BMW Run Flat Tire
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BMW Run Flat Tires - Problems
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I recently bought a BMW 335xi with run flat tires. I've already replaced 2 tires after just 3,000 of wear due to pot holes (see photo) and a nail. BMW's choice to not design room for a spare tire has been my biggest complaint against the run flat tires. I blew out a tire while on a road trip to tahoe and no tire shops carried the RFT I needed and I was more than 50 miles away from home. Crazy. If you are having problems with your BMW run flat tires post it here. Over 600 people have shared their experiences below. This is out of control and BMW seems to be quiet on this topic. If you have not had any problems with your run flat tires also post it here so we can gauge just how big of an issue these BMW run flats are. Maybe we are all just over reacting?





BMW Run Flat Tires

About this poster:
Posted by: Bones (male, mid-30s) (Posted 10/16/07)

Resource Links: Free (relevant links only) BMW Run Flat Forum, Tire Noise, Run Flat Problems, Replacing Run Flats, BMW Tire Noise, Online Presentation Software
How do you feel about your BMW Run Flat Tires?
I love them
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I hate them
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Responses (129)
hans (11/25): its costly,but if you think about the safety issue,it might just save your life someday.tire feels hard on the surface,but no big deal for me...... (report)
thedude (1/25): Ohhh I feel so sorry for the poor BMW owners. (report)
samlr77 (4/22): I just got a brand new Z4 with flat run tires. I heard that if I get flat tires, I need to replace it with brand new tires. Is this ture? (report)
Anonymous (5/9): Sorry to see these issues for all of you guys. No one deserves this type of stuff with a premium sedean. I'm close to buying either an Infiniti G35xS or a 328xi/328i with the dreaded run flats. I've been doing my research and there still are not any available all season radials for the car. I'll take the bigger rims and 4 standard tires on the Infiniti (as well as the killer VQ engine). (report)
hbart (6/4): If you can afford a BMW, i'm pretty sure buying another tire wont kