
    You're right: BMW really could have used the area in the trunk where the spare used to go (for a space-saver spare). There's certainly enough space, but all it's good for now is additional space for stuff. But if you want to carry a space-saver spare, you also have to have a jack, tire irons, etc. and where are those things stashed? If BMW has all of these various packages available, it is not impossible for them to offer a "space-saver spare" package. Equipping the BMW with RFTs was supposed to do away with the notion of having a spare, but if that's what the customer wants and is willing to pay for, BMW would probably do it --- eventually. But does BMW hear the clamor? BMW has long had a problem with hearing and understanding customer complaints.
  • jagostjagost Member Posts: 13
    I think the analysis are basing their info on the first 90-days when car manufactures mail the Questionnaire to the buyer, and the car is brand new, etc.... and the dealer begs you for an excellent rating. A run flat tire does not hit the buyer until 15000 miles and they buy new tires because of wear or a flat. They are sticker stock on the price of the tires, how fast they wear out, and how loud the tires get. I bet if the Questionnaire was sent 12-18 months later and based on tires only, the results would be different.
  • boston303boston303 Member Posts: 35
    Certainly goes to show how much of a status symbol the BMW has become. Those same drivers are likely driving automatic transmissions and would have gotten to wherever they were going in a Ford, but, of course that would not be driving a "beemer" (as opposed to "Bimmer"). Good for BMW a they have increased their market tremendously which of course is what they should accomplish. The Ultimate Driving Machine has been relegated to the "M" at stratuspheric prices. I saw a 2002 yesterday which looked small, but I remember the ads "The Ultimate Driving Machine built to cruise at 100 MPH" and it was affordable. Great flashback, bit clearly not a mass market car as they have today with an automatic, RFT shod 3 series.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,142
    These requests come to us from members of the press - only credible journalists/reporters. They don't use anything, including your name, unless you give them permission.

    As for the other questions (GFT vs RFT), it wouldn't hurt to respond. The question would be sent to the reporter and they might want to follow up.

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  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Lets face it. Those folks who dislike RFT really HATE them, and they aren't satisfied by simply saying they dislike them...They want EVERYONE to HATE RFT's.

    From BMW's perspective, they are selling more cars than any time in their history, so, in that light, RFT's are pretty much a "success story" for the manufacturer. For many RFT antagonists, if GFT's were suddenly available once again, the complaint du jour would simply move to the next item on the list (and, for many, that list is a long one).

    Personally, I see both sides of the issue.

    RFT's usually are louder, ride rougher and don't get the mileage of GFT's. On the other hand, if your wife or daughter is in the "bad part" of a city or on the highway late at night and have a flat, RFT's are probably a good thing.

    Like most things, its rarely a black .vs. white issue, but many shades of gray.

    As a member of BMWCCA, I get the club magazine each month, and there are always letters bitching about how BMW has "lost its way" by straying from its history of manufacturing the "Ultimate Driving Machine".

    An example...Most BMW's sold nowadays are automatics. That isn't due to BMW mandating them, but it is due to what the buying public wants. Like any successful company, BMW provides what the vast majority of buyers want, or at a minimum... will accept.

    I say again, IMO it would be great if BMW offered an optional spare tire/tool kit. Of course, I feel sure that there are a few million other options that others would want if asked.

    At this point, its really a non-issue. BMW is NOT going to return to GFT's regardless how many in the minority of owners (or "would-be" owners) scream and complain.

    Just like I would tell anyone who suggests cars move away from drive-by-wire throttle back to cable/linkage throttle controls, it ain't gonna happen...

    Time to move on...

    If most drivers don't know what tire type they are running on their automobile, it really is a "non-issue".
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    My wife has a 2005 MINI convertible, and even though it came with RFT's, it also came with a space-saver spare.

    When it was time for new tires, she elected to stay with RFT's, even though I suggested otherwise.

    Her reasoning was that, flats seldom occur in front of a tire store, but at the most inconvenient time and place... when she is alone.

