Runflats = Michelin or Bridgestone ??
 

1). My dealer rep just got back from the Ride and Drive at the PC in Spartanburg and said that she met with the Michelin reps who were supplying the Run Flat Tires.

2). Just read a blurb off of the carenthusiast.com website "13 Nov: Bridgestone-Firestone has shipped its first order of US-made Bridgestone Potenza RE050 RFT run-flat tires to BMW for OE fitments."

So does this imply a mix bag of Tire suppliers ... Any body know ???

Hey skarletknite:
Thanks for the historical thread !!

I just went to my local BMW dealer and talked to one of the sales rep and he told me that you can NOT change the runflats tires to conventional tires on those runflats designed rims for the E70 X5, doesn't matter it's on 18, 19 or 20's, those rims are only designed for put on the runflats.

Anyone know anything about this or had different answer from other BMW sales rep?

In Canada Michelin 255/50R19 XL Latitude Tour HP ZP run flats. Standard 4.8i 19" sports package.

Certainly not a good comparison,
but my Vette's RF tires can be replaced
by non-run flats on its wheels...

no clue on new X...hard to understand
why a non-RF tire would not fit/"work".
BR,mD

I spoke at length with the Michelin rep who told me the BMW was using them exclusively for the X5's run-flats. But this is the only place I've heard that. It would be different from all of our other cars which come in with what is apparently on sale at that particular time. ;-)

You can definatelty put non run flat tires on run flat wheels. My friend did it on his 2006 330 sport. He put on michi ps2. Huge difference.

Yea, run flats can be exchanged for normal tires. Only problem may be, how does this affect your BMW motorplan and your insurance....if you're in a wreck and the cause is possibly an "incorrect tire specification" will they pay out? Here in SA, motorplan will allow a direct swop out on run flats for normal tires.

Cheers,