BMW 3-Series Run Flat Tires

broadbent

My new car seemed unsatisfactory first time out. After 1600 miles I have come to the conclusion that the run-flats tramline on any undulation on any road surface including UK motorways (=interstate). The car is not directionally stable. Driven aggressively the car handles like a go-kart and the 330d is lightning quick. However at constant speed the car is all over the place and under braking the car steps sideways alarmingly. I have complained to the dealer who checked the car and declared it perfect. So far I have had no response from BMW UK or Bridgestone. However I believe this car is potentially dangerous because its handling is not progressive. It gets more unstable as one slows down, because of its willingness to tramline, rather than the other way round. I have no confidence in the car.

mpbecker

I have a 2006 325i sport package with the standard Bridgestone RFT's. At 6000 miles I could hear rumbling coming from the car. I took it in to local BMW dealership and they advised me that the car needed 2 new front tires!! They then got there tire expert to look at the car, only to say he has no clue why the tires were "cupping". Low and Behold, they soaked me 300 per tire to replace. Now, at 12000 miles the noise is back and the front tires are "cupping" again. NEVER will I buy Bridgestones again. I also spoke to tire rack who stated that many BMW customers are having problems with the RFT's and they offered me 2 options. One is to buy a spare and a jack or to buy the new CONTINENTAL CONTI KIT. To save room they recommended to buy the conti kit and just buy regualar non rft's. I bought the good year eagle GX tires and what a difference. Ride comfort is better, steering is better.. i highly recommend people getting rid of the RFT's and going back to regular old tires with one of the options i listed.... good luck

owner6

Well it was 20 days yesterday and I didn't hear back from my dealer. I called and He informed me the service managers were in a training/meeting in Florida and just returned. He informed me there was a problem with some Bridgestones and they ordered me a new set free of charge, and will also do a free alignment as a precautionary measure.. They will be in next week. You cant beat that.
Owner6

aoronee

My BMW (2004 300XI) was rear-ended by a truck. Insurance is fixing it. Cost around $6,000.00 dollars. (almost done). Now it dawned to me that the car should have been totaled. Because, I see the repair items described an itema as:

Frame/Unibody Repair and setup - Part type/part number - Sublet (What is meant by sublet??) - Dollar amount is: $ 352.00

Is it possible to repair Frame/Unibody? How safe is it? My ins co. (State Farm) is saying that it is fixable. BMW dealership is saying that it'd be perfect. Should I believe it? What is my recourse?

stever

This discussion focuses on the tires - try the BMW 3-Series Owners: Problems & Solutions discussion instead and check out the Questions About Auto Insurance & Accidents discussion too. Good luck!

Steve, Host

broadbent

I believe the problem is not just run flats. I believe my car not only tramlines but is also directionally unstable. Furthermore its handling improves under acceleration or aggressive driving style. Driven smoothly at constant speed I have no idea where the car will exit a bend. If you check out BMW+rft+tramlining the Z4 owners have been reporting exactly the same symptoms as I have for some two years. There is also an article which suggests the problem is actually rear wheel steering because as the car rides undulations it can also affect the rear geometry, namely rear toe-in and this causes the rear wheels to steer the car without any normal input to the driver through the wheel. My BMW agent in England has been very helpful in trying toaddress the tramlining but I suspect they and BMW are happy to let the tramlining discussion progress because they know we are off the mark. There may be a fundamental issue with this car that is not down to the run flats.

maxidrive

I did a lot of reaearch and test drove the new BMW 330i series and the Lexus IS 350. Although I was very pleased with the Bimmer test drive, I chose to buy the IS which is not only more powerful but also more reliable and more luxurious. Another reason was exactly the RFTs feature. I just feel it's one too many redundant BMW feature that doesn't make much sense, like the standard push ignition and the ridiculous turn signal that many owners are complaining about. Having said that, I guess all is not lost because BMWs are still much coveted cars and current 3 Series owners can always replace those suckers with regular tires.

stephan88

I have driven a 2005 BMW 330i with runflats for a week. In the past, on ordinary tyres I would pick up a puncture or tyre damage once every 2-3 years, but in 1 week a pothole (not big enough to have caused a problem before) damaged (blister on side wall) a front tyre that had to be replaced, and I got a puncture in a rear wheel, and afer driving 8km to get it replaced, the sidewall (looking from inside) was cracked in one place. I have now put on non-runflat tyres, and the really, really unpleasant tramlining that used to happen on uneven roads, (especially stretches with different patches due to road repair) has completely disappeared. IMHO runflats have been a real mistake for BMW

Any information on whether ordinary tyres are OK for this car, and whether it is OK to use the thin spare wheel from the new 5 series?

pdx330

I'm assuming you mean 2006 BMW 330i. I know what you mean about the tramlining although its to be expected with this profile/width of tire. As I haven't had the experience of any other tire on my 330i I can't compare. It sounds as if you do and the tramlining was much improved with non-runflats. What non-runflat did to you go with?

