Just had a new BMW 320d touring for a week. What a fantastic car. Absolutely loved it except ....

Those terrible run flat tyres on 18" rims   

It was definately on my short list,but I'm not spending a fortune on replacement wheels & tyres. It really did sound like the wheel bearings had gone,it was that noisy. My Fabia VRS has been lowered with H&Rs and it's still quieter than this.

 

I know the benefits of run flats,but can't for the life of me understand why BMW don't have an option for conventional wheels & tyres. Shame. Great car otherwise 

They do have the option

Buy the M varient (no run flats)

All you need to do is tyre change time get non rft's on the stock alloys and carry a can of tyre foam

They do have the option

Buy the M varient (no run flats)

All you need to do is tyre change time get non rft's on the stock alloys and carry a can of tyre foam

 

Hmmmm ..... 

I had a Z4 and it was transformed when I changed to non RFTs

The suspension is designed to work with the RFTS sticking none RFT can upset it

Mine doesn't have run flats, it has a factory spare Seems quite common around the bmw forums etc that people can't stand the things. 

I used to worry that I would spin it at motorway speed. The mild additional pitching from the car because of different less wooden tyres was easier to live with. I found the 265ps performance wasn't enough so just punted it in against a 86ps Roomster

My last car was a 1 series with the run flats, at the time when I needed to change the tyres my insurance at the time wouldn't let me fit std tyres. They gave me two reasons but only remember 1' " classed as mod to the car" . I do believe they now allow it now.

The only problem with swapping to none run flats I have come across is if driving in main land Europe and you have a puncture fitting a standard tyre to a run flat rim is a big no no and then they will not fit just one tyre if it doesn't match the others.

Just had a new BMW 320d touring for a week. What a fantastic car. Absolutely loved it except ....

Those terrible run flat tyres on 18" rims

It was definately on my short list,but I'm not spending a fortune on replacement wheels & tyres. It really did sound like the wheel bearings had gone,it was that noisy. My Fabia VRS has been lowered with H&Rs and it's still quieter than this.

I know the benefits of run flats,but can't for the life of me understand why BMW don't have an option for conventional wheels & tyres. Shame. Great car otherwise

I think your reaction is a tad strong, and probably exacerbated by you being new to the car.

I have run flats now on a new BMW and it's true that the ride seems a little harder and there is road noise.

If the trade off is that I have zero concern for punctures and I lose the weight of the spare wheel,which must play it's part in getting me 62.8mpg out of a car with 184bhp, then it doesn't seem a massive sacrifice to me.

Most bmw drivers acknowledge that the new run flats are definitely better than the early ones, although you can delete them when placing the order if you want.

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The only problem with swapping to none run flats I have come across is if driving in main land Europe and you have a puncture fitting a standard tyre to a run flat rim is a big no no and then they will not fit just one tyre if it doesn't match the others.

The rims are the same, no?

Either way, they're crap. Ruined my 330, so glad they're gone now!

The rims are the same, no?

Either way, they're crap. Ruined my 330, so glad they're gone now!

some are some aren't the bead channel can be deeper or the lip is higher.

I think your reaction is a tad strong, and probably exacerbated by you being new to the car.

I have run flats now on a new BMW and it's true that the ride seems a little harder and there is road noise.

If the trade off is that I have zero concern for punctures and I lose the weight of the spare wheel,which must play it's part in getting me 62.8mpg out of a car with 184bhp, then it doesn't seem a massive sacrifice to me.

Most bmw drivers acknowledge that the new run flats are definitely better than the early ones, although you can delete them when placing the order if you want.

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The weight of me swapping to non rft's saved 25kgs in tyre weight over the 4 corners

That cover a spare wheel / jack / wrench. So no difference in weight really

The weight of me swapping to non rft's saved 25kgs in tyre weight over the 4 corners

That cover a spare wheel / jack / wrench. So no difference in weight really

You're lucky you had somewhere to fit a spare wheel.

The One Series doesn't have the room in the boot for it as the battery and other electronic bits are in the lower boot area.

