Ard - for some reason you have decided that I am one of those "3rd or 4th wave". Not quite sure where you think you're getting that information. My first BMW was a 1984 E24 633csi that I... wait for it... purchased new. As a matter of fact I ordered it and picked it up at the dealership less than 7 days after it arrived to the US from Germany. Owned it until 2013 and sold it with 145k miles. After the warranty ended I did all my own wrenching and have been wrenching (professionally for a time too) initially in 1976 and still do to this day.

Purchased a couple of E30's over the years, but my next NEW BMW was a 1997 E38 740iL that I traded in for a... here we go again... ordered 2001 E38 740iSport again taking delivery within 7 days of it arriving in the states. Unfortunately, I sold it in 2009, replaced with a 2008 E65 I bought new in late 2008. But I missed my E38 so much I purchased a used 01 Sport that was a near clone to the one I sold, but with less miles.

Last year I did purchase a 1 owner E70 used and again do all my own wrenching. The bearing on the compressor was a much less expensive and, in the long run, better resolution than to replace the entire compressor. But I did appreciate your insight in my dilemma with that damn race and broken bolt.

Currently I own an additional 3 E36 compacts that I bought used and have refreshed two of the three that my two sons in college now drive. The third is on jacks in my garage next to my E38 getting some much needed restoration. Either that one or one of the other two will end up getting an S62 swap and be a fun little go cart for the track.

The E38 is also getting some much deserved rest. Redid the timing chains in 2016. Fresh paint last year and some new mods this year (NBT retrofit for one) and will remain a garage queen.

I did not mean to offend you with my last statement on posts, that was done more in jest than malice. Hence, the use of the :stickpoke. If you took real offense to that, I do apologize. However, my knowledge of Kaput and his history with BMW's is solely the reason I replied. The guy does know his stuff as you appear to also. That doesn't mean I am just going to blindly agree with either of you or keep from expressing my opinion from my experience and knowledge. Yes, book smarts are there but so is experience as a "real" mechanic. Additionally, I have zero issue getting along with other mechanics, shade tree mechanics, or simply hobbyists.

Hope you can take this as intended, an olive branch and we can move forward. If you want to continue with personal attacks, please, by all means, give it your best shot. You'll find me not willing to be an internet tough guy. I have had disagreements with Kaput on things over the years as I have with you too, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the sharing of knowledge.

Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

Nope I switched from mechanic work to computers in the 90's. We had computers in the house since the early 70's but you really couldn't make a living with them till the late 80's early 90's.

When the first computer course was available at a college I went to get a degree and ended up teaching there instead :)

After that I did freelance computer work then opened a business building machines then had one of the first internet service provider businesses.

Sold that and retired and ended up going back in to business webhosting when I developed a specialized web server that can handle massive connections for large sites. I specialize in large retail commerce sites and forums like this one.

So my car interest is just for myself now.

Hi 740iS, my first BMW was a 1972 2002 tii that I... wait for it... purchased new. Became addicted and owned 15 since then. Done all of the maintenance and many of the repairs myself since then.

Wow!. Quite a success story. I envy you.:D
Same here car's stuff just for me.

LOL - my/our total count is only 12 over the years, but, yes, a bit of an addict here as well.

Hopefully the arguments have now stopped :dunno: ........ What I am looking for, is advice (other sites seem to have ignored my questions). So here goes (for those over the pond, please forgive my proper English sayings :D ). Is it better to keep the run flat tyres or swap and buy a boot/trunk (I am from the UK) filler.
My experience with Beemers is limited, I had several Toyotas, the 3.0 Supra being my favourite. and a couple of the 2.0ltr Celicas, then after other marks, I bought a 325i SE which I had for a couple of years and loved it. Since then, I have had Mitsi 4x4s, both Shogun and Pajero, in fact several of them, my last one for 7 years has been a 3.2 DiD Shogun (Montero for you lot over the pond, 2003) but have now got myself an X5 2007 e70 3.0d that I am enjoying immensely..... anyway, I digress, so I will get to my point.
In July we take our annual pilgrimage to Ukraine, and the tyres are my concern....... do I get new run flats before my 5000 (UK) miles round trip or do I get normal tyres and fill the boot/trunk void with a spare ??????
Obviously, a tin of compressed foam and maintaining the extra storage (the hole under the floor) sounds nice, but the wife (I love her, but I still affectionately call her the dragon) doesn't like to drive the e70 (it's too big :D )..... I will get down to the bones, the Ukraine roads are pretty rough, OK, they are very rough and give no second chance for any mistake (this will be my 3rd drive, instead of flying). The temperatures reach 40C+ in the summer and the asphalt melts, lorries/trucks push the melted tarmac to the outer edge when going around corners, causing "sump ripping" edges to their roads...... that is why I need the ground clearance of a 4x4. Also on our route, because we drive across the fine roads of France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Poland, I wanted the ability to travel at speeds that a normal 4x4 truck doesn't give. So after giving it a lot of thought, I bought my X5.
Now down to the nitty gritty..... do I get run flats all round, or do I get normal type tyres and a space saver to fill the void where I have now stowed other useful tools ?????
I am asking for advice from experienced long haul drivers, who don't have huge reserves in their back pockets :D

I would do the run flats AND a spare tire with a run flat on it with the kind of range your talking about.

The reason being at least in the united states is the weird tire sizes bmw uses are not stocked anywhere I travel at least. AAA isn't going to be available to you where your at I imagine so your on your own. Contrary to popular belief run flats are repairable if you catch it in time. So you can plug them just like a normal tire. Take a tire repair kit with you and an air compressor. When the warning comes up fine a safe place to pull over and fix the tire. With a massive tire damage situation the run flat should help you get to a place you feel comfortable to work on the tire thus allowing more choices on where to fix it.

Having an extra run flat in the boot will allow you freedom to sacrifice a run flat through lone distance driving on the flat if need be. It should take just as long to get a run flat shipped as any other time if one has to be replaced (again where the spare comes in).

That's just my opinion based on what you posted.

Thank you for the prompt reply, I have a few months to mull it over, but you are also saying things that I have been contemplating...... I have breakdown insurance from home to the Poland/Ukraine border...... it's the bit after that where the problems occur. Ukraine is non-EU so there are no recovery/breakdown companies that cover the 1/3 or our journey either way, Ukraine is quite a big country, so having a proper spare does give a bit of peace of mind....... it's the front/back being different widths that concerns me. I guess that they are the same diameter, so no worry with "transmission wind up"..... a tyre of the width that a rear tyres is, is likely to cause trouble cornering/turning...... so do you think that having a front wheel would cover both options?

OK Minesaplasty, imagine this summer you and the Dragon are cruising down the highway with your X5 loaded with whatever gives you pleasure, vacation luggage, whatever. Its a crowded highway with trucks at speed, its 40C out. And you get a blowout. What tires would you rather be riding on? You could either safely and comfortably keep going until you find a safe harbor for all. Or, pull over to the side of the road unload the X5, dig out the spare, change the tire, reload the flat, reload, and back on the road an hour late to wherever you were going.

Use the spare space for other things that keep you safe and give you pleasure.

That's my two pence.

I appreciate your reply, which is more than valid....... I am thinking that run flats on each corner and having a spare that is the same as a front tyre....... 5000 UK miles (round trip) is a long way to go, relying on 4 tyres and nothing else..... once we are past the 7 hour delay of passing through the Poland/Ukraine border, I have a "dragon" that speaks the language and my experience of the garages in Ukraine, is that they tend to repair rather than getting you to pay to replace.

July is still a few months away, so I have time to wear down the tyres to a point where they need changing :D