[TEV///]

My dealer said that there was no spare because the ZHP option came with run flat tires so there is no need for spare and BMW does not supply one for cars with run flats.... but I read some posts that talked about the pressure of the spare tire and run flats and I am now wondering if the dealer gave me the run around..

thanks
tony

 

[allaboutme]

My 330i ZHP did come a space saver spare wheel/tire combo--thing tire, steel wheel.

And my car also has Michelin Pilot Sports, so they are definitely not run flats. There's a chance your dealer swapped tires/wheels with another car because I've never heard anything about BMW putting runflats on the performance package. What tires are on your car? If they are not run flats then that's the first sign the dealer has lied.

 

[Chris90]

Could be different for ZHP coupes, but i doubt they have run flats.

 

[Rich_Jenkins]

No run flats in 03? :dunno:

Space saver/steel wheel for me too. Maybe due to differential wheel sizes... again, :dunno:

 

[BoyScout]

From everything I have see the ZHP coupe does not come with runflats, and it does include the little doughnut spare tire.

 

[mkh]

Only the new generation models (E90 and 6-Series) come with RFT. None of the E46 does.

 

[SpeedFreak!]

NO run-flats... as all have said... you get the do-nut spare... had to use mine yesterday.
Only 3 series with run-flats is the E90.
I find it unlikely that they "lied" to you... (always funny how that's the first and immediate assumption)... much more likely that they were mistaken. It astonishes me how quickly new/old CA will just blurt out a "guess" regarding what they think the situation is... with out being sure or taking the time to find out. I'm not saying that it's ok... annoying more then anything... but that is most often the case.
By the way... great job by Roadside Assistance! The first guy sent to help me showed up within 30 min... but didn't know he was suppose to come inside to get me so he tried to call me, but my phone was at my desk... not on me. He left, I called a couple of hours later asking them where the hell they were... (which is when I found out they had already been by long ago...) she had some one at my car in 5 minutes... yeah, that's right... 5 minutes!!! :thumbup:
He was a perfect gentleman... had the tire changed in about 5 minutes... and I was on my way! :thumbup:

 

[icemanjs4]

As stated above ZHPs do not come with run-flats and they DO come with doughnut spare tires.
The dealer is probably just uninformed/misinformed. What probably happened is the dealer once looked under the mat of a ZHP trunk and saw what appeared to be an empty hole for the tire. The tire is actually under that plastic cover.

What irks me is that the dealer's should know these things. Especially for a 3-series which is their bread and butter car. Even more especially on a 7yr old model line. I can understand some screwups with the new E90 - but they should know the E46 better than they know their own kids.

 

[Flex]

My 2003 ZHP has the spare donut tire. No run flat tires. Just the same ole standard set.

 

[brkf]

My dealer said that there was no spare because the ZHP option came with run flat tires so there is no need for spare and BMW does not supply one for cars with run flats.... but I read some posts that talked about the pressure of the spare tire and run flats and I am now wondering if the dealer gave me the run around..

thanks
tony

mine came with a spare. i used it within the first month of ownership (June 03). that flat was a real treat...nobody had a replacement and even bridgestone said none were forthcoming. yeeha. After a $400 ass-raping by a local dealer, I was back on the road.

 

[SpeedFreak!]

What irks me is that the dealer's should know these things. Especially for a 3-series which is their bread and butter car. Even more especially on a 7yr old model line. I can understand some screwups with the new E90 - but they should know the E46 better than they know their own kids.

Now that is the truly sad part. In my experience... there are usually 1-2 CA's that actually know their product. With in the first 3 months... I was "that" guy. Now, rather then learn it for themselves... I'm the guy that everyone comes to for product knowledge. Sad how lazy people tend to be.

 

[bmw330pp]

What irks me is that the dealer's should know these things. Especially for a 3-series which is their bread and butter car. Even more especially on a 7yr old model line. I can understand some screwups with the new E90 - but they should know the E46 better than they know their own kids.

:stupid: It really bothers me how many BMW dealers as a whole have employees that don't have the slightest idea of what they are selling. :tsk:

 

[iateyourcheese]

ZHP comes with a donut spare and steel wheel? Is that b/c the wheels are different sizes?

I was shocked to find the "spare" in my 330i. Not a spare at all... same tire as the rest of the car (Continental) on the same alloy wheel. I expected a cheap steel wheel. Guess I have a spare in case I ever rub mine on a curb.

 

[RSPDiver]

Could be a combination of things, I suspect:
-Marketing (i.e. weight savings, blah blah blah...)
-different size wheels
-uni-directional tires fitted to many of them (Pilot Sports)

I don't plan on ever using the spare, unless things go really bad. I purchased a ///Mobility kit for the car, which should fix most small leaks from minor punctures. The pump is handy, too.

I'm curious if run-flats would even be available for very low profile tires, like on the ZHP models. Doesn't seem like there would be much sidewall to offer for the construction of the run-flat "bolstering" (for lack of a better term).

 

[icemanjs4]

I ended up taking a risk. I took out the tire and wheel coverage for the car. I got it for 200 and change. Seeing as how one tire can be more than 300 dollars, and that's not even including the rims, I thought it was a worthwhile investment. I've had multiple flat tires on my previous car. If I ever get a flat I'll be one happy camper (they even have roadside assitance). If not, I blew a little money but had peace of mind.

 

[mkh]

I'm curious if run-flats would even be available for very low profile tires, like on the ZHP models. Doesn't seem like there would be much sidewall to offer for the construction of the run-flat "bolstering" (for lack of a better term).

Yes they do, such as those in the E90 sport package.

 

[allaboutme]

ZHP comes with a donut spare and steel wheel? Is that b/c the wheels are different sizes?

I was shocked to find the "spare" in my 330i. Not a spare at all... same tire as the rest of the car (Continental) on the same alloy wheel. I expected a cheap steel wheel. Guess I have a spare in case I ever rub mine on a curb.

You have a full size wheel!?!?!?! :bawling:

 

[Mapman]

My CA said that my car (a lowly ZSP) came with a temporary "donut" spare. Imagine my surprise when I found another 68M with a real tire mounted on it in the spare well. I guess that the Car Salesman gene rarely gets combined with the Car Guy gene.

 

[iateyourcheese]

You have a full size wheel!?!?!?! :bawling:

Yeah. I don't know why they included the same wheel, though. My wife's car (Subaru) has the same tire but mounted on a steel wheel. That makes sense to me. But who throws in an expensive, identical alloy wheel? :thumbup:

 

[bluskye]

bmw is cheaping out with the newer models. My 2001 came with full sized Type 44 spare. People are shocked. I laughed at my friend with his C32, and no spare or run flats. Ghettooooooo.