[Mason Hatcher]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

He seemed to indicate it was the EVs that were no longer getting run flats, so I asked a question to clarify. Idiot! No need to respond. You are now on my ignore list. My patience for idiots like you on this forum is over. After 17 1/2 years on this forum I’m now up to a total of ten. Five added just this year.

Well aren't you special...

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by UPSROD

This is a M3 forum and no M3 has ever had run flat tires!

This is a Bimmerpost Universal forum and it covers all Bimmerpost forums.

[wtwo3]

In my experience, runflats are more prone to blowouts and bubbling. So yes, in some situations you can drive home on a damaged runflat - but you're also more likely to get damage on a runflat, and not all of those situations will it be driveable. Literally every single car I've ever had with a runflat has had bubbling or a blown tire. I recall my Infiniti back in the day, the runflat blew out and I was not able to drive on it. My wife has had issues with runflats as well.

The folks here trashing runflat tires aren't exaggerating, they're truly horrendous.

[bayarea328xit]

We've had run-flat tires on 3+ cars over the past 10+ years. I've never had a bubble (or any other defect) develop on a run-flat tire. As for noise, it is so dependent on tread pattern, depth, tire model, etc. (see link), it would be interesting to see the same model tire in run-flat and non-run-flat compared for noise (db and frequency distribution) when both tire sets are new.

Over the past 5 years, my spouse has had 3 flats/severe leaks (driving 12k mi/yr) and our kid had a flat in the first two months of driving - I'd rather have them drive home than change the tire (which they would have to learn) or wait for roadside assist.

The incident with our kid involved them swiping the roadway curb at 35 mph. The impact resulted in a 1" tall (radial) tear *and* a 2" long (axial) tear in the sidewall. Even with this much damage on the run-flat, we were able to drive our X5 for 10+ miles at 25-30 mph - home and dealer. We could have driven more, if needed, albeit at the 25-30 mph speed. I didn't feel safe driving at a faster speed.

Personally, I'd just change the tire and be on my way - for them, I don't want them to deal with the hassle or safety issues.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by Nai1ZuTe

What you described is pretty much the only pro of a RFT. On the other hand they are noisy, uncomfortable, kills range, prone to bubbles and expensive to replace. I'm glad BMW listens to customers and get rid of them (or pretty sure they have a side too, so at least win-win). But I agree the best option is to offer both and let customers decide

My 135is came with runflats standard. I initially attributed the harsh ride to the suspension but after I decided to go with some summer tires, the ride was so much nicer. I will admit though, I had run over something which put a hole in my front right tire and was able to get to the dealer on the runflat tire instead of needing a tow.

[bayarea328xit]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Runflats suck

EDIT: To add on the arguments about their wife being stranded. If no runflats BMW would have a spare and I sure as hell would teach my wife how to change a tire, we're in 2023 now come on. And if she's that incompetent then roadside assistance can come change it for her.

There are two components to consider - competency and safety. I think you can teach anyone to change a tire safely - that's not the main issue. The bigger issue is safety - time of day and location of flat when a tire swap is required.

Personally, I'd rather my spouse or kid just drive home and deal with it later.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by bayarea328xit

There are two components to consider - competency and safety. I think you can teach anyone to change a tire safely - that's not the main issue. The bigger issue is safety - time of day and location of flat when a tire swap is required.

Personally, I'd rather my spouse or kid just drive home and deal with it later.

Yeah you're right I get what you mean, sometimes you pull somewhere where it's not safe, some roads are really not designed well with a very small shoulder or non existent even. But even though it's not a run flat tire, you can still drive a bit on it and move into a safer location, might ruin the tire at worst and can't repair it but meh.

[celsdogg]

My most pertinent experience with runflats:

Wife and I both like to drive. Sometimes we make road trips with her F30 and my F22 with our kids running commo with radios between the two cars.

We did this in summer of 2022 heading to Philly for BMW's Ultimate Driving Experience (their annual autocross and test drive their new cars event). Merging back on to the interstate after stopping for lunch, her F30 idrive goes off because a run flat has lost all pressure.

We pull off into an abandoned hotel parking lot and assess the damage. I get the tire off (I keep an E46 jack set in these F chassis') and find the sidewall on the inner side has blown out. Not quite fixable.

Going through our options we knew we were not making the event. We packed everyone in the 2, got home and dropped the kids off and loaded up another set of wheels, drove back and swapped and then made it back home near midnight.

Was it nice that my wife could keep driving and pull over somewhere safely? Yes.
Would the side wall have a bubble if it wasn't a run flat? Perhaps.
Would we have been able to keep moving forward if we had a spare? Yes.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by Mason Hatcher

Well aren't you special...

him and dontatello should have a competition for how many people they can ignore

[MJBO]

Originally Posted by UPSROD

This is a M3 forum and no M3 has ever had run flat tires!

This thread is in the General section.

[infinitekidM2C]

i love run flat tires. so comfy and great at the track

[Caveno]

Run flats have rubber “spare” in the tire. As such, there is less room for air so typically would run at higher pressures which cause a rougher ride and faster tire wear. I got a flat once without a spare and yes it sucks.

