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BMW 5-Series Tires and Wheels

jeffwilsonjeffwilson Member Posts: 45
I have my 2002 530i CPO in for a service and my advisor said that I need 4 new tires. I just got the car (with NEW tires!) 18,000 miles ago and I had snows on for around 5,000 miles. He said that the standard BMW tires (I am not sure which are on mine, sorry) usually get "around 18-20,000 miles) and the ones on the 7 series get around 12,000!! Is this possible? I have never had tires that got less than around 45-50,000 miles. I told him that I would get some on my own, but want to know if I am getting jerked around. Shouldn't I get a lot more than 13,000 miles on these tires? Thanks for any feeedback...I appreciate your thoughts...
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Comments

  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    If your 530i has the Sport Package, then 13,000 miles is a little thin, but not unprecedented. My 2002 530i SP was turned in at lease end with about 18,000 miles on its original tires (I used winter tires on that car as well), and they were just good enough to pass inspection (i.e. 5mm of tread or more). That having been said, my previous BMW didn't have the SP (meaning that it came with All-Season tires instead of Summer only performance rubber), and when I turned it in the tires had about 45,000 miles on them with an easy 15,000 to go.

    Thinking about your situation a little, it seems logical that the original owner had to put new tires on your car to be able to pass inspection (either that or pay BMW some outrageous amount for them to put tires on it). So, just prior to turn in, he/she put on the cheapest tires they could find in that size and those are the "NEW" tires that you got with your car.

    Looking into my crystal ball I see that you have a date with TireRack.com so that you can do a little tire research and pick a better set of skins for this next go-around. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • jeffwilsonjeffwilson Member Posts: 45
    Shipo

    Thanks for the comments. But the tires were put on by BMW, not the owner. So I KNOW they are new. ALso, I do not have the Sport package. So I am back to thiking something is up....

    Thanks again....

    Jeff
  • srfastsrfast Member Posts: 138
    What brand were the tires? What is your driving style? I have 22,000 miles on BFG KDW tires mounted on my 2003 530i/SP and there is plently of tread left. I drive a mix of highway/city miles. I do not drive aggressively (I save that for the track & race car), but I don't drive like grandma either. BTW, is the wear on your tires even?

    Regards...JL
  • jeffwilsonjeffwilson Member Posts: 45
    I checked and I have Pirelli P6 M+S tires. I always had a high opinion of Pirelli, but if they are going to last 15,000 miles or so, I will never buy them again. I believe that BMW does not warranty their tires, so I won't even get any money back for such short wear! Next time, Michelin! Thanks for everyone's comments...
  • bdkinnhbdkinnh Member Posts: 292
    I was recently at the dealer getting a new set of tires put on, and they told me that they suggest an alignment every time tires are swapped. My car has around 12K miles, so I didn't think an alignment was necessary. They said that changing tires could change the alignment; I thought that alignments were done with the tires removed, and were generally independent of the tires.

    Are they right, or did I get hosed?
  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    I always have my BMW aligned when replacing the tires. I also have them rotated and balanced with every oil change at 7500 miles.

    To jeffwilson:

    Pirelli tires were not original equipment as far as I know. What the service advisor meant when he said new tires and what you heard are probably two different things. What was the mileage when you purchased the car, the original tires probably lasted approximately 35,000 miles.
  • jeffwilsonjeffwilson Member Posts: 45
    Actually, no. He specifically said that they were replaced when the car was CPO-ed. He said that 13,00 isn't that unusual and that I wouldn't get more than 18,000. He said 12,000 is NORMAL on the 7 series!
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    These tires, hopefully, are summer only tires that are at the VERY LEAST UHP rated (and at least Z speed rated) -- and, if all this is the case, a MAXIMUM of 20,000 would be expected. In almost any case, it seems like 15,000 would be the miniumum to get to 2/32s.

    My wife's TT tires lasted 11,000 and Audi picked up $800 as a remedy for ultra short tire wear.

