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The feedback on the Conti's is good so far. Hope this helps.
Regards,
OW
What kind of mileage can I expect out of the Continental Contact Pro SSR tires? Does anybody know if non-RFTs are used if that voids any warranty by BMW.
Are you real sure about the warranty with GFT's?
There is better tires than this one eg. Pireli's Pzero Nero M/S. this one also has a RF version.
Ever looked at your sales sticker? do you see any notation about the precise brand and model of tire on your car? No. They can't even prove if the car was delivered to you with GFTs, let alone Bridgestones or Contis.
I checked the warranty and no wording in there voids it based on tire choice. The manual has recommendation of rft's but no wording about any voiding if GFT are used.
Regards,
OW
Check out the Honda Odyssey Touring. All "Touring" models come with the Michelin PAX system, and the only place where you can have them repaired or replaced is either at a Honda dealership or an authorized Michelin dealer. Yikes! :P
Best Regards,
Shipo
Regards,
Webby
Regards,
Webby
Talked to service mgr today and could not get a definite answer.
It was suggested to check with BMW Canada.
It appears that the argument they are using...if you get into accident and were not using RFT there maybe liability and other issues.
Will follow up with BMW Canada.
Regards,
Webby
Regards,
Webby
Best Regards,
Shipo
I'm sure SEMA, (www.sema.org) the aftermarket equipment manufacturer's association and lobbying group, can tell us what the legal implications really are here.
Hmmm. Sounds like an idea for an interview and story...
Twitter: @Edmunds_Test
Besides, I know of know damage that would occur to the suspension using the same size as stock GFT's to replace the rft's.
The only reason I kept the rft's on my car was because I got a free set when I complained. The performance is decent on civilian roads but it's a no-brainer the GFT's offer much more performance at a better price.
I was considering the same tact as blueguydotcom went for and storing the original rft/rims in the rafters until my lease is up and sending them back where they came from when I brought the car back. Now I should be able to go the distance with the Conti's.
Regards,
OW
Furthermore, RFTs can rip apart. Whomever told you that RFTs can not fall apart - misled you. RFTs are still rubber and still susceptible to poor manufacturing and/or random errors. Furthermore if you're using speed rated tires and they're properly inflated you're gonna have an issue with the manufacturer of the tire, not BMW.
Why are people bringing up manufacturers in relation to crashes? Or even blowouts? Are these common things or are you talking about 1 and a million sort of events - you know like worrying about dying from a terrorist?
Slim chance ??
Owner6
Do some research, because you stand a much better chance of getting hit by lightning.
Amen.
And Merry Christmas!
Tire durability has been a matter of intense scrutiny since the widespread failures of Firestone tires on Ford Explorers that came to light in 2000.
The widely-publicized tire recalls in 2000 and 2001 were sparked by a spate of rollover accidents that killed an estimated 270 people. Ford spent $3 billion replacing Firestone tires.
In February, Ford officials met with NHTSA to discuss the tire aging issuing. Ford collected 2,500 older tires from six cities -- Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Denver, Hartford and Phoenix -- for the study.
Ford said its proposed test simulates six years of driving in a hot climate -- eight weeks at 149 degrees in a tank of 50 percent oxygen and 50 percent nitrogen -- to simulate the effect on long-term exposure of oxygen.
"Tires begin to show a noticeable change after about six years," Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis said.
Still to be determined is whether tires have an expiration date. BMW, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Toyota and Volkswagen AG have backed guidelines that tires should only be in service six years.
Safety advocates have urged NHTSA to set tire expiration dates -- and NHTSA is yet to rule on those. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, submitted details Wednesday of 108 accidents linked to tread separation of tires more than 6 years old that resulted in 85 deaths.
I never go past 3 years/30K miles with tires...life is more important. The tire composition breaks down over time and affects the ride and handling dynamics. You loose some time before you actually get the new tires on the car so factor that in. Most tires are also subject to changing pressure/teperature and over time, lead to a varying degree of "aging".
Regards,
OW
Bryncerdd
Regards,
OW
I went to my dealer, and told them my left rear tire has been slowly losing air, they told they don't fix tires straight out. but told me I can go to discounted tires to get it fixed, and assured me that it's fixable. So I went to "the discounted tires" store, left the car there, it was fixed (plugged) in the afternoon, no charge.
