Z4 RFT's or Non RFT's

I just bought a well kept 2003 Z4 3.0 6 speed manual trans. 48,000 kms. I need to replace original Bridgestone Run Flat Tires, wondering if rims will accept non RFT's and it's O.K. Also what brand of tires are most owners using. Thanks in advance for advice, for this newbie.

Definitely go with non-RFT's. I use Michelin Pilot Super Sports for ultimate performance (better all-around than any other street tire), and Sumitomo HTR Z III for low-cost daily driver tires that still grip well enough to compete in the max performance summer category.

Its a topic that almost always comes up with a newbie. I did it too. Get rid of the run flats, get a mobility kit and enjoy the car. Do a search on run flats and you will find many many threads before you.

Almost always you are going to find that any tire will be a improvement over the run flat feel. On my 1st 04 Z4 I went the Kumho AST ESP's. On my M I like the Conti DW. A good place to look is Tire Rack and 1010 Tires to do side by side comparisons.

regards.

Strongly agree with the replies - dump the RFTs, have Michelin Pilots SS as well. No problem with mounting. Carry an airpump and sealant (you never know) on-board. On long trips back to NE-Boston, I carry a spare, jack etc.

Welcome aboard....suggest using the search button or for a wider search of all the Z4 forums use Google...there are thousands of comments and opinions including mine...bottom line is the majority will advise what you are reading here...I'm a conti DWS guy for my needs in the PNW.

In March of this year I bought a 2004 Z4 2.5i from a private party with an incredible 18,500 miles on the odo. CarFax and the local dealer verified the mileage and the service record. Everything checked out OK but I was a little leery of the tires. It had the original Bridgestone 16 in. RFTs, and they were in great shape but my concern was with the age of the rubber. When I checked the tire code on the tires I saw that they had been manufactured in 2003, making them a full 9 years old. I kept imagining them flying apart on one of my 80mph freeway runs.

After a lot of research on this and other forums and several online tire companies, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase a new set. I ended up replacing the tires with the Bridgestone OEM RTFs. Why? Well, I didn't want to carry a spare or a jack, nor did I care to service a flat tire on a road with an aerosol can. Lastly, I read that Bridgestone had greatly improved the problem with the rigid sidewalls with their 3rd generation RTFs.

After having driven my Z4 for 5 months on 1st generation RTFs I knew what the ride was like. Now with the new tires I can honestly say that the ride is completely different. Quieter, smoother and much better grip on wet roads and in tight turns.

While it is a distinct possibility that non-RTFs may have given me a better ride I am convinced that the ride I'm getting now from these Bridgestones could not possibly get any better. And that doesn't even take into consideration my piece of mind in knowing that the rubber meeting the road is less than 2 months old.

As time goes on and the miles pile up I will be in a better position to judge these tires and my decision. But for now I'm a happy camper.

If you want to keep runflats, improve the ride, and have an all season tire, consider the Bridgestoned Potenza RE-960AS run-flat. I had the earlier non-run-flat version and really liked them. The new run-flat version gets great reviews from Tire Rack.

I will probably put them on my current Z4, when the Conti's wear out. I have to say that The Continentals are a lot better than the OEM Bridgestones.