    Generally, tho, the UHP or Max Performance tires IF they are Summer ONLY will give great handling but they are very soft and very short lived, as a result.

    It makes no sense to me, were I the dealer, to put tires of THIS much softness on the car -- knowing this could be one possible outcome.

    HP all seasons seem to be the German way these days. My personal choice would be UHP all seasons were I in a moderate snow climate. Of course, the best is to use single purpose tires and change them in winter and back again in spring.
  • 530ir1150r530ir1150r Member Posts: 263
    Check Tirerack's evaluations and hope the next set will wear normally.
  • cecil03cecil03 Member Posts: 1
    I don't have a BMW but a 03 Volvo AWD with original Pirelli P6 235/45R17 tires with over 66K miles on them. I drive back roads and also highway 50/50 with no issues. I am researching new tires and am considering getting new P6's since mine performed so well but have heard lots of bad things from 03 Volvos too. Mine seem like the exception. Also looking at bridgestone Potenza RE960AS tires but they are new so I can't find feedback yet.
  • martinioomartinioo Member Posts: 2
    I have the opportunity to purchase a new set of tires and wheels from a 2004 X5, but not certain if they will fit my 1998 528i. I was wondering if someone might have some insight to this question.

    Thanks,
    Martinioo
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I believe that they are a different offset. Sorry.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • martinioomartinioo Member Posts: 2
    Dang! After posting message, I did some poking around and it appears you are correct Shipo. Thanks for you time and reply. Guess I'll have to keep looking.

    Regards,
    Martinioo
  • kelfkelf Member Posts: 83
    Thinking about replacing original Cont. Touring 225 55 R16. Is the 95 V rating important? Some of the tire places either say we do no have that, but we have lower or higher rating? Any specific tire suggestions?
  • kelfkelf Member Posts: 83
    Are there legitimate tire ratings and forums ( outside of Consumer Reports)?
  • rsdarchrsdarch Member Posts: 3
    Help. I have a 2006 530xi with sport suspension. Really made a mistake because I live in Manhattan and the potholes are killing my tires. 3 flats in the last 6 weeks. Each time I get a flat I need to take it to BMW. I never know which tire is flat and the sensor needs to be reset. I have a donut and want to put all-seasons on, but BMW says they won't be any better_ also low profile. I then asked if I could put 16" rims on, but no one seems to know the answer to that. One guy said that if I make any change to the tire or rim the sensor will stay on all the time. These run-flats have the obvious benefit of letting you drive after the flat, but what's the point if you can't figure out which tire has gone and you need to pay BMW prices everytime it goes flat. Has anyone had a similar experience? Any advice?
  • dleone99dleone99 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 530i with deep dish wheels. To give it a more sporty look, I'd like to put on Eibach 25mm spacers on all four tires. Any body have experience with these?
  • stickyfeetstickyfeet Member Posts: 11
    we are 4 mo into a 36 mo lease. the factory wheels are pretty hard to keep clean due to accumulations of brake dust. my dealer suggested the use of "wheel wax" which does help but i don't wish to have to wax the wheels every two weeks just to keep them clean. does anyone have a better suggestion?
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Go out and buy some PBR/Axxis Deluxe Plus pads and have them mounted. At four months you shouldn't have any issues with the rotors.

    I hope this helps. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,288
    does anyone have a better suggestion?

    What Shipo said. It's a dead easy DIY procedure, and inexpensive as well.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    Just easing back into the forums after a loooong layoff...

    I must be doin' it wrong - my 03' 540 now has 114K miles on the clock, and tires are not a concern at all. I use dedicated snows, on a set of Borbet wheels; I've had 2 sets of snow tires. I changed the first (Blizzaks)more for "I wanted different" than because they were worn out, and the second set I expect to get another winter out of... I put the snows on in Nov-Dec, and take 'em off in Mar-Apr.

