Independent tire data is limited at best and TireRack's data and their tests are about the best there is. Either way, I produced data, you're just spouting your usual conjecture.

FWIW .91 on the skidpad is nowhere near the Boxster and Cayman which both pull around 1G. More to the point, lateral G is but one measure of performance and the tire is but one contributor to that performance metric.

Anyway, those of us who have actually replaced the stock runflats with better tires are fully aware of the significant benefits of doing so.

 

Well, I called the dealer again today and spoke to another rep. He confirmed that, yes, the rims are designed specially for run-flat tires in order to hold the RFT tire in place more securely in the event of a flat. However, unlike the other rep, he said that there is no problem fitting a conventional tire onto the run-flat rim and that all I'd need to do is make sure I have a space saver spare and a jack on board ($360 and $175 respectively... yikes).

The good news is that now I'll be putting on a nice set of Michelin Pilot Alpins on my winter wheels rather than replacing with the same P.O.S. Dunlop run-flats that BMW promotes as the best option.

 

The rims are designed for any kind of tire, that's why we're saying there's no specific run-flat rim. Trust us, it'll feel like a new car when you get the new tires on board. Do let us know what you think. As for the spare, my 550 Sport actually did come with a spare even though I had RFTs on the car. Given that the odds of a blow out of probably relatively low you could just use the fix-a-flat compounds that will let you quickly fix most minor tire issues. My 911 comes without a spare tire and Porsche simply supply a fix-a-flat repair kit.

 

I have replaced my runflats with 3 different sets of different non rft tires so not talking from no experience.

 

Dude you really have no idea what you are talking about and your basically making your self look like a moron.
I stopped myself from replying to your 530/535/545/550 comparo thread because I felt that you created that thread to just make yourself feel better about your car.
But I can't ignore the comments above.

1. The leg extentions are actually for people with longer legs rather than shorter legs.


2. The "sport button" as per the car manual does as follows.

Dynamic Driving Control
The Dynamic Driving Control makes it possible for your BMW to react in an even more performance-oriented manner at the push of a button:

> The speed range of the engine is optimally utilized.
> Gearshifts are faster.
> The engine responds more spontaneously to accelerator pedal movements.
> The steering responds more spontaneously to steering wheel movements.
> In the automatic mode, the 6th gear is not engaged.


So essentially, the sports suspension is not turned on / off.. it is always activated.

By the way, I have had my 2010 535i for 1 year and 3 months now and anytime I felt that I needed to select the sport button I did. It's not like the button is very hard, uncomfortable, or pain in the arse to select... perhaps your friend does not realize what the button does and just ignores this feature completely.


3. You may have test driven both sport and non sport and can't hardly tell the difference, but I can tell you that from owning a 2007 525i (NON SPORT) and currently owning a 2010 535i (WITH SPORT) that there are huge differences in handling daily driving or not. The car feels much more tighter, less "bouncier", and it gives you more confidence while taking sharp turns at higher speed than normal, all thanks to the Sports suspension and ARS.

4. Run Flat tires are more expensive, but not necessarily problematic. I've got over 13K miles on my RFT and so far I've enjoyed every ride. Yes, I will eventually change out to Non RFT after these are wearing. By the way my 2010 535i Sports with RFT came with a donut spare tire..


With that said, I would never purchase another BMW without a sports package ( suspension ).


Thanks.

 

SWA is of course correct about being able to fit non-RFT tires to the E60. But just to clarify, I recall the rims did have a special lip inside which was made for/required by the run-flats. Without this lip, you could not fit run-flats. Even with the lip, the rims can still accept non-RFT tires. So in one sense the service guy is correct, the rims are made to take run-flats but he is wrong about them only accepting run-flats.

I was at my dealer a couple of weeks ago and overheard the parts guys incorrectly tell someone on the phone that they had to replace the OEM tires with run-flats as that was what the was made for. Sad that seven years into production of the E60 and the use of run-flats by BMW that service people are still so misinformed...

 

Keep in mind what you hear is not always what it seems-often they are misinformed (ok like almost always) but in general sometimes we are "told" to say certain things to keep your company happy. I work for a HUGE beauracracy so maybe I am a little paranoid but I know there are several things I know about taht I would not relay to outside people. Just sayin its probably a command from top down-for many reasons but profit margin on RFT is likely high as they get the customer to come to the dealer to get the tire changed out-a lot of people do that believe it or not despite their 100 plus dollar inflation over other tire stores

 

on the seat thing--if you think about this mathematically, if you have longer legs and sit in the seat and put your feet on the floor, as the length between your knee and foot increases, the portion or your legs from your ass to your knee that touches the seat lessens. the further out the seat of the chair extends, the less amount that touches your legs. so, an extended seat that "helps" tall people really doesn't. however, the shorter the person, the less distance from your knee to the ground, and therefore the more likely the base of the seat can conform to your quads. also i can't raise my seat to correct the problem because then i hit my head on the roof of the car.

as far "i didn't respond to your other thread" crap, if you read that information, it doesn't matter what my agenda is, it is all true. weight affects the performance of a car, period. if you don't believe that, buy a ford horse-hauling truck with 800 ft-lbs of torque and 400 hp and let's see if it can beat your 535i. weight matters. also, the 1/4 mile times are pretty much validated as well and debunk the myth that the 535i can go 1.1 seconds faster from 0-60 over the 530i, and yet barely gain .3 seconds over the same car in a longer distance, 1/4 mile run.

as for sport suspension, GREAT, you have an opinion and a preference, too. it does not mean i'm a moron. if it does, then the guys that said they don't really like the sport suspension make you a moron as well.

and lastly, "created the thread to make you feel better about your puchase," is an interesting statement. look, just like you or any other car owner, i had a budget for my bmw. i wanted a CPO (with a warranty) bmw 5 series that was not a 525, 528, 535 (more on that in a sec), for under 30k. i knew it was hard to do, but i found one and got it. had i not found it, i would have passed on bmw altogether. i've always been a sport's car guy and was looking at a C6 corvette. the reason i didn't want the 525 or 528 is because they felt very sluggish to me. the 335i was my initial desire, but after i learned of the HPFP issues, i decided i would stray from that engine at any cost, and especially comparing the power and price difference, it did not seem like a BETTER buy. and paying 12k+ more for the 550 was simply not going to happen with my budget as well. does any of that make me a moron for comparing the cars? not at all, i'm just trying to point out that there is not as big of a disparity between some of the models as modern-day bmw marketing would like you to believe (and pay for). so, lighten up man.

 

I will agree with the leg extension-I have long legs and less of my under thigh touches the extension as it is out further yet I like it out further

 

The stock suspension is crap if your gonna put aftermarket wheels on