Bridgestone runflats going at 17K - replacement ideas?

[DeePee]

@ Chuck - so, is that means Conti is not good? I am really looking forward to have the same Michelins as replacement but was told by Costco, the manufacturer told them, it'll take approx. 5 weeks, Tire Rack had it available on 03/10/2010, same thing with America's Tire. My existing tires (rear) had below the marker tread already.

[ChuckG]

The last Continentals I had on a BMW (they came on the car new) were lousy and I put up with them until they wore out and switched to Michelins which were great. It was a long time ago but I would never take a chance on them again.

At Discount Tire (America's Tire in LA) once they were out of the Michelins I wanted and they searched and found some in Florida and had them shipped to California for me. They did not charge me anything for the shipping either. You might ask them to check their other stores to find some in stock. They might have just not gone the extra mile when you checked with them.

Chuck

[Ag4.8]

Conti Extreme Contact DWS gets good write up at Tire rack (owner reviews). I am leaning toward trying them.

[DBC]

I replaced my Bridgestone Duller Sport RFT (20") with exactly the same tyre but none runflat and it has transformed the car, i already had a space saver spare.

[bigx5er]

Originally Posted by Ag4.8

My 20 in Dunlop Sportmaxx tires are close to done at less than 14000 miles (fronts more so than rears). I am looking at Continental Extreme Contact DWS. Anyone with any experience with this tire. Gets good write up and reviews. I will have to get mobility kit as have third row.

Any thoughts?

We put these on our Mazda 3 in December and they are fantastic. Excellent tire in the snow/wet. Very good dry performance.

Of course the Mazda 3 is nothing like an X5, but we have found the tires to live up to their reviews.

[RedRockin]

Originally Posted by Ag4.8

Thanks. I haven't looked into any brand of kit yet. I will look at the BMW one.

Might want to re-consider or look into this further. While waiting for my X5 production (took delivery 2 weeks ago) I did a lot of research about this. made the stupid mistake of not getting the space saver spare and I live quite rural. Ultimately, I bought the space saver spare from the dealer (got them to do it with mount and bal for $179). It fits in the storage compartment perfectly with no real need for the bolt-down bracket. of course it doesn't come with the BMW jack (with its proprietary rectangular jack point pad fitting) but an ACDelco 4 ton bottle jack works just fine (~$20 and MUCH easier to use). I just keep the bottle jack in the box it came in and it neatly drops into the smaller rectangular storage compartment next to battery (with room for tow cable, jump cables, gloves and still not full). I really didn't need the big storage compartment anyway.

But, back to the BMW mobility kit: it uses latex filler which has been reported to damage the TPMS. Slime makes a water soluble product that they swear washes out with no reported TPMS damage. The "safety" kit uses a one-step system in which you connect the slime to the compressor and it just pumps the slime into the tire with the air. The other slime kits (other than the "safety") use a two-step process in which you remove the valve core, put in the slime, replace the valve core and then connect the compressor and air fill.

Had I not chosen to get the space saver spare, I would have done one of these:
Amazon.com: Slime 70005 Safety Spair Flat Tire Repair System: Automotive

Amazon.com: Slime 50051 Safety Spair Roadside Emergency Essential Kit: Automotive

With free shipping and no tax - kinda hard to beat the prices. While I still wish I had just ordered with the spare, I can't complain because with the spare, bottle jack and a new lug wrench, it only cost me about $60 more than it would have if ordered (and I think the bottle jack is a huge improvement). I'd say, if you don't really need the storage compartment, go put some pressure on your dealer to cut you a price on the spare. If you want to go with a mobility kit, or have a 3rd row, consider the above.

From Slime.com FAQ's:

My vehicle has a TPMS device; can I use SLiME?

TPMS STATEMENT OF COMPATIBILITY

As leaders in the tire care and repair industry, Accessories Marketing, Incorporated (AMI), the manufacturers of SLiME Tire Sealant wish to address the mandate set forth in the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act, passed in the fall of 2000. In response to this mandate, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) established the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard that requires the installation of Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) to all vehicles by September 1, 2007.

From our findings, and after significant dialog with the leading manufacturers of TPMS devices, SLiME Tire Sealant will not damage TPMS devices. We understand TPMS manufacturers have conducted extensive testing to ensure their sensors remain operational after exposure to any chemical fluids that might come into contact with the sensors. This includes after market products, such as SLiME Tire Sealant. AMI has also conducted independent testing, which supports and verifies SLiME Tire Sealant’s compatibility with TPMS devices.