    The rest of the time the summer wheels (OEM M-parallels) are on the car. I was happy with the original Contis, but changed to the excellent but ugly :D Michelin PS2. I got about 24K out of the rears before they started looking like slicks... very cool until it rained lolol. I am now running Goodyears (GSDs) I've had these on for about 25K. I just replaced the front pair, because of a darn sidewall puncture, but I was thinking of doing it anyway, because the Goodyears get noisy with age, however there was still a lot of useable tread left.

    Point of all my rambling? It is possible to run these cars and run them hard on high performance rubber, and still get more than 10k out of a set.

    On another note... I sure wish I could be one of the folks who only drive the things 12K a year, but...
  • bemmerluuverbemmerluuver Member Posts: 8
    To Pat, Karen, and the more knowlagable posters: I have an 06' 530i with the sport package. Can you guys recommend wheel manufacturers that offer strong, durable, alloy wheels, that are comparable in weight to the OEM style #124's (I think) :blush: that are priced in the 2k$ range, and will be compatable with the veh. FTM system, since I will still be using runflat tires.

    Thanks
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I think your hosts will hang back and let your fellow posters give you some suggestions since we are just, um, hosts. :)
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,288

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    Thought I had posted this before, so if it shows up twice at some point, I apologize:

    I am a big fan of BBS wheels, and I also like Borbets. I've also owned sets of OZ Racing. I've never had any issues with these manufacturers in terms of fitment, finish quality, hubcentricity or balance. I am not a big fan of chrome, so I can't offer any history on some of the more popular shiny stuff
  • sztejmansztejman Member Posts: 1
    I have the same car 530xi with the sport package, both front tires have bubbles on them. I am scheduled to goto the dealer on Thursday but I am very dissapointed as he said they are not responsible for tires. The car creaks everytime I hit a bump in the road or go up my driveway. Runflats suck and the lowprofile tires are junk. :confuse:
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,288
    I have the same car 530xi with the sport package, both front tires have bubbles on them. I am scheduled to goto the dealer on Thursday but I am very dissapointed as he said they are not responsible for tires.

    How many miles do you have on the car? Sidewall bubbles are usually indicative of damage caused by hitting a pothole or similar, so I'm not surprised that the dealer is balking- especially if you have 5k or more miles on the odometer.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • pen101pen101 Member Posts: 238
    The car: 2002 530i, 5-speed, SP, 65K miles, plan to keep car for at least another year or two.

    The tires on the car: Michelin PS-2. 3 worn tires with 30K miles, 1 tire with 12K miles at 6/32 (replacement for flat tire).

    Tire in the trunk: Michelin Pilot Primacy, never used

    Option #1: Replace the 3 worn tires with new PS-2 tires

    Option #2: Replace 1 tire with new PS-2, one with new Pilot and use the Pilot from the trunk. Put the PS-2 tires up front and the Pilots in rear. Replace trunk tire with best of the 3 used tires. With this option I only buy 2 tires.

    Which is the recommended option?
    If I do option 2, would the handling of the car be affected in any way? Should the PS-2 tires be up front or in the rear?

    FYI, the PS-2 tires lasted about 30K, the original Pilots I replaced at 36K with probably another 5K to 8K left (was required to put new tires on to purchase as CPO).

    Thanks for your input.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    It's probably best if you keep all four tires the same on you're car, so, how about:

    1) Take your best PS-2 and put it in the trunk and then buy three new Pilot Primacys.
    2) Chuck the four worn PS-2s and then buy four new Sumitomo HTR Z IIIs or four new Kumho Ecsta SPT (either set of four can be had for #396 from TireRack).

    BTW, remember to E-Mail me when yer fixin' to sell your car. ;-)

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    What's important to you? Your post indicates to me that you are really not interested in running the 5 to the ragged edge, so I don't really see a reason to spring for the cost of the new PS2. In addition, you could increase tire life significantly, and probably increase road comfort by going with something else.

    As to your options - DO NOT do option 2! Yes, your handling would be affected, and some non-emergency maneuvers could very well escalate to emergencies because of the difference, and unpredictability is not your friend. (Besides - it's really not cool to be driving a $40K plus car with mixed tread...lolol)

    Go back to when you replaced the tires - why did you choose the PS-2s? Again, judging from your post, It looks like tires are not that important to you, so moving away from them should not be a big deal.

