Run flat tires
 

It appears there is a lot of dislike for run flat tires. This is my first experience and I have to say I am enjoying them.

Ride, the ride is crisp. I already have the M Sport package so my suspension is already stiff. I like the feel of the sporty ride for an otherwise heavy vehicle. Some believe the handling is inferior to conventional tires but run flats are now standard on many sport vehicles.

Safety, if I do get a flat I am able to drive to a safer location to deal with it. Especially is my wife is driving somewhere she can continue on to a garage or home to get the flat dealt with rather than being on the side of the road changing a tire. I carry a tire patch kit and small compressor as 99% of my flats have been from a single puncture.

Added storage and weight savings. I love the extra storage space where a spare tire would go. And as manufacturers go to great measure to save weight there is about 70 pounds of tire, rim, and jack not needed.

Durability, I recently had to jump a center divide to avoid an accident. The stiff sidewall of the run flats amazed me that they bounced over the curb without any damage to the tire or rim. I am sure a standard sidewall would not have survived this abuse.

You DO realize that "run flat" is a FEATURE that comes on many very different tire models... it is not a BRAND.

Nobody anywhere talks about buying tires and leaves out the model and brand entirely....yet conversations around runflats do.

So what tires WITH THE RUNFLAT FEATURE do you currently have?


I like my Michelin Latitude ZPs

Bridgestone run flats.

You DO realize I'm talking about a CONCEPT? The BRAND is irrelevant in this conversation.:rolleyes: That said, I like my Bridgestones.

Good. Go buy some more Bridgestones and stop trolling for a 'converstation' about Runflats.

And this kind of reaction is why this forum is kinda crap. I have never seen a forum dedicated to a car type with such angry members, with no interest in discussing anything.

Honestly, what would it hurt to not reply? Seriously. No, you had to be important to yourself and shout like you own the place.

If you don't like the topic, move on. Out of the 4 months I have owned one of these vehicles, I have seen and contributed to 2 posts on here. Both had interest to me, and nothing got resolved in them.

You wanna know why this forum is worthless? People like you ard.

OP, I too am intrigued about run flats. Never had them. I have always driven sportier stuff, recently sold my M3 to get my X5 as I needed a bigger more comfortable vehicle, and I got the Michelin Latitude ZPs when I got it.

I like the idea of a run flat. No need to make the wife get out and jack up this hippo to change a tire. My big concern is wear on the Michelin Latitude ZPs. They seem to go quick. Already thinking of replacing them with Continentals.

I do plan on rolling 2 sets of wheels. One spring/summer/early fall with run flats, and one dedicated set of winter snow tires. I had to run snows on my M3 from October to April every year, daily driven. I think the X5 would benefit greatly.

Don't let trolls like are rain on your parade. Some of us enjoy discussing tangible knowledge about these cars, and learning tricks and tips, options to code and the like. Some of us *cough* ard *cough* like to be dicks. Don't be a dick.

I hear ya bro!!! And I agree with you 110%

Some people think they own this place. They need to grow up.

I can be a prick, but I "110%" stand by my comments in this thread.

Speaking about 'run flats' like they are a model of tire is ignorant. Defending this nonsense is also ignorant.

You guys want a touchy feely community with noting but brotalk and happy faces, go to facebook.


7 posts, 34 posts and you think you can speak for this 'community'....hang around, contribute, earn respect. THEN speak for the community.

On topic, I will add:

Speaking about 'tire wear' on the basis of 'I have hgad XYZ on my car and dont like the wear" is retarded. Unless you know your alignment NUMBERS you cannot evaluate tire wear. A car with 0.08 toe in on all wheels versus a car at 0.01 toe in will have twice the tire life. BOTH are 'in BMW specs'

So, back to the regularly scheduled newbie circle jerk you guys were clearly enjoying.

Newbie? Kid you are in for a shock. Actually, I can't say you are a kid. The majority of this forum appears to be middle aged men who can't turn a wrench, asking for help because they have no idea how to maintain their cars. You included "T"ard.

I have 34 posts here, because I am new to the X5. I have created one of the most well respected SMG videos on youtube, have 10s of thousands of posts across many other BMW forums, and was the first in the world to put a double din unit in an E46 as well as the first to use an L3 thermal system in an E46.

What have you done? Bought some tires from TireRack and "roasted" others because they didn't get what you got? Like in all honesty, there is no reason to come in here and act like a know it all cock, while trashing this persons ability to discuss whatever he wants. You need to put the keyboard down and get some sunshine. Pegged you exactly as I saw you. Wow, 4706 posts on a forum with literally no real information or innovation. Fucking score dude!

As for your on topic contribution, I believe I have every right to discuss how they are wearing. I might pull numbers on my lift later, or not. But the facts remain the same, the tires wear like sheets in your moms house, quickly.

Now go find someone who will take your undeserved bullshit and put up with it because you have more posts than them. Trying to win the battle of who could care less, and you can't even do that right.

Post count, what are you, 12?

Assumption is the mother of failure.


Nobody claimed to speak for the community but you.

Isn't this obvious???

Here you go again.


I don't care too much about RFT for a few reasons.
1/ They are expensive
2/ Rough ride.

I wish my X5 had a full sized spare. Here's why:

In my daughters E53, I drove 150 miles to Philly drop to drop her off at college. Got a flat at 10pm 149 miles from home. Tire was shredded. Changed the tire, drove home on the full sized spare. (The spare was marked with a sticker warning you not to exceed 135mph!) If I had runflats, or a doughnut, I'd have had to stay over at a hotel at least one night, with no change of clothes etc. Not to mention I'd be searching around on a Sunday for a matching tire; the 20" 335's are not exactly a common size. Worse, few if any tire dealers can shave a tire to match the tread depth of the remaining tires; so having a full sized spare allowed me to get home and order a shaved tire to the exact tread depth of the other 3 from TireRack, ($25 upcharge).