    Her $$$, and her choice.

    She did change to Continental RFT's, and IMO they are much quieter that the OEM tires. Its a MINI, so ride quality really wasn't/isn't an issue with her.

    I do agree with the noise level on the older RFT's....The Bridgestones on my 07 Z4 sould a lot like that 18 wheeler you spoke of earlier....

    Good thing my radio has a lot of volume to it, coupled with my "less that perfect" hearing ability nowadays...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited June 2011
    My personal view of RFTs is "a solution in search of a problem".

    Prior to the introduction of the RFT on everyday passenger cars, the only vehicles that ran run-flats were armored limousines and combat vehicles---which should tell you their proper place in the world IMO.

    To me, the RFTs on my MINI were as useful as bullet-proof glass and 1" armor on the floor pans.

    So when I get a flat with regular tires, I have to stop and call AAA on my cell phone.

    When I get a flat on my RFTs I can drive for 50 miles and pay for two brand new RFTs, because I've totally ruined one of them, for a mere $400.

    OR---I could leave my car and take a taxi home for that kind of money and have plenty left over for the cab ride to the tire shop and the $15 repair bill waiting for me there.

    I do believe you though, that newer RFTs are *much* better, but they still strike me as a kind of expensive overkill and, most ironically, a rather vulnerable piece of equipment.

    I like $1.99 rubber gloves that are disposable, not $200 tires.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    My personal view of RFTs is "a solution in search of a problem".

    Agreed in total.

    Unfortunately, we appear to be seeing a lot of those solutions in search of problems these days...

    I will say this, though... I had a neighbor that got killed by a drunk driver while he was along side the interstate hwy changing a flat (he was well off the roadway, even off the emergency strip on the right side of the road). He might still be dead today, but if his car had RFT's then, he wouldn't have been on the side of the road waiting for that drunk driver to come along and hit him that particular day.

    I feel confident his wife would see a lot of value in RFT's...
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,495
    edited June 2011
    Unfortunately, we appear to be seeing a lot of those solutions in search of problems these days...

    Yeah, and many (if not most) of them come from BMW.

    My primary beef with RFTs has to do with using them in the wide-open spaces out here in the West. I have no use for a tire that no one will repair, that few shops can even replace and that no one stocks out in the hinterlands. I won't trouble the board with yet another rendition of my flat tire story on a Sunday in way-north Nevada, but if it'd happened with an RFT-equipped car, I might be there yet.

    Or, I could have spent $400 on the tire (including the express shipment from San Francisco or Salt Lake City), plus a few days added to my journey.

    RFTs are for those who live in urban areas and never venture away. Period. Full stop. The end.

    Happily (for BMW), that covers the vast majority of the people who drive the brand -- not the car, the brand.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • lehrer1lehrer1 Member Posts: 54
    I have 2006 325i with RFT. I feel uncomfortable going further than 50ML away from the city.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    RFTs are for those who live in urban areas and never venture away. Period. Full stop. The end.

    In general, I agree.

    But, as an exercise, I decided to call a few local (large, established) tire dealers to see if they had the GFT size tires to fit my 2010 328i (Sport Package).

    I live in the upstate of SC, a fairly urban area.

    After 5 calls, no one carried tha sizes in stock.

    So, it's as much a "unique" tire size as it is a tire "type" issue.

    The relatively "recent" explosion of specialty tire sizes and types over the last 1-2 decades has made it dramatically more challenging for tire dealers to carry complete lines of tires in stock.

    So, if you are in the boonies and lose a tire that happens to fall into this category, and you follow the recommended maximum mileage guidelines, you're screwed... GFT (w/space saver spare) or RFT.

    The lesson is no different for brand of car. Why buy a MB, BMW or MINI (at least, for a daily driver) if the closest dealer happens to be 200 miles away? You would be much better off in a vehicle with a dealership nearby.
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,495
    . . .if you are in the boonies and lose a tire. . .

