Just purchased the spare tire kit and it doesn't fit. Looks like I may need to deflate the tire to make it fit. Come on BMW, drop the runflats and put back a spare.

 

Mate, he-he, count me in. I bought also same brand new spare tire kit, and was very surprised about the fitting hassle. First i thought there is a special way to fit it, that didn't work, so finally i had to diflate completely, still went in with some struggle. WTF right?

 

^^ how long has it been deflated? My concern with deflating the torrid that it may not inflate properly afterwards. I'm now thinking to keep it as is and only bring it along for long trips (I.e. outside of the city)

 

What you need to remember first off is that BMW are money grabbing barstewards. Why you sell you a spare wheel kit when they could sell you a spare wheel kit AND a replacement spare wheel kit mat?

There are three ways to make it fit without deflating the tyre.

1. Purchase the spare wheel well replacement mat. This doesn't have the locators for the old plastic crossmemmbers and therefore the wheel will fit.
2. Get a dremmel (or similar) and cut off the the locator bits - then the wheel will fit.
3. Take the mat out altogether and the wheel will fit in the recess.

I went with option three as at the time, I'd just bought winter wheels and tyres plus the spare wheel kit and didn't want to spend another £60 on a bit of carpet.

 

Is the tire in this kit different than the one that came with the car? I don't get why it doesn't fit? My 2010 that came with a donut spare, I checked it a couple of months ago and inflated it to 60 PSI, and has no problems fitting in its spot.

 

Does Option 1 even exist? I was given to understand that cars with the spares don't have the carpet at all. I went with Option 2 because I didn't want any spillage reaching the modules under the spare - I bought a spare carpet for a fiver off ebay.

 

Do you have to inflate the tire or is it already inflated? The kit I got as a 135/80/R17 tire.

 

The tire is already inflated (provided you check it once a year) Mine was at 45 PSI when I checked it, so I just took it to the gas station and pumped it up, before putting it back in its spot. According to the door frame sticker, it's the same size as you list.

 

I had no idea about part numbers and such, but I remember at the time being told that the spare wheel wouldn't fit without the aid of a dremmel - unless you went with the replacement mat. I was even asked if I wanted to buy it when I ordered the spare wheel by the dealer.

It's possible it's Euro zone only, but It does, or did, exist.

 

Many cars come without it (mine certainly did). If you've not seen the mat for those cars then you wouldn't believe such a little difference could be the fine line between fitting and not.