Thankfully, I have a doughnut now in my E70. It still will leave me stranded if I'm far from home, but at least the non-runflats are MUCH less expensive. And I really don't have a problem changing a flat.

I do see the problem with most women or small men having to change the huge rear tires on an X5; they are NOT easy to do. My daughter has tried, (because I wanted her to know how,) and failed. She's an incredibly strong athlete; and still needed a bit of help. I guess that's what AAA is for.

Another related gripe is the difficulty in finding non-runflat snow tires for the 20" rims. Runflat snows are $2,400+ for the set. (I use 19" rims for my non-runflat snows for this reason.)

To me, runflats are definitely not worth the big extra expense. And the underfloor space looks pretty close to what's needed to fit a full sized spare; it almost as if BMW wants to force you into runflats.

:iagree:

it's not just bmw tho. a lot of manufacturers have over the past twenty years taken to discouraging owners from carrying out any kind of work on their vehicles. vw made it a 90 minute workshop job just to change lightbulbs on certain models, for example. all those plastic covers over the engine are mostly just to keep "untrained" hands away. RFTs are meant to allow joe blow or his wife to just limp it to the nearest shop and pay to have it fixed. like pretty much everything else on any other 21st century vehicle.

i've moved away from RFTs, the ride is much nicer without them. x-ice 2 on 18" for the winter and dws06 on 19" for the summer. i carry a small compressor and a tyre repair kit with me, as well as my bcaa membership. i can still get caught out at the arse-end of nowhere but you can't prepare for everything.

also, maybe we should stop trying to turn this thread into a pissing contest.

I am planning on replacing the front tires on my 2013 with run flats when I get a chance. Still trying to get time to install the water pump I bought to be proactive on that.

Anyways, the car has two normal tires up front now and run flats on the rear where the previous owner was to cheap to replace the run flats when they wore down.

This gives me a unique perspective on how it handles with and without to an extent. The front wanders like mad compared to the back. The run flats are much firmer on uneven roads and I am looking forward to replacing the normal tires with run flats to get back to better handling. As for ride wise its smooth even with the rear run flats.

I have Goodyear f1 run flats on the rear and some off brand Taiwanese tires on the front.

So I for one like the run flats. I have normal tires on my E53 and to be honest it rides about the same.

that's probably the exact reason why you think your RFTs are better.

i had bridgestone dueler RFTs all around and they were horrible. not even going to debate the point of all-season tyres here but there wasn't any one condition under which i found them to be good rubbers. the michelin winter tyres i replaced them with are far superior in ride quality, let alone cold weather performance. gonna get the dws fitted as my summer wheels this weekend since i only heard good things about them, despite them being touted as all-weather but i shall give them the benefit of the doubt, especially as they're on sale right now :D

Nice resume!:thumbup:

You guys are too new to the forum to know ard. He may seem abrasive, but he knows his stuff because he is in the mechanic business. Not as a shade tree, but makes his living as a mechanic.

There are topics that are incendiary. Run flats. Motor oil. Fuel additives. Oil additives. Etc. normally associated with a troll trying to start crap. If you want to learn the forum discussions related to these, do a search. Not hard. Search "run flats" "best motor oil" "fuel additives" , etc. not saying the OP had the intent to start a fire, but that's what happened.

When you've been a member for a while, you will see the value of the forum. Post count doesn't matter. Talk to me about time as a member and then you have something.

Wait, Ard is a mechanic? I thought he was a retired attorney.:stickpoke

The main problem I had when "searching" for run flat info was all I could find was "they suck" and how to go about ditching them.

I'm more interested in what run flats do best and not how to get rid of them.

Not to many post on that.

My point was not to start a flame war, but a person of his stature in the community should know that you can just click the back button, and not post. It's really that simple.

I don't want to hate members here, nor do I want to argue with them unless it is about something related to the cars, and the exchange is friendly, but two sided.

If I pissed you off, or made you hate me ard, sorry. But I have been around the forum block long enough to know, while you saw him as the troll, it was kinda you too.

And I agree with Crowz. The general consensus on many forums is "Do A, B and C and then make it your own". Problem is, A, B and C involve removing things some people might want, changing to the same stuff everyone has because racecar, and then being accepted. The M3 was a prime example. Get these wheels and tires, this suspension, and fuck SMG, fuck verts, fuck sunroofs. Slicktop manual, with 18" CSL reps, GTR hood, CSL diffuser, in Blue with Cinnamon or you are a noob. Silver? Why would you buy that.

My whole point is, maybe instead of trolling trolls (if you really think we are trolls)... Walk away.

I generally buy run flats so that if my wife gets a flat solo or with my daughters in the car, it is not a big deal. If it is a big deal, we have AAA.:stickpoke
And if I get a flat, I'd rather keep rolling.

There are a couple more reasons than that, but that's good enough to stop there. I am not attracted to 20" staggered wheels, though some look nice.

:thumbup:

Got to admit, I've been on multiple BMW forums over the years and Kaput has been on most of them with all kinds of great information. So for people to say that a person is a "newbie" simply because they are new here or not a large amount of posts is just offputting.

Not talking about a touchy-feely type of forum, there are plenty of opportunities for a learning experience for all with some discourse, but hell, aren't most of us here to learn and have some common comradery over a vehicle we all enjoy or hate?

I've only been on here for 8 years and didn't really post much until this last year. But whether here, e46fanatics, bimmerforums, bimmerboard or elsewhere (Like us old-timers "roadfly") we can have a very large amount of posts overall. Plus I've known plenty that have had huge numbers of posts without any real knowledge. :stickpoke

Thanks, thats exactly why I posted this.

I plan on getting Scorpion Verde All Season Run Flat - Size: 255/50R19 at the moment. My driveway is very muddy and I also deal with snow from time to time and these seem to be the best for that from what I have been able to find researching them.

https://www.tirerack.com/images/tire...rf_pdpfull.jpg

I have cooper cs5's on the wife's e53 and her pacifica awd and they do amazing but cooper doesn't make run flats.

