Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[Suhb]

Hey guys, since I ditched the dreaded run flat tires, I was looking at getting this instead of lugging around a spare. My understanding is that the 1M comes standard with this. Anyone here have any experience with the Tire Mobility Kit?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P5JO5M/...=IL1MN9WAKITCJ

[JimD]

Originally Posted by Suhb

Hey guys, since I ditched the dreaded run flat tires, I was looking at getting this instead of lugging around a spare. My understanding is that the 1M comes standard with this. Anyone here have any experience with the Tire Mobility Kit?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P5JO5M/...=IL1MN9WAKITCJ

I believe the answer is yes but I did not consult RealOEM to be sure. My understanding is that BMW includes either run flats or the mobility kit with each car. So if it doesn't have run flats you get this.

You might also want to consider the Continental kit, I think it is similar.

What I do is a little different. I carry what I think is a better compressor, a Viair 70P and a plugging kit. I use the compressor whenever I need air in the tires, it is fast and quiet and makes it not worthwile to find the 120V compressor. I hope to never use the plugging kit but have it if I have to. I think my way gives me a more useful compressor and a more likely to work plugging option but I haven't used the other systems so I don't really know how well they work.

[IEDEI]

yes my car came with mobility kit....BUT if you think i have the capacity to sit on a narrow shoulder of a freeway and actually use the POS, then you are overestimating my sense of adventure!

This winter, i am keeping a FULL SIZE spare in the trunk. Am taking no chances. Currently, i have just a spare tire in the trunk....so if it blows, i can get towed somewhere and have the tire mounted...but even that's not exactly optimal; especially if i'm out late at night.

[Kgolf31]

M Cars get the Mobility kit, however...you must keep in mind that M Cars also get lifetime roadside assistance. So even though you have a mobility kit you still can get a tow.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by Kgolf31

M Cars get the Mobility kit, however...you must keep in mind that M Cars also get lifetime roadside assistance. So even though you have a mobility kit you still can get a tow.

except on certain freeways as what happened to me a few months ago in Queens when I blew a PSS. When I called BMW roadside they said they can not send anyone to the Long Island Expressway because it is 'restricted'...bastards!

[edisapimp]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

except on certain freeways as what happened to me a few months ago in Queens when I blew a PSS. When I called BMW roadside they said they can not send anyone to the Long Island Expressway because it is 'restricted'...bastards!

Happened to me too. My Allstate insurance tow coverage couldn't send "their" guy to the LIE, they had to call some scab. So I pushed my car off the exit ramp onto the service road ;]

[dannypwr]

Has anyone actually used one of those kits? I bought the lexus Ftype kit off amazon, never had to use it yet. Although I did blow out 1 whole side last year, and that kit is only enough for 1 tire, I waited for tow. Freaking brooklyn streets

[Diver]

I have a slime kit in the back of my car that cost about $25.

[JimD]

Originally Posted by Diver

I have a slime kit in the back of my car that cost about $25.

My experience with slime is not good. It didn't plug the leak and I couldn't get the tire plugged later because of the oily mess it made in the tire. The BMW mobility kit and the Conti kit has a latex based sealant that supposedly can be removed for tire repair. The slime kits are definitely cheaper but I don't consider them equivalent.

[Diver]

Originally Posted by JimD

My experience with slime is not good. It didn't plug the leak and I couldn't get the tire plugged later because of the oily mess it made in the tire. The BMW mobility kit and the Conti kit has a latex based sealant that supposedly can be removed for tire repair. The slime kits are definitely cheaper but I don't consider them equivalent.

Generally speaking, the compressor will get you home without sealant. Most flats are caused by nails that stay in the tire, so what happens is the tire goes down overnight and the pressure warning comes on before you have gone two blocks. You really have to stop immediately or else the tire will be ruined.

