Runflats to Non runflats

tjalt · 08-11-2005, 12:14 AM

Has anyone changed their tires from runflats to non runflats? If so, any difference? On the Mini board, lots of people have and noticed better handling and quieter. Only drawback, need to carry a tire repair kit and compressor.

David328M-Sport · 08-11-2005, 12:23 AM

No, I am very happy with my pirelli runflats. Granted, I am still in car run in mode but I do not have any intention to change my tyres to non run flats.

Welcome aboard.

ward · 08-11-2005, 09:03 AM

I'm getting rid of runflats ASAP,
the pirelli is the only runflat available in 325 sport tire size, and I think they make too much noise and don't grip enough. they'll probably last forever since they don't grip much

Joker · 08-11-2005, 09:08 AM

Remember that the setup of the car is made for runflats. Changing to non runflat tyres will affect the handling but offcourse all this depends on the type of tyre used. If you use something like 225/45 I doubt there is any difference. My problem is that in Finland we use winter tyres and they should be rather soft to grip well and the runflats are certainly not soft tyres...

noflash · 08-11-2005, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joker

Remember that the setup of the car is made for runflats. ...

I am skeptical of this assertion of BMW. My first thought is that they mean new chasis was designed to transmit less of the harshness of run-flats. However, that doesn't mean non-run-flats wouldn't ride even smoother.

I think it is marketing and liability. Run-flats seem convenient, allow for greater storage space, lighter weight, and less change of a snooty bmw customer having to get their hands dirty. Also, there were many complaints about other bimmers equipped with those tire-fix-it kits (eg, M3).

If you can live with the tire fix-it-kit, I cannot see a downside to non-run-flats.

Please, prove to me otherwise... and don't say because bmw says so!

brewer · 08-11-2005, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joker

Remember that the setup of the car is made for runflats. Changing to non runflat tyres will affect the handling but offcourse all this depends on the type of tyre used. If you use something like 225/45 I doubt there is any difference. My problem is that in Finland we use winter tyres and they should be rather soft to grip well and the runflats are certainly not soft tyres...

I really think that's just BMW advertising. Plenty of members here are running regular nonrunflats and they not only said that the handling is the same, but it's a smoother ride too. Dont buy into every last thing BMW says.

E90 Enthusiast · 08-11-2005, 09:51 AM

I'm not worried about the ride quality as much as tire wear, and frequent replacement on my soft sport-pkg tires. Some have mentioned replacement costs of $400 per tire - steep!!

davinet78 · 08-11-2005, 09:52 AM

i think that the run flat is something that we all have to get used to because in the future most cars will run on runflat.

E90 · 08-11-2005, 09:54 AM

I drove my E90 320i for 3 month´s with Continental run -flats .They are too hard for our roads here in Finland.You can really feell all bumps on the road.It is all differnce driving in Germany on their motorways .There run -flats are ok.I drove there in June.Two weeks ago I changed my tyres to Continental Contact 225/45/17" and the ride is much smoother and less tyre noise.You can also take the bumps like I did it with my E39 and E46.So my opinion is that somewhere else run-flats are doing a good job.

fredtoo · 08-11-2005, 10:40 AM

I will most likely switch to the non run flats. I think the on board tire pressure moniter will give enough warning that something is going wrong.
A can of Flat Fix will handle the other emergencies.

Joker · 08-11-2005, 10:50 AM

If regular tyres really work and corner aswell as the runflats then I gues BMW should use the regular tyres. Still I doubt that a car manufacturer that builds such superbly handling cars would use runflat tyres knowing that they are not as good as regular tyres. That would truly be a bad marketing strategy.

CC 330i · 08-11-2005, 11:00 AM

If you do decide to go to non-runflats, a really cool and compact repair kit is the Slime "Smart Spair". Lots of people with Minis carry them. It would easily fit in the little compartment under the trunk. (that's where I keep my owner's manual and tire guage too.

http://www.slime.com/smartspairs/

Their office is less than a mile from my house, and I know quite a few people that work there. In fact, I just realized I know the girl in the picture on the website. (She works for them).

It's a great product. If you get a flat, you add sealant to the tire, inflate with the compressor, and then get to a tire shop. You can have the tire shop wash out the sealant (which is biodegradeable) and then repair the tire and remount.

E90Fleet · 08-11-2005, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ward

I'm getting rid of runflats ASAP,
the pirelli is the only runflat available in 325 sport tire size, and I think they make too much noise and don't grip enough. they'll probably last forever since they don't grip much

Bridgestone make those sizes aswell for the E90 as RE050's

NaTuReB0Y · 08-11-2005, 11:48 AM

Non Run-flats all the way.......cheaper.....smoother ride.....
and the treadlife is 2 1/2 times longer than the run-flats.

