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[Neill7]

I'm a New BMW owner, and what a great fre*kin' drive. I really didnt know what I was missing. Anyway, I need some advice.

My 2009 328i Coupe came with staggered Run Flats on them.

soon it may be time to replace and I want to know if I should replace with Run Flats or not?

if your tire WOULD BE FLAT, but you were lucky enough to have run flats, doesnt that mean that they will just get flat LATER?

you still dont know that you drove over a nail. they will just get flat at a later time and you are Still Stranded? or am I wrong. Does a run flat give you an alarm signal that you are gonna need a tire, and Then it still goes 50 or 100 miles further?

I'm being sarcastic, but I'm Completely Serious. How do run flats help? they dont flatten immediately, but if THEY CANT TELL YOU they are damaged, then you MIGHT get stranded eventually, anyway.

Please give me honest upside opinions.

is there any Downside to them? that they wear quicker? that they make noise? besides that they cost a lot more. is there any other reason to choose NOT to have run flats?

I'm seriously asking for the upside and downside from experienced people. If you dont mind, please let me know what you think.


thanks.

[Dark_Knight_335]

Ride quality is horrendous with RFTs. Swap them ASAP with rubbers and pack a "mobility kit."
You'll thank me later

[ctuna]

This is one of the subjects with the most threads on here.
The tpms will tell you if you have a flat, or no air or low air in
the tire.

[dryicerx]

The TPMS sensors will start whining at you whenever you puncture and have pressure loss. The run flats support driving without any pressure via strong sidewalls, so you can continue driving at a lower speed.

The downside of RFT is more expensive and sometimes a slightly harsher ride (but in my opinion pilot ps2 rfts are indisguishable from non rfts). Upside is convenient plus not needing any spare.

[Heracles]

Originally Posted by Neill7

I'm a New BMW owner, and what a great fre*kin' drive. I really didnt know what I was missing. Anyway, I need some advice.

My 2009 328i Coupe came with staggered Run Flats on them.

soon it may be time to replace and I want to know if I should replace with Run Flats or not?

if your tire WOULD BE FLAT, but you were lucky enough to have run flats, doesnt that mean that they will just get flat LATER?

you still dont know that you drove over a nail. they will just get flat at a later time and you are Still Stranded? or am I wrong. Does a run flat give you an alarm signal that you are gonna need a tire, and Then it still goes 50 or 100 miles further?

I'm being sarcastic, but I'm Completely Serious. How do run flats help? they dont flatten immediately, but if THEY CANT TELL YOU they are damaged, then you MIGHT get stranded eventually, anyway.

Please give me honest upside opinions.

is there any Downside to them? that they wear quicker? that they make noise? besides that they cost a lot more. is there any other reason to choose NOT to have run flats?

I'm seriously asking for the upside and downside from experienced people. If you dont mind, please let me know what you think.


thanks.

The car is equipped with TPMS : Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor. A sensor in each wheel detect lost / drop of pressure and the monitor lights up a warning light in the dash to tell you when you have a problem. If that happens, you can still drive carefully for a reasonable distance, depending of the weight you are carrying at that moment. Usually, it is about 80 Km/H for 150KM (50 M/H for 90 to 100 miles).

I chose to stay on Run Flat. For tracking, most people goes with standards. For day-to-day, it's your own choice. They cost more, but you will like them even more when you will need them.

[MonsterM]

Originally Posted by Neill7

I'm a New BMW owner, and what a great fre*kin' drive. I really didnt know what I was missing. Anyway, I need some advice.

My 2009 328i Coupe came with staggered Run Flats on them.

soon it may be time to replace and I want to know if I should replace with Run Flats or not?

if your tire WOULD BE FLAT, but you were lucky enough to have run flats, doesnt that mean that they will just get flat LATER?

you still dont know that you drove over a nail. they will just get flat at a later time and you are Still Stranded? or am I wrong. Does a run flat give you an alarm signal that you are gonna need a tire, and Then it still goes 50 or 100 miles further?

I'm being sarcastic, but I'm Completely Serious. How do run flats help? they dont flatten immediately, but if THEY CANT TELL YOU they are damaged, then you MIGHT get stranded eventually, anyway.

Please give me honest upside opinions.

is there any Downside to them? that they wear quicker? that they make noise? besides that they cost a lot more. is there any other reason to choose NOT to have run flats?

I'm seriously asking for the upside and downside from experienced people. If you dont mind, please let me know what you think.


thanks.

I never drove a E90 with non-RFT's but I heard some complaints that it diminishes the "sporty" feeling a bit and makes the car feel more "spongy" on the corners. I don't know if that is the case. I had a nail in one of my RFT's, the TPS went on and I drove the car for about one day.

[MonsterM]

Originally Posted by dryicerx

The TPMS sensors will start whining at you whenever you puncture and have pressure loss. The run flats support driving without any pressure via strong sidewalls, so you can continue driving at a lower speed.

The downside of RFT is more expensive and sometimes a slightly harsher ride (but in my opinion pilot ps2 rfts are indisguishable from non rfts). Upside is convenient plus not needing any spare.

When did they switch to PS2's?

[Ricer X]

correct me if I am wrong but if you get a nail in an rft it cannot be repaired but with a non-rft it may be repaired? something to do with the membrane on an rft?

At any rate, I run hankook non-rft's and it rides so much better. I also carry a conti-comfort kit that I (knock on wood) have never had to use.

[ndog14]

Originally Posted by ctuna

The tpms will tell you if you have a flat, or no air or low air in the tire.