    Bit of trivia for you - At some point the spare will be useless - the rubber ages even if not used. I'd consider going with the Pilots, moving the spare into the rotation, and "upgrading" the spare to a used PS-2.

    Or let me put it this way - What Shipo said. lol
  • abfischabfisch Member Posts: 591
    This is not to inflame you all, but why are you buying vehicles that are lowered, have less suspension travel, have low profile tires and live in cities with roads that are obviously not made for that kind of vehicle??? I realize this may be too late for some, but if these vehicles are daily drivers and you live in cities or suburbs with poor road conditions, that should be a consideration upon purchasing. Unfortunaely, BMW does not make a sport package for city driving, which could be ideal for your application.

    Although this may not help now, I would either get a beater for the daily drives(a Toyota Avalon comes to mind) and use the BMW for the weekends, or get a BMW with the regular suspension and wheels enjoying it as a primay care.

    The packages related to motorsport useage on poor roads seems like a big SELL and are counterintuitive.

    abfisch
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    get a BMW with the regular suspension and wheels enjoying it as a primary car.

    Interesting observation.... if I look at my car (E 39), what i see is that over the different iterations "regular wheels" have included 16" 17" and 18", with tire aspect ratios ranging from 60 series, all the way down to 35/40 series. Are some more comfortable than others? Sure. Is there a bit of hype attached? Sure. I use my car as a daily driver. Other than swapping to snows each winter, I do nothing to cater to suspension, wheels etc. I just returned from a 1600 mile round trip to Indiana/Michigan, on roads of varying quality, and enjoyed every minute. Carving through Pennsylvania's mountains at 2 in the morning was an absolute blast, and part of why I bought the car equipped as it is.

    BTW, I also have a Camry that I rarely drive... lol
  • pen101pen101 Member Posts: 238
    Thanks shipo and ny540i6 for your replies.

    Actually tire performance is important to me, that is why I switched to PS-2 from the Pilot Primacy's. The PS-2 were highly rated when I purchased them 3 years ago and I was willing to give up on 10K to 15K miles of extra tire wear (compared to the Pilots) to get their improved performance. My driving takes me both on high speed runs and also on canyon runs. When I switched, I noticed a big handling improvement (however part of that improvement was probably from comparing worn Pilots to the new PS-2's).

    I guess I am thinking at what handling cost is there to saving $250 in buying the third tire. From your posts, it appears that the suggestion of mixing the tires is a bad one (that suggestion was actually given to me by the salesman at my local tire store). That is why I immediately posted my question here. Did not sound right mixing tires and treads.

    OK, then, based on your suggestions, what sounds best to me is either, as both shipo and ny540i6 suggest, to buy 3 new Pilots and use the Pilot from the trunk, or buy 3 new PS-2 tires and use them with the 12K mile tire. Right? Will I continue to notice a significant handling improvement if I choose the PS-2's over the Primacy's?

    As for how long I plan to keep the car, that is an issue of its own. However, I can safely say that I plan to hold on to the car for a while. Unfortunately my CPO warrantee expires December 30, 2007, but my payments do not end until Dec 30, 2008 (3-year lease plus 4-year purchase loan at 3.9%). It would be nice to own a car without payments. I am driving the car at a rate of about 10K miles per year right now. I assume some of the expensive repair items are about 10K to 20K miles away still (brakes, clutch, hoses, belts, radiator, suspension parts...). But then there is all the new cars coming out that handle better and are faster....
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    "OK, then, based on your suggestions, what sounds best to me is either, as both shipo and ny540i6 suggest, to buy 3 new Pilots and use the Pilot from the trunk, or buy 3 new PS-2 tires and use them with the 12K mile tire. Right? Will I continue to notice a significant handling improvement if I choose the PS-2's over the Primacy's?"