Currently, there are two types of TPMS devices available: Direct and Indirect. SLiME Tire Sealant’s TPMS formulation is compatible with all TPMS systems. However, it is important to note that once installed, Slime Tire Sealant may come in contact with the sensor in a way that renders the sensor TEMPORARILY inoperable until it is properly cleaned, inspected and re-installed by a tire care professional.

Because SLiME is a water soluble flat repair treatment, it is easily removed from the tire with water. At the time the affected tire is inspected by a tire care professional, they should clean the sealant from the tire, prepare the area and repair with a Rubber Manufacturer’s Association (RMA) approved patch/plug. The TPMS device should also be cleaned off with water to remove any sealant which may have come into contact with the device. Do not use any fine objects to ream and clean the small pressure sensor opening as it may damage the electronics. After the repaired tire is replaced and inflated the TPMS system will resume operating as normal.

Please note that SLiME is recommended as a REPAIR for all Over the Road (OTR) applications.

From the Conticomfortkit site:

The ContiComfortKit combines a powerful, high-volume, 12-volt air compressor, integral pressure gauge and a latex liquid tire sealant packaged in a compact, lightweight unit that's easy to store in the vehicle. (Kit is 9.5"W x 7"H x 3.75"D.) This product's sealant may interfere with the tire pressure monitoring sensors on vehicles with direct TPMS, possibly leading to error prompts and incorrect pressure readings. Use of this product on direct TPMS vehicles could also result in damage to the tire pressure sensor inside the wheel. Please contact your sales specialist at Tire Rack for more information.

From minimania here: Classic Mini Cooper - CONTICOMFORT KIT FLAT REPAIR MOBILITY KIT - MINI C - www.MiniMania.com

FWIW, my X5 is on a 3 yr lease. I will pull my RFs and store then for lease end return. As long as I will have to replace tires anyway, I'd rather buy good non-RFs which ride much better and cost way less. Then again, I don't have a family to consider nor a wife driving alone either - perhaps someday if ever lucky enough to meet the RIGHT one! Meanwhile, I considered Ultra High Performance All Season and comcluded the Continental Extreme Contact DWS would be the shiznet: Consumer Survey Results By Category

But, after bad experiences with High Performance tires soft compound on our cheaply paved and chipping/flaking highways (which EAT soft tires for breakfast - had to replace the high performance tires on my G35s for lease return with only 14k miles @ 2 yrs!), and not really caring for the low-profile look, I decided to order the General Grabber HTS: Consumer Survey Results By Category

Go ahead - blast me for having too much time on my hands but what else was I going to do to relieve tension (remember - no wifey ) while waiting a month for my X5???

[X5 Meister]

Great info, thanks for posting. One thing I don't understand is how one goo screws the sensors and another goo doesn't? The sensors are very well sealed units if you've ever held one and resistant to moisture and even some abuse. No question that the metal valve stem is going to get coated with the goo and will need to be changed during a new tire installation, but that's basically to be expected. Your choice of having an actual spare is what I'd personally do as well.

[RedRockin]

Don't know the answer to the "goo" difference relative to TPMS; I am fairly mechanignorant. However, the manufacturer's claims clearly speak for themselves. I suspect it is as simple as the difference between a water soluble substance (Slime) that can be cleaned of compared to a latex material which will not clean off. When I considered the cost of a TPMS replacement and one of these kits, the spare just looked more and more attractive. The rural factor also contributed. BTW, I think the BMW Mobility Kit is in the $185 range, Conti Comfort Kit in the $75 range and the prices for the Slime are posted above. Also, BMW seems to make a couple of car model specific mobility kits and a general kit (non-model specific - X5). While I do not know the difference, I suspect it has to do with the larger tire sizes. I could find absolutely no indications the BMW kit had anything to justify the dramatic price difference.

[Ag4.8]

Thanks for the responses. As I noted, I have the third row, so a spare is not an option for me. I am going to try the Conti's. THey have good reviews and I can't justify $2000 every 10 months for tires. I'll end up getting one to the kits.

[Rez]

Originally Posted by DBC

I replaced my Bridgestone Duller Sport RFT (20") with exactly the same tyre but none runflat and it has transformed the car, i already had a space saver spare.

In what way? I am thinking of doing this as well..