yes it's unnecessarily heavy steering at low speeds (and having wider 20s with spacers doesn't help).

yes it's pretty rough compared to an MB/Lexus. I can't compare with an M3. Non-RFTs help, but not a whole lot. Neither will turning off the sports suspension.

yes it's louder than the avg luxury vehicle. It's more a sports car in disguise (heavier and more storage capacity). I appreciate the handling & styling, a lot, but that's about it.

I went from RFT to Toyo Proxes all season on my 08 X5... but really because I upgraded from factory 18s w/RFT to 214 20s and didn't want to spend the crazy price for RFTs...

I couldn't really tell the difference between 18s w/RFT or 20s non-RFT...

the 20s were not harsh at all, took the bumps well and had awesome traction for both winter (snow) and summer trips.

I do mostly city driving and trust me there are tons of pot holes here...

In comparison, my wife's CRV is more sensitive to these bumps and they hurt.

for my 2012 I plan on swapping the stock RFTs for Toyos again as soon as I can...

hope any of this makes sense and helps at all...

OMG. "RFT" is not a SINGLE tire model...it is a class of tires. To think all models of RF tires, and there may be 20, are all the same in terms of ride, is saying every non-RF toyo, michelin, Cooper, Goodyear, Pirelli, etc, are all the same.

To be helpful, tell us what each of those "RFT"s actually were!

He knows that. He was referring to the stock 18" RFTs from factory. OMG. You are the single most annoying forum poster I've ever come across and I've been on many forums since 1998. Congratulations.

Go get you rotors changed, will you?

The is no such thing as "one" 'stock RFT. There are three (?) different RFTs from the factory. Twit.

guys... there is one stock RFT that comes with each wheel type from the factory... I don't recall having the option on the online configurator of selecting a different type of Run flat tire...

people usually swap them out to something else but this is considered special order and they pay extra for it... in that case the sky is the limit on options...

RFTs in general have harder sidewalls and thus a bit firmer in the handling dept... but that's the trade-off if you plan on driving them 50 miles per hour on a "flat" to get to your preferred station...

I'm told RFTs are also not repairable and you can't plug them.. they will have to be replaced entirely.

the cost to replace them doesn't justify the means or the trade-off so I will be swapping them out as soon as I can...

get the spare tire option...swap out your RFTs if it really bothers you and enjoy your ride..

in the meantime look for my RFTs on ebay this spring...:D

It actually sounds like you want to defend yourself - that you don't believe you are really that annoying. I don't know how that's possible.

Secondly, did you want him to state which RFT is softer or harder than which other RFT and give arbitrary ratings on stiffness? He said the 18" RFTs he has are harder than non-RFT he has. Are you saying non-RFTs can be harder than RFTs or are you just nitpicking on something there was nothing to nitpick about? Which part of his stated opinion was wrong?

And since you like to correct others' wording so much... well start with your own reply there.

None of the above is true. Tires come from various suppliers, and which arrives on your vehicle will be random, for all BMWs. You cannot "special order" a tire brand.

Run-flats can be patched just like non-RFTs.

To the OP: Search for my review of the 20" Toyos. They address all of your issues with the Dunlops, and are a relatively inexpensive solution.

I had one in my 2006 330xi during a road trip to North Dakota last year. It ended up being a cracked wheel. While I was somehow able to complete the trip before the tire began losing a significant amount of air I was really wishing I had a spare tire when I was 30 miles from the nearest town. I doubt I'll have the same problem with my X5 as the 3-series has incredibly harsh suspension (at least the earlier years). I was constantly worried about wheel damage with the 3-series but the X5 handles road imperfections significantly better.

While I like RFT's and plan to keep them I would like the option of a spare tire (I have the 3rd row seating in my X5 and the 3-series doesn't include a spot for a spare).

I can't answer the reason why but this has been a characteristic of the X5 since it's introduction. At least that's what I read when I was reviewing the purchase of my 2000 X5.

My 2007 has the sport package and the 19" wheels fitted with RFT's. I don't mind the ride quality. Perhaps it's because I'm so used to getting beat up in my 2006 330xi :D I guess it's all what your expectations and preferences are. Perhaps you can find someone in your area who has a non-RFT equipped X5 you could take for a test drive?