Run Flat Tires

First off, thank you one and all for the info here, I've learned more about my X5 tonight than I have in the past 2 years I'v owned it!

Now regarding tires:
I asked my dealer about changing to non-run flats (since I have a spare) and I thought he was going to have a coronary!
He went into a tirade of how "the suspension is tuned for RFT's, you'll ruin the car's ride with non-run flats", etc etc...
Then i did the unthinkable and said, "but I read on the internet that....." I think I actually saw a little foam forming around his mouth.

Is there any validity to his claim regarding suspension tuning and the possibility of poor handling with non-run flats?
Thanks everyone.

I put non run flats on my 2011 and my 2012.. Vredestein Sessenta. And now have installed Vredesteins on my 2013 Cayenne.. In my opinion ,there is not a better tire made. These tires have changed the vehicle for the better in every way... On my 3rd set....

You asked a dealer?? These guys are- at best- sycophants who repeat what crap BMW feeds them...usually they are just lying idiots.

He doesnt know WTF he is talking about.

What tires ARE you running now?

Originally Posted by ard

You asked a dealer?? These guys are- at best- sycophants who repeat what crap BMW feeds them...usually they are just lying idiots.

He doesnt know WTF he is talking about.

What tires ARE you running now?

This.

You will find the facts on the forums....look to the dealer for fairy tales.

I'm currently running the Bridgestone Dueler run-flat.

I'm currently running the Bridgestone Dueler run-flat.

Thanks ard

i actually switched to non run flats ... Continental DWS ... highly recommended by my tire guy (Bill @ Princeton Tire .... great guy) .. absolutely love them ... quiet and handles great

Non Run Flats handle BETTER than Run Flats. The suspension absorbs bumps better, due to their lower unsprung weight. The vehicle will accelerate and brake (marginally) better, due to their lower rotational mass. Non-RFT's almost always have softer sidewalls than RFT's so the ride will improve. (My X5 actually rides better on my non-RFT snow tires than on my RFT summer performance tires). Plus non-RFT's cost less.

So why does your dealer lie to you? Maybe because BMW won't allow him to stock and sell non-RFT's (at the typically grossly inflated dealer prices), so he knows if you mount them he will lose the chance to bend you over when they wear out.....

EDIT: To be fair, there IS one time when RFT's will handle better than non-RFT's: Namely, when you have a flat. BFD.

Frankly, there are benefits to both RFTs and non-RFTs. Depends what your priorities are.

If I was constantly driving in an area where I'd potentially be running over small objects or nails (ie. new construction zones), RFTs would be the choice.

If I just commute to work and back in a relatively well-established neighborhood, or take it downtown and avoid any construction areas, I'd opt for non-RFTs just for the more quieter and comfortable ride they offer.

That said, I don't trust the roads enough ANYWHERE so my choice would be RFTs for safety reasons. If I wasn't carrying my family in the X5, I'd opt for non-RFTs but for peace of mind, I'd rather make sure I get the family from point A to point B safely every time without worrying about the possibilities of flat tires. Granted, there are still risks around RFTs which I'm aware of.

Are there any other quality RFTs made by other manufacturers (like Pirelli) that are decent or is Michelin the only one that makes a good quality RFT?

Ours has RFTs. My wife is the primary driver and I'd just assume she has a tire on there that will reduce the chances that she has to pull over to call AAA, or wait until I get there to change the tire.

Originally Posted by janmurph

First off, thank you one and all for the info here, I've learned more about my X5 tonight than I have in the past 2 years I'v owned it!

Now regarding tires:
I asked my dealer about changing to non-run flats (since I have a spare) and I thought he was going to have a coronary!
He went into a tirade of how "the suspension is tuned for RFT's, you'll ruin the car's ride with non-run flats", etc etc...
Then i did the unthinkable and said, "but I read on the internet that....." I think I actually saw a little foam forming around his mouth.

Is there any validity to his claim regarding suspension tuning and the possibility of poor handling with non-run flats?
Thanks everyone.

Is there any validity to his claim? No.

Originally Posted by ccieurzo

Consider the Continental Extreme Contact DWS as well. Great wet performance and very good in the dry as well. Surprisingly good snow performance for an A/S tire, though that is probably less important to you.

So far my short experience with the DWS has been great too. Excellent ride quality, much softer on those thumps your referring too (I have a covertte too, I know the run flat thump you're sick of). Once I changed over I was amazed how much better I felt the ride was on the X5.

Another odd thing I can't explain well, the run flats in the staggered 20 inch setup loved to fall into the highway grooves made by the heavy trucks around here. It almost felt like you were fighting the car from drifting in and out of the indentations on each side of the lane. The wide tires of the corvette do the same thing, so I never thought much of it. However, After switching to the DWS, the car doesn't fall into those groves the same way. I can pleasantly and loosely hold the steering wheel and not fight it from drifting left and right, in and out of the road indentations. I didn't expect that difference in the switch but it's oddly noticeable.

Replacing mine today
I have the original bridgestone dueler hl tires on my car. I've put a lot of highway miles on my car. I bought it new in 9/2010 and got 52k out of them, even passed inspection with them 2 months ago. Drove over a curb last night, tire pressure light came on and the right front tire looked low. I then continued to drive approximately 30 miles at 35-40 mph till I got home. Did some research and decided to stay with the run flats. This is my first BMW and it just occurred to me that every other new car I have bought was delivered with terrible tires that lasted barely 15K miles. So I decided to put the exact same tires on the car. Picking it up later today. Spending 270 per tire.
________________

My car is booked in for next Tuesday to swap out the stock Dunlop SportMax's for Conti DWS.
This is what we did with the first car and we were really pleased with the DWS. Ride better and plenty of grip... More grip in cold wet conditions for sure.

Originally Posted by quackbury

Side note (but an important one). It's great that you have the spare, but have you ever tried jacking the X5 up with the factory scissors jack? Do yourself a huge favor and try it this weekend in your driveway. Now imagine doing a tire change with this POS at night, in the rain, on the side of the road. At the VERY minimum you need to carry a 3' by 3' plywood pad. A floor jack would be even better, but who wants to drive around with a missile like that in the back?

Heck, just demounting the wheel can be a challenge when it freezes to the hub. How many of us carry a big enough mallet with us? And jack stands? I would NEVER risk whacking away on a frozen wheel if the X5 was supported by just the factory scissors jack. But how are you going to mount the spare otherwise?

In some respects, RFT's aren't such a bad idea after all.

I would also recommend taking off each wheel and covering your hubs with anti-seize. This will prevent the frozen wheel issue. I do it every season when I swap my winter/summers and I have not had a frozen wheel since my 540 M-sport. Great insurance for 45 min of work. If you are not equipped or have the ability to do this yourself, buy some anti-seize and bring it with you when you get you new tires or when you get you wheels balanced and they can put it on for you

Lol............

Originally Posted by ard

You asked a dealer?? These guys are- at best- sycophants who repeat what crap BMW feeds them...usually they are just lying idiots.

He doesnt know WTF he is talking about.

What tires ARE you running now?