    I notice a handling difference every time I do the winter/summer tire swap. Right now I am running Goodyear GSD-3s, however I have had the Michelin PS-2s, and like them a lot. If it were me, I'd go with the PS-2s, especially as you say that you do value the handling. The other good thing about the PS-2s is that they ride pretty well, so the trade off there is not a big one.

    BTW, I'd put the 12K used tire on the front end of the car to start with. Those are a directional tire, so the rotation swap would be front to back only, and I would put it on the non-drive side, to minimize wear when you move it to the back later on (sorry, I never remember which rear wheel is the powered "dominant" wheel).
  • harryhaharryha Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2007 530xi. It came with Goodyear RS-A's which are an "all season" tire.
    I've generally had found the performance of all season tires in snow acceptable on the AWD cars I've owned (the AWD seems to make up for the shortfalls of the all season tire).
    Anybody have comments on this setup for a New England winter? (assuming that it actually snows this year).
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    Couple things.... first, the RS-A has never impressed me. I've had them, and other than a soft ride, it was a mediocre performer.

    Second, Even with AWD, I would go with dedicated snows, on a different set of wheels. Bottom line is, touring tires give up quite a bit, with single purpose rubber being way more capable.
  • pen101pen101 Member Posts: 238
    Update: I purchased three PS-2's (to go with the almost new fourth tire). Needless to say, I am thrilled with the improved handling. Thanks again for the advice.
  • ny540i6ny540i6 Member Posts: 518
    Hey, anytime. Glad it worked out.
  • ahk9ahk9 Member Posts: 3
    Anyone know why2005 BMW 545i have difference tire size for rear and front?
    Also, My buddy wants to trade his 545i tires for my 530i tires which are both 18".
    Is it okay to exchange rims and tires even though 545i has different rear and front tires? Will it be a problem to have different tire sizes for 530?
  • church38church38 Member Posts: 6
    Have a 2004 525i with the sports package and the 530i 18 in rims. Original tires on car were Goodyear Eagle NCT5 RSC 245/40R18 93W. Had tire issues in Texas and BMW dealer replaced them with Yokohama AVS ES100s. Car has a crazy howling sound when going down the road. My F-150 is quieter going down the road (really). The cheapest I've found the original tire for is $400 a pop (tirerack). Has anyone used any other tire (GoodYear Eagle F1 GS-D3 ROF) on similar model with good to moderate results with tires not being so noisy? I don't remember the care being that noisy with the original tires. I don't think I need to maintain run flats on the care, it does have a spare and the dealer also said that I didn't need to maintain run flats but if I can't get a tire that runs down the road without making the noise I may have to go back to them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Randy
  • ctshorsectshorse Member Posts: 13
    Closing a lease deal next week on a 535i with sport. Concerned a little about the stories I've read of previous models with this package. Should I get the extra tire/rim warranty? I seem to recall reading issues with flat tires and cracked rims with this package. I live in the burbs, raely go into the city and do mostly highway driving.
  • afishionadaafishionada Member Posts: 31
    I have 22,000 miles on my '07 wagon. 90 % of my driving is city - stop and go - and my front "run-flat" tires are wearing at the edges. BMW said that they do not rotate run flats, so I am looking for new tires. II have already noticed a change in braking distance and don't trust these anymore. I am sticking with all season tires to avoid fall/spring changes. I have had no problem driving in the snow.

    Does anyone have suggestions for tire type? Should I just get more run flats? I Also, I am assuming I have to have BMW change them even though it will cost more up front. Is this correct? With any tire-related work, a sensor goes off and it ends up in the shop anyway. Currently it is going in for the window trap function (3rd time for this). This happened right after the annual inspection even though it had nothing to do with windows. I was expecting a sensor to go off after the inspection and it did. I think next year I will have BMW do the inspection.