Thanks for your input.

coges

I've replaced only the front run flats so far. If you really enjoy driving, as opposed to posing, ditch the runflats. The handling has improved out of sight. The car is now a real joy to drive, particularly on the winding hill roads behind Adelaide South Australia. It's almost worth the inconvenience of having to use up all the space in the boot with a spare.
I wouldn't buy another car with runflats or without a spare.

owner6

What Make and Series tire did you replace them with?
Secondly why only replace the fronts?
Will you be replacing the rears?
I do not have a sport package so I would be replacing all four, 330I.

wrc

I've had my 06 330i for two days now and am sitting here in total shock at how awful this car is to drive. My first drive the day before yesterday was a 1 1/2 hour nightmare wondering what was wrong with this car. It had this strange "out of balance" feeling, like there were no shocks and lots of shakes that I haven't experienced since I drove my parent's ford station wagon as a teenager. Had I read these threads beforehand, I would never have bought the car. We've leased since 1997 (which was the absolute best)and now I'm sick over letting my 2003 go. When I got home, I called the dealership but they haven't called back. After reading all this my only hope is to change the tires. My question is what kind of tires did you put on? I'm wondering if the lack of a spare in the trunk also adds to the unstable feeling.

sborchman

we just picked up our 2006 330xi two weeks age and we have the sport package whenever the car hits even a minor imperfection on the road it feels like we are bottoming out do you have same problem? we have bridgestone turanza tires

sborchman

we just got our 2006 330xi and have bridgetones also and everytime we hit a small hole it feels like the bottom is falling out we are taking it back next week to the dealer but from reading your message, it looks like we are stuck with this problem did you change tires?

pdx330

I'm really sorry to hear that you're that dissapointed with the 330. I have a 330 with sports package. I have about 5000 miles on it now. One thing I noticed when I first got the car from the dealership was that the tire pressures were way too high. This car seems to be very sensitive to tire pressure both in terms of handling and ride compliance. Make sure that you check the tires when cold and correct to the right pressure. The other thing I noticed is that the stability of the car seemed to improve as I put some miles on the tires. This is subtle but I think its true. The tendency to tramline is less which by the way is very dependent upon tire pressure.

This is really a great car. I think that the runflats have some inherent problems with them and I am anxious to try non-runflats as soon as they wear out, but the performance is really extraordinary.

Good luck.

sborchman

wow we just picked up our 330xi 2006 two weeks ago, and my husband and i are in shock at the way it handles we had two 5 series in the last 7 years which were wonderful. everytime we hit a small imperfection on the road it feels like we haVE NO SHOCKS

sborchman

HI, WHAT TIRES DID YOU REPLACE THEM WITH? WE HAVE A NEW 330 BMW AND ARE VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE RIDE

wrc

Thanks for the info - I will check the pressure tomorrow. I also have an appointment with BMW Service tomorrow morning. I would like to double check that the car is aligned properly and then depending on what they say, will start investigating new tires. I drove it again today another 150 miles and the worse was hitting a bump on a curve. You have to actually hold on to the steering wheel with both hands. And to think just a couple of days ago I was driving effortlessly. I've also turned on the wipers and fluid twice now when I hit the stop button..but that's another topic.
thanks again.

ericg2

I have the '06 330i with 16000 miles on the Turanza runflats. I encountered many of the same problems with earlier posts - lots of road noise, tramlining, cupping. The dealer was no help other than they raised the tire pressures which made the ride even more unstable! I discussed with my local tire guy who specializes in BMW's and while I strongly considered going with non RFT's, I decided to try another set of RFT's. Unfortunately, there aren't many good RFT's available for the BMW. After much research I went with the Bridgestone Potenza's RE050 RFT. I have driven about 1000 miles on the Potenza's and the ride is much better. It does take a couple hundred miles before the tires started handling as expected. I have been dealing with poor tires for about 3 months and it's good to have a good handling car again.
If you have RFT's - make sure and check the tire pressure weekly and set to the correct pressure. A 1psi change has a signficant impact on the handling of RFT's. Also make sure and get rotated / balanced every 5000 miles. I'm hoping to get 20-25k out of my new tires.