If I lived in the city I would probably go with the goodyear f1's that are on the back now. They do ok so if the Pirelli's don't "shine" I may go back to them later.

The goodyear's do look good :)

https://www.goodyear.com/images/tire...c_ROF_5460.jpg


I don't clock up that many miles on the e70 so I'm not really worried about tread life since I normally replace tires on what I drive now from dry rotting more than tire wear :)

I can't tell which are best, what I can tell you is don't buy Continental RFT snow tires, they are more of a fair weather snows. Not for climbing in snow.

I thought you looked familiar... :p:

Bravo! So true!

Started wrenching since 1985. I used to drive my Celica around with half of the engine parts in the trunk.

Sounds like me. Except 1981 was the first I got paid turning a wrench and my celica was from 1972.

Best car in the world to learn on. Learn or walk :)

:D

On the run-flat front, however, I've stuck with them myself as I prefer my wife not have to worry about a spare if she's driving the X. But with having the 3rd-row seating, don't want to have a loose spare in the back or on the roof. So I'll stick with the run flat tire type. Brand right now is Bridgestone, when I replaced my Michelin's a few months ago and thus far I really like them. Might try the Pirelli's next time, though.

Ideally, you should have identical tires on all four wheels. Otherwise you can screw up the handling balance of the car. Also, with an AWD car, it is important to keep tread depth pretty close to identical on all four wheels. When tires are different brands, this becomes more difficult, as you'd need to compare circumferences and shave accordingly...possible but not really practical to do.

So in your situation, the best result would be to order a second pair of F1 runflats for the front of your car, (making sure both are the correct sizes for a staggered set, so that when new, the circumferences were the same). Measure the tread depth of your existing rears, then order them from TireRack and have them shave them to the match the tread depth of the rears. OR buy a new set of four tires of your choice that are a matched staggered set. (I'm not aware of other vendors or local shops who shave tires, but I'm sure they are out there.)

If you have significant difference is tire outside diameter front to rear, you will screw up all sorts of things in your car.

I will be replacing all at once since I want to keep the tread within the 1% spec. I didn't choose any of the current setup as it had these when I bought it.

Same here, kept run flats for the same two reasons - wife (mainly) and trunk space.

I have brand new Pirelli Verde Scorpion RFs, but will have to wait to get any idea of how much I like them. Went with them just based on sparse reviews compared to Duelers (had those before). Slowly bringing a neglected X5 back to life. :bmw:

I would definitely agree it's not easy to find good info on (keeping) run-flats.

Odd thing is, my X5 has run flats and the spare tire kit. I guess I'm double covered.

I kinda wanna ditch the spare and get the storage bin to replace it, you know for more storage.

Hmm. Sit on an airplane for a day and all hell breaks loose....

A couple of points. Contrary to the beliefs of some, I am a strong believer in a community of owners and enthusiasts, and despite the gruff persona I portray I try to support our efforts here. While I would surely like to dish back on each of the crap and insults kuput and his admirers have felt compelled to pile on with (‘tard’ and ’my mothers sheets’? real class acts), Ill try not to. I will add that if I used the insults and profanity that kuput has resorted to, Id expect to be banned.

I also looked back on kaput’s very first post. #1. Guess who responded ‘welcome’ as the first response?

740iS and kaput are part of a class of the 3rd or 4th ‘wave’ of owners- not new car buyers, but those guys that roll in with 10-15 year old cars when they reach a certain level of affordability. I’ve described this process before: initially a forum is ‘what color are you ordering’ or ‘when will it get here’. Then you get the “warranty covered XYZ”. Then there is that phase of clueless- “I bought an X5 and it is super expensive, what have I done???” Following that, there is perhaps the most interesting phase- dealers no longer do all the work, the owners that wont tolerate dealer prices come in and we get to see the model-specific DIYers. Deep DIYers that forge new, sometime better solutions to issues beyond the dealer approach. 740iS was such a member, and I welcomed him here. ( I did a quick look back at our interactions.) Futzing around with some bearings, instead of ‘just replace the whole thing.’

(lets take a quick break here- I got to were I am by, in part, buying used cars and maintaining them (well, that and having equity in two successful tech start ups) so I DO NOT cast aspersions on people with used cars, or old cars. Or people that maintain their cars. OK? And just because you DO work on your own car, or have modded cars, doesn’t mean crap.)


So kaput, 740iS seem to represent this 3rd or 4th wave. Its how us long term owners will learn how to go 15, 20 years with these cars. I will add that it’s a big tent, those rich guys that just have book smarts should be able to get along with ‘real mechanics’, or so I thought.

But then this little mess of a thread…. These newbs, and yes, you guys are newbs HERE, have decided that Im a poser, that they- the new guys who are the ‘real mechanics’- need to beat up on me. I wont escalate this, long term it isn’t a good path. However, despite kaput’s admonishing I will not ‘walk away’.

Tomaz posted a silly little public service post about how great runflats are. His impressions. Fine. No questions, just why he likes his runflats. Which is fine. Ive had runflats for 140k+ miles, they are fine for my X5. Whatever. I dont care what you buy, but buy the tire not the feature. I did take issue (as I always do 😉) with ‘run flats as a model’. I posted this.

In response, Tomaz first clarified what model he had. But then he got annoyed, and felt compelled to take a swipe in a second post. (He said some dumb stuff before in an earlier post, and prolly felt butt hurt as he re-read my post...) And I swiped back- and then the pile on.



So there we have it. You boys want to be part of the community, fine. You think because you need to wrench on your older cars this gives you some moral superiority, its gonna be a long road.


Oh, kaput- I stand by my statement that without knowing your alignment you cannot truly assess relative tire wear. I didn’t say you cannot speak, just that any conclusions you draw on wear without knowing the alignment are pointless. You are gonna “put it up on your lift and measure it”? lol dude.

You boys just wanna move on? Is this going to be a community or will this devolve for the next few months? Your call.