However, it’s very rare to get a flat on a properly maintained tire.

Also, with the mild hybrid battery in the trunk, there is less room for a spare.

Not having a spare sucks, but having rft sucks even more imo. I ordered my 24 760 specifically without run flats. To each his own I guess.

[No one]

Originally Posted by infinitekidM2C

i love run flat tires. so comfy and great at the track

They love you too!


I do appreciate the fact my run-flats let me give a comfortable consideration to repair, putting it off till one of those days. And very particularly, the fact they let those lowlifes who stick nails/spikes under them go fuck themselves! Also, I inflate them only once per season.

Not much grip - I don't have much power. Noisy - not too much for me and my winter run-flats are quite quieter than the summer ones, by the way.

To the subject, if I have to. Why is BMW moving away from offering what I want? They must mind their business which isn't necessarily offering the best for me, quite obviously. I don't really care if they follow those who disagree or just suit themselves.

[zx10guy]

Had the runcraps on my 135i from the factory. To echo everyone about how horrendous these tires are, here are my experiences too. Mine also developed the sidewall bubble. Also, because they sidewalls are so stiff, the runcraps caused two of my 261 style wheels to be bent. I remember exactly the spot in the road that caused it. Wasn't a pothole. Was a slight lip where there was some road work and a hastily done patch. A normal tire would have just transmitted some shock into the car and kept going. The runcraps made it feel as if I run my car into a curb. So I had to get the wheels straightened. Next was my experience at Costco where the techs didn't know how to properly remove runcraps with the stiffer sidewalls. They ended up damaging all 4 wheels.

Never again. I just have the BMW emergency tire kit in my trunk.

[10"]

Run flats are total garbage. MORE prone to flat tires than regular tires—in my old 135 I got so many flats I couldn’t keep count and driving on run flats is straight up scary after they go flat.

I keep a full size spare in my 1M (summer tire in the winter, then winter tire in the summer) and it’s been fine—-

[NYBulldog]

On my personal car I refuse to put them on. But on my wife’s car, I won’t have it without runflats. They are ridiculously expensive in 21” but worth my potential headaches. So are they trash? Yes and no answer. Do I have them? Yes and no answer. They have actual use and a safety net to avoid “one of those calls”. But for a true performance ride, probably not the best selection.

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by No one

They love you too!


I do appreciate the fact my run-flats let me give a comfortable consideration to repair, putting it off till one of those days. And very particularly, the fact they let those lowlifes who stick nails/spikes under them go fuck themselves! Also, I inflate them only once per season.

Not much grip - I don't have much power. Noisy - not too much for me and my winter run-flats are quite quieter than the summer ones, by the way.

To the subject, if I have to. Why is BMW moving away from offering what I want? They must mind their business which isn't necessarily offering the best for me, quite obviously. I don't really care if they follow those who disagree or just suit themselves.

I love your prose.

[Z K]

I'd rather have a spare tire and jack in the car. If BMW includes a spare, like 99% of other cars from other manufacturers without run flats, then that is fine.

For people like my wife who don't know how to change a spare, they can call AAA or me to assist.

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by Z K

I'd rather have a spare tire and jack in the car. If BMW includes a spare, like 99% of other cars from other manufacturers without run flats, then that is fine.

For people like my wife who don't know how to change a spare, they can call AAA or me to assist.

I'm fine with going commando. AAA is only a call away innit?

[RobotDoctor]

I have owned two cars since 2012 both without a spare tire, driven about 140,000 miles between the two and have experienced zero flats. I owned a Volvo S60 from June 2012 to this past March with non run flats and drove that car to just shy of 128,000 miles. Count maybe 200 rental cars with 15,000-18,000 driving miles during this time also with zero flats. I am running run flats on my F36 as they came with the car when I purchased it this past March. Add to the comfort and fuel efficiency degradation the run flats have I seriously doubt I will go back to run flat tires. I definitely understand those who want the added security with run flats but my experience is moving me to not put run flats on my F36 on my next tire purchase.

[geko29]

Originally Posted by RobotDoctor

I have owned two cars since 2012 both without a spare tire, driven about 140,000 miles between the two and have experienced zero flats. I owned a Volvo S60 from June 2012 to this past March with non run flats and drove that car to just shy of 128,000 miles. Count maybe 200 rental cars with 15,000-18,000 driving miles during this time also with zero flats. I am running run flats on my F36 as they came with the car when I purchased it this past March. Add to the comfort and fuel efficiency degradation the run flats have I seriously doubt I will go back to run flat tires. I definitely understand those who want the added security with run flats but my experience is moving me to not put run flats on my F36 on my next tire purchase.

Similar story. We have four cars, and in 2018 traded the last one with a spare. With the recent replacement of the factory RFTs on the Q7, we are now running non-RFTs with no onboard spare on all 4 cars.

Unlike you, I've had plenty of flats--par for the course when running low profile tires on Chicago's shitty roads. But what I have NOT had is a single flat tire that could not be reinflated and driven on. I keep a portable inflator in the trunk of every car, and that will get me home, where I can put on one of the winters while the summer gets repaired.

[Twinturbostroker]

While RFs have there benefits, I prefer the alternative.