David
I'm not seeing a lot of grumbles about the BMWs RFTs, in articles or in posts, from across the pond.
Having had a front tire blow out on an Olds Toronado at 70 several years ago, I do have a concern. Admittedly a front-heavy beast of a car, but barely controllable as I made my way to the shoulder on an LA freeway. I'm sure that a blow-out in my 325i would not render anything like such severe instability problems, but at interstate speeds, I'd rather not have one. RFTs are no guarantee against high speed disintegration, they're heavy and they do give a stiffer ride. But I think the RE050As are great, and so far so good with the LM22s also. One thing for sure -- they're not going away. Now the EL42s, runflat or no, appear to be a different matter.
The point I am trying to make is that unless a very unusual road hazard is hit, a standard loss of all pressure will not result in a GFT-like "blow-out". I purchased a new tire, but thinking back, the plug would have lasted.
Just a note, BMW recommends replacement after a damaged RFT.
Regards,
OW
My understanding of the replacement issue: Under normal operation, air pressure bears most of the weight of the car. Air pressure, with a little help from the sidewall, takes up any impact resistance.
If the RFT is driven without air, the sidewall is supporting the entire weight of the car and full impact absorption. The tire can quickly be stressed to the point of damage that is not visible due to the rigid sidewall but may later cause structural failure. I would bite the bullet and replace it if one of mine got a "flat".
You are completely correct and the reason I went with new after the flat. Better safe than sorry.
Regards,
OW
Best Regards,
Shipo
The other point regarding the EL42 is that my BMW dealer rep reported the rubber compound was changed in July '06. How that affects the performance is yet to be reported.
I took a ride to my local dealer and there were about 20 3-series '07's. Most had Continentals but some had the EL42 tires.
Regards,
OW
Although I love my 325i, I must say the robust torque of the 335i makes it a very attractive proposition. Please post to 2006+ with some observations when you've had some experience with yours.
What pressures were you running on the RE050s when you had them on your 330? How did you like them on the autobahnen and autostrade? Wondered because they seem to settle down nicely at higher speeds. Re pressures, I'm at 33/41 on the winters and plan to set the summers to 29/33 when they go on again (per manual for less than full load).
On smooth roads - like the Autobahn - the tires felt fine. In cities in europe and back in the USA where very few roads are even decent, the wheel hop/skip was plainly evident. On backroads the jumpiness of the tires made for some interesting driving.
Dan Edmunds blog about the 330i driving with RFTs and normal tires was right on the money regarding how much more predictable the car feels with normal tires.
I previously had an Acura TL with GFT EL42s. That car went back to the dealer repeatedly for asymmetric steering effort problems (not torque steer) and pulling tendencies which may or may not have been caused by the tires. I got rid of the car after 18 months -- couldn't stand it.
I was a motorcycle road racer and know a little bit about traction and handling run Flats suck.
The tires push early and release suddenly taking a very neutral handling car and making it much worse than it in fact is. With the new Generals on the car I took it around the NHIS motorcycle road course faster than ten present of the bikes, it is a great car saddled with tires whose time has not yet come. I hope that BMW get it right and makes Run Flats an option not the rule.
As a BMW loyalist for years, the decision to force buyers to RFTs without a spare option may lose me for good. The ride & handling vs safety tradeoff is not worth it in my mind.
Either use a fix kit to inflate the bad tire with a foam compound or sit by the side of the road and wait. I understand that with the fix kit is that the gunk must be carefully removed before tire replacement in order to avoid corroding the rim.
Notwithstanding the dire warnings on this board about the runflats, there are a few of us at least who are impressed by their performance and the underlying design philosophy, as are most of the European motoring press. So give them a try and then decide. The EL42s receive a lot of complaints, but for one, I like the RE050, which your car will probably have if it is equipped with ZSP. The main issue you may have is with the 18" low profile setup on the 335i -- short stiff sidewall. I do not think runflats are going away.
I see that the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Mini, BMW owned but with very different design and ride philosophies, are also using runflats. Just read a post by someone who said he had ruined the handling of his Mini by removing his. The tire design is built into the suspension calibration.
I'm clearly in the minority on this board, but that's my two cents.
Regards, NK