[Ti Rich]

Living on a hill with two BMW's in our garage means I am doomed to dump the cars at the BMW/Audi/Merc car park at the bottom of the hill every time it snows. So i finally got some winter boots to try and help.

Decided to get a second set of 18" MV3 and fit Falken HS-439 in standard sizes all round. 225/40/18 on the front and 255/35/18 on the rear. Got the tyres for £580 a set and a set of fully refurbished wheels for £450.My local tyre fitting place fitted the tyres for £8 a corner - bargain. So i now have a set of new MV3 with the Michelins RFT for the summer and the OE set with Falkens for the winter. Informed the insurance company (Priviledge) who said that DID need informing but no charge

Set the pressures to standard to start with having had trouble finding any definitive information on if they should be different to RFT. Popped the tyre inflator and a can of instant repair foam into the boot - sorted.

So first impressions. Well the car is a little quieter but OMG the ride quality is so much improved over the Michelin RFT it's like a new car!!! A little bit of ice and slush on the road yesterday and booting it away form the lights (for a test) the traction control didn't flash once - impressed!!!

Remap being done today so will report back on that later and M3 lip spoiler fitted.

Just one question:-

If you have non RFT and suffer a puncture will BMW Assist help at all or would it be chargeable?

[ed335d]

Nice one!

Don't get the confidence too high - these type of tyres can be quite slippery (in dry conditions) for a few hundred miles until they're scrubbed in (the Vredesteins certainly are).

Not sure about the assist question, but knowing what most manufacturers and dealers are like, if there's an opportunity to wriggle out of support or warranty, they'll take it!

Not sure if a boat is the best place to keep your emergency kit

[Ti Rich]

Originally Posted by ed335d

Not sure if a boat is the best place to keep your emergency kit

Opps, corrected, not had second cup of coffee yet!

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by Ti Rich

Opps, corrected, not had second cup of coffee yet!

Will this make you think about ditching the RFT's for the summer?

[Ti Rich]

Originally Posted by ed335d

Will this make you think about ditching the RFT's for the summer?

Yes, if I had not recently got a new set of Michelins RFT

[chris_s1]

Where did you get those tyres from? I enquired with Falken UK HQ in november about them and they told me they weren't available in the UK............

[F31-340i]

Originally Posted by chris_s1

Where did you get those tyres from? I enquired with Falken UK HQ in november about them and they told me they weren't available in the UK............

I got mine from mytyres.co.uk - which is basically a German company I think so they probably come straight from european stocks.

[chris_s1]

Ahh ok thanks

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by Ti Rich

If you have non RFT and suffer a puncture will BMW Assist help at all or would it be chargeable?

It makes no odds. Loads of BMWs are available without RFTs, do you think they'll check your VIN and order details?

The recovery firms don't give a toss.

[Ti Rich]

Originally Posted by chris_s1

Where did you get those tyres from? I enquired with Falken UK HQ in november about them and they told me they weren't available in the UK............

Yes got my Falkens from www.mytyres.co.uk and they were shipped from Germany. These are one of only a few companies that offer winter tyres in the standard sizes.

[no_ball]

Before fitting my wintracs late last year, I rang BMW warranty to advise what I was about to do and they did not bat an eyelid, even to the point as to why are 'you' ringing us about this sir?