    I guess my biggest concern is with the need for special tire machines and the fact that almost no one will repair RFTs. Normal tires can be repaired more often than not, and outright replacement is rarely necessary, or at least that's been my experience.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 234,725
    2011 328xi with 17" all-season Continental runflats..

    Couldn't tell them from regular get-flat tires... I think the latest all-season runflats are pretty much a non-issue, as far as handling and ride...

    I'd still be worried about getting a flat out of town, and having to wait days for a replacement, but it doesn't surprise me that owners don't know the difference.

    I'm thinking that summer RFTs might be different, but haven't experienced those in the last few years..

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  • tutuvabenetutuvabene Member Posts: 3
    With this discussion going on for over four years, it's apparent BMW will not drop run flat tires, since money talks, and they are still making boatloads of it. That said, it wouldn't be a big reach for BMW to offer the option of conventional tires for those who want them. BMW's take it or leave it line on run flats makes their current advertising campaign ("There are a million ways to customize your BMW.") lacking in credulity. After all, what's the point of premium car at a premium price if you can't truly customize it. BMW's line that run flats are safer because you don't have to risk your neck changing a tire at the side of the road is a limited argument at best as there are many situations where one could be more than 100 miles from an open repair shop (ie., rural Wyoming, at night, etc). I will still buy a BMW but when the run flats give up the ghost, I will definitely opt for conventional tires with a space saver spare, for the myriad of reasons said in earlier posts.
  • Firebird_EOUFirebird_EOU Member Posts: 250
    TireRack and TireBuyer have them it.
    RE960AS RF 225/45RF17

    If you need to replace your RFT let us know how well it works. It's supposed to be drive like non-runflat.
  • tutuvabenetutuvabene Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2011
    PS to my earlier message. I'll buy RFT when the price and treadlife are on par with conventionals. It appears that progress has been made in regard to quietness in running.
  • dcomoradcomora Member Posts: 1
    I bought my wife a 2006 330xi about a year and a half ago. I test drove the car over some rough roads and found the drive was incredible. The day we picked it up, we drove to a social event and I thought the car had bottomed out several times during the drive...you all know the story. I now suspect my dealer swapped tires after i purchased the car...
    We lived with the horrible ride and the incredibly annoying tire noise for a year and a half. Last week, one of the run flats, went flat...go figure. So I sprung for a set of new 25/45R-17 Michelin Primacy MX tires ($720 with shipping from www.tirerack.com). Yesterday we had them installed. I am delighted to say that the car that I test drove is back!!! The car drives like a dream. The only noise I hear is the engine, instead of the overwhelming sound of tires...something that sounded like the flying saucer sound effect from a bad 1950's sci-fi movie. The other major benefit is that I can drive the car...like a car. And not like a character in the movie "The Wages of Fear," (sorry for the 1950's movie analogies) where truck driver's are carefully avoiding bumps in the road to prevent their truck loads of nitro from exploding. My neighbor, who is a BMW mechanic, recommended the new set of tires and I'm back in love with this car and no longer cursing it out. I'll need to pick up a donut and jack kit which will sit in the trunk. Its well worth the investment and loss of trunk space. Good riddance to bad run flats!
  • Firebird_EOUFirebird_EOU Member Posts: 250
    but it's $221
  • puffin1puffin1 Member Posts: 276
    Yep,you have to register when you replace.,however I haven't had a problem and if I had to use a trickle I'd be upset. I just traded up and the first thing I had them do was to put grease around the terminals. I like German cars cabins and bells and whistles,but the computers are scaring me. I's exspensive to maintain a Beemer.I have a 2010 VW base HB 2.5 only because of the cabin display MFD etc and no problems. It has a 5 star rating and it's a five speed. I don't see an Audi that catches my eye though.So I'm sticking with what I know. I like RWD also.
  • trdsc2trdsc2 Member Posts: 4
    Having recently purchased a 2011 335d with Michelin PS2 ZP as OE tires, I am wondering if
    all of the bad reviews of the previous posts on other brands of RFT's applies to Michelin?
    So far I have not noticed excessive noise or other driveability issues.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    The Michelin's on my 2010 328i are far quieter than the Bridgestones on my 2007 Z4 coupe. Like most other technologies, RFT is advancing as well.

