UUronL

Two reasons. One, BMW has way more experience removing and working with RFTs and their rims. The machines are probably better suited to their rims and the OEM tires as well. Two, when they screw up the rims, the BMW dealer will make good on it without a fuss (they messed up one rim when they replaced my RFTs for the STB "roar" issue) and it was super painless and zero argument to get it corrected.

It's $45 per tire to mount with "all the trimmings" at my dealer. Even if an NTB or a different shop charged half as much (it wouldn't be that low in my area - DC Metro), the savings are still way less than the repair cost of one rim (and the process would be way more of a hassle).

UUronL

Didn't know about the rebate. Darn it!


My car came with a jack and a spare, so no worries. Did BMW stop doing that? I know in other markets (non-USA) they weren't putting spares and jacks in the 5 series when it came with RFTs, but at least when I bought mine, the car came with the spare and jack kit.

This is useful because the manual states the max distance is 150 miles on a punctured RFT - that is with 1 or 2 passengers and no luggage. The range is much lower with more passengers and a heavier load of cargo. The spare is handy if you need to exceed that range.

skunkd

Number 1 a tire is a tire rft or not. Number 2, tire shops only do tires all day long how would bmw have more experience when no one brings their cars to dealerships for tires on a regular basis. number 3 45 dollars is what I pay for all 4 tires mounted and balanced.

But if your comfortable I guess that's all that matters

UUronL

Except a RFT is -much- harder to get onto and off of a rim without damaging it. Equipment, tools, training, and experience are king. The BMW dealer should have this in spades.


Because BMW's bread-and-butter car, the 3 series -all- come with RFTs, and they are commonly found on many other models. I reject your blanket claim that no one has tires replaced at the dealership. Countless folks here have had their RFTs replaced for free at the dealer. Also, many folks just purchase their tires and have them mounted if the dealer tells them they need them. Also, see above about familiarity with BMW rims, "correct" equipment, tools, training, and experience.



Good for you. Like I said I live in the DC Metro area. Our labor costs are grossly inflated here. I couldn't get 2 tires mounted and balanced at a generic local shop for less than $50 more than 15 years ago.



I am. I gladly pay for peace of mind. The hassle I avoid is more costly than the extra money I spend. As Heidi Fleiss would say, "money is meant to make your life easier".

sputnik

I live in Malta, EU,
The roads are terrible here! So tyres get a real telling.
I had two runflats punctured and repaired sucessfully.
The garage I go to just remove the offending puncturing object which always is a nail or screw
They insert a tool and introduce a rubbery twine and just cut the extra off. Not even have to remove them and they held great. I done a couple of thousands with them.
Recently fitted four Eagle runflats which had done just a few hundred miles and were fitted by a
siutable equipped garage- but they are displaying the puncture alarm every couple of days
one of them partciularly is deflating faster. They are in impeccable condition, no cuts or visible punctures but I can`t find out why they are deflating. Any suggestions?

skunkd

Most likely a slow valve stem leak or the tires bead seal is bad causing a slow leak. This is not uncommon and a simple water test will show you where the leak is coming from. I would suggest going to your tire shop and explain your situation and ask them to do a water test to see if the valves need replacing or the tires need to be reseated.

luigi524td

+1 especially if the TPMS have been on the wheel for some time or swapped from one wheel to another. There is a repair kit with new gaskets available.

russdx

i absolutely love my run flats, here in the uk its always wet and rainy and horrible so (only once so far lol) you get a puncture you really dont want to be changing the tyre in the wet and cold ur self. so much easier to drive to local garage

hoopsrob

The Sumitomos I am buying are $116 each.


FYI, Tire Rack is shipping them directly to my BMW SA at the dealership, who is expecting them (I called him to let him know). They'll be mounted on Thursday.
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I have not tried Sumitomos yet but am in the market to replace my RFTs soon.

On your link, it looked like they performed very well---would you agree that the handling and road noise are good??

Did you go same size all around or bump up the rear tire size?

JoDoSt

No you didn't! This has to be the 1st ever Heidi Fleiss reference in a BMW, or any other car for that matter, forum.