Run Flat or Not to Run Flat?
 

I'm on my third set of tires since I bought my X5 74,000 miles ago.

I'm pretty ok with that especially since i use winter tires all year.

I used Michelin Lattitude HP RFT’s for yearsc(two sets), and while 4-season performance was great, the ride was really awfully harsh, and they are an expensive tire.

I’m half way thru a set of Pirelli Scorpion Plus non-RFT’s, and I like them. The Rude quality is vastly improved, and the tires were less than 1/2 the price of the OEM Michelin RFT. I have a non-BMW mobility kit in the car, and carry a full size alloy X5 spare in my enclosed trailer (Michelin Lattitude HP RFT).

I am never going back to RFT.

John

Thanks for the help!

Hey everyone, I finally had some new snow tires mounted to our X5 30i. The original Bridgestone run flats were nearly totally worn below the limits, totally worn!

I went with the only snow tire available in the m-sport sizing for our car:

285 45 R19
255 50 R19

The tires are VREDESTEIN WINTRAC PRO XL. So far, the difference is night and day. The car rides smooth like butter and like a normal car again. There is no snow in sight in Southern Connecticut yet, but will report back with performance once we test them properly.

I'll be refinishing a set of style 223's for the Summer, with Bridgestone Dueler HP Sport (Performance Summer) tires. These wheels are very limiting in tire choice options, but I do really like the styling that pairs with the M-sport package.

Just a thought....


Even if you cannot carry a spare (due to 3rd row of your car doesnt have a location)...having a spare tire AT HOME in the garage can be a great strategy for dealing with a flat.


1. On a long trip, if you arent using the rear seat, you can toss it in.
2. If you get a flat locally, a family member can drive it out to you. (Instead of getting flat-bedded to a tire store, and having to buy 'the closest they had in stock'.


Next time you get new tires, keep the one with 'legal tread'...then hunt for a one-off rim in classified....


FWIW.


Regards,


Mr. Belt and Suspenders.


;)

Run Flat or Not to Run Flat?
 

Funny timing!

I'm hoping to pick up my next car tomorrow. It's 08 and comes with the BMW mini spare!

I told my wife less than 20 min. ago that we can take my spare with in a garbage bag on road trips with her car (now that her car no longer has run on flat tires).

100+ agree on the keep a spare I'm the garage idea. Wife works about 50 minutes commute and we have tow reimbursement with our insurance.

Also due to availability when I bought her new tires I ended up with five. (found set of 3 and 2 no singles). Historically I've lost one tire each set of 4 so I'm ahead of the game.

Agree it's not a bad idea to have an extra tire. But some people don't live in a house and live in a city (big apartment garages-- don't let you store them and most smaller buildings might not have garages). I'm on 105K miles of RFTs the past 13 years--never any issues.

Finally, got rid of the Bridgestone RFT's, I put on some cheap Winrun tyres. I thought anything had to be better than the Bridgestones and I was right; these cheap tyres are far better, smoth ride, good handling, quieter, no more tramlining. I have no idea how long they will last, but at less than half the price of the old tyres I don't care.
I carry a portable pump, a can of tyre repair, and am looking around for a small but capable jack and a spare for trips.
BMW should be ashamed for putting rubbish RFT's on their cars.

Mike

Ive always had ROF tires on my X5. The last set was Goodyear Eagle runflats. In almost 200k mikes I’ve had 2 flats and both were a result of the Goodyear tires blowing out at the corner where the sidewall meets the tread. Both times the tire shop had to order the tire with a several day wait. My theory is, since the sidewall is so stiff, it concentrates stress and the tire fails there. This last tire change I went with non-run flat Pirelli Scorpions. The improvement in ride quality is like having a totally different car.
Yes, it was nice to be able to drive 15 miles to the tire shop when the tire failed, but then again, a non run flat tire wouldn’t have failed in this mode.