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BMW 3-Series Run Flat Tires

3108 messages,  Last post on Apr 21, 2013 at 1:52 PM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Tires

Messages Page 291 of 312

#2896 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [Mr_Shiftright] by boston303

Jul 03, 2011 (12:50 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 03, 2011 9:20 am)
...Correction. They don't know until they have to replace them at 15-20,000 miles at the tune of roughly $250 per tire. I can guarantee that they know then. Then they are shell shocked with the very poor performance and unreasonable cost.Did they know this when they bought the car? Clearly not. They bought this car for it's reported status and no longer because it actually functions better than a Ford. (oh, fine pick another car).. The point is those people would hardly no the difference. The ultimate driving machine with an automatic (which the vast majority of cars sold in the US are) is an oximoron; sad to say. BTW my daughter is on her way to a THIRD set of run flats for her Mini which has onlt 46,000 miles on it and has run snow tires for three winters since 2006. So her tires did not even average 15,000 miles. I no of no other way to say it than this is simply pathetic. BMW and Mini should be totally ashamed of their design and decision. Of course it takes forever for German engineers to admit they are wrong....

#2897 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [Mr_Shiftright] by busiris

Jul 03, 2011 (1:06 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 03, 2011 9:20 am)
Who has had a flat in the last 5 years? Not me. Sure it happens, but when's the last time you saw anyone on the road changing a tire?
 
Yesterday. On I-85, in SC.
 
Ove the last 3-4 years, my wife has had 2 flats (on RFT's-repaired in both instances) and my younger daughter had a flat within 2 weeks of me buying her a new set of tires... Fortunately, it was repairable as well.
 
Years ago, when I was much younger, my father told me to never stop along the side of the road to change a tire... just drive on the flat to the next parking area/exit ramp and change the tire. Back then, most cars had inexpensive steel wheels, so ruining a wheel wasn't too pricey.
 
On a modern car, especially such as a BMW, a replacement wheel can easily run $500+ alone, and adding a replacement tire can add $150+ to the mix, so in many cases I would suspect the car owner to be reluctant to continue onwwards with a flat. Of course (to me, anyway) my life is worth $750-1000.
 
  
Fact is, most buyers don't even KNOW their car has run-flat tires.
 
I agree... Overall, we probably have the least educated car-buying-public that I can remember in my lifetime.
 
For the majority of new car owners...As long as it starts, and the ride is smooth, nothing else matters.

#2898 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [boston303] by busiris

Jul 03, 2011 (1:03 pm)

Replying to: boston303 (Jul 03, 2011 12:50 pm)
FWIW, my wife got 50K miles out of the original RFT's on her 2005 MINI, so I know its a reasonable possibility.
 
And, no, she doesn't drive like a blue-haired grandma, either.
 
But, I also know that many drivers get far less mileage...

#2899 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [busiris] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jul 03, 2011 (2:22 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Jul 03, 2011 1:06 pm)
Do you live next to a nail factory?

#2900 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [Mr_Shiftright] by busiris

Jul 03, 2011 (3:12 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 03, 2011 2:22 pm)
No, but my wife works at a local hospital, and it appears that they have been doing non-stop construction there for the last 25 years.
 
While I can't be sure, I suspect that's where she found (finds) the tire stabbers...
 
The SC DOT has a mobile car repair service that runs along I-85 between Greenville and Spartanburg, SC (where I live, very close to the BMW plant). Its very common to see (in fact, its probably more rare NOT to see) the techs out changing someone's flat on a daily routine, especially during rush hours...
 
Personally, I think the local tire centers pay someone to go out casting nails, screws, etc. along the highways... Brings in a lot of business...LOL!!!

#2901 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [Mr_Shiftright] by srs_49

Jul 04, 2011 (7:43 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 03, 2011 9:20 am)
Well, I've had maybe 5 tires go flat on me over that last 5 or 10 years, though only 2 required a changeover on the side of the road.
 
1. One was piece of metal (looked like part of a seat belt clasp) that tore a slit in the tread. Had to replace the whole tire.
2. Second one was when I rubbed a section of broken/jagged curb leaving the plant and cut the sidewall. Again the entire tire had to be replaced. (I think was was when I started paying for road hazard warranty).
3. The other three or so incidents were caused by nails or screws that caused slow leaks, so I noticed the tires losing air and was able to get them fixed before they went flat. In fact, one of them was on my 2009 G37 which came from the dealer with a slow leak (nail or screw).
 
Even with all those, I'm still not a fan of RFTs.

#2902 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [srs_49] by busiris

Jul 04, 2011 (6:45 pm)

Replying to: srs_49 (Jul 04, 2011 7:43 am)
Given the option of RFT's or GFT's (with spare) on my 328i, I probably would have opted for the RFT option, but I would also have purchased a spare as well.
 
That way, if I was displeased with the RFT performance, I could easily switch over to GFT's. As it was, that choice wasn't available...

#2903 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [busiris] by boston303

Jul 05, 2011 (2:49 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Jul 02, 2011 10:15 am)
Yep, you probably also have an automatic transmission.. Didn't occur to you to ask about tread life, noise or cost when you bought the car, right? That would answer your comment about not caring. You never knew. Learning that tread life is 30 to at best 50% of go flat tires, yet replacement (and there is no fixing these tires as can be done on go flat tires..) costs are more than double the cost of go flats didn't even enter into your decision as you had no clue!! I bet you wear BMW logo clothing too.. The choice in tires is related to one's use of the car the climate conditions and comfort. BMW has relegated these factors to a one size fits all agenda which flies in the face of what BMW has represented since its' inception. The "M" series with stick shifts are perhaps still close to the roots of BMW... Anything less is as you said "not an issue" you buy the car for the historic rhetoric nothing more.. I'll send you an emblem..

#2904 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [boston303] by busiris

Jul 05, 2011 (6:01 pm)

Replying to: boston303 (Jul 05, 2011 2:49 pm)
Wow! Someone has an attitude!
 
Seeing as how my wife has owned a Mini since 2005, equipped with RFT's, I'm well aware of their characteristics and limitations.
 
And, you should check your facts, along with that attitude you are sporting. She has had 2 RFT's repaired.
 
But, why let little things like facts get in the way of your opinions?
 
BMW builds what sells, like any other company. Just because you don't like the direction the company has taken in no way make it the wrong direction.
 
I would bet most of the investors in BMW don't have any problem with their business decisions...

#2905 of 3108 Re: Are the Michelin RFT's better? [busiris] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jul 05, 2011 (7:38 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Jul 05, 2011 6:01 pm)
I bought a MINI because it was such fun to drive. I threw away the RFTs immediately (and good riddance to noise and foul-handling) and fixed as many of the factory defects as fast as the aftermarket could develop the remedies. It wasn't the perfect car, but I worked to make it better. Had I wanted a trouble-free, worry free transportation module, we all know where to go for that.

Messages Page 291 of 312

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