    However, there are some very "rabid" RFT haters out there, and for many of them there will never be a suitable RFT available.

    Personally, I"m neutral. I do wish BMW would give the option of a space saver spare, but that doesn't appear to be in the cards. Obviously, it isn't a deal- breaker for me...
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,495
    an RFT in Winnemucca, Nevada, at 1:30 in the morning on a Sunday (and a tire changer that can deal with it), then my issue with these damn tires will be well on the way to being solved.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I just have trouble with the concept---RFTs are like the answer to a question nobody asked. It's a technology pushed on consumers for the manufacturer's advantages, not ours. They get rid of spare tires and wheels, we get more expense and tires that are no more durable than the former types.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    edited July 2011
    I guess I see it differently. It just isn't an issue to me.

    Carmakers make decisions on what to offer all the time, and we (as a customer) either take it or pass on it. For example, Model X comes with a Bose stereo, but you prefer a different stereo brand... The choice is to accept the Bose or pass on Model X.

    And, there really are some advantages to RFT's... As I think I have posted here before, my neighbor was well off the side of the interstate hwy changing a flat when he was hit by an incredibly drunk driver and killed instantly. If his car had RFT's, he would probably be here today.

    Now, that doesn't mean ther aren't disadvantages to RFT's... just that, depending on the situation, they may work for you OR against you.

    Chew a tire up in Podunk, WY, and you have a real problem. Even then, in many cases, that isn't limited to RFT's alone. If my 328i BMW (Sport Pkg. - 18"wheels) shreads a tire there, there's little chance I will find a 255/35-18 RFT OR GFT locally (in stock).

    Still, if I had the capability to carry a spare designed into the vehicle, I might make it to a larger city on a space-saver spare... maybe.

    That's why I think BMW should at least offer the space-saver space in the trunk (like my wife's 2005 MINI convertible that came equipped with RFT's).

    But, I knowingly bought the car with RFT's, so I accepted the risk.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well I'm not so sure that unfortunate (tragic) scenario is really a booster for RFTs though. He could have driven off the road on a regular tire---sure, ruining it beyond belief but you've seen those police chase videos----I'd trade a tire and rim for my life anyday.

    Besides, if you run a RFT while flat for an appreciable distance, it's ruined as well.

    It's like tires are going flat left and right these days. I have way more bicycle flats than car flats (by about 100 to 1 !!!) and I don't see any RFT bicycle tires being marketed.

    (cue commercial: "bicyclists, what if YOU have a flat tire while crossing a bridge in a narrow bike lane? You need the all new TREK RFT tire---only $185, for that peace of mind!")

    You'd laugh, right?
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,495
    edited July 2011
    If my 328i BMW (Sport Pkg. - 18"wheels) shreads [sic] a tire there, there's little chance I will find a 255/35-18 RFT OR GFT locally (in stock).

    Very good point. This is the other half of the RFT fiasco -- NO SPARE TIRE. When I'm driving in bumf*** western U.S. out here, which is pretty much my only choice, I have absolutely no expectation of getting a replacement tire. What I do want is either: 1) a tire that any normal truck stop or 24-hr service station can repair and put back on the car, and/or 2) a spare that matches the other four tires -- I'll put it on and drive back to Phoenix. Then I'll take however long it takes (2-3 days) to replace the tire, if that's what's required.

    It's the magic daily double -- crap no-one-can-work-on-them tires or ones that no one is willing to patch, combined with no spare.

    Oh boy.

    The Germans have no concept of western North America or Australia -- it's big country with very limited services. Apparently they don't want to include those of us who live in such places in their demo. I guess it makes sense, given the number of social-climbing people living in densely-populated areas.

