DONUT SPARE TIRE
12-06-2005, 08:58 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by katheikia' post='207919' date='Dec 6 2005, 11:19 AM
I got a flat tire yesterday 100 miles from home. I hit a pot hole coming off the Goerg Washington Bridge. As soon as it happened I felt the front tire go thump-thump-thump. The I-Drive display also said Flat-Tire!. I drove slowly in the snowy traffic to the nearest rest stop to have a look. When I looked closely at the front tire, I saw a 3inch rip where the tire meets the rim. So I decided to call BMW assist. They told me to wait at the rest stop for someone to come change it with the spare in my trunk. One hour later the tire was changed with the stupid donut that comes with the car. Problem is that you can only go 50 miles per hour with that tire, and I had to go down the turnpike for 100 miles in the right lane going 50mph with my hazards on. Not a very good experience. I cant understand why a $70,000.oo car comes with a donut spare. Anyone know how much a new bridgestone run-flat will cost me. I originally thought I would be able to finish my trip in the run-flat, but when I asked the BMW-assist man, he said yea but what if the tire falls apart, your better off with the spare. 
Trust me, those tires can take far more than 50mph for far longer than indicated. I generally procrastinate quite a bit - back in the late 90s I had a car that I ran around on the skinny tire for about 3 months - going 70-80 every day to and from work. My boss ended up yelling at me to get the thing fixed before I ended up in a ditch.
Come to think of it, I ran that very same car several times on that skinny - at various points on the car (it had come with some Goodyear crap tires that seemed to be dry rotting very quickly). I also went so long with one headlight that eventually the second one went out on me... I drove home for about a week at night with the high beams on because that was the only light I had. Funny stuff.
12-06-2005, 09:27 AM
#12
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Originally Posted by katheikia' post='207919' date='Dec 6 2005, 11:19 AM
I got a flat tire yesterday 100 miles from home. I hit a pot hole coming off the Goerg Washington Bridge. As soon as it happened I felt the front tire go thump-thump-thump. The I-Drive display also said Flat-Tire!. I drove slowly in the snowy traffic to the nearest rest stop to have a look. When I looked closely at the front tire, I saw a 3inch rip where the tire meets the rim. So I decided to call BMW assist. They told me to wait at the rest stop for someone to come change it with the spare in my trunk. One hour later the tire was changed with the stupid donut that comes with the car. Problem is that you can only go 50 miles per hour with that tire, and I had to go down the turnpike for 100 miles in the right lane going 50mph with my hazards on. Not a very good experience. I cant understand why a $70,000.oo car comes with a donut spare. Anyone know how much a new bridgestone run-flat will cost me. I originally thought I would be able to finish my trip in the run-flat, but when I asked the BMW-assist man, he said yea but what if the tire falls apart, your better off with the spare.
12-06-2005, 10:28 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by Freewilly' post='207940' date='Dec 6 2005, 12:04 PM
Feel sorry for you about your experience.
If you are driving a 550, your car must be less than 2 months old. But on positive side, you only need to replace 1 tire, for someone that has 10000 miles on their tires, they have to replace 2 or 4 at the same time.
If you are driving a 550, your car must be less than 2 months old. But on positive side, you only need to replace 1 tire, for someone that has 10000 miles on their tires, they have to replace 2 or 4 at the same time.
12-06-2005, 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by katheikia' post='207919' date='Dec 6 2005, 11:19 AM
I got a flat tire yesterday 100 miles from home. I hit a pot hole coming off the Goerg Washington Bridge. As soon as it happened I felt the front tire go thump-thump-thump. The I-Drive display also said Flat-Tire!. I drove slowly in the snowy traffic to the nearest rest stop to have a look. When I looked closely at the front tire, I saw a 3inch rip where the tire meets the rim. So I decided to call BMW assist. They told me to wait at the rest stop for someone to come change it with the spare in my trunk. One hour later the tire was changed with the stupid donut that comes with the car. Problem is that you can only go 50 miles per hour with that tire, and I had to go down the turnpike for 100 miles in the right lane going 50mph with my hazards on. Not a very good experience. I cant understand why a $70,000.oo car comes with a donut spare. Anyone know how much a new bridgestone run-flat will cost me. I originally thought I would be able to finish my trip in the run-flat, but when I asked the BMW-assist man, he said yea but what if the tire falls apart, your better off with the spare.
Interesting, I also got a flat and also when I've got of GWB and my 545 was 3 month old and the rip was about 2-3 inch long and the same location as yours. The difference is that though RF warning came up the car was absolutely drivable no bad sounds, no change in handling. So I drove it for 2 days (less than 40 miles altogether) before I replaced it. Dealer wanted $450. I've got one from tirerack for $285 + $30 for installation. What is strange though that in your case the RFT feature did not seem to work at all. The car should've been drivable even with no air and multiple cuts. That's what self-supporting (run-flat) tires are about, aren't they?
12-06-2005, 12:38 PM
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Just curious, you had to wait 1 hour for someone to come and change your flat? Any reason why you couldn't do it yourself??
12-06-2005, 12:59 PM
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...damn that suxx... but dont feel TOO bad, $85K and no spare and no donut possible on my baby, the darn battery and fuse electronics are stored in the wheel well!!! 
...dont know what BMW was thinkin when they designed the electrical system on the E63 
...dont know what BMW was thinkin when they designed the electrical system on the E63
12-06-2005, 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by katheikia' post='207919' date='Dec 6 2005, 10:19 AM
I originally thought I would be able to finish my trip in the run-flat, but when I asked the BMW-assist man, he said yea but what if the tire falls apart, your better off with the spare.
12-06-2005, 01:13 PM
#19
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Just got back from the dealer, rim was also bent, it ended up costing me $800.00 total. The reason I didnt change the flat myself was because I wanted another opinion on wether to leave the run-flat on or change to the donut. My parts guy told me that the run-flats are more prone to blow-out with pot holes, because of there hard structure, they do not absorb any of the force. He told me as a friend, when the tires all need to be replaced in the future, he recomends a non run-flat. Run-flats are only good for small punctures like nails etc. I will definetly listen to him when its time. :thumbsdown:
12-06-2005, 01:19 PM
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Ouch!!! At least you managed to steer the car to a safe place probably due to the RFTs. Imagine the potential hazard of having a blow out doing highway speeds.