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Learned something about run flats today

4K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  BimmerKat 
#1 ·
I am at the tire shop replacing my right front tire, which caught a nail Tuesday morning, and the tech tells me that I may have about 6 months before I need to replace the rears. That surprises me because I've put only 3500 miles on the tires that were new when I purchased the car (CPO) in September 2011. What I learned from the tech is that in the case of run flats the rear tires last about half as long as the fronts. Perhaps others here knew about this...I didn't...so, I thought I would share this information.

Have a great Memorial weekend all!
 
#2 ·
It has nothing to do with RFTs as it is basically a characteristic of rear wheel drive. Every one of the 5 BMWs I've owned has worn the rear tires about twice as fast as the fronts - and this includes both RFTs and go-flats.

I'd find a new tire tech. (I highly recommend Radial Tire Co. in Silver Spring.)

Tom
 
#3 ·
It has nothing to do with RFTs as it is basically a characteristic of rear wheel drive. Every one of the 5 BMWs I've owned has worn the rear tires about twice as fast as the fronts - and this includes both RFTs and go-flats.

I'd find a new tire tech. (I highly recommend Radial Tire Co. in Silver Spring.)

Tom
Interesting...that's where I was (Radial Tire).
 
#6 ·
I'm surprised as I've always gotten excellent advice & good service from them over the years.
Tom
Same here, and I've been doing business with them for almost 30 years. I still feel like I got some good advice.
 
#7 ·
Same here, and I've been doing business with them for almost 30 years. I still feel like I got some good advice.
Leslie...go to Pepboys and buy a 2 dollar tread depth guage. Check your depth in the middle of the tire (lowest point). If you are at 3/32nds or higher the tires are fine. Below 2-3/32nds is replacement time. I cannot see how you need new rears when they were new and you only have put 3500 miles on them??? My 135i got 20k miles out of the rears and they were your typical BMW fare (Bridgestone RE050A run flats).
 
#4 ·
I don't buy 3500 miles for the rear RFTs...mine have about that mileage. They still have more than half their life left, and I tend to push them.

I've been using Crawford Tire (a Goodyear shop) in Bethesda the past four years for seasonalchanges to winters and back to summers. Their wheel and tire work is very good and reasonable, as is their maintenance (I actually have them do oil and filter changes between the BMW intervals). But for actual repair work they can be pricey.
 
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