Insurance for run-flat tires?
05-29-2007, 03:23 PM
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Here is a question (and answer) from the column "Me and My Car", witten by Jonathan Welsh, printed in today's WSJ.com:
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Q: I recently leased a 2007 BMW 328i equipped with Turanza run-flat tires, and no spare. The dealership advised that due to the expense of the tires, I should purchase damage-replacement insurance for them on the lease, at about a $700 premium, because they run about $400 each. What is the life of these tires? Can I expect them to run for the length of a three-year, 30,000-mile lease?
-- Stephen Royce,
Albuquerque, N.M.
(Welsh's) A: I wouldn't expect them to last 30,000 miles even if they are advertised as durable enough to do so. I have heard numerous complaints regarding BMW's equipped with run-flat tires, including Bridgestone Turanzas and other brands. Most of the problems appear to stem from uneven wear that can result from improper inflation. However, many owners have said they had problems with excessive wear despite maintaining proper inflation pressure. Still, I don't recommend springing for the extra insurance.
I'm not a fan of run-flat tires because some appear to be relatively fragile compared with standard tires and they also tend to be pricey. A friend who drives a Mini Cooper S eventually replaced her run-flat tires with standard tires after a series of punctures and expensive replacements. They seem like another feature designed to help dealerships make extra profit from service visits for tire replacements.
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Questions for the forum:
1) Are run-flat tires inferior to standard tires as the Q and A above suggests?
2) Does anyone else feel that run-flat tires on BMW's are "another feature designed to help dealerships make extra profit from service visits for tire replacements", in your experience?
3) Have you (or others) replaced run-flat tires with standard tires because of inferior lifespan or uneven wear, even when properly inflated?
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Q: I recently leased a 2007 BMW 328i equipped with Turanza run-flat tires, and no spare. The dealership advised that due to the expense of the tires, I should purchase damage-replacement insurance for them on the lease, at about a $700 premium, because they run about $400 each. What is the life of these tires? Can I expect them to run for the length of a three-year, 30,000-mile lease?
-- Stephen Royce,
Albuquerque, N.M.
(Welsh's) A: I wouldn't expect them to last 30,000 miles even if they are advertised as durable enough to do so. I have heard numerous complaints regarding BMW's equipped with run-flat tires, including Bridgestone Turanzas and other brands. Most of the problems appear to stem from uneven wear that can result from improper inflation. However, many owners have said they had problems with excessive wear despite maintaining proper inflation pressure. Still, I don't recommend springing for the extra insurance.
I'm not a fan of run-flat tires because some appear to be relatively fragile compared with standard tires and they also tend to be pricey. A friend who drives a Mini Cooper S eventually replaced her run-flat tires with standard tires after a series of punctures and expensive replacements. They seem like another feature designed to help dealerships make extra profit from service visits for tire replacements.
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Questions for the forum:
1) Are run-flat tires inferior to standard tires as the Q and A above suggests?
2) Does anyone else feel that run-flat tires on BMW's are "another feature designed to help dealerships make extra profit from service visits for tire replacements", in your experience?
3) Have you (or others) replaced run-flat tires with standard tires because of inferior lifespan or uneven wear, even when properly inflated?
05-29-2007, 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by lynx10' post='429598' date='May 29 2007, 06:23 PM
Questions for the forum:
1) Are run-flat tires inferior to standard tires as the Q and A above suggests?
A) You definitely trade off tread life for safety, not much different than putting on high-performance tires. These will wear quicker as well. It is a question of what's more important, the added saftey factor of run-flats or somewhat longer tread life, depending on the replacement tire of course.
2) Does anyone else feel that run-flat tires on BMW's are "another feature designed to help dealerships make extra profit from service visits for tire replacements", in your experience?
A) I don't think this is the case. I believe that BMW is honestly doing what it feels is best for the safety of its drivers. No different than the added cost of air-bags. Car companies and some consumers baulked at the added cost when first introduced. Now they are expected. Does the run-flat technology have a ways to go? Sure, but it is the likely the future.
