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BMW 5-Series Tires and Wheels

132 messages,  Last post on Dec 12, 2012 at 4:44 PM

You are in the BMW 5-Series Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 5 Series, Car Safety, Tires, Wheels, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 13 of 14

#116 of 132 Re: Simple Solution [atalaya505] by laurasdada

Apr 10, 2012 (10:43 am)

Replying to: atalaya505 (Apr 09, 2012 10:55 pm)
Hi: Boston and surroundings. Roads range from lovely to Beirut-ish. Probably like most locales. The Bimmer is the wife's car, so I know not what she actually encounters in her daily commute. She doesn't let me drive it much, but I like my AMC Matador just fine... We did just replace the BMW windshield, however. Of course, pay big $ for tire/wheel insurance and the windshield goes! Straight line crack, under rear view mirror. Like an underline of the black shaded area.
 
I checked with my tire shop prior to the purchase, they recommended the insurance, they thought the price wasn't too bad for 5 years. They noted many BMW, Audi and Saab wheels come in. As well as the stinkin' RFTs. So, against my usual beliefs, we bought the insurance.

#117 of 132 Wheel and tire insurance by lawcar

Apr 10, 2012 (11:57 am)

Replying to: laurasdada (Apr 10, 2012 10:43 am)
I had a 2009 528i with regular wheels and never had a problem. I really liked the car, but wanted something different and got a 2012 Mercedes E350 sport trim which has the 18" wheels. I heard that larger wheels are more prone to damage and with many potholes in Los Angeles, was also recommended to get the insurance, which I did for $1,500. I figured if I never used it, I would be fortunate and spent a few bucks that I could have saved. If I didn't get it, and had to pay $600 per wheel, I would have cursed myself. How much was your wheel and tire insurance?

#118 of 132 Re: Wheel and tire insurance [lawcar] by laurasdada

Apr 12, 2012 (9:33 am)

Replying to: lawcar (Apr 10, 2012 11:57 am)
A little less, I think a little less than $1300 for five years. 20/20 hindsight, I might have self-insured, but the wife wanted it. Her car, she has all the money, too! It's only been 7 months, but so far, no issue.

#119 of 132 Re: Simple Solution [atalaya505] by techman9

Apr 14, 2012 (7:54 am)

Replying to: atalaya505 (Apr 09, 2012 10:55 pm)
When we hit the pothole on I40, it sounded and felt as if we had slammed into an iron bar. A real "bang". Very loud, very abrupt. Reverberated through the entire frame of the car. I would love someone to tell me that this was just the jolt being transmitted through the stiff run flats. But, it sure sounded and felt like we had bottomed the suspension -- hard.
 
You are absolutely correct in your description. I have never experienced this event in another car, an it is rather unsettling. I tried to explain this to four different dealers to absolutely no affect.
 
By any chance do you have the adjustable suspension? I always suspected that was the culprit.

#120 of 132 Re: Simple Solution [techman9] by atalaya505

Apr 16, 2012 (9:16 am)

Replying to: techman9 (Apr 14, 2012 7:54 am)
No adjustable suspension. As far as suspension/wheels/tires goes, this is a base 535xi. We put our money into things like the Comfort seats with ventilation and message that make a huge difference when your standard long distance driving day is 13 hours.

#121 of 132 Re: Simple Solution [techman9] by atalaya505

Apr 16, 2012 (9:40 am)

Replying to: techman9 (Apr 14, 2012 7:54 am)
NEW INFORMATION
 
Turns out my pothole on I40 didn't just take out a wheel. It knocked the alignment out of whack as well! Front and rear several degrees out. Three hours work and $435 to put it right! So, the total cost is not approaching $1100.
 
My essential question is whether the suspension is really bottoming, or if the impact transmitted through the RFT tires is so loud and sharp that it just FEELS as if the suspension is bottoming.
 
I am certain that BMW tech people could answer my question. But they refuse to make any comment or voice any opinion. So I am left with trying to talk with anyone else I can find who has more experience with these cars than I do.
 
In this past week I have talked with several Bimmer owners who have told me that their cars (previous-gen 3 and 5 series) also had impacts so hard and sharp that they thought the suspension was bottoming -- hard. BUT, when they switched to non-RFTs it became clear that the RFTs had been the problem. With conventional A/S tires, their cars still hit harder than other cars they have driven, but the impact no longer shudders through the entire body.
 
