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Non RFT options for the 2013 X3 28i

3K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  Doug in NC 
#1 ·
Hi - I'd appreciate your advice on a good brand of tires to replace the factory RFT. If I ever get a flat I'm reluctant to spend $400 on another RFT. I think I'd rather just buy a new set that I can repair anywhere.

Also, do I have to buy the same exact size as what I have now, which is 245/50 R18 100v ? Can I get one that is 245/45 or 245/60 ? The new tires would have to be all season.

Do you know what effect the non-RFT's will do to the Tire Pressure Monitoring system, if any ?

Thank you in advance !
 
#2 ·
Run flats can be repair as well.

Usually you can go a bit wider or narrower, but you cannot change the aspect ratio unless you go much wider. Bottom line is, you need to maintain the same sidewall height so your speedometer will be accurate.

Non run flat will not affect the TPMS, the main difference is the safety issues and the lack of an spare tire. Non run flats usually ride softer as well.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I think all of my Bimmers came with Michelin's - a French hi-end brand. For the past 12 years I've been driving on Continental tires (German brand) and I don't think I will ever go with any other brand. They make all kind of tires, a regular and a RunFlats.
My new X3 is about to arrive and it may not come with Continental's, it may come with hard, heavy and noisy Pirelli's, which I hate. So, it should take me a year or so to switch to Continental's - probably non RunFlats.

http://www.continentaltire.com

Continental would be my preference.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for the replies. The car has Pirelli's now and I thought that if flats were repaired it would void the warranty on the tire and BMW would find fault with that. I have Michelin LTX MS on another SUV, and absolutely love them. Have over 80k on them and they still look good. They hug the road really well. Unfortunately Michelin's aren't made for the X3. Which Michelin and Continental models are you using ?
 
#7 · (Edited)
Michelin and Continental, both make great tires in hundreds of types and sizes including yours 245/50 R18 100 V.
I haven't been using Michelin for a long time. Check these Continental tires if you have a chance (Consumed Reports selected these Continental tires as the best and I will be buying one of these within a year):
-Continental Extreme Contact DWS
-Continental Extreme Contact DW
-Continental Pure Contact

Best and Good luck.
 
#9 ·
Tirerack's website is a great starting point. Check out their tests/surveys for ratings in the categories that are important to your driving needs. It will give you a good gauge of how each will perform.

Have your priced RFT's lately? The cost differential is nowhere near where it was 3 or 4 years ago. You can get great tires in the $200 range They are lighter, less harsh, and perform extremely well for daily driving. Plus you don't have to worry about hassles with spares, hoping that the sealant seals, or messing with it under dangerous conditions. (The latter was important to me because my wife is the primary driver and she can drive to a safe area if necessary.)

I seriously thought of switching out the RFT's on my E93. But after extensive research, I decided to go with the B'stone 960's. Glad I did because they are terrific.
 
#11 ·
Slightly off-topic since the following refers to RFTs.

Contrary to BMC_BMW, our 2011 came with the 18" Pirelli P7 All Season RFTs and I thought they were fine. Indeed, at 30,000 miles, I'm replacing them with the same. I suspect the Michelin and Continental tires are also just as good. Just drove a 2014 X3 loaner with 19" Goodyears and didn't like the ride but also didn't try any extreme maneuvers either.

FWIW, I stuck with the RFTs since it's my wife's daily driver and I didn't want her to have to deal with a flat. The RFTs greatly reduce the chance of that, albeit at increased cost and risk of replacement problems while on longer trips. Ride and handling seem, to me, to be on par with non-RFTs, certainly not harsh in any respect. Of course, my daily vehicle is a 96 Ford Bronco with big Bridgestone mud and snows which handles like you'd think and highlights every road irregularity with a lurch and a bang...

One thing to note, if you decided to stick with the OEM RFTs and are trying to maintain the exact "factory feel", is that you want to use the BMW spec tires rather than the generics or tires based on some other manufacturer's specifications. BMW spec tires are marked with a 5-pointed star on the sidewall. Tires built to other manufacturers specs are marked with different symbols. See http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=23.
 
#20 ·
I just replaced my noisy OEM run flat Pirelli tires with Michelin Primacy MMXM 245 50 18. The Pirelli had 30,000 miles on them. I rotated them every 6-7k miles and they were down to the wear bars.

The Michelin are not run flats. I now carry a pump and sealant kit that is about the size of a hard cover book and fits nicely in the storage area under the mat in the back. Hope I never have to use it. I don't think I've ever had a flat on the road, and I've been driving a very long time. I usually discover my flats in my garage overnight.

So far I love the Michelins. I've always had excellent results with Michelins on my other cars. No road noise! The X3 is now very quiet. The ride seems a little smoother, but not a marked difference. Perfectly balanced.

My X3 did require an alignment. Sometimes it would pull a little to the right due to the crown of the road. That seems to have gone away with the alignment.
 
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