He would have know if he....

[Bingobimmer]

Originally Posted by Ricer X

correct me if I am wrong but if you get a nail in an rft it cannot be repaired but with a non-rft it may be repaired? something to do with the membrane on an rft?

I am fairly confident you can repair a rft also, because I got a nail in one of my stock rft tires and the dealership was able to repair it. However, I am no expert on rft tires.

[ENINTY]

Originally Posted by Ricer X

correct me if I am wrong but if you get a nail in an rft it cannot be repaired but with a non-rft it may be repaired? something to do with the membrane on an rft?

At any rate, I run hankook non-rft's and it rides so much better. I also carry a conti-comfort kit that I (knock on wood) have never had to use.

So let's go over this for the newbies...

RFTs can be repaired the same as conventional tires as long as the following apply:

The puncture is not in the sidewall.
The puncture is at least 1 inch from the edge of the tire tread.
The RFT HAS NOT been driven on low (say 10 PSI) or with zero (0) pressure in it for any distance.
The proper permanent repair procedure for a tire is followed: removed from the wheel, plugged and patched from the inside.

Now, the issue always is finding a tire shop that will repair a RFT. Some tire shops will not repair a RFT because they are unsure if the tire was driven any distance at low or zero pressure. If the tire was driven any distance on low or zero pressure, the integrity of the sidewall is compromised and the tire will be prone to failure after repair. So if you do get a low air pressure warning, and find something has penetrated the tread of the tire, make sure the tire is filled at the proper inflation pressure before you continue drving on it and get it repaired immediately.

[achien]

if you go with Michelin's Pilot Super Sport tire, you save 8 pounds in total. 3 pounds on the front on each side, 1 pound on the rear on each side.

better fuel economy, better handling.

it will be lighter just get one or two of those temporary tire repair kits.

Originally Posted by Neill7

I'm a New BMW owner, and what a great fre*kin' drive. I really didnt know what I was missing. Anyway, I need some advice.

My 2009 328i Coupe came with staggered Run Flats on them.

soon it may be time to replace and I want to know if I should replace with Run Flats or not?

if your tire WOULD BE FLAT, but you were lucky enough to have run flats, doesnt that mean that they will just get flat LATER?

you still dont know that you drove over a nail. they will just get flat at a later time and you are Still Stranded? or am I wrong. Does a run flat give you an alarm signal that you are gonna need a tire, and Then it still goes 50 or 100 miles further?

I'm being sarcastic, but I'm Completely Serious. How do run flats help? they dont flatten immediately, but if THEY CANT TELL YOU they are damaged, then you MIGHT get stranded eventually, anyway.

Please give me honest upside opinions.

is there any Downside to them? that they wear quicker? that they make noise? besides that they cost a lot more. is there any other reason to choose NOT to have run flats?

I'm seriously asking for the upside and downside from experienced people. If you dont mind, please let me know what you think.


thanks.

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by MonsterM

When did they switch to PS2's?

Not sure when they started, they came stock on my 11 335is picked up euro delivery oct 11. I switched to super sports since, but ride quality is equal to the ps2 rfts.

[korr]

just put some continental extremecontact dws on. threw the rfts in my garage ；x

[merchomini]

no runflats, they are poop

[username604]

Every flat I've ever had was a slow to moderate leak. In any case, the tide could hold pressure for >1 hour. Run flats haven't helped besides peace of mind (similar to that offered by, oh I don't know, a spare wheel??)

[Zebra99]

RFT's for the win. Handling is not comparable with any other tire. Yes the ride is a little harsher, but at least the back won't be spongy and maximum traction/handling can be had. You'd need to spend just as much on a non-RFT to match the performance and let's be honest...
They still would t look as good

[captainaudio]

I would not characterize the Bridgestone RFTs that came on my car as good handling by any stretch of the imagination. The bounced all over the place on rough surfaces and on a bumpy curve the rear end would start to step out and the ride quality was abysmal.

CA

[markinva]

run flats have better steering feel and turn-in response than most non-rfts.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

If you have a puncture in a run flat you will know right away. Aside from the low air pressure light coming on you will notice extremely vague steering and response and the tendency for the car to pull one direction. They are designed to get you to safety, 50 mph for 50 miles is the max they are intended to drive.

They are designed in a simple manner, it has a very stiff sidewall which allows you to drive that short distance to safety.

The drawbacks of RFT if they werent obvious are a stiff ride, heavy weight, and sometimes can be attributed with vague steering/dull steering. They usually dont perform well for any conditions as they are too stiff and the compound is different then most non rft tires.

The plus side of Non RFT are less expensive tires, more options, better handling tires, better steering response, ETC ETC assuming you choose the correct tire for your applications and needs.

All you need to know is you can replace with non RFT, but you do not have a spare.

So if you get a flat tire you are in essence stuck on the side of the road.

[cgpublic]

Pre-LCI E90s suffer from a combination of older generation run-flats and a new control arm bushings design.

LCI E90s improve the situation with newer gen run-flats and revised bushings.

I previously owned an 08 E90, and it's night and day compared to the 11.

Third gen RFTs are supposedly even better; I've driven E90s with regular tires, and my driving style is accustomed to the tighter turn-in.

Horses for courses.

[monza2t]

1) RFTs are heavy and do affect handling/performance/economy. I hate them.
2) Get a mobility kit ($130) to fix flats.. On top of that I have AAA RV Plus, so I can get towed 100 miles to anywhere I want if I do have a flat thats not repairable.