Quote:
Originally Posted by tarmacrapist
ouch. no temp reading? Is there a solution for this? or is there a dash light that alerts the driver if the engine is cold (or hot)? I've never driven with runflats, but have heard negativity from more than one person. What's wrong with them?
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While not having a water temp gauge is an annoyance, for years BMW temp gauges have been so heavily buffered as to be little more effective than warning lights. If you overheat, there is a warning light and for warmup, I find that either 3~6 miles of moderate driving will do it, or one can check the oil level through the computer - if no reading is given, ther car is still too cold to drive "vigorously".
The biggest thing wrong with runflats is their high price and loads of misinformation on the internet! While the ride tends to be a bit stiffer, this is compensated by less weight (no spare), more luggage space and the ability to continue a journey without pause. And there are many different RFTs such as Summer, All season, Winter, Performance, Touring, etc. Also, there is no reason not to replace the RFTs with conventional tires should you desire.
At your price level, you are probably restricted to an '08 - I'd search for a CPO car from a BMW dealer. And definitely choose one with the SP and MT. I've averaged nearly 28 mpg overall on my '08 128i 'vert with mostly highway & mountain road driving. Also, my insurance dropped 20% compared to the '03 Z4 3.0 I formerly drove.
Tom