My E91 with the sport suspension is currently running on older Continental ContiPro Contact SSR Run Flats (225/45 17 91H) - which I cannot stand - they have a very harsh ride and cause considerable noise in the car.

I have read through various tire threads here and I have decided to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires in the same 225/45 size.

My question is - should I go with the ZP version (Zero Pressure - Run Flat) or go with a conventional tire?

My fear is that the ZP (Run Flat) version will also be harsh and loud. I am fine with switching over from the Run Flats if it will quiet down the ride and soften the harsh ride.

What do you experts recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

I changed from the 19" run flats to Michelin Pilot sport all season 225/45. It was the best thing I could do. The harsh ride
is gone and replaced by the standard ride you would expect. Love them!

 

Ditching the OE run-flats transformed my F10 535i. I'll never have run-flats again. My next BMW will come with them, but they'll be removed as part of new car prep.

 

Laura/Autoputzer - thank you both so much for your rapid responses. Just what I needed to hear. I have gone ahead and ordered the set from Tire Rack. Thank you for helping me decide.

 

My E91 with the sport suspension is currently running on older Continental ContiPro Contact SSR Run Flats (225/45 17 91H) - which I cannot stand - they have a very harsh ride and cause considerable noise in the car.

I have read through various tire threads here and I have decided to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires in the same 225/45 size.

My question is - should I go with the ZP version (Zero Pressure - Run Flat) or go with a conventional tire?

My fear is that the ZP (Run Flat) version will also be harsh and loud. I am fine with switching over from the Run Flats if it will quiet down the ride and soften the harsh ride.

What do you experts recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

Best ride for my 650I was switching to Continental pro contact SSR for comfort, ride and performance.

 

If your E91 came with run-flats, it probably doesn't have a spare tire and jack. Bimmerzone.com and ESCTuning.com sell genuine BMW spare wheels and jacks, including kits with a mounted tire.

I dial in my tire pressures for even tire wear. I've found that Michelins need less pressure to wear evenly than Continentals, Goodyears, or Bridgestones. If Michelin makes the type and size tire I need, that's what I go with.

 

Switch to "go-flats" and never look back...Final Answer
+1 to Michelin PS A/S 4 (imo, they're really only "3 season" though, like most performance A/S tires. Stay out of ice & snow with them. Otherwise, a great tire!)

Bimmerzone.com and ESCTuning.com sell genuine BMW spare wheels and jacks, including kits with a mounted tire.

+1 ^This^. Also, modernspare.com sells decent aftermarket spare tire/kits (rated up to 80 mph). For me, it was the "gig bag" option to hold everything that really tied it all together.

Homepage

Your premier source for durable, lightweight spare tire kits engineered for your vehicle. Alloy wheels, rugged long-range tire- Search Year/Make/Model

modernspare.com

 

Get the go flats. You won’t regret it.

 

Just wanted to thank everyone again for the advice and responses. It helped me make my decision to order - they should arrive tomorrow.

Autoputzer and ctcarbonari, thanks for the suggestions on the spare tire kits and tools - those will be my next purchases - - there goes the cargo space in my sport wagon!

Patiorick88 - my car currently has the Continental ContiPro SSR tires. They are old, but I found them to be very loud and harsh. This may be due to their age, but I feel (and hear) every small bump - I could run over a mailing envelope and it sounds as if I have run over a cement block!


It sounds as if you are having a better experience with them though - again, mine are propably just too old to give a fair assessment of the tire.

Thanks again to everyone for taking time to help answer my questions!

 

My 2014 X1 came with Goodyear LS2 run flats. They were terrible and when one got a screw in the sidewall I replaced them with BFG UHP all season non-runflats. Big improvement. Current 430i Gran Coupe came with the Conti SSR runflats. Not nearly as bad as the Goodyear LS2s, but they will get replaced with non-runflats when the time comes.

 

LS2's are the worst of the worst. My 2014 535i came with them. They cured me of ever having run-flats again. My next BMW will likely come with run-flats, but they will be removed during new car prep'.

Oddly, the 2023 X1 comes only with non-run-flats.

 

Yet another customer who is very shortly going to be happy for ditching the run flats.
If I ever see another run flat, I swear I will take my pen knife to the tires. Ok, I won't, but you know what I mean, go-flat people.

 

Forget the Continentals. Worst tire I've ever owned. Went through 2 sets on a Lincoln with bad belts. Had Sports Contacts on a BMW 850 that flat spotted after a month of storage. I have Pirelli run flats now on a BMW (no spare) and like them. After 65 years of driving experience and numerous sports cars (MGs, Austin Healey 3000, BMWs) I rate Pirelli #1 and Michelin a close second. Good luck.

 

I just put on some Michelin A+S 4's after my A+S 3's wore out. I like them. They are a sporty tire so you wont check 50/60 K out of them.
I am a Michelin Man, May try the Conti DSW 's next

 

The PS A/S 4's have a DOT treadwear rating of 500. The PS 4S's are only rated at 300. I'll get 40k miles out of my PS 4S's (with a square ser-up and therefore a four-tire rotation pattern). Based on the DOT treadwear ratings, that'd be 67k miles on PS A/S 4's.

I've gone through 18 high- performance Michelins and 12 high-performamce Conti's. Stick with the Michelins.

 

Well, I had the Michelins mounted and balanced yesterday - have driven about 100 miles since. They are much quieter- and much less harsh than than the run flats. I am happy with the choice, now I need to take the advice given above about the spare tire kit. There is always something to purchase for the cars, right?!
Thanks again for the suggestions and advice.