IMO....economically make more sense.

BimmersMania · 08-11-2005, 02:08 PM

---
Remember that the setup of the car is made for runflats.
---

That could not be possible. Non run-flat should fit in. BMW puts in run-flat because
1) they want to show that they have a car equipped with advanced technology.
2) it save them cost of spare tire
3) the car is lighter and they can achieve better rate of fuel consumption
4) they just predicted that the technology of run-flat will soon be able to match that of non run-flat
5) etc.

I will stick with non run-flat for now. The reason I buy a BMW because its superb handling (fun to drive). I don't deny run-flat but I will jump into it when it's more developed.

Joker · 08-11-2005, 02:20 PM

That could not be possible. Non run-flat should fit in. BMW puts in run-flat because
1) they want to show that they have a car equipped with advanced technology.
2) it save them cost of spare tire
3) the car is lighter and they can achieve better rate of fuel consumption
4) they just predicted that the technology of run-flat will soon be able to match that of non run-flat
5) etc.

I will stick with non run-flat for now. The reason I buy a BMW because its superb handling (fun to drive). I don't deny run-flat but I will jump into it when it's more developed.

But this is just my point. The BMW is a fun to drive car. Do you care about the lighter weight, more storage space, etc that the run flats make possible? No. You buy a BMW because it is fun to drive. So why would they put the second best tyres as standard tyres and lose the best possible drive, instead of using the best tyres there are and getting the best drive possible. After all that is what we do care about? It just doesn't make sense to me. If you use the same logic on the engine, BMW:s would have engines that are very economical but would not offer class leading performance. It just doesn't sound right, does it?

CC 330i · 08-11-2005, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joker

That could not be possible. Non run-flat should fit in. BMW puts in run-flat because
1) they want to show that they have a car equipped with advanced technology.
2) it save them cost of spare tire
3) the car is lighter and they can achieve better rate of fuel consumption
4) they just predicted that the technology of run-flat will soon be able to match that of non run-flat
5) etc.

I will stick with non run-flat for now. The reason I buy a BMW because its superb handling (fun to drive). I don't deny run-flat but I will jump into it when it's more developed.

But this is just my point. The BMW is a fun to drive car. Do you care about the lighter weight, more storage space, etc that the run flats make possible? No. You buy a BMW because it is fun to drive. So why would they put the second best tyres as standard tyres and lose the best possible drive, instead of using the best tyres there are and getting the best drive possible. After all that is what we do care about? It just doesn't make sense to me. If you use the same logic on the engine, BMW:s would have engines that are very economical but would not offer class leading performance. It just doesn't sound right, does it?

I hate to break it to you but my 330i has 255 hp, which is not the class leader by a long shot. However, economy is very good at 30mpg on the highway. (I am seeing about 25.5 now). It seems that BMW has opted for performance and economy with the E90.

Hornet · 08-11-2005, 03:20 PM

It seems that I'm going to get a set of non-RFT Nokians for the winter. Roads here are usually in poor condition and the RFT tires are too hard.
I've heard that many 1,3,5-series owners have changed from RFT to non-RFT tires.

The run-flat technology has a long way to go, IMO. Both the M-division and Alpina refuses to use the RFT tires and that says a lot to me.

I'm looking forward to some 17" wheels for the next summer, but haven't decided if I go with RFT's or not. Because of the non-RFT winter tires, I'm going to order the M-Mobility System anyway.

The M-Mobility System together with the tire pressure monitor is a great alternative to the RFT tires, IMO.

Joker · 08-11-2005, 03:43 PM

Hornet I hear that there are new runflat winter tyres (finally) coming and that they should work well. So they are not the standard "European" model of last winter. Aika näyttää

My current car has 225/45 tyres and the 320i that I tested had the 205/55 tyres and I must say that the E90 is much more comfortable than my current E46. Maybe the bigger runflats are harder then? I feel no need to change the tyres, especially because in a couple of years most new cars will have runflat tyres and then the tyre choices will be greather. It's like the ABS brakes (a BMW first), now even little Japanese cars have them.

ward · 08-11-2005, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Bridgestone make those sizes aswell for the E90 as RE050's

you sure? I looked at tirerack.com (given that's just one place)
but they only had the pirelli's available in 325 sport pack size,
330 sport pack has the bridgestones (which are better)

maybe it's a weird US deal where pirelli has exclusive rights to that size for a limited time in exchange for developing that size for BMW

Hornet · 08-11-2005, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joker

I hear that there are new runflat winter tyres (finally) coming and that they should work well. So they are not the standard "European" model of last winter. Aika näyttää

Totta, aika näyttää, mutta suomen uraiset tiet

Indeed, finally Nokian launches its new RFT-winter tyre range. I'm glad that now there are good RFT-winter tires available also.