    Thanks for any ideas on the tires...
  • ron2hoffron2hoff Member Posts: 2
    BWM refuses to acknowledge that their rims are defective and crack as a result of normal driving, especially their 18 inch rims when coupled with run-flat tires. We have a 2006 530i with standard 18-inch alloy rims and run-flat tires that came on the car. The car is driven 90% on Los Angeles freeways, and the other 10% on well-paved local roads. The car has never taken off road or driven on a particularly bumpy/potholed roads. Nor do we take speed bumps at 40 mph, run over curbs, or not slow for a pothole . . . events that might possibly crack a rim or break a tire. I tell you all this because BMW’s excuse for not replacing 2 cracked rims was that the cracks must have been caused by the driver impacting some object, like a pothole, rather then a result of a defect in the design of the rim. In the past several years we have owned 3 BMWs . . . but this will be our last.

    After reading all of the threads on many websites about BMW’s problems with these rims and run-flat tires, it became quite clear what the problem is. The rims were designed too weak to take the impact of normal on-road driving. The problem is exacerbated by the run-flat tires, which are very hard and have strong sidewalls resulting in too much of the normal road force from small bumps being transmitted to the rim rather then absorbing some of the shock in the tire. Confirming the hundreds of comments on reliable Internet sites about the faulty rims and too hard run-flat tires is the reviews of Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Run Flat tires on cites from every supplier of these tires. In general, the comments conclude that the combination of weak 18-inch rims and 245/R40/18 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Run Flat tires (original equipment) was a very bad mistake by BMW. One comment, similar to most, says: “These tires are terrible! Harsh ride, noisy and prone to impact bubble in the side walls from hitting small potholes. . . I am going to switch to non run flats . . . What was BMW thinking when [they] picked these tires?” [http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/readReviewsTire.do?postalCodeSelected=90291&ra- =%2Ftires%2Fbridgestone%2Fsize%2FviewProductResults&pc=25428&ar=40&rd=18&cs=245]-

    We asked the Service Manager at Santa Monica BMW to replace the rims under warranty. Not only was he rude, but he was uninterested in any discussion about comments on many websites about the defective rims. It seemed apparent to me that he had been through this problem all too often before and did not want to deal with it again.

    I then called BMW NA Customer Service. They were very nice, but totally useless. After four phone calls and escalation to a customer service supervisor, I began to understand the way it works. Customer Service has no authority whatsoever, all they could do was call the Service Manager at the dealership and get the same answer you had already had gotten. They seem to be in business of playing “good guy” to take the heat off of the Service Manager by providing the same answer as if it came from an independent, higher authority at BMW, which it does not.

    Not willing to accept the result, I contacted the Director of Parts and Service at Santa Monica BMW, and told him of our displeasure with how his Service Manager had handled the problem, and asked him to involve BMW NA regional “team” to evaluate the problem and try to get some help. To his credit, he seemed very professional and appeared to want to help. He clearly understood the problem . . . you should be able to drive a BMW on normal streets and not have the rims break. Next day, he got a response from BMW regional team . . . “they would not participate” . . . meaning they would not cover it under the warranty or assist the dealer in any way.

    My next step is to contact the General Manager of BMW Santa Monica and alert him to the problem. We certainly won’t be buying any more cars at Santa Monica BMW so he loses a loyal customer because the service folks won’t handle this problem. No response from the GM of Santa Monica BMW after two calls.

    Next step is a letter to the CEO of BMW North America, and a compliant with U.S. DOT about the situation with these failing rim/tire combination. Perhaps DOT will investigate.
  • marietortoricemarietortorice Member Posts: 1
    OMG i am in the same exact situation. I tried all venues like you. I have replaced about 8 tires and 4 rims. I don't know what to do at this point. I was going to try regular tires. Did you have any luck???
  • bmw18_rimsucksbmw18_rimsucks Member Posts: 1
    I have gone through the same sernerio as you. I have purchased 3 rims $450 each including installation. Each time due to the crack rims it has destroyed my tires. It does not matter if it is run flat or if you change the tires to regular tires. It is obvious that there is a defect in the mechanics in the wheel, rim or tires. I did research on how tire rims get cracked with the tire association of america. The information I received confirms a defect must exsist in the way the vehicle was engineered in respect to the tires, rims, run flats or whatever.