3) Have you (or others) replaced run-flat tires with standard tires because of inferior lifespan or uneven wear, even when properly inflated?
Many have. Include in that list added tread noise from the run-flats.
As for the insurance question, it typically covers wheels and tires, so damage from hitting a pothole would be covered. For the X5 my wife recently took delivery of, we opted for the insurance though ours was only $450. Given that one run-flat tire is typically $300+ (and that's for the E60, bet the ones are the X5 are quite a bit higher!), it only take one tire replacement to nearly pay for the policy. Foolproof, no, that is up to each individual to choose. In the last two months, I have have had three nails in my tires requiring replacement, not a patch. Wish I had it on my car.
1) Are run-flat tires inferior to standard tires as the Q and A above suggests?
A) You definitely trade off tread life for safety, not much different than putting on high-performance tires. These will wear quicker as well. It is a question of what's more important, the added saftey factor of run-flats or somewhat longer tread life, depending on the replacement tire of course.
2) Does anyone else feel that run-flat tires on BMW's are "another feature designed to help dealerships make extra profit from service visits for tire replacements", in your experience?
A) I don't think this is the case. I believe that BMW is honestly doing what it feels is best for the safety of its drivers. No different than the added cost of air-bags. Car companies and some consumers baulked at the added cost when first introduced. Now they are expected. Does the run-flat technology have a ways to go? Sure, but it is the likely the future.
3) Have you (or others) replaced run-flat tires with standard tires because of inferior lifespan or uneven wear, even when properly inflated?
Many have. Include in that list added tread noise from the run-flats.
As for the insurance question, it typically covers wheels and tires, so damage from hitting a pothole would be covered. For the X5 my wife recently took delivery of, we opted for the insurance though ours was only $450. Given that one run-flat tire is typically $300+ (and that's for the E60, bet the ones are the X5 are quite a bit higher!), it only take one tire replacement to nearly pay for the policy. Foolproof, no, that is up to each individual to choose. In the last two months, I have have had three nails in my tires requiring replacement, not a patch. Wish I had it on my car.
05-29-2007, 06:52 PM
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Hello,
I previously had a 2003M5, I traded it in this month for a 2007M5. I've always had run-flat tires, and I do not think it was a result of the dealer/BMW trying to make extra money upfront or on after-service, for m-series I guess it is more important as we do not carry a spare, but run-flats in general I think is a good safety feature is it not? and your tire is quite an important component to your safety.
I was presented with some insurance relating to my tires&wheels this time around, and I paid for it because on my past car I lost two wheels from pot holes in the winter, and it cost me substantially more than the insurance cost me over 3 years.
I previously had a 2003M5, I traded it in this month for a 2007M5. I've always had run-flat tires, and I do not think it was a result of the dealer/BMW trying to make extra money upfront or on after-service, for m-series I guess it is more important as we do not carry a spare, but run-flats in general I think is a good safety feature is it not? and your tire is quite an important component to your safety.
I was presented with some insurance relating to my tires&wheels this time around, and I paid for it because on my past car I lost two wheels from pot holes in the winter, and it cost me substantially more than the insurance cost me over 3 years.
05-29-2007, 08:07 PM
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In my opinion, Welsh's answer is contradictory, and is based on opinion and anecdotal evidence, not fact.
Of course the insurance offered by the dealerships is a profit center, otherwise they would not sell it. Is it part of BMW's overall strategy to put runflat tires on their cars so that dealerships can make more money selling replacement insurance? I think not.
The appropriate question is "does purchasing the insurance represent a good investment for the consumer?" Even though he recommends that you not purchase the insurance, Welsh's answer seems to suggest that you may benefit from doing so. It sounds as though his friend would have benefited from purchasing the insurance. It is like any other insurance purchase: it's great to have in times of need, otherwise, you've just paid for "piece of mind."