It's true that the RFT tires will become more common in the future, eventually becoming standard in all cars.
I know they will get better in the future, but at this moment, I don't know if they are good enough.

tjalt · 08-11-2005, 10:31 PM

Does switching to non run flats affect the tire monitoring system?

08-11-2005, 12:14 AM	#1
tjalt Enlisted Member 7 Rep 31 Posts Drives: X5 4.4 (330 soon)i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Runflats to Non runflats Has anyone changed their tires from runflats to non runflats? If so, any difference? On the Mini board, lots of people have and noticed better handling and quieter. Only drawback, need to carry a tire repair kit and compressor.
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08-11-2005, 12:23 AM	#2
David328M-Sport Brigadier General 101 Rep 3,566 Posts Drives: F30 M-Sport 328i Estoril Blue Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Melbourne Australia iTrader: (0)	No, I am very happy with my pirelli runflats. Granted, I am still in car run in mode but I do not have any intention to change my tyres to non run flats. Welcome aboard. __________________ 328i M-Sport, Estoril Blue, Carbon XP 35 Tint, front heated seats, black Dakota, Sports Suspension, Anthracite Headliner, HUD, Pro Nav, Sunroof, hk 600w, Bi-Xenon, 19" 403M wheels, Reversing Camera, DAB+, Xenon, BT Ext Connect, MST turbo intake pipe, MST Cold Air Intake, JB4 on Map 2 with Catless DP produces awesome performance in Sport.
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08-11-2005, 09:03 AM	#3
ward Major General 155 Rep 6,158 Posts Drives: F Join Date: May 2005 Location: T iTrader: (0)	I'm getting rid of runflats ASAP, the pirelli is the only runflat available in 325 sport tire size, and I think they make too much noise and don't grip enough. they'll probably last forever since they don't grip much
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08-11-2005, 09:08 AM	#4
Joker Private First Class 6 Rep 143 Posts Drives: BMW 320i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 320i [0.00]	Remember that the setup of the car is made for runflats. Changing to non runflat tyres will affect the handling but offcourse all this depends on the type of tyre used. If you use something like 225/45 I doubt there is any difference. My problem is that in Finland we use winter tyres and they should be rather soft to grip well and the runflats are certainly not soft tyres... __________________
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08-11-2005, 09:51 AM	#7
E90 Enthusiast Second Lieutenant 2 Rep 225 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	I'm not worried about the ride quality as much as tire wear, and frequent replacement on my soft sport-pkg tires. Some have mentioned replacement costs of $400 per tire - steep!! __________________ 9/13/05 ED - 325i SG / Terra / Burl / PP / SP / CWP / iDrive / Step / Logic7 / 35% Tint / Blacklines
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08-11-2005, 09:52 AM	#8
davinet78 Lieutenant Colonel 28 Rep 1,832 Posts Drives: bmw e90 320d Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: gibraltar(europe) iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 bmw 320d E90 [0.00]	i think that the run flat is something that we all have to get used to because in the future most cars will run on runflat. __________________ e90 320d,arktis,lumber support, hifi speaker, alarm, dakota beige, 162 18", xenon with washer spray,window chrome trimmings, professional radio, 6 cd changer wood trimmings 6 speed manual.
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08-11-2005, 09:54 AM	#9
E90 Bemuri 3 Rep 124 Posts Drives: 2013/320i AxDrive Alpine White Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Finland H:ki iTrader: (0)	I drove my E90 320i for 3 month´s with Continental run -flats .They are too hard for our roads here in Finland.You can really feell all bumps on the road.It is all differnce driving in Germany on their motorways .There run -flats are ok.I drove there in June.Two weeks ago I changed my tyres to Continental Contact 225/45/17" and the ride is much smoother and less tyre noise.You can also take the bumps like I did it with my E39 and E46.So my opinion is that somewhere else run-flats are doing a good job.
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08-11-2005, 10:40 AM	#10
fredtoo First Lieutenant 15 Rep 340 Posts Drives: 325 328 350 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: nj iTrader: (0) Garage List 1986 328 [0.00] 2006 325 [0.00]	I will most likely switch to the non run flats. I think the on board tire pressure moniter will give enough warning that something is going wrong. A can of Flat Fix will handle the other emergencies.
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08-11-2005, 10:50 AM	#11
Joker Private First Class 6 Rep 143 Posts Drives: BMW 320i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 320i [0.00]	If regular tyres really work and corner aswell as the runflats then I gues BMW should use the regular tyres. Still I doubt that a car manufacturer that builds such superbly handling cars would use runflat tyres knowing that they are not as good as regular tyres. That would truly be a bad marketing strategy. __________________ Last edited by Joker; 08-11-2005 at 11:01 AM..
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08-11-2005, 11:00 AM	#12