    I must admit I have spent at least $2,500 just in tire and rim repair within the past 3 years. I can no longer afford the high cost of repairing rims and tires. I contacted BMW corp office and just as you said, they are nice but ultimately support the car dealer. They do not care about the consumer.

    This whole deal with cracked rims and 18' tires smells like a class action law suite to me. BMW need to own up to the defective rim/tire/mechanics of the wheel problem before someone really get's hurt.

    Normally, I do not get involved in b logs but this needs to stop! something has to be done!
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    When you bought your car with the 18" wheels did you not read BMWs disclaimer that low profile tires can (and very often will) lead to tire and wheel failure? The fact is, if you go to a low enough profile on the tires, pretty much any vehicle will suffer tire and wheel damage unless literally 100% of the driving is on glass smooth roads.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,288
    Looks like bmw18_rimsucks was another "One post and on to the next forum" serial complainer...

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • fbachnerfbachner Member Posts: 1
    I am a conservative driver who needs A/S tires for Boston driving. Am considering Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S tires. Any comments or suggestions.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Excellent tire for your purposes. I live just north of you in New Hampshire and am currently rocking the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires on my car; they currently have about 41,000 miles on them and will easily last until the snow flies late this year. :)
  • ravkravk Member Posts: 1
    I own 2008 BMW-535i with sport package (with low profile tires). It now has low 40,000 miles and less than 4 years (under factory warranty). Back in January 2011, one tire on the rear passenger side has started loosing pressure and I took my car to deal service asking them to check. Dealer service adviser told me to replace tires. Since these are low profile tire and BMW dealer charges approx. $150 more for same tire (including installation charges) than Costco does, I got two tires replaced by Costco tire department. Even after replacing tire, that wheel was not retaining pressure. I took my car three times to the same Costco store to get that tire fixed. Fourth time, tire technician at Costco store told me that there is a crack in the alloy wheel and hence he asked me to replace wheel before they do anything. I took this car and cracked wheel to BMW dealer’s service center. Since it is still under warranty (4 years, 50,000 mile all inclusive warranty), I thought dealer would cover the cost. BMW service adviser told me that the wheel crack was due to outside influence and crack was on the outer side of wheel and hence he explained that with all probability, it would be caused by driving on pothole and hence he said BMW would not cover parts and labor for this work. I called BMW NA. customer service and asked them if they would cover this wheel replacement under factory warranty. BMW NA customer support person told me that if BMW dealer service advisor concludes the cause as defective part/design they would cover. If not, they would not. Customer service representative asked me to get second opinion if I am not satisfied with first one. Estimating cost of my time and effort, I decided to absorb that cost and asked same dealer service advisor to replace the wheel at my expense to get it over with.

    Exactly after 6 weeks, my other tire started loosing pressure. I took this car to same Costco store where I replaced tires and have them do the tire service. Their technician told me that there is crack on the wheel and due to this, tire was damaged beyond repair and hence Costco store manager told me that Coscto would not cover tire although it is only 6 weeks old and only few hundred miles on it. I took this car and wheel in the trunk to the same BMW dealer service center and met same service adviser. I got same response from the service adviser. I explained him that from my engineering background, I cannot accept that it is due to outside influence. I also pointed the fact that the visible crack was on the inner side of the wheel. After service adviser’s refusal to cover, I called BMW NA customer service and have them record my complaint. Having called them earlier, I did not expect any meaningful answer. Now I have complaint recorded with BMW NA. I want to find out if any class action law suite currently being litigated or in the past. If yes, I want to be part of the class action lawsuit plaintiff.

    It is hard for me to accept that two alloy wheels crack in 6 weeks time due to outside influence. I think alloy wheel is too soft or has defective material. My car has less than 50,000 miles and is less than 4 years old. Based on BMW promise, BMW supposed to cover maintenance and warranty for first 4 years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first). In reality they do not. I hope someone put the end to this deceitful marketing.
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