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[mpukas]

all.

Several questions rattling around in my head re: new tires & wheels - both winter tires for the forth coming snow, and new non-RFT's for next summer... and, yes I've read all the threads here re: tire and wheel sizes, but still have some questions.

re: snow tires, I'm planning on using the stock staggered sport wheels (rather save the $$$ for new wheels next summer), but wondering about tire sizes. Currently, Tire Rack is listing a new Pirreli RFT snow that matches our stock tire size, but they ain't cheap for a set. Is it possible/advisable to run the same size tire on all four corners w/ stock staggered wheels. Kinda defeats one of my intentions of rotateability though. I still haven't written off a new set of winter wheels for a square snow tire set-up.

re: new wheels, there aren't many options for staggered wheels out there for our 1er's. I'd like to stay somewhat true to BMW design intention and use staggered vs square wheels. Are poeple here using square wheels w/ different tire sizes F & R?

I quite like the O.Z. Alleggerita HLT and O.Z. Ulltraleggera wheels. There are also some Enkei wheels I like, but they are not staggered (and I fear they maybe to racey/ricey for the 135i, no?). I really like the CSL reps some of you guys are running - one of the best looking wheel for the 135i IMHO, but I really would like a light weight wheel & non-RFT combo to reduce unsprung weight. Oh yeah, for next summer I'm gonna be getting all-season tires - I drive on too many dirt roads and over too many high altitude passes where there can be snow and ice any time of year to be confident in running summer tires. We have four seasons here - June, July, August and Winter.

On to non-FRT flat solutions... it's obvious getting non-RFT's makes life better and tire selection easier, but what is the best solution for a flat tire? Carry a spare tire, jack and tool kit in the trunk (and loose trunk space and add a little weight), or a mobility kit w/ a compressor and tire slime (and risk getting stuck if you have an unrepairable puncture/rupture). I suppose if you really wanted to be anal about it, carrying all of the above is the way to go. This would likely be a summer solution - I'll likely get RFT snow tires. Opinions & responses much appreciated!

Thanks much! mpp

[touareg]

Have you thought about selling your stock wheels? This way you can get a dedicated square winter wheel/tire setup and still be able to get some new wheels/tires for next summer.

I'm gonna switch to non-runflats when the stock runflat tires wear out. I'm thinking I'll get a mobility kit as I'm usually in the city, and if I'm going on a road trip, I'll throw in one of my winter tires and a jack to act as my spare.

[WhiteOne]

For the first 50,000 miles, if you get a flat, you can just call the 1-800 number on your windshield and they will come and fix it. After that you can call AAA for a small annual fee. The mobility kit they sell for motorcycles comes with plugs and a compressor. If you can't wait for help to arrive you can use it to get back on the road. I personnally would never put "slime" in my tires. JMHO

[mpukas]

I'm leasing my car, and though I love it so far, I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep it long term. For the time being, I'm planning on keeping the wheels for lease end. I was thinking of a second set of winter wheels to keep the stock ones in good condition, but then I thought just spend the money of a better set of summer wheels. I'm really leaning towards keeping the car and modding it - I've been really inspired by a lot of guys' rides here - awesome stuff!

If I get a flat w/ non-RFT's on a pass and/or in a snow storm, and/or in the middle of nowhere, service could be 1-3hrs away. I'm not gonna not have a flat solution of my own. Even w/ RFT's - with a stated range of 50 miles - I could get be in trouble.

I've rarely had flat tires in my driving history - had one w/ RFT's though, right @ the end of their life w/ new ones on order luckily, and wasn't a big deal. I've never owned a mobility kit, or slimed a tire, so I'm curious about their usefulness. Once in my W8 I smashed a tire going too fast over cattle grate on a dirt road - the tire went flat on top of a pass w/ no cell service about 80-100 miles f/ home; the tire couldn't be repaired - slime or plugs would've been no use. If I didn't have a spare it would have been a long wait...

If you slime a tire, does it prevent the tire f/ being repaired, if the damage is repairable? Does it ruin the wheel? I hate run-flat tires... I'm leaning towards non-rft's and a spare for both summer and winter...

[JimD]

The only time I slimed a tire it didn't work and then a fixable puncture wasn't fixable anymore. No more slime for me. The plugs you can insert yourself might be a step above slime but are not nearly as good as the ones that a tire place can use by removing the tire (good plugs have either a patch or a mushroom head that has to go in from the inside). The do it yourself plugs are cheap, however, and readily available. Putting slime or cheap plugs in an expensive tire doesn't seem so smart to me. So anything you try to do to fix a tire by the side of the road may ruin the tire.

I plan to carry a compressor, a Vivair 70P, but I haven't purchased it yet (I am trying to spread out my purchases and the compressor hasn't risen to the top of the list yet). My flats have been slow leaks (except for a trailer tire with dry rot that blew out the sidewall). With a compressor, I can pump them up and go further than is recommended on run flats. It won't always work but will add some margin. I have almost never used a spare and could have never used one if I had carried a compressor. Maybe I will have an experience with my BMW that the compressor will not get me home but then I have the 800 number. I am not willing to give up virtually the entire trunk to carry a spare (plus jack and wrench but they are not the issue).

I don't think donuts are available for the BMW but I don't think they are much of an option for most people either. The problem is they need 60psi in them and most people don't check them. When you need it, it is very likely to not have enough air to be useful.

Jim