Is the spare tire the same as the other 4? My guess is a PO replaced the tires with run flats but the car was not originally sold with them. Spare could likely be mounted with the original tire.

The storage bin is nice. I have a ton of tools and stuff in mine now.

That's peace of mind.

My was 3 years newer than yours!!:D Yeah, those 18R and 20R engines were well built. Had the body didn't rotted out I'd still be driving it.
Are you still getting paid wrenching and where do you work?

I remained as a shade tree mechanic but not under the tree anymore since I bought a car lift. ;)

Forget it. Just realized you from Bama.

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

I have a 2011 X5 3.o
Bought it from my sister in law with 40,000 kms.
She burned off two sets of Dunlop run flats.
My wife killed an additional two sets. At $2ooo/set
At 90,000 kms it was time to replace again. In my research?
I chose Continetal dsw's. Front tires are 7 pounds lighter, rears are 8 pounds lighter than a dunlop run flat. The car drives, in my opinion, much nicer with 32 lbs of less unsprung weight. A no air run flat tire can get you 50 miles without air. For me 50 miles in the middle of no where makes no difference to me. The corner gas station in the town of 95 people will not stock a 315/35/20 nor a 275/40/20. So I'm still scuppered.
My car does not come with a spare, nor does it have a jack and tools.
I put a jack and tools in there, a plug kit, tire repair inflation goo, battery jumper pack with air compressor.
Me? I like the DSW's and will risk runflat 50 mile safety distance. To note, I also run snow tires, and leave an off season tire at the cottage.... so, I am only 1/2 a trip away from a spare tire.
DSW's now have two full summers on them, and going into a third with great tread left.

I would also add. Most OEM dealers will not repair a run flat tire, they will only recommend replacement. And if the tread difference is great, recommend tire replaced in pairs.
If you have a propensity for punctures? Choose carefully.
Most tire stores would consider a repair of a run flat.

Got my Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Run Flat's installed today. Like them so far. Doesn't seem to ride any harsher than the regular tires I replaced. Also wanders less.

A few hours of ownership isn't worth a flip for a review so I will post back as I clock up some miles on them.

my exact thoughts and set up I have the continental tires Extreme Contact dws06 on the front and rear and really like them. The X5 handles great with them on.

Also keep in mind that runflats are stiffer, but the pressure specification for our x5 is too low. If you run 38 psi on normal tires they will flex less than the stupid low spec pressure.
My snow tires at 40psi feel great handing no mush, yet don't transmit the bumps as harshly as my normal set which are still run flats.

Glad it *is* back on track.

I do want to comment that tire alignment can be a very large factor in tire LIFE.

Some will opine that 'wear is even, so alignment is good'. This can be a bad assumption.

Also, people (some people) seem to think that 'alignment' is a binary thing: "took it to the dealer, they say it is aligned".

There is a broad range in the BMW spec, and if you set it in the middle you will get less then optimal mileage. Significantly. Like 1/2 to 2/3s. And set at the wrong end of the spec, you can see as low as 20%. (all these examples would be 'in spec')

Which brings us to the last false argument- ya want lots of toe to get turn in. or BMWs are set aggressively to get that BMW handling, ya need to pay to play.

In summary: When making decisions about tire LIFE, dont ignore your alignments.



And agree on the pressures, I tend to run my tires a bit higher

At $2,000 a set you may want to check TireRack or similar sites. The most I've ever paid was $1,450 including installation. Good luck.

I'm canada Eh. Tire rack does ship here, but with duty and shipping???
It really is $2k cdn here. No matter the source.

Agreed 100%!! Too many ignore alignment and/or don't have it checked once a year. Seem way too many a tire prematurely worn out because the alignment was off.

I just killed both of my RF Bridgestones HP Duelers 275 40 20 by driving on highway from Toronto to Florida and back over 5k kms. Both bold on the outside with drivers more so. Shocked. Did alignment at Midas and pumped to 38psi befire the trip. Went back to Midas today to ask for my data but surely they dont store it. I found another shop with "German" alignment machine and made an appointment there - C$180 for alignment - crazy but hope they do it right. I will need new tires though.

I am looking for replacement Summer tires 275 and 315 for 20 rims as of last night when I arrived home and reading on forums that changing just the fronts and keeping used rears is not a good idea. In this case a non-RF came to mind as a quieter and more reliable/durable option. Came across Continental Extreme Contact Sport non RF. This is vs SSRs RFs or Bridgestone HP Dueler RFs. Dont want ti change tires twice per Summer.

Dont "hope".... "demand"

I assume you know where to set it, based on my posts?

GL!

Ard, I will have to look back and take notes of the numbers that work. I have also seen statements that extending tire life will compromise handling etc. So I am not sure I know the exact numbers I want to ask for.

Im flat loving the Pirelli scorpion verde rf the more I drive on them. Wear is perfect so far.

Sigh.

These are summers available in the staggered sizes? I will check them out. What life you expect from them? If you dont mind how much did you pay?

master1917 - If your getting new tires. Do all four. Pay now or pay later. And later, I mean a few months down the short road.
Find a tire place that can do an alignment. Demand a full read out on paper, of the before specifications and the after specifications. If they are a good shop? They could give you the read out while sitting on your old tires. Your new alignment should be performed while sitting on your four new tires.
Your factory recommended parameters settings, are set to safe and max millage.
A more aggressive set up, will make it handle a little better, but will give up wear and safely. Like over/under steer.
If you would like to have a drive in my X5 on Conti dsw's. You are more than welcome to come visite. PM for a drive. Any lunch time yonge 401.
Should be changing over the tires this weekend. No more snow forecast ;)

Im not sure what all sizes they come in. They had the highest treadware rating of the run flats that I looked at but none of the rf tires has any real tread life warranty to them. They are also all season tires. Grip has been pretty good and they ride smooth.

This is utter nonsense.

How about some specific number examples, since you are giving bad advice?

I mean please tell us what numbers are the BMW numbers? And what numbers are "more aggressive" and result in better handling?

