No Winter runflat tyres in UK....
 

Don't know if anyone can help here, as i think most of the board is from the USA.

Anyway, i am on the quest for a winter tyre set up for my X6, i am currently running 20" wheels which i know there are no winter tyres for.

So, i have bought a set of 19's as i know there are 3 types winter runflat tyres made for these (same as X5 size), however, i have just found out, that they are not stocked in the UK, and only mainland Europe :rolleyes:


Has anyone in the UK got around this yet :dunno: , it was very icey last night, and my 20's were downright useless in this weather, so i must get something sorted before i go to the Alps Skiing at the end of the month.....

Can't you order those in an online tire shop, have them shipped to the UK and have them installed by your local tire-mounting-guy :dunno: ?
and why stick with the RFT? They give you a uncomfortable ride and the 150km that you can drive them when flat are useless when on a vacation trip (been there, done that...)
you might need a spare tire kit though...
or you can order them in Belgium, my tire dealer has those available (on order only of course...)
When passing through Germany and Austria, make sure you have those wintertires because the Polizei is on the lookout...

Most or all dealers in the UK buy from a wholesaler, and if the whole saler don't stock them, then they can't be got.

I've found the tyres on a US site or two, and they seem to be around $500 !!, so the parts prices seems about what i'd have to pay even if i can get them :(


I don't like run flats at all, but as i haven't got a spare, then i have no real alternative, other than carry a spare wheel in the boot for an emergency....

Not sure if one of the tyre weld kits would work on a tyre like this if i did decide to run a normal tyre, which is a lot cheaper and available here. ?? :dunno:

If it were mine, I'd skip the hard hunt of winter RFs, put on regular dedicated snows, buy a can of "Goop" or your version and run the risk...
in 25 years of running winter snows, I think I had a flat once, fwiw.
GL,mD

Yep, i'm starting to think the same, although my wife will worry every mile during the journey to the Alps :rolleyes:


Have asked for a price for shipping from USA to UK from Tire Rack

also got a friend in Germany looking into shipping some over here too.


G.

Glenn Mc
Fwiw, my wife drives our Vette, with aftermkt non-RFs all the time
and doesn't think twice about it...a cell phone covers a lot of ills.

And, the RFs are not going to get you from "nowheresville" to the local
tire store, (unless it's within ~50-75 miles), and that local tire store
that you limp to is probably not going to have a replacement RF for your E70, imo.

Just helping you with ammo for the discussion with your wife, :D

LOL, good points....

However, i'm not worried about when the car is near home, but moreso the 750mile drive to the Alps on 21st Dec, the hard shoulder on the french autoroutes can be very lonely that time of year !!:D

Will try these options 1st, if nogood, i'll wing it with the normals....


Rang a few BMW dealers up in scotland too, just to see if they had any info, especially with the weather you're in for. They said they have had lots of enquiries, but same story, no supply...

That's my point...unless one is within spitting distance of a BMW stlr
or, close to a large metro area with tire dealer(s) that might have E70
RF replacement tires in stock, the RF thing is overdone and of little comfort,
other than being able to limp home from "close in".
Good luck, though. :thumbup:
BR,mD

Yes, but at least with a RF, i could limp off of a motorway to some kind of civilisation Hotel or rest point, rather than if an actual blow out, i think i would be left stranded wherever until help arrived......

Glenn, in 46 years of driving, I've never had a blowout...a few flats,
usually discovered in the driveway or garage the next morning, but
I can count them on one hand. But, do what makes you feel comfortable.

The whole RF deal is mkting bs for Buffy to feel "safer", imo.
And, when you waddle down into "civilisation" on a RF one will have
to sit for a day or three waiting for that 275/40R20 RF tire to show up.
GL,mD

Where are you in England? You could drive to France and get some winter tyres?

Have you tried asking a BWM dealer? I know they might be expensive but I am sure it's something BMW will stock on the continent so it amy be possible. A friend of mine got winter tyres for his RS4 that way through an Audi dealer.

I would actually try BMW UK first I think as the dealer will have to go through them anyway.

BMW said they could source them through their Parts network from Germany now, but it would work out to £460 per tyre !!!!, that's silly money.

As said, i think i should be able to source them from Europe hopefully, and get them delivered.

LOL,

I know i know, you are right, the last time i had a puncture was nearly 10 years ago, i must be getting old though, as i just don't like taking chances...:D

RF are a complete nuisance for sure, they handle like crap, are more expensive and are harder to source, complete pain in the ass !!!

G.

I run the 19in 211s with the standard Bridgestone Duelers RFTs in Snowy Scotland and they manage pretty well in the snow we get. Been out in a couple of inches today and they have been fine. Engage DTC to get a bit more wheelspin on starting and use manual to keep the gears high and it copes pretty well. If you keep DTC on you get a bit of slide.....but that's just fun, but you need to be happy with tail-happiness. You just need to be looking further ahead and anticipating the situation better. Admittedly I wasn't doing 70, but that would be crazy, given the braking distances in snow.

point that occurred to me last night......

.....which part of the Alps are you going to? If you are going to Swiss alps, you might not have an option but to use proper winter tyres. I would check the regs for each country before you go.

3 valleys France.

Sorted now, found some winter runflats on www.mytyres.co.uk

shipping from Germany as we speak :thumbup: