Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[My135]

I was late this morning and the flat tire warning sign showed up. I am too lazy to check, I've just simply drove to work and will check during lunch time. i don't think I can do this to a non-RFT. I will give it a second thougth about switching out to a non-RFT, given I can always buy a slightly used RFT with more than 50% saving.

[Red Bread]

Keep in mind that driving on a flat RFT will destroy the benefits of the RFT carcass, so if your laziness involved a truly flat tire, you ruined a tire that costs nearly double what a non-RFT costs. If the TPMS is lit, with any type of tire, there is really no reason not to address it.

[bozola]

The TPMS system sucks.

[My135]

The fact is that I have driven a RFT with less than 10 PSI for more than 50 miles and patched it and the RFT still performed as usual with no side effect after another 10K miles or at least I can't tell. Of course, I will not drive it above 100 mph. Please keep in mind, the manufacturer always remcommend whatever within the safest operating parameters because of liability reasons, but it doesn't mean you have to replace the RFT once it was driven flat; else RFT is not RFT.

[JimD]

But you don't know how far or how fast he drove. I think the better phrasing is that he may have damaged the tire such that it cannot be plugged. I read that some places do not want to plug a rft anyway. But driving on it unnecessarily will not help anything.

I would at least air it up under similar circumstances, however. But my commute is over twenty miles each way and involves travel on the highway. And I have a good 12V compressor in the trunk of my 128i (a Viair 70p).

Jim

[My135]

By the way, I've just checked the tire pressure during my lunch break, all 4 tires showed 31 PSI as compare to the recommended 36 PSI. I guessed the low PSI is due to the temperature dropped from normal 96 F to 80 F and the car had not been driven for 4 days in the garage and hence triggered the tire warning. I will put in more air and re-set and see this will get rid of the tire warning sign.

[dcho]

mine was at 10 PSI. :P drove it for maybe almost 100 miles :P

[Hops128i]

Originally Posted by My135

The fact is that I have driven a RFT with less than 10 PSI for more than 50 miles and patched it and the RFT still performed as usual with no side effect after another 10K miles or at least I can't tell. Of course, I will not drive it above 100 mph. Please keep in mind, the manufacturer always remcommend whatever within the safest operating parameters because of liability reasons, but it doesn't mean you have to replace the RFT once it was driven flat; else RFT is not RFT.

A few months ago, I got a screw in my tire causing about a 4lb/day leak. I kept the tire inflated with my mobile compressor so that the warning light never came on. I thought... well, this is good, i can just have someone repair it, but no one would, i mean no one! I was told you can't repair a run flat! Sometimes with a stern warning. I think this is total BS. I got a plug kit and did the repair myself, and have had no problems since. It really highlighted the stupidity of RFT's.

But, is we can assume an RFT can be run say 10miles at less than 10psi, I don't understand why there can't be some kind of side wall wear indicator so that it can be determined if a tire is repairable. Since most low tire situations are a small sharp object (nail/screw), RFT could actually have the advantage of being able to address the tire repair in a safer place. But again that's assuming 10 or so miles of no air operation would ruin the side wall.

[Red Bread]

Technically, you're not supposed to plug any tire, at least according to tire manufacturers. You're also not supposed to patch any v-rated tire or higher. But I've seen plenty of track tires plugged, with no adverse affect. Driving at all on a flat runflat will ruin the runflat sidewall, when you pull it off of the rim, you should have lots of debris of the stiffening sidewall, indicating that it did it's job. It will still hold air, but it won't be effective as a run flat any longer. I fail to see any advantage to these tires and wonder what the kickback BMW gets from Bridgestone, Goodyear and Dunlop must be worth.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Hops128i

A few months ago, I got a screw in my tire causing about a 4lb/day leak. I kept the tire inflated with my mobile compressor so that the warning light never came on. I thought... well, this is good, i can just have someone repair it, but no one would, i mean no one! I was told you can't repair a run flat! Sometimes with a stern warning. I think this is total BS. I got a plug kit and did the repair myself, and have had no problems since. It really highlighted the stupidity of RFT's.

I'm surprised you couldn't find anyone to patch the tire as folks have been getting RFTs repaired for years - in spite of what BMW would have you believe. Did you try Radial Tire Co, in Silver Spring? They are one of the best tire shops in the metro DC area.

Glad you managed the repair yourself as I carry a plug kit & 12 v compressor to save my trunk space for important stuff rather than a spare tire.

Tom

[Hops128i]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

Did you try Radial Tire Co, in Silver Spring? They are one of the best tire shops in the metro DC area.

Tom

No i didn't try them, but that good to know someone will do a rft repair. Will definitely keep them in mind for a future repair.

[boostm3]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Keep in mind that driving on a flat RFT will destroy the benefits of the RFT carcass, so if your laziness involved a truly flat tire, you ruined a tire that costs nearly double what a non-RFT costs. If the TPMS is lit, with any type of tire, there is really no reason not to address it.

I really dont understand the bolded statement. Im planning on getting, in size 225x45-17, Pirelli Winter 210 Sotozero Runflats.. Cost per tire is $169. By comparison, a popular conventional performance winter tire, the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D in the same size costs $162 per tire.. Where's this big RFT price premium?

[boostm3]

Originally Posted by maxnix

Bridgestone syas to replace it.

Do you feel lucky?

'Well, do ya, punk?' Quick, name the famous film your and my quote couplet comes from.... Ill give you a hint since youre probably not as old as I am and maybe are unfamiliar with the film series during the early 70s in which this was the most highly publicized line... It featured one of the biggest film stars in american history who made his bones early in his career in westerns.

[dcho]

Originally Posted by maxnix

Bridgestone syas to replace it.

Do you feel lucky?

and so i did. and nope

[ryanpick]

just got a nail and the first few places refused to repair the tire. Not because it was a run flat but because of the low tread. I'm at 23,000 miles on a 128i w/ sport pkg. what i gather this isn't too unusual.

Can anyone link or explain the process of switching over to non run flats. ie are you guys getting spares?

Special jack?
What spare?
non run flats will fit on the current wheels?
do i need to replace all 4?

My main motivation is that is seems ridiculous to have to replace such an expensive tire so often.

any recommendations for tires for the less performance orientated commuter ?

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by boostm3

I really dont understand the bolded statement. Im planning on getting, in size 225x45-17, Pirelli Winter 210 Sotozero Runflats.. Cost per tire is $169. By comparison, a popular conventional performance winter tire, the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D in the same size costs $162 per tire.. Where's this big RFT price premium?

Sorry, I don't live somewhere that winter tires really come into play, so that pricing is pretty impressive. For summer tires, a rear RFT B'stone RE050a is $353, while the non RFT is $253 and the better rated Conti DW is $211 and the popular Hankook V12 is $176. So not quite half, but certainly a lot more appealing to those of us that have no desire to run RFT's.

[boostm3]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Sorry, I don't live somewhere that winter tires really come into play, so that pricing is pretty impressive. For summer tires, a rear RFT B'stone RE050a is $353, while the non RFT is $253 and the better rated Conti DW is $211 and the popular Hankook V12 is $176. So not quite half, but certainly a lot more appealing to those of us that have no desire to run RFT's.

Absolutely agreed.. I guess the relatively small price difference in the winter tire category definitely inures to their benefit, especially in the cold and inclement weather when most people would rather not be outdoors changing a flat!