Of course the insurance offered by the dealerships is a profit center, otherwise they would not sell it. Is it part of BMW's overall strategy to put runflat tires on their cars so that dealerships can make more money selling replacement insurance? I think not.
The appropriate question is "does purchasing the insurance represent a good investment for the consumer?" Even though he recommends that you not purchase the insurance, Welsh's answer seems to suggest that you may benefit from doing so. It sounds as though his friend would have benefited from purchasing the insurance. It is like any other insurance purchase: it's great to have in times of need, otherwise, you've just paid for "piece of mind."
05-29-2007, 08:27 PM
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I purchased insurnace from theautoclub.com for $2.50 / month which provides up to $350/tire and $350/wheel per incident if my recollection is correct.
It is a great bargain compared to paying $500+ for a similar product.
It is a great bargain compared to paying $500+ for a similar product.
05-29-2007, 10:14 PM
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I had my RFT for 2 years and sold them and got ACS type 4 rims with new tyre and about 60% tred was still on the old tyre.
So for me about 3 for 4 years for a set of tyre.
I think it all downs to how you drive the car, Hard or soft......
So for me about 3 for 4 years for a set of tyre.
I think it all downs to how you drive the car, Hard or soft......
05-30-2007, 05:23 AM
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My Ride: 2011 F10 535i, Graphite on Oyster, ///Msport, Executive Package, XDrive
I've had Goodyear and Bridgestone RFT's on my E60 and E61 respectively. I purchased tire and rim insurance for both. I had an unfortuntate experience to be following a contractor's truck that dropped a bag of sheet metal screws out of the rear box directly in front of me at speed. Needless to say, both fronts were ruined.
Cost of insurance (at that time) - $350 - Amount on Invoice to Insurance Company by Dealer - $1050.
The insurance is a good deal especially if it covers both summer and winter tires and rims.
Cost of insurance (at that time) - $350 - Amount on Invoice to Insurance Company by Dealer - $1050.
The insurance is a good deal especially if it covers both summer and winter tires and rims.
05-30-2007, 05:48 AM
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Originally Posted by pinguhk' post='429741' date='May 30 2007, 02:14 AM
I had my RFT for 2 years and sold them and got ACS type 4 rims with new tyre and about 60% tred was still on the old tyre.
So for me about 3 for 4 years for a set of tyre.
I think it all downs to how you drive the car, Hard or soft......
So for me about 3 for 4 years for a set of tyre.
I think it all downs to how you drive the car, Hard or soft......
Agreed. Mine are now more than 2 years old and have close to 17,000 miles on them. Since the car was just inspected, they have at least 1 more year on them regardless of how they look (but they look good now).
Mine are Dunlops.
05-30-2007, 07:25 AM
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Originally Posted by ademitt' post='429843' date='May 30 2007, 09:23 PM
I've had Goodyear and Bridgestone RFT's on my E60 and E61 respectively. I purchased tire and rim insurance for both. I had an unfortuntate experience to be following a contractor's truck that dropped a bag of sheet metal screws out of the rear box directly in front of me at speed. Needless to say, both fronts were ruined.
Cost of insurance (at that time) - $350 - Amount on Invoice to Insurance Company by Dealer - $1050.
The insurance is a good deal especially if it covers both summer and winter tires and rims.
Cost of insurance (at that time) - $350 - Amount on Invoice to Insurance Company by Dealer - $1050.
The insurance is a good deal especially if it covers both summer and winter tires and rims.
05-30-2007, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by pinguhk' post='429876' date='May 30 2007, 11:25 AM
you guys are very lucky getting the wheels coved, I think in HK I can not just get the wheels cover.
Heh - that's why I lowered my comprehensive (the stuff that covers mishaps like that) to zero deductable when I got my 530i. Only raised the premiums $16 every 6 months.