zigzag27

First the geniuses at BMW foist idrive on the public only to see it summarily rejected. It was a stupid idea in its original form. Now Run Flats, another fiasco. I love the BMW having owned a 3 series. I am anxious to purchase a 2006 3 series but after researching the issue will not do so. Even if you disregard the choppy ride, fast tread wear you are still left with repair and replacability. What happens if I need a repair on a Sunday ?; What happens if I limp to a dealership or repair shop and they don't have the runflats? What happens if I am more than 100 miles from a dealership. How do I find one if I am "out of town"?Talk about potential inconvenience; this is a major irritant and possible expense. The market is not ready. Why run flats in the first place? Save space and weight? Big deal. Prevent a blow out? Good but at least give us a spare in case of the perfect storm of events that leave us without a reasonable quick fix. Having said all of this if I could find a way to equip the car with a "donut" spare I would reluctantly consider the purchase. Anyone looked at this?

webby1

Good points....however the real reason ( I think ) is simple....one tire and rim less which is 20% savings for BMW!
Regards,
Webby

dhanley

Well--there has been a lot of hand-waving about the runflats being a "money-saving" decision on the part of BMW. However:

1) The spare in the trunk usually isn't a normal tire on a fancy rim. It's a cheap donut on a steel wheel.

2) The runflats cost more than regular tires.

I doubt the quandt family is buying castles based on the money they've "saved" moving to runflats. That's not to say it's been a poor decision to move to runflats so quickly.

dave

pdx330

Think hard about depriving yourself of this great car. There is a space-saver spare available at leatherz.com although it does fill up the trunk nicely.

Good luck

webby1

My 330i....2004 has a SPARE full rim and reg tire...total replacement value approx 650.00 Cdn....multiply this by....? I think it is always about money.
Regards,
Webby

dhanley

But we don't get that in the US. Even so, hven't we already determined that the runflats cost significantly more than regular tires. Is the gap around $650 CDN.

Well, my bmw has a full-side spare, but it's not on an identical rim, and the recent bmw's in the US had donuts. It seems a lot of car companies skimp on spares in the US.

Again, i think the runflats were a very poor choice and may prevent me from getting another BMW. However, i think it was about trunk space and "convienence" not money. My salesperson said that BMW owners don't want to get stuck on the side of the road changing their spare. Apparently they think their market is people who will drive 5 miles home, and use their other BMW for a day or two while the runflat gets queued up.

Aside from the issues of expense and harsh ride, i do drive out of the city, far from a BMW dealer quite often. I picture being stranded for days in central colorado. Yuk.

zigzag27

Thanks. I took a look at the wb site and all I could find was the spare for the E46. I thought the 2006 was an E90?
Am I missing something ? would not the the first time.

potemkin

"But we don't get that in the US."

The spare tire and wheel in my US '05 E46 is exactly like the four wheels and tires on the four corners of the car -- no temporary donut or steel wheel.

dhanley

Ok, i was wrong, they moved to a fulll-size tire in '02. after i looked at an e46. I missed that.

Still, it's not "pure profit" the are paying for runflats versus normal tires.

dave

dl7265

My 1999 323i Sport came with 5 identical alloy wheels/Tires.

DL

cheffie1

hey....just waiting for a 323i with sport package and am very concerned about the run flats....most talking about the 330 ...i assume the 323 comes with the run flats also??? Some guys wishing they did not buy the car!!!!!

corvette

BMW is not building a 323i in 2006, that I am aware of. If you're referring to the 325i, or any other E90 model (2006+ 3-series sedan or wagon), they all have run-flat tires.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of owners are not complaining about them.

cheffie1

Thanks for the comment.....they do build it ...i'm in canada...nice to hear not all are complaining....my nephew who is getting the lease for me said not to worry...these sites tend to be complaint sites...had me worried as i'm supposed to get it the beginning of june...not sure if i should try to switch tires right away??

owner6

I was considering the RE050A RFT Potenza, as I experienced the same problems you have at 15K miles, however the manufacture product description stated they are not to be used in snow. Wet or dry pavement only. Do you live in the no snow belt areas?

owner6

johnmcnh

I have an 06 330XI and I hate these run flat tires. I am also wondering if there is a problem with the design of the car. The tires on my car are cupping on the outer edges. I noticed a lot of noise at speeds of 45 mph and below. This is my 6th 3 since 92 and will probably be my last unless BMW does something about this. Does anybody have suggestions for contacting BMW or maybe a class action law suit? I want out of this car in a bad way. :mad:

dl7265

Take it to Carmax, and try some thing else.