Absolute nonsense.

Sorry for offending you ard. I'm not going to quote any numbers. Just suggesting that there are many points of view. I'm not giving any advise, just pointing out there are options.
On one of my vehicles, they suggested a "four wheel alignment", I later found out, that the rear is not adjustable. So are they adjusting to what? just to line up with the back? I do my best to research, to the best of my knowledge. How is sharing a question, bad advise?

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret...e.jsp?techid=4

from tire rack sight. Not my poppy cock.

"If you are a reserved driver, aligning your vehicle to the vehicle manufacturer's preferred settings is appropriate.

If you are an assertive driver who enjoys driving hard through the corners and expressway ramps, a performance alignment is appropriate for your car. A performance alignment consists of using the vehicle manufacturer's range of alignment specifications to maximize the tires' performance. A performance alignment calls for the manufacturer's maximum negative camber, maximum positive caster, and preferred toe settings. While remaining within the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations, these alignment settings will maximize tire performance."

"Many of today's alignment machines are equipped with printouts that compare the "before" and "after" alignment angles with the manufacturers' specifications. Requesting a post alignment printout can help you confirm the thoroughness of the alignment technician and preserve a record of your vehicle's intended settings in the case of an encounter with a suspension damaging road hazard."

Your advise is not bad and is in fact correct. As for the 4 wheel alignment the X5 is definitely able to be aligned on all 4 corners. I had my rear camber adjusted from the factory set negative 1.5° to as close to neutral as possible to reduce inner tire wear.

Thanks, I do have winter Continentals RF on 19 inch rims - just bought them, still in the shop with refinished rims! So now looking for dedicated summers nit all seasons. As of now thinking non-RF Conti Sport. Also thought non-RF Micheline Pilot 4 but those 500 dollars. Seems too big of a difference.

Having bought a car with 2 sets if wheels 6 months ago I didnt expect to drop 4 grands on tires so fast!!! Crazy!

1. Who DOESN'T get a '4 wheel alignment'?!? Duh, of course

2. You dont get to cite internet drivel....there is no 'preferred toe setting' from BMW.

The are talking out of both sides of their mouths: 'set it to the preferred settings" and also "set it in the mfgs range"

BMW HAS ONE SET OF SPECS! They have no "preferred" settings

You wont quote numbers yet you will assert your recommendations are accurate.

3. I say set it mid spec on caster and camber. If you experts feel this isnt aggressive enough for your "freeway on ramps" set it at max. You will not be able to feel the difference.

Ard, can you please clarify the 3 above. I thought I should specify the toe numbers of .02 only. Is camber and caster also adjustable on X5M E70? I have seen posts about camber on the fronts being not adjustable and greatly contributing to outside edge wear.

PS I am not knowledgeable on any of it as all this topic is new to me as I started kooking into it 2 days ago on my way from Florida when I noticed my fronts outside edges are disappearing so bear with me please...

Sure.

Caster is not really adjustable.

Camber can be 'adjusted' in the front with different control arms, so for all practical purposes it is set too. I dont recall if messing with the upper mount on the strut will get you anything.

Toe is adjustable front and rear

Camber is fully adjustable in the rear.

Here is a key:

yes, cambering a tire will create more 'pressure' on ne edge tor the other. This is conceptually easy to understasnd- 'the inner edge is wearing, that cause the wheel is cambered pushing that inner edge down'

WHAT IS NOT OBVIOUS is that 'toe' acts as a 'compounder': the tire is cambered, but then the toe acts to scrub that edge even more than if it had not been cambered.

Since we really have limits on camber- and in fact you DO want camber to help stabilize cornering- then back the toe down to almost zero. 0.01 or 0.02.

I have a track prepped 996TT, on which ive run some interesting alignments... but this can be corner balanced for pressure, and camber, caster and toe are all independently adjustable (as is shock compression and rebound)...the point being tat the E70 simply is not a race car, it doesnt have the adjustments a track car has, it doenst have the tires, suspension or get driven at track speeds. The silly "aggressive driver/freeway offramp" language that I have seen for years is simply a disservice to the majority of X5 drivers. VAST majority. Everyone wants to think they are a BMW race car driver. We arent. I mean shops will repeat all kinds of old wives tales they really truly believe: BMWs are set aggressive, just the way they are- they eat tires. or 'set it mid spec, BMW engineers do it on purpose...or the ol' 'gotta pay to play'...the list never ends.

I will come back to the fact that I give very specific numbers and do this for a reason and a rationale. To come here and say "ard is wrong", yet to offer up 'one size fits all ricerboi platitudes' about aggressive or performance alignments...and you cannot provide a SPECIFIC ALIGNMENT NUMBER SETTING on the E70 X5 to achieve this 'performance setting' is BS.

Thanks ard, so now I am clear that for a longer tire life, the E70 X5M, the camber in the rear must be mid range of the specs and the toe for both front and rear must be at either +0.01 or +0.02. These values must be the same per axel but may differ between the front and rear axels like +0.01 upfront and +0.02 in the rear or the other way around.

PS I am surprised my fronts are gone before rears. Rears look great. Fronts are gone.

I'm willing to bet, assuming that the alignment is correct, the inner tire wear on the rears is due to the factory inflation specs of the runflats. Run them around 40psi+ and you'll eliminate the possibility of rear inner tire wear.

Update
Just had 4 brand new non-RF Continental Extreme Contact Sport installed an hour ago for CAD 1,700 all in. Hope these will last at least 30k kms...
Drove home about 25 kms before going for alignment tomorrow. So far disappointed by loud tire noise. I went non-RF as expected a quiet ride - so far its rather loud.
The yellow stripes on the fronts outside edges already gone - must be big alignment problem, but the car goes straight.

Brought my 2 rear 315 RF Bridgestones HP Dueler with me as they are still very good.

Hope $2k tires will last a few seasons...the concept of multi-thousand dollar tire sets not lasting a couple of years is very new to me!