About 90% of problems happen when the tire is at 3/32 or less. Rather than waiting until the tire is at the "legal" 2/32 limit, replace it at 3/32. In decades of driving I only had one sudden flat on a relatively new tire. I hit a pothole with a runflat and it broke the bead. A regular tire might have survived due to its greater flexibility.

[DSSG]

I couldn't stand those miserable RFTs, so I sold them for $500 and put on a decent tire, Michelin A/S 3. I'm ecstatic about them!

So I needed a trunk kit. Here some pictures of what I put together and a list:

A 17 mm socket and breaker bar.

A jack from an older BMW model (E46?) got off Ebay.

A tire plug kit from Amazon.

A jack pad from Burger.

A tire pump by Viair from Amazon.

An electrical extension by Viair to hook to the battery.

If you think about it, you'll need all of those items to fix a flat. BTW, you'll need the last item to hook the pump to your battery. You can't use the 12V socket in the car, since it'll only handle a 11 amp draw less than the pump's.

[dannypwr]

I tried the slime stuff on my cyclocross bike and it left a nasty mess after hitting pothole and it didnt seal.

[red914]

Originally Posted by DSSG

You can't use the 12V socket in the car, since it'll only handle a 11 amp draw less than the pump's.

My 2009 manual says 200 watts at 12V which is 16.7 A. I have not verified what the actual fuses are. Would have to be 20A but if it is in fact a 15A fuse then it might be too close.

[Iron Man]

Originally Posted by JimD

My experience with slime is not good. It didn't plug the leak and I couldn't get the tire plugged later because of the oily mess it made in the tire. The BMW mobility kit and the Conti kit has a latex based sealant that supposedly can be removed for tire repair. The slime kits are definitely cheaper but I don't consider them equivalent.

I believe the latest version of Slime is TPMS compliant and is water soluble for easier clean-up.

http://slime.com/wp-content/uploads/...structions.pdf

[DSSG]

I'm not using a sealant to repair the tire. I'm using a plug that is stuffed in the puncture. I have used them over the years without any problems.

Incidentally, today tire repair shops won't plug tires, but this is only a TEMPORARY repair until you can get to a tire shop which is what I do. Of course, you can spend a hundred bucks to have your car flat bedded in.

Sometimes you don't even have to plug the tire. Just filling it up with air will get you to a repair shop. Thus it is a good idea to first try filling the tire with air to see if it will stay up for a while before pulling the nail or whatever.

BTW, the jack is really necessary to take the weight off the tire either to move it to locate the puncture or to air it.

[JimD]

Not everybody will plug tires but the tire place we use will. My wife got her OEM run flat plugged and it held fine. They demount the tire and install a plug with an integral patch from the inside. Seems much preferable to the push through from the outside plug you can do by the side of the road.

I bought a fancier plugging kit but I have nearly what is illustrated minus the jack. I hadn't really thought about it but the plugging kit without the jack may not do much good. So far, in over 40 years of driving, a compressor is all I've ever needed to get home. I use the battery clip connection to my 2009. My accessory socket will work but is only operable for a minute or so after the car turns off. So you end up having to run the motor to use the compressor. Much handier to clip to the battery and leave the motor off.

With respect to a jack, I did a quick search and found jacks at $80 and up that work for a bmw and jacks around $25 that would lift a bmw but are not set up for the unique jacking arrangement. You can but an adapter for the jacking points for about $20. Or you could modify the jack to fit (seems like I remember somebody used 1 inch rectangular steel tubing in theirs - that could be welded to the jack). Anybody try anything but a BMW jack? Or is their jack so special it's worth the extra?

[DSSG]

Any older BMW jack will work with the jacking points in the One using the Burger Jack Pad. I found a beat up one off Ebay for $40. I checked it out an it works fine.

Also consider this. With a jack, you can take the wheels off and have it run over to tire repair shop. That might be easier than trying to fix the flat on the car and driving it over to the repair shop?

[awns729]

eh, the jacking piece costs like $15, so even if you damage it during a flat repair, no big deal