DL

ericg2

I live in Virginia so we don't get too much snow here. I spent quite a bit of time researching and I did consider the fact that they are summer performance tires but in the end they were the best RFT's available. I have about 2000 miles on them now and I can say they are better than the Turanza's but I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied with them. They still jump around a bit on rough dry concrete. Wet traction is excellent though. I'll be taking them to my tire guy around 5000 miles to see how the tread wear is doing.

owner6

Replying to: owner6 (Mar 24, 2006 2:15 pm)

Well it was 20 days yesterday and I didn't hear back from my dealer. I called and He informed me the service managers were in a training/meeting in Florida and just returned. He informed me there was a problem with some Bridgestones and they ordered me a new set free of charge, and will also do a free alignment as a precautionary measure.. They will be in next week. You cant beat that.
Owner6

ericg2,
I live in Maryland and we can get a foot of snow at times.

I was contacted by my Service Manager last week and was informed they would replace my tires and do an alignment as "GOODWILL" on Monday 5/1. They picked it up Monday morning and when it was returned that evening I checked the new tires and to my surprised they were Potenza RE050A II RFT and not the original Turanza EL42 RFT. I called the manager and and he informed me these were smoother and quieter. I explained the originals were all season tires and RE050 are performance for wet and dry roads however were not to be used in snow according to specs. He told me BMW recommends in the owners manual to install snow tires in the winter. I requested a new set of Turanzas and he replaced them Thursday 5/4. My logic is if I get another 15,000 miles from them than Ill total 30,000 miles on the original and the free "GOODWILL" set. Possibly they will have more choices when I need my next set of tires.
Owner6

nkeen

I have a 325i with Sport Package and runflat Potenzas. So far, no complaints. The tires do follow pavement irregularities and dips -- to me it's part of the steering being alive in my hands and gives me feedback. It's a sport sedan, after all.

I had an Acura TL with non-runflat EL42s. These tires had a bad reputation on the posts, and I don't know how much of the problems I had with the TL's overall disposition I could attribute to those tires. I did drive a 325i with std suspension and EL42 runflats -- a little noisier than the Potenzas, but OK.

Before switching to non-runflats (not a sensible choice, I think), remember that the car's suspension was likely tuned to work with the stiffer sidewalls of runflats.

BMW says that they introduced runflats as a safety measure. So long as the tire doesn't lose structural integrity, it is presumably better to lose pressure at a 100+ mph design cruise speeds in a runflat that won't deform significantly, than in a conventional tire.

dino11

I agree with your assessment 100%. I am so disgusted with these tires... and the headaches that they create, I am sorry I have purchased the BMW. I read these naive posts about ... aw, they are not so bad... What these folks fail to consider is:
1) the tire is not repairable; and
2) the size is not one that is widely stocked; and
3) the distance and speed you can drive on a run flat is quite limited; and
4) the tires are quite expensive 0~$300 apiece when you include mounting and balancing; and
5) the rims are cast =- so they are not as strong as the forged rims in prior years. Further, the rims are not two piece so you can not replace just the outside portion if it gets dinged.
6) there is no place to store a tire unless you take up the whole trunk.

So, get a flat. It happens. When it does, your joy about BMW will quickly evaporate. Consider the consequences of a flat over the weekend returning from a getaway... or better yet, a flat when you are all dressed and returning from a wedding.... if you are lucky you will be able to limp home. If not, you will be calling a friend to pick u up! GREAT GOING BMW! The ultimate driving machine should be pictured with a tire and rim strapped to the roof!

nkeen

In response:

1) the tire is not repairable

I think I have read that other high performance non-runflat tires are not repairable to their original design spec (speed rating).

2) the size is not one that is widely stocked

True.

3) the distance and speed you can drive on a run flat is quite limited

Memory fails, but I thought it was 150 miles. I wouldn't want to drive far on a spare with no backup either.

4) the tires are quite expensive 0~$300 apiece when you include mounting and balancing

20-30% more than regular tires.

5) the rims are cast =- so they are not as strong as the forged rims in prior years. Further, the rims are not two piece so you can not replace just the outside portion if it gets dinged.