Ouch. My Pirelli's run flats were $800 for all 4 tires. Silent and smooth.

Unfortunately, CAD 800 buys just one Pirelli RFT in Toronto)))

I tend to run higher pressures that 'recommended'...especially on the fronts. not 40+, but 38ish.

Be very interested to hear what OPs alignment is at, initially. Hopefully that info tells a coherent 'story'

I run 44 psi front 42psi rear
None run flats Michelin latitude sport 3
Quiet, more comfortable than the Bridgestone duller run flats
Toe, minimum
Staggered 20"
Very happy

Chris

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My new Continentals Sport non-RF summers are pumped to 38 psi according to the sticker, as were the Bridgestones.

I usually used to pump tires to max pressure as per the tire sidewall as I like firmer ride. Then I started following the sticker + 5-10%. The Continentals side wall (as that of Bridgestones) say 51 psi.

Anyone tried driving non-RF at 50 psi? Downside?

My first impressions of non-RF Continentals Sport summer tires were too soft at 38 psi.... and too noisy compared to my high expectations.

Update
Went for alignment (and oil change) and apparently my tire rods are ceased and the front bushings are gone, which may explain tire wear as far as I read on this forum. Alignment delayed until the parts arrive. Oh, and the car started pulling to the right...parked until alignment to save those new front tires!

Oh and at least part of that noise is the driver side front bearing! Another 2gs plus))) I miss my Acura already!!!

I'm running 36psi all around and am pleased with the even wear on my Bridgestone Dueler HP tires. The tires are wearing evenly. The 315/20 run flats in the rear are looking really good after about 12K miles. I would think at a higher inflation it would stiffen the inner sidewall and exaggerate the wear? Without asking my tire installer filled the tires with nitrogen. I believe nitrogen results in less thermal variations than air.

What's the break down for parts and labor? 2k seems a bit much?

I dont recall the exact numbers and will provide as I get the confirmed quote, but something like that: Control arms with bushings about CAD 430 x2 sides, the tire rods about CAD 200 for both parts of tire rods x2 sides plus labiur for each at CAD 120 per hour, plus CAD 180 alignment, plus frint right bearing for CAD 600 inclusive labour. The quote is yet to be confirmed.

Are they putting in OE BMW parts or just no-name replacements?

OE:
https://parts.bmwofsouthatlanta.com/...126791395.html


OEM:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...er-31126791395

Aftermarket:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-31126773949?a

As you can see, price goes from US$318 to $89, from OE to aftermarket....

If im running a shop I am installing the aftermarket parts, telling you there are OEM and charging 20% over OE MSRP prices.

Enjoy!

:cool:

Thanks ard. I was told all OEM except the bearing which is OM and is apparently CAD 600 for the part only.

Waiting for Wednesday appointment - the bearing coming from West Coast.

Pumped up all wheels to 42 psi - so far on low speed it feels better - firmer with more feedback. The funny thing is that the front left was at 4 psi higher than all others after a bit of driving so didnt need to inflate that one. Now the car diesnt pull to the right as it did this morning. Same story as on my long trip. The front left must be overheating. Coincidentally, this is where the bearing will be replaced...

Whats OM?

https://parts.bmwofsouthatlanta.com/...226882263.html

USD277

There are multiple OEM and aftermarket vendors for that bearing.

600?

Man, they must LOVE you.

:cool:

Thank you ard. Much appreciated. I will be making some calls tomorrow morning as they may be ripping me off.

Dealer quote all with labour:

Wheel Bearing CAD 1,150
Control Arms CAD 2,500
Tire Rods CAD 1,700

Plus 13% Sales Tax = CAD 6,000

Wow lol:stickpoke

But why did you go to the dealer?

Holy Mackarel....

2500 for control arms? That is some kind of record price. Seriously.

They are almost surely using no-name aftermarket parts, calling them 'OEM". (See my sig for the real meaning of OE and OEM).

Going with BMW parts, it is $600 in parts and MAX 4 hours. (A good mechanic can do it in under one hour). Add the alignment.

IMO you need to leave this shop and never go back. Unfortunately, they have decided you are a mark to be screwed over. Even if you cut the prices IN HALF, it is still a screwing.

THis work is not hard nor is it particularly delicate nor does it need great skill. An easy DIY.

Find someone who isn't going to take a summer vacation in your job.

Have the car shipped down to TX. I'll do it for free and ship it back to you. It'll be cheaper. Seriously though, that's quite a rip-off.

This is the dealer quote in Toronto - nit the shop I went to. This is a part of me calling around after the shop I went to earlier quoted me 1,600 for control arms, tire rods and alignment. Plus about 800 for the front left bearring. Labour included. I had reached out to 2 other shops for quotes but they havent gotten back to me yet - all booked and too busy for now - waiting for Monday.

Called a few shops and a dealer to check if my original quote is in the ball park and the dealer was the only one who provided quote so far.

Going to garage for that alignment...Havent driven last 4 days to preserve tires. All the BMW specialists are too busy for even a quote! I firmed up the quote with my original shop and all parts are OEM except the feicking bearing that is OM - still CAD 585! Using ard's link BMW of South Atlanta it comes up as USD 370 less discount so USD 277 which is CAD 350! I should have stopped by there on my way from Florida had I known about all this and bought 4 of those bearings! Sent the link to both garage and the dealer - they charge Canadian price of CAD 585, cant help with US deals and the dealer says its back ordered from Germany 10 b. days!

I give up - will pay CAD 585. Dealer also confirmed its pricing fir parts only: CAD 565 per upper control arm/strut x2, CAD 295 per tie rod x2 and that favourite bearing of mine..as above...CAD 585, so for reference parts at dealer are CAD 2.4k plus 13% tax CAD 2.8k. My garage guote is CAD 355 x2, CAD 130 x2, and...CAD 585 so CAD 1,555 plus 13% tax CAD 1,757. I am getting charged 4.5 hrs of labour for the above at CAD 120 - strange but couldn't bring that down. Also will do break fluid flush and cabin air filter replacement while there ti feel better... and yes that alignment that originally showed up there for last week. All-in parts and labour with tax CAD 2,870. Had oil changed last week at that place ..CAD 200 with 2 litres of extra to go. Will ask for before and after print, 0.01 toe all around and neutral cumber fir the rears as per ard's advice. Hope my new Continental Sport non-RF tires will be safe AND quiet after...)

