I have a production number

[cmyX6go]

Originally Posted by Low Note

Discovered that the 19" all season rft's that came with my sport package are Michelins. .

Congrats! I requested the Michelins but they said they couldn't request them. What ever tires were on the line when I was produced is what I'd get. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[Low Note]

Originally Posted by cmyX5go

Congrats! I requested the Michelins but they said they couldn't request them. What ever tires were on the line when I was produced is what I'd get. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks. I was really surprised to see the Michelins. My dealer told me that he has heard that BMW did not sign an agreement with Bridgestone for all models. Therefore, I'll bet that all X6's with the all season tires will come with Michelins. Don't know what the 20" performance will be. Maybe not Michelin, since 2009 X5.0 w/performance came with Dunlops. According to some other dealers, Michelins are more expensive than Bridgestones (?), and are more difficult to obtain. But one has to wonder. It would be nice to be able to get some info from the factory about all of this since BMW drivers are definitely sensitive to quality of tires. When I went to Mercedes in 1990 until last month, those buyers couldn't care less about the tires...just as long as the car had 4 of them. Sure nice to be back with people who actually care about the performance of their vehicles.

[E61Silver]

Originally Posted by cmyX5go

Congrats! I requested the Michelins but they said they couldn't request them. What ever tires were on the line when I was produced is what I'd get. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Seems like a excuse, when you buy a $60,000 + truck should be able to get it with Michelin's.

[Low Note]

Originally Posted by E61Silver

Seems like a excuse, when you buy a $60,000 + truck should be able to get it with Michelin's.

I can remember when I had Bimmers back in the 1970's and 1980's, it was sometimes possible to request certain tires. But then BMW bought part of Continental, and everything came through with them. Luckily, my dealer at that time was nice enough to swap out the Conti's for Goodyear Eagles, which were the best all around tire at the time.

The current situation, as was told to me by my dealer is this: BMW has signed a large contract with Bridgestone for them to supply rft's to specific vehicles in the fleet...but not all. Of course, no one seems to know exactly which vehicles will get what. However, I have ascertained that all 3 and 5 (non M) series are getting the Bridgestones. I saw a 2010 X5M with Bridgestone low profile performance tires (go figure). However, I believe that the X6 with the 5.0 engine is getting the Michelins, but am not so sure about the X6 3.5 (probably due to the different 19" rims). I do not think this has anything to do with whatever tires the factory seems to have in stock at the time. Remember, Michelin has a facility just a few miles down the road from the BMW plant in South Carolina, and with which BMW has a business relationship. Someone at BMWUSA probably knows what is going on but sure isn't talking.

If anyone can get better info that that, I would be interested. The Michelins that came on my 2010 X6 5.0 seem to ride pretty well (still have under 200 miles on the machine), but since my technician put 41/42 PSI front/rear nitrogen in the tires, there is a bit more road feel than what I experienced when test driving other similar X6's.

[cmyX6go]

I have the same Michelins on my E70 and I'm very happy with them. If I wasn't doing the PCD and the X was delivered with the Bridgestones, I'd have them swapped out but that won't work after driving 600 miles home. I'm hopeful though and keeping my fingers crossed.

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by Low Note

...The Michelins that came on my 2010 X6 5.0 seem to ride pretty well (still have under 200 miles on the machine), but since my technician put 41/42 PSI front/rear nitrogen in the tires, there is a bit more road feel than what I experienced when test driving other similar X6's.

Low Note, was the Nitrogen fill free? And, why 41/42 lbs?
BR,mD

[Low Note]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Low Note, was the Nitrogen fill free? And, why 41/42 lbs?
BR,mD

I paid 40 bucks total for nitrogen fill, which is good for life of the tires (I can some added anytime by my dealer for no additional cost). 41/42 PSI is the recommended X6 air pressure for driving over 100 mph or "in a sporting manner", according to BMW. Otherwise, it is usually set at 33/36. My technician, Todd Thomas, at SunMotorCars BMW who has won several awards and is one of the top ten BMW master mechanics in the USA also recommended the 41/42. Another reason for such a high pressure is that run flats tend to wear on the outside edge in BMW X vehicles with minimum pressure. The higher setting will prevent that and will give better fuel mileage, longer tire wear, and much better handling. BTW, the active steering in combination with the 41/42 PSI in my X6 provides amazing directional accuracy at all speeds.

[E61Silver]

Originally Posted by Low Note

I can remember when I had Bimmers back in the 1970's and 1980's, it was sometimes possible to request certain tires. But then BMW bought part of Continental, and everything came through with them. Luckily, my dealer at that time was nice enough to swap out the Conti's for Goodyear Eagles, which were the best all around tire at the time.

The current situation, as was told to me by my dealer is this: BMW has signed a large contract with Bridgestone for them to supply rft's to specific vehicles in the fleet...but not all. Of course, no one seems to know exactly which vehicles will get what. However, I have ascertained that all 3 and 5 (non M) series are getting the Bridgestones. I saw a 2010 X5M with Bridgestone low profile performance tires (go figure). However, I believe that the X6 with the 5.0 engine is getting the Michelins, but am not so sure about the X6 3.5 (probably due to the different 19" rims). I do not think this has anything to do with whatever tires the factory seems to have in stock at the time. Remember, Michelin has a facility just a few miles down the road from the BMW plant in South Carolina, and with which BMW has a business relationship. Someone at BMWUSA probably knows what is going on but sure isn't talking.

If anyone can get better info that that, I would be interested. The Michelins that came on my 2010 X6 5.0 seem to ride pretty well (still have under 200 miles on the machine), but since my technician put 41/42 PSI front/rear nitrogen in the tires, there is a bit more road feel than what I experienced when test driving other similar X6's.

Bridgestone & Firestone are both the same company and they have a bad recorded, from the 500's to rollovers with Ford. I can't believe BMW would sell cars with Bridgestone tires its like Tiffany selling fake diamonds.

[Low Note]

Originally Posted by E61Silver

Bridgestone & Firestone are both the same company and they have a bad recorded, from the 500's to rollovers with Ford. I can't believe BMW would sell cars with Bridgestone tires its like Tiffany selling fake diamonds.

Interesting points you bring up. According to BMW, the third generation Bridgestone all season rft's are only 5% stiffer than non-rft's and have a 400 tread wear rating (same as Michelins). After I traded in my Mercedes E class, my BMW loaned me a new (right out of stock with no mileage) 2009 328xi with Bridgestone all season rft's on 17" rims. I drove the car for almost 900 miles between the time I retired my E class and picked up my 2010 X6. Drove the 3 in all kinds of crappy weather, and it handled extremely well. Much better than any Bridgestone's I had ever experienced. I have a friend who had some bad experiences with Michelins (back in the 1980's), so no one is exempt from QC problems. Some people say that Michelins are famous for not providing any warning before breaking loose at high speeds. Probably won't have that problem on my X6 5.0 with sport package, adaptive drive, etc., but who knows?

[Weasel]

Originally Posted by E61Silver

Bridgestone & Firestone are both the same company and they have a bad recorded, from the 500's to rollovers with Ford. I can't believe BMW would sell cars with Bridgestone tires its like Tiffany selling fake diamonds.

Yes and no. Ford chose to use asofter tire running at lower tire pressure to make the ride softer, compensating for stiff/rough riding suspension. If ford has used proper load range tire with proper inflation there wouldn't have been a problem. I put just as much blame on ford as on bridgestone.