What's this got to do with run flats? Incidentally, cast turbine blades replaced forged in a jet engine plant I worked in some years ago. I'm not sure that you can make a blanket statement about the relative merits of one process over the other.

and finally:

I am sorry I have purchased the BMW

So all of these negative points only became apparent after your purchase?

mattress2

The ride on these 18 inch run flats is appalling. Surprisingly, Corvette C5's with similar sized runflats are much better in this regard! I found that lowering the tire pressure a couple of pounds below the recommended level makes a huge improvement in ride with a slight loss of handling ability. I almost never load the car to the max (and increase pressures if I do), and don't run 100mph. I personally like the idea of run flats, and think the 325 sport package is pretty decent on 17 inch wheels. BMW should not have gone to 18's until they worked out the ride issues.

nkeen

Mine is a 325i with sport package and 17" run flats. Perhaps the 17s are a better compromise, especially here in the Northeast. The rude fact is that European roads are built and maintained to far stricter tolerances than those in the US. In the UK, for instance, a square area is cut around the pothole, the road bed is rebuilt underneath, then the repair area is filled with high grade material and sealed. Here, they throw loose asphalt into the hole and wait for cars to pound it in. Also, the practice of laying asphalt over an old concrete roadway never seems to provide a good surface past a couple of winters -- the conrete expands, contracts and buckles underneath.

The other problem is that on freeways, even the 325i with the SP/17" combination only really comes into its own at speeds that are wildly over-limit in just about every country except Germany, so for those of us who value our licenses it's more a question of knowing the potential's there than of using it on a regular basis. On winding country roads, though, the car's a joy.

rfl

I have less than 5000 miles on my 330xi... it is my 5th BMW AND MY LAST. The RFT's (Bridgestones's) are so hard riding that when you hit a bump in the road (heaven forbid, a pothole), the fillings nearly come out of your teeth. On a smooth highway - they're fine. But all driving is not on smooth highways. A parking lot speed bump taken at more than 5 miles an hour is downright dangerous. This car has a rougher ride than a Jeep Wrangler! I talked to my dealer about the problem...he told me that it's the first he's heard of it. He's been with BMW for years so I took what he had to say with a grain of salt.... I can't be the only one with this problem. And... if you think the RFT's are a pain in the a-- (they truly are!), wait until you leave the car with a valet with the push button start. BMW... you've lost me!

bdkinnh

Does the car you bought ride differently than the demo car you took on a test drive?

rfl

yes...unfortunately they (conveniently) didn't have a car in stock with the run flat tires. I leased the car for early delivery...all they had on the newer frames were the 5 series and they have regular tires. I complained that I really didn't want the run flats (because I wanted the security of a spare...little did I know that was the least of the problems).But I was talked into it by a salesman who I have purchased several cars from in the past (and he's really a good guy). I am hopeful that he saves my business by replacing these horrors...otherwise I will take the hit on the lease and get rid of this car. YES... the tires are that bad!

rfl

If you know a class action lawyer that will take this case...count me in.

nkeen

I think any improvement is likely to result from runflat tire design development rather than going back to conventional tires. Runflats are not going to go away. I'm not sure that ultra low profile tires, runflat or no, are a great idea anyway, given the abysmal state of many roads.

No lawsuits, please. No-one, except the lawyers, benefits from that.

owner6

As far as your dealer Service Managers comment "the 1st he has heard of the problem" mine also made the same statement, then when I pressed him for a meeting with the roaming BMW problem arbarator, he admitted he had many complaints, flats, no tires in stock, etc. End result BMW gave me a new set of gratis "Good Will" RFT's. See my message # 142 above.
Owner6

wai

I believed all these complaints about the run flat tire's rubber compound is very hard and stiff. I never drive any BMW or runflat tires before. But I noticed that usually the OEM tires (run flat or not) comes with a new car is not up to the standard of an car enthusiast. the stock tires are only used to move from the manufacturing plant to the dealership. Usually those enthusiast will drive to replace their junk stock tires upon delivery of their new car. But for you guys with runflat tires, the option is limited. unless you want to spend a lot of money to replace also the rims. But the summer performance tires like Advan Neova AD07 or Pilot Sports and S03 really maximize your enjoyment of your Bimmers.

lipp

I have an '06 325i. 17,500 miles. Recently the tires began to sound louder and louder. Twice in the past year I asked BMW about rotating the tires and they said it was not recommended as the tires are tuned to the vehicle. Bull @$#%. I took my noise problem to a Firestone dealer and explained the situation. I had cupping on the fronts. Wear was good with much tire life remaining. Perhaps 15,000 miles or more. Firestone immediately recommended rotation and balance and said that should be done every 6,000 miles. No wonder we lose faith in BMW techs??? I asked about a front end alignment and they had a one time alignment for $74.95 and a lifetime for $139.00. Bottom line (rotation, balance, lifetime alignment) with tax would be $190.00. Same at BMW was close to $250 without lifetime alignment. Firestone did the job and the noise is gone. Don't trust BMW with tire problems. Go to your local dealer - any good one.