So with 2 new sets of tires I just had to replace, I am down CAD 6k in 5 months of ownership. Excludes prepurchase repairs and maintenance split between me and dealer who I bought it from. Hope to drive for a couple of years with all these new parts ))) This repair thing with BMW, while somewhat expected, is like all back to my younger years driving old cars and constantly thinking of what whole needs to be plugged first. Its no longer just a car, it is a...forced...hobby))

This makes me miss my Acura TSX that I had for 8+ years since new and just sold, made in Japan...the most reliable car I could imagine. The only think I did in addition to service was to change the breaks at 80k kms, otherwise even tires were still good!

Update
Brought in the car for the above suspension work and had the alignment reading printed before any work was done. The whole thing was so off and I just had alignment dine at Midas in February!!! Good news is that itexplains everything. The front toes were 0.49 left and 0.29 right !!! and they actually wore exactly like the numbers indicate - front left outside half tire gone in 3k miles and the right outside half was a bit better.

New struts, tie rods, left bearing, new alignment done while the engine is running and there is a person in the driver's seat - BMW specs for toes 0.05 - 0.12, and me standing right there saying 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01... ended up at 0.05 fronts and 0.08 and 0.12 rears as rears bolts are partially ceased so no smooth adjustment was possible. I am going back... already emailed them. I want smaller numbers for toes. May end up having bolts changed to get rears equal and lower.

The car drives quiet now! Feels better/tighter steering wheel feel is better as well. Comparing to how it used to feel a bit more loose, I think I can appreciate there was some play in the front suspension and steering even though not obvious.

My impression of noisy Continental Sports were faulty - it was the front left wheel bearing! Its so much quieter now! A bit mushier vs Bridgestones RF but probably this geeling will be soon forgotten. The shop suggested I deflate from 42 to 40psi all around and they did it for me. I am thinking if max pressure is 51psi, whats the max I can safely pump it too cold, given the Summer is coming? My Acura had real time pressure gauges in all 4 wheels so it was possible to check prwssure while driving, but not on X5. I recall differences in the Summer during highway drive were about 20% (235 kPa cold would become 280 kPa on a hot day while on a highway). So if this ratio holds for BMW X5 on Continental Sport, which may be very different, If I have 40psi cold, my hot pressure during Summer highway is about 48psi which is within max 51psi thoughts? Anyone has tried pumping to 42 or higher during the Summer?

I run Michelin Latitude Sport 3 non run flats on a staggered 20" setup.
I run 44psi front 42 psi rear.
Our summers here will quite often hit 40degrees Celsius
All good


Chris

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Thanks Chris, have you checked pressure while the tires are hot? Whats the max allowed? Did you feel the difference in fuel economy or anything else?

Wow, that was a horrific alignment. Glad it matched the wear.

Report how it goes.

Alignment spec for the M from the BMW TIS:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ement/AjzoC5F8

0.14+/- 0.12

Which is 0.02 to 0.26

FWIW

I haven't checked the pressures hot. Maximum inflation pressure is 50psi.
I don't think I'd be exceeding this. Good point though, next time I do a good run I'll check.
Fuel economy, I imagine would be better. Less resistance.
Most of my highway work is towing. Last trip I averaged 12.3l/100
Doing a constant 110km/hour. This is pulling a touch over 1.6tonnes

Chris

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Thanks again ard.
Indeed. I am shocked and happy at the same time as it likely means tbe cause is now determined. The printout I received show toe specs 0.05 - 0.12 for some reason.

I emailed and spoke to the mechanic who just did my alignment yesterday explained that I need piece of mind at 0.01 at all 4 wheels. Asked for new rear alignment bolts to replace my ceased bolts. He is cool, ordered the bolts and once he changes them (I will have to pay obviously) he will realign for free to the values I asked for... pheww. Now wonder how much those bolts will be)))

The car feels so quiet on a good road.. almost silent. Different kind of experience. So much more enjoyable. My new Continental Sports non RF are quiet huray!

very cool

If the mechanic is a worker at the shop, Id hand him 10 bucks, say "I really appreciate your help" or "thanks for putting up with me, it is really appreciated". If he is the owner, offer to give him a great review on yelp or wherever he wants.

Shops get the crap kicked out of them with the new online world, when they do something right, it should be acknowledged. A smart owner will recognize that an authentic review is worth a lot



Oh, to put a fork in it (alignments that is)...many times people will say 'car doesnt pull, so the alignment is fine'. Nope! Whiles yours had obvious wear signs, there really is no way other than putting it on the rack.

Great points ard re human factor and reviews. I think my guy is at least a limited partner (only him and the owner price jobs) - he was the first employee 20+ years ago since the shop opened doors. He drives a 997 4s as his summer car but money never hurt) I will hand him CAD 20 but expect him to adamantly reject it, I will try though!

Online reviews - I am all over it these days! Dont want to rush) i will give it a week or so to see that my struts still in place and they actually get all 4 wheels to the desired 0.01 or at least closer to that.

My previous alignment shop Midas already has 1 star google review, the images of my unevenly worn tires and the screen images showing front toe that is 500%+ off! The interesting fact is the that Midas' owner is a retired mechanic (from GM) and I had 0 doubts trusting him my car and his guys xompletely screwed it up. Personalities and attitudes towards quality, customer, etc. make ALL the difference.

Thanks Chris, I recall my Acura showing higher (vs stationary) pressure while moving, especially highway speeds. Also in the fast turnz, the outaide wheels were additional 1-3% higher pressure as far as I recall.