I thought the other Bmw models would be the same. What model is yours?

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I don't have a spare

I have a can of foam and an AA membership.

There is no space for a spare in my boot either

(E90 3 series)

When i had my 1 series i swapped to Goodyear runflats and they were much better.

I think your reaction is a tad strong, and probably exacerbated by you being new to the car.

I have run flats now on a new BMW and it's true that the ride seems a little harder and there is road noise.

If the trade off is that I have zero concern for punctures and I lose the weight of the spare wheel,which must play it's part in getting me 62.8mpg out of a car with 184bhp, then it doesn't seem a massive sacrifice to me.

Most bmw drivers acknowledge that the new run flats are definitely better than the early ones, although you can delete them when placing the order if you want.

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My reaction isn't strong at all.

Fact of the matter is, I have driven 4 different cars (all in the same price bracket) and although the BMW is (as I clearly mentioned) a great car and I absolutely loved it, it is not an option now as it's WAY noisier then any of the others. The Audi A4 for example is absolutely miles smoother and there's virtually no road noise even with the 18" wheels the car I tested had. Also, the Volvo V60 was better and so was the Mercedes C220d.

 

My wife has no interest in cars, but as soon as she got in the BMW and we drove off, she said "what's all that noise"  :think:

Edited 10 May, 201412 yr by jonny boy

I know they ruin the ride quality and all that, but on a fast car, i think id live with the compromise.

A blow out at 100+mph, and they could save your life. Could they not?

I know they ruin the ride quality and all that, but on a fast car, i think id live with the compromise.

A blow out at 100+mph, and they could save your life. Could they not?

 

I think that there's a deal between BMW and the manufacturers. 

Just how many people do you know have had a blown tyre at 100+ mph?

I've done over a half million miles in my time and had nothing more than a slow puncture.

Hmm depends what car we're talkin. Bmw do do some quick cars.

How often do you go above 100mph? Hmm depends what model youve got and how quick your driving is. But if you did have a blow out, is much prefer a bit of a safety net than non at all. Could keep it under control.

My mate was on about taking the run flats off his gtr. Until he read about a blow out at 120mph with them, and the guy kept control no problem. Could easily die at those speeds.

On a normal run about i wouldnt be bothered, but on something fast. Id prefer the extra bit of safety too

Avoid the M-sport and they're ok (apart from being unfixable, expensive etc)

 

SWMBOs 116 has them but she has the base non sport model on 16" and they're not too bad.

I know they ruin the ride quality and all that, but on a fast car, i think id live with the compromise.

A blow out at 100+mph, and they could save your life. Could they not?

 

I had one at 80mph in my old MK2 Octavia, scary as hell. Front tyre just fell to pieces at 80mph in the outside lane of the motorway, luckily managed to coast to the hard shoulder with the car vibrating badly and virtually no steering. Turns out I ran over a small piece of debris (it was dark and raining) which shredded the tyre as another car pulled up behind me also with a flat.

 

I have also winessed a rear tyre fail three cars in front at 70mph, the renault clio went into a dance and finally spun round in the carriageway thankfully not hitting anyone.

If they were so safe and the amount of blow outs were of a real concern we'd all be fitting them to our cars and the manufacturers would all be fitting them too. BMW are not the only cars that go over 80mph !!  Nearly every car can do over 100mph these days.

 

Back on topic, they ruined an otherwise great car. That's a fact.

As with everything, they have their advantages and disadvantages.

They certainly do add safety to a high speed blow out though.

Why everyone doesnt fit them? Arent they mainly in low profile tyres? Are they more expensive? Obviously it makes the ride harsher, which manufacturers might not want to do.

They come standard on some fast cars. Ferrari f430, nissan gtr etc (im not sure what others). Cars that are designed for high speed

My last car was an E90 330d M Sport, 55 reg. It had non run flats but I did carry around tyre-weld in case of a puncture.

In my opinion, too many sensors on the car, and just too pedantic as a liveable, loveable car. Look great though.

Bmw very stupid to remove the spare wheel well,hopeless they are!