BlitzburghFan

What are some good Non Run Flats to put on my newly acquired 04' 525i/Sport Package and will putting normal tires on affect the computer flat tire warning system? I've heard nothing but horror stories about these run flats and I'm not dropping $300-$400 bucks for one tire if something goes wrong.

Thanks

monacobmw

For a great set of inexpensive tires, try General Exclaims.

525iEnjoy

245/45/17 is the sports package

Nitto 555
Falken RT-615
Falken 512's
Hankook
Goodyear GSD3's


That dam computer goes nutts when you have a change in tire pressure... when you have new tires put on and the desired tire pressure go into idrive under vehicle settings then FTM and set pressure then exit out and drive

illjay

What if you are changing both the wheels and tires. Where is the tire pressure monitoring device located? Can I transfer that device to the new wheels? Or do is it possible to completely disable the tire pressure monitor through iDrive somehow?

525iEnjoy

nothing to transfer. I believe BMW uses speed senors etc etc
Found this:

"The other method of monitoring tire pressure does not require any additional hardware inside or outside the wheel. It is the "indirect" method. This approach makes use of the existing wheel speed sensors in the antilock brake (ABS) system. By modifying the ABS operating software, the ABS system learns the average speed at which each wheel rotates when traveling straight at a constant velocity, and detects low tires by comparing relative wheel speeds. The auto makers like this approach because it is a simple, cost-effective way to monitor tire pressure. "

Bad Bimr

Price aside, I would go with these tires in this order.

Kumho Ecsta SPT
Avon Tech M500
General Exclaim UHP

Now all these tires are great, so if you want to save some money just get the lower cost ones and call it a day.

Bill P

Rudy

Blitzburgh fan, welcome -- I assume you're another member from Pittsburgh but then again, there are so many Steeler fans across the country that I probably shouldn't assume anything.

I know that many people have bashed the runflats but if you're going to replace all 4 tires just to avoid the potential expense of replacing one tire, why not just wait until that situation arises before you get rid of the runflats? Just use them until you have a problem -- if you end up needing a new tire, buy 4 non-runflats then.

As far as the pressure sensor issue, here's the deal... E60 cars produced from the beginning (late 2003) until about 2/2006 did not have sensors in the wheels -- instead, they used the ABS sensors to detect rotation speed and would alert the driver if a tire's rotation varied enough to indicate a significant drop in pressure. BMW calls this system FTM (flat tire monitor) because that's pretty much what it does -- it detects a flat tire. On or about 3/2006 production, BMW started installing actual pressure sensors inside each wheel. This system, called TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) allows the car to know the exact pressure in each wheel without the use of the ABS sensors.

On your 2004 car, you clearly have the FTM system so you just have to re-initialize the system (using the iDrive settings menu) whenever you adjust the tire pressure in the tires (runflat or not.)

For people that have the newer TPMS, the sensors in the wheels will work fine with any tire but if you upgrade wheels, you either have to get four new sensors or move the ones in the original wheels over to the new wheels.

525iEnjoy

yeah what he said. thanks rudy. I googled ftm and tpms and got what you saw above in my 2nd post.

a nice Z non run flat will run you 112-165 per tire plus mounting etc etc.

info@trinityautosport

aside from the advice for the non RFTs, welcome and enjoy the forums

DrLev99

Hey...another Pittsburgher. Welcome!