    The fact is that BMW no longer care about enthusiasts; they care about people who will buy (or more likely lease) the cars in ever-larger numbers.

    Oh well.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Regardless what any of our opinions happen to be, at the end of the day sales usually wind up driving production policies. Overall, few wish to purchase a polka-dot paint job on a BMW, so we aren't given that as an option.

    While we all probably agree that having the capability to have some type of spare in a new BMW is desirable, enough buyers don't seem to care. And, as long as sales continue to increase, I really doubt we will see any spare tire options.

    In fact, we may see the mandatory RFT issue pop up on other manufacturer's products due to BMW's continued success.

    It wouldn't be the first time.

    I agree that the modern BMW is oriented to urban environments as well. Four year service included in the price of the car has reduced value if the nearest dealer is 250 miles distant.

    But, that's nothing new, either. In my lifetime, television evolution has been driven by the urban environment much more so than the rural environment ( after all, where I grew up, there were only 2 channels one could receive...in the 1950's and early 60's).

    On another point, I don't think I have ever seen a bicycle RFT. Seems like a popular solution for competitive bicycling. Maybe Mr. Shift_Right is onto something there!
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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited July 2011
    The reason people don't care (although apparently many do) is because people today are used to regular tires rarely going flat anymore IMO.

    Who has had a flat in the last 5 years? Not me. Sure it happens, but when's the last time you saw anyone on the road changing a tire?

    Fact is, most buyers don't even KNOW their car has run-flat tires. I have a friend who didn't even know her BMW was all-wheel drive when she bought it. :surprise:
  • rflrfl Member Posts: 100
    Used to hate 'em.... now 4th BMW with RFT's. They are markedly improved- smooth ride and they last as long as most GFT's- and they can be repaired if you find the right tire shop for a minor puncture and can be replaced as inexpensively as GFT's if you get them from Tire Rack.
    It's worth the piece of mind... a sixteen year old grandaughter of a friend had a flat on the road at night with a GFT...scared the hell out of her...he went right out and bought her a set of RFT's. I would not have a car without run flats. Period. Welcome to the 21st century!

    Suck it up.

    They are here to stay!
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 234,725
    Got a roofing nail in my rear tire, just a few weeks ago... :(

    It still held air.... no tire place would plug or patch, because it was within 1" of the tread edge... Friend of a friend plugged it for me... 3 weeks later, no issues.. (saved me $350-$450 for a new tire).

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited July 2011
    Her parents lets a 16 year old drive at night by herself? :surprise: This is a problem way beyond RFTs IMO. I don't even think that's legal, without an adult to accompany her.
  • boston303boston303 Member Posts: 35
    ...Correction. They don't know until they have to replace them at 15-20,000 miles at the tune of roughly $250 per tire. I can guarantee that they know then. Then they are shell shocked with the very poor performance and unreasonable cost.Did they know this when they bought the car? Clearly not. They bought this car for it's reported status and no longer because it actually functions better than a Ford. (oh, fine pick another car).. The point is those people would hardly no the difference. The ultimate driving machine with an automatic (which the vast majority of cars sold in the US are) is an oximoron; sad to say. BTW my daughter is on her way to a THIRD set of run flats for her Mini which has onlt 46,000 miles on it and has run snow tires for three winters since 2006. So her tires did not even average 15,000 miles. I no of no other way to say it than this is simply pathetic. BMW and Mini should be totally ashamed of their design and decision. Of course it takes forever for German engineers to admit they are wrong....
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    edited July 2011
    Who has had a flat in the last 5 years? Not me. Sure it happens, but when's the last time you saw anyone on the road changing a tire?

    Yesterday. On I-85, in SC.

    Ove the last 3-4 years, my wife has had 2 flats (on RFT's-repaired in both instances) and my younger daughter had a flat within 2 weeks of me buying her a new set of tires... Fortunately, it was repairable as well.