CC 330i Captain 44 Rep 722 Posts Drives: 330i SG/Blk/Alum Join Date: May 2005 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (0)	If you do decide to go to non-runflats, a really cool and compact repair kit is the Slime "Smart Spair". Lots of people with Minis carry them. It would easily fit in the little compartment under the trunk. (that's where I keep my owner's manual and tire guage too. http://www.slime.com/smartspairs/ Their office is less than a mile from my house, and I know quite a few people that work there. In fact, I just realized I know the girl in the picture on the website. (She works for them). It's a great product. If you get a flat, you add sealant to the tire, inflate with the compressor, and then get to a tire shop. You can have the tire shop wash out the sealant (which is biodegradeable) and then repair the tire and remount.
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08-11-2005, 11:48 AM	#14
NaTuReB0Y Powered By 36DD 337 Rep 7,369 Posts Drives: 2006 E90 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Inland Empire iTrader: (12)	Non Run-flats all the way.......cheaper.....smoother ride..... and the treadlife is 2 1/2 times longer than the run-flats. IMO....economically make more sense. __________________ 2006 E90 330i Jet Black \| 20" WORK VS-XX \| FK452 \| H&R Sport on Koni Yellow \| REMUS QUAD
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08-11-2005, 02:08 PM	#15
BimmersMania Private 4 Rep 98 Posts Drives: F30 320i M Sport Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bangkok iTrader: (0)	--- Remember that the setup of the car is made for runflats. --- That could not be possible. Non run-flat should fit in. BMW puts in run-flat because 1) they want to show that they have a car equipped with advanced technology. 2) it save them cost of spare tire 3) the car is lighter and they can achieve better rate of fuel consumption 4) they just predicted that the technology of run-flat will soon be able to match that of non run-flat 5) etc. I will stick with non run-flat for now. The reason I buy a BMW because its superb handling (fun to drive). I don't deny run-flat but I will jump into it when it's more developed.
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08-11-2005, 02:20 PM	#16
Joker Private First Class 6 Rep 143 Posts Drives: BMW 320i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 320i [0.00]	That could not be possible. Non run-flat should fit in. BMW puts in run-flat because 1) they want to show that they have a car equipped with advanced technology. 2) it save them cost of spare tire 3) the car is lighter and they can achieve better rate of fuel consumption 4) they just predicted that the technology of run-flat will soon be able to match that of non run-flat 5) etc. I will stick with non run-flat for now. The reason I buy a BMW because its superb handling (fun to drive). I don't deny run-flat but I will jump into it when it's more developed. But this is just my point. The BMW is a fun to drive car. Do you care about the lighter weight, more storage space, etc that the run flats make possible? No. You buy a BMW because it is fun to drive. So why would they put the second best tyres as standard tyres and lose the best possible drive, instead of using the best tyres there are and getting the best drive possible. After all that is what we do care about? It just doesn't make sense to me. If you use the same logic on the engine, BMW:s would have engines that are very economical but would not offer class leading performance. It just doesn't sound right, does it? __________________
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08-11-2005, 03:20 PM	#18
Hornet Lieutenant 59 Rep 410 Posts Drives: g20 330d xdrive Join Date: May 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	It seems that I'm going to get a set of non-RFT Nokians for the winter. Roads here are usually in poor condition and the RFT tires are too hard. I've heard that many 1,3,5-series owners have changed from RFT to non-RFT tires. The run-flat technology has a long way to go, IMO. Both the M-division and Alpina refuses to use the RFT tires and that says a lot to me. I'm looking forward to some 17" wheels for the next summer, but haven't decided if I go with RFT's or not. Because of the non-RFT winter tires, I'm going to order the M-Mobility System anyway. The M-Mobility System together with the tire pressure monitor is a great alternative to the RFT tires, IMO.
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08-11-2005, 03:43 PM	#19
Joker Private First Class 6 Rep 143 Posts Drives: BMW 320i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 320i [0.00]	Hornet I hear that there are new runflat winter tyres (finally) coming and that they should work well. So they are not the standard "European" model of last winter. Aika näyttää My current car has 225/45 tyres and the 320i that I tested had the 205/55 tyres and I must say that the E90 is much more comfortable than my current E46. Maybe the bigger runflats are harder then? I feel no need to change the tyres, especially because in a couple of years most new cars will have runflat tyres and then the tyre choices will be greather. It's like the ABS brakes (a BMW first), now even little Japanese cars have them. __________________
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08-11-2005, 10:31 PM	#22
tjalt Enlisted Member 7 Rep 31 Posts Drives: X5 4.4 (330 soon)i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Does switching to non run flats affect the tire monitoring system?
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