This is leading me to think that I may try an expensive fix to try to save this car: spend the money to get the Conti Extreme Contact DWS's mounted on BBS wheels with flow rolled rims (which should make the rims virtually as hard as those on forged wheels without going all the way to the cost of fully forged wheels.)
 
Total cost, including a spare wheel and tire and a jack, would be nearly $4K -- and I cannot be certain that it will fix the problem. But, the only other choice would be to take the hit of replacing a less-than-one-year-old $64K car.

#122 of 132 Re: Wheel and tire insurance [laurasdada] by mxyzhang

Aug 28, 2012 (5:20 pm)

Replying to: laurasdada (Apr 12, 2012 9:33 am)
Hi, I paid $1435 for my 2012 528i T&W Protection Tier 2. I feel like I overpaid it, and hesitate if I should cancel it within 60 days. If anyone could share the experience will be much appreciated. My 528i has regular 17" tire. I drive much less than 8K mile a year I believe as I normally take the company coach to/from work.

#123 of 132 Re: Wheel and tire insurance [mxyzhang] by busiris

Aug 31, 2012 (6:09 pm)

Replying to: mxyzhang (Aug 28, 2012 5:20 pm)
Your "protection" plan really isn't anything more than an insurance plan, and as in all insurance plans, it's based upon the idea that it will bring in more revenue to the provider (insurer) than the outgoing costs (replacement wheels and tires).
 
So, the first thing you need to think about is how often in the past, recent or distant past, that you've had damaged wheels and tires. That will give you a general feeling about the value of the plan.
 
The mileage you drive comes secondary, unless its in areas you don't normally drive in or aren't familiar with...
 
On the plus side, you have 17" wheels, which gives you more sidewall height, which translates into more cushion for the wheel when you do hit a pothole. As wheel diameter increases, so does wheel damage, on average. Your experience may differ.
 
So, IMO, if you have never had to replace a wheel, and your last flat was 15 years ago, you might do better banking the money and taking the risk. OTOH, if you spend considerable lengths of time at the local tire repair shop, you might want to keep the protection.
 
Good luck in whatever your choice ends up being!

#124 of 132 Re: Wheel and tire insurance [mxyzhang] by atalaya505

Sep 01, 2012 (2:50 pm)

Replying to: mxyzhang (Aug 28, 2012 5:20 pm)
It depends entirely on where you live and where you drive. If you drive almost exclusively on smooth, well-maintained roads, at 8K miles per year you will probably never have any problems.
 
My situation is different. I drive 20K miles per year on roads in the west that have heavy truck traffic. Lots of pot holes. The runflats are COMPLETELY unsuited for this sort of driving. A single pothole cost me over $1000 to replace a wheel and tire and get a full 4 wheel alignment.
 
I resolved our problem by replacing the OEM wheels and tires with five lighter, stronger, OZ wheels with Conti DWS all season tires. It cost $3000 and the full sized spare takes up a lot of trunk room. But it absolutely transformed the car. Ride, handling, noise, and comfort all significantly improved. Unsprung weight considerably less. Total weight (including a jack) up by only a few lbs. Potholes that previously caused a big "bang" that made the car shudder now pass virtually un-noticed.
 
Here is a simple test: if you encounter situations in which your car slams into potholes as if it had hit a steel bar, it is only a matter of time before you lose a tire/wheel or more. If you don't, you will probably be OK.
 
I will NEVER buy any car with runflats again. They might make sense for someone who drives on smooth, well-maintained roads and never wanders far from service (as in Germany). They are un-suited for people who drive away from civilization in the U.S. BMW's are MUCH better cars without run flats. BMW should have made run flats an option in this country.

#125 of 132 Re: Wheel and tire insurance [busiris] by atalaya505

Sep 01, 2012 (2:59 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Aug 31, 2012 6:09 pm)
Past experience with non-runflat tires is NO predictor of how you will fare with run flats. Before run flats, I had been driving almost exclusively on 45 profile tires for almost 20 years and had never had a tire fail due to an impact.
 
Driving on the same roads at the same speed with BMW 45 profile runflats was a nightmare. I previously had had no idea how bad the roads I regularly drive on are.
 
When I switched the BMW to non-runflats and lighter, stronger wheels, it was like getting a new car. Impact noise is WAY down. Ride and handling are better. And, the pothole problem completely went away. It is like I am driving on different roads.

Messages Page 13 of 14

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