hit pothole in Boston. blew 20" tire.... have a question or two....

[Boston X5 4.4]

Sorry to hear that - here is the form from City of Boston.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycler...claim_form.pdf


There are probably many rules and loopholes about how long the pot hole has been there, depth of the pot hole etc. etc. before they actually pay out......buts it worth a shot nonetheless.

IMHO low profile tires and Boston roads are completely imcompatible. We traded in the 19's that came with our M3 for 18's shortly after buying it. I don't even put the summer 19's back on the X until after end of April when the worst of the craters have been filled.

good luck

[StanF18]

Originally Posted by genemish

this might make me reconsider the 20" here in NJ..

i dunno...

i guess road hazard insurance is the way to go..

This thread validates my reluctance to go from 18" to 20" on my 06 4.4i. I love the 20" staggered look, but I don't think the 20" rims with the low profile tires would hold up too well with all the potholes and road debris in the tri-State area. My stock OEM Michelin Energy MXVs are holding up VERY nicely, so I'm sticking with those.

[Atsound]

Originally Posted by marcx5

yes, it's the OEM run flat tires (dunlop sport maxx). there is no air in the tire but i was able to drive away about 1/5 mile to get home. the tire made funny noises while driving... so i went slow, just in case. it seemed to hold up... but it 'sounds' like it's flat. i'm not sure how it would feel on the highway...

the pothole was a pretty descent size... but i watched other cars go through it without issues... these low profile tires are partly the problem i guess... but for some reason, i feel like my old 19" Michelin Diamaris tires on my old 4.4 were stronger than these 20" tires on the 4.8... but that might be 'psychological'.

When you change your tire could you please check if your 20" rim is bend or cracked? I had a similar experience and drove on a "flat" run flat tire about 30miles @ 50mph and later i discovered my 20" rim was cracked at 7 places and bended at 2 places. I went back to dealer and they said it is not covered under warranty because i chromed my wheels. I just want to know if your 20" rim hold up on the run flats? Thanks

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by genemish

this might make me reconsider the 20" here in NJ..

i dunno...

i guess road hazard insurance is the way to go..

I got the wheel and tire insurance for $795 on the E70. I thought it was well worth it.

Originally Posted by StanF18

This thread validates my reluctance to go from 18" to 20" on my 06 4.4i. I love the 20" staggered look, but I don't think the 20" rims with the low profile tires would hold up too well with all the potholes and road debris in the tri-State area. My stock OEM Michelin Energy MXVs are holding up VERY nicely, so I'm sticking with those.

Why don't you try staggered 19s - 255 fronts and 285 rears. I had them on my E53 and never had an issue driving NY/NJ roads. You get the aggressive look but they're a little more resistant than the 20s.

[StanF18]

Originally Posted by cmyX5go

Why don't you try staggered 19s - 255 fronts and 285 rears. I had them on my E53 and never had an issue driving NY/NJ roads. You get the aggressive look but they're a little more resistant than the 20s.

Which specific 19" wheels and tires did you have on the E53? Were the tires all-season?

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by StanF18

Which specific 19" wheels and tires did you have on the E53? Were the tires all-season?

I ran staggered 19s OEM style 132 with Michelin Diamaris for summer and non staggered 18s with all seasons (I eventually changed to Pirelli Ice and Snows) for my winter set up.

That summer set up was awesome
Sorry for the hijack.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Boston X5 4.4

There are probably many rules and loopholes about how long the pot hole has been there, depth of the pot hole etc. etc. before they actually pay out......buts it worth a shot nonetheless.

It varies by location and City, as it is more of a policy thing than an actual legal liability. A general rule that many local governments take is that if they have been informed of the pothole prior to your damage, they will pay something. But if it is an "unreported" pothole, they deny responsibility. The concept is that if they know about it and haven't fixed it, they have responsibility, but that they don't have responsibility to fix something they are not aware of and which is due to weather, an "Act of God." I'm not condoning that approach, simply stating a fact.

In Chicago they generally will pay for half of the expense, figuring that if someone hits a pothole it is at least partially their fault. In the Chicago Suburbs, it varies.

[JA330xi]

Definitely check for bent rim or cracking.

Boston is a mess this year. Tip: Stay out of the South-bound car carpool lane on Rt 93 coming into Boston. There have been dozens of flats there- including me!

When I get a 3.0d/sd this fall, I am going to get 19" non-runflats one way or the other. The low profiles are just too risky here. I want to let the tire co's have another few years of getting the bugs out of runflats.

[peterk814]

shoulda got the insurance

[nynd]

Supposedly - (from the new here in Toronto) they say that a person has to show that the city was "negligent" in maintaining the roadway. Supposedly, they "the city" have employees who travel and inspect roads set to a schedule - which shows they are not negligent. Hence, they haven't paid a dime out for 2008 so far.... and on the news, people are showing bent and damaged rims...