    Years ago, when I was much younger, my father told me to never stop along the side of the road to change a tire... just drive on the flat to the next parking area/exit ramp and change the tire. Back then, most cars had inexpensive steel wheels, so ruining a wheel wasn't too pricey.

    On a modern car, especially such as a BMW, a replacement wheel can easily run $500+ alone, and adding a replacement tire can add $150+ to the mix, so in many cases I would suspect the car owner to be reluctant to continue onwwards with a flat. Of course (to me, anyway) my life is worth $750-1000.


    Fact is, most buyers don't even KNOW their car has run-flat tires.

    I agree... Overall, we probably have the least educated car-buying-public that I can remember in my lifetime.

    For the majority of new car owners...As long as it starts, and the ride is smooth, nothing else matters.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    FWIW, my wife got 50K miles out of the original RFT's on her 2005 MINI, so I know its a reasonable possibility.

    And, no, she doesn't drive like a blue-haired grandma, either.

    But, I also know that many drivers get far less mileage...
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Do you live next to a nail factory? :P
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    edited July 2011
    No, but my wife works at a local hospital, and it appears that they have been doing non-stop construction there for the last 25 years.

    While I can't be sure, I suspect that's where she found (finds) the tire stabbers...

    The SC DOT has a mobile car repair service that runs along I-85 between Greenville and Spartanburg, SC (where I live, very close to the BMW plant). Its very common to see (in fact, its probably more rare NOT to see) the techs out changing someone's flat on a daily routine, especially during rush hours...

    Personally, I think the local tire centers pay someone to go out casting nails, screws, etc. along the highways... Brings in a lot of business...LOL!!!
  • srs_49srs_49 Member Posts: 1,394
    edited July 2011
    Well, I've had maybe 5 tires go flat on me over that last 5 or 10 years, though only 2 required a changeover on the side of the road.

    1. One was piece of metal (looked like part of a seat belt clasp) that tore a slit in the tread. Had to replace the whole tire.
    2. Second one was when I rubbed a section of broken/jagged curb leaving the plant and cut the sidewall. Again the entire tire had to be replaced. (I think was was when I started paying for road hazard warranty).
    3. The other three or so incidents were caused by nails or screws that caused slow leaks, so I noticed the tires losing air and was able to get them fixed before they went flat. In fact, one of them was on my 2009 G37 which came from the dealer with a slow leak (nail or screw).

    Even with all those, I'm still not a fan of RFTs.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Given the option of RFT's or GFT's (with spare) on my 328i, I probably would have opted for the RFT option, but I would also have purchased a spare as well.

    That way, if I was displeased with the RFT performance, I could easily switch over to GFT's. As it was, that choice wasn't available...
  • boston303boston303 Member Posts: 35
    Yep, you probably also have an automatic transmission.. Didn't occur to you to ask about tread life, noise or cost when you bought the car, right? That would answer your comment about not caring. You never knew. Learning that tread life is 30 to at best 50% of go flat tires, yet replacement (and there is no fixing these tires as can be done on go flat tires..) costs are more than double the cost of go flats didn't even enter into your decision as you had no clue!! I bet you wear BMW logo clothing too.. The choice in tires is related to one's use of the car the climate conditions and comfort. BMW has relegated these factors to a one size fits all agenda which flies in the face of what BMW has represented since its' inception. The "M" series with stick shifts are perhaps still close to the roots of BMW... Anything less is as you said "not an issue" you buy the car for the historic rhetoric nothing more.. I'll send you an emblem..
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Wow! Someone has an attitude!

    Seeing as how my wife has owned a Mini since 2005, equipped with RFT's, I'm well aware of their characteristics and limitations.

    And, you should check your facts, along with that attitude you are sporting. She has had 2 RFT's repaired.

    But, why let little things like facts get in the way of your opinions?

    BMW builds what sells, like any other company. Just because you don't like the direction the company has taken in no way make it the wrong direction.

    I would bet most of the investors in BMW don't have any problem with their business decisions...
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