***Update***
Just had Rear Tie Rod Bolts and Washers replaced to enable more precise alignment. 4 wheel alignment redone to smaller toes o all wheels. I witnessed how not easy it is to get a precise value to two decimal points. I ended up with 0.01 for both fronts which changed to Front Left 0.00 and Front Right 0.02 while he presses print button. In the rear I now have negative toe of -0.03 Rear Left and -0.01 Rear Right.

However, what surprised me more is that its only been a 1,000km since my last alignment a month ago and my front alignment numbers moved by 0.05 and 0.02 I know because I compared todays pre-work numbers on the screen (0.10 and 0.07) to the last print out of 0.05 for bothfront wheels. Big movement. The mechanic said its normal and will always change. This means in a couple of weeks my numbers will be slightly different. Sounds like regular procedure.

You mean toe in, correct?????

My rear tires now show small negative numbers, as opposed to being small positive numbers. The goal was to get to positive 0.01 on all 4 wheels, but I ended up with a negative sign on the rears. I am not sure if the negative toe in is still a toe in or it is called toe out.

I used to run higher pressures, often at the stated limit. I probably got better gas milage and possibly tire wear. But it was at the cost of handling and comfort. At maximum pressure the contact patch is reduced resulting in less breaking and cornering limits and of course ride. I am willing to sacrifice wear for cornering and breaking.

Thanks Tomaz. You mean pumping them cold to the stated limit?

Yes, I don't do that anymore.

Just noticed a yellow sticker on the door seal stating 44psi if speed more than 100 mph. The regular sticker shows 38 as we know.

Run flats
 

I have a 2012 X5 5.0. I have Bridgestone 275 front and 315 rear run flat tires and I like them. It is a monster on the road, but likes it’s oil! I believe it is a “Sport” model and could it have an “M” suspension? Where can I run the vin to obtain a build sheet? That would tell me all of the options on the suv, correct?

I used to hate run flats until I tried Pirelli Scorpions and the P Zero tires. Both are great and ride is the same when I had the non RF ones before. The only thing I dislike is the thread wear rating of 320AA. I put 500 miles a month or less anyway i guess it will last for a while.

The sticker on my door says 32psi all around...would this be the same for RFT and non RFT?

I don't understand why all the stickers are different for these cars...they all use the same rim/tires....

I currently have non RFT in the front and RFT in the rear...

Swapped my summer wheels for my brand new run flat winter contact Continentals Contiwtntercontact SSR TS830P and love it! With 255/50/19 at belo 100km/hr they seem quieter and softer than my 20 inch non runflat summers Continelal sport! May be summers width (and lower profile) makes all the difference. Summers are a typical staggered 275/315 on 20s.

Hmm. I got 255/55/18 runflat conti winter and i consider the ride to be harsh. Cant wait for summer to buy dunlop sport max 2 non runflat.
But also, the roads where i drive are horrible.


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May be your summers are taller and narrower than 20/315?

Yes, they are and i still find the ride to be harsh. I wanted to go with 20s for summer, but i prefer comfort over the look


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This is a follow up on my post 3 years ago with a concern of excessive tire wear on e70 X5M. I followed the specs that Ard recommended vs. the ones from BMW (an my technician) and put 50k kms between 2 sets of summers and winters Continentals - both still look great. Thank you Ard for your advice!

Sweet!!! Thanks for the feedback.

having JUST replaced all my suspension and tires i'm interested in those specs. I already had my alignment done but curious how it compares.

Over on bimmerfest it is in my signature....


Alignment here: The Definitive Alignment Thread



Basically you want the least amount of TOE on each tire. Then camber and caster set at mid spec, but importanly BALANCED side to side on each axle. (dont set toe to 0.00, as it will tend to wander, but 0.01 0.02 toe in)


Pretty simple.


If you are tracking the car, well, then you know how to set up a car for track and dont need my advice. ;)


The thread is a bit long, but it is kind of a 'teach a man to fish' thread...WHY we have the specs from BMW, WHY there is so much BS and mystique around the specs. etc etc

Nice. Apparently my alignment guys read the same info. They did very much like you described.

Little enough toe I can feel it try to wander when I cross over a crown ( I can feel one or two caster wiggles, but I am hyper sensitive to it).

I have been using more toe my shop set up and the fronts have worn more on the outside as would be expected.

This is the first set of new tires I've had in six years. I've been getting 70% tread at 30% of normal price. This time 100% tread at 60% normal price.

^ nice.


When I was spending time setting up my other car for handling and track, I realized that the numbers from a car manufacturer arent some holy grail. Indeed, it is simply a quick and dirty way for them to pump out cars that arent horrible. (They track OK, and importantly, BMW can set a spec such that cars rolling off the line dont need to be carefully aligned. Likely 90-95% fall 'in the green'.)


But people treat their numbers like they were derived from countless hours of track and performance testing- to be obeyed unless you want to risk 'not getting the performance BMWs are known for"


Anyway, I run more PSI in the fronts on my front engine cars. Reduces edge wear and roll.

I have started doing the same. What PSI are you using ?


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38F/36R... Mich Lattitude HP ZP.




Oh, and no, I dont have a spreadsheet of tire tread depths to 0.01" every 3 days.... ;)

Agree 100% with the alignment specs
I run the Michelin non run flats
42 front 40 back.
Tyres last great


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+1 for RFTs. I'm at 105K miles. Had the OEM Dunlop Sport Maxx RFTs but being summer tires, compound was too soft only lasted 15K miles. Switched to the all-season OEM Bridgestone Dueler RFTs and been getting 40K a set.

I couldn't find my tires in RF for this set and I'm not looking forward to the next flat. RF have saved my butt 3 times in 4-5 years.

I bought an $1100 set of tires for $550 because they were "new d stock" and couldn't say no. If I destroy a tire and have to replace because not RF it'll still be cheaper but having to do a roadside change in a snowstorm including pulling 400-500# of tools out and back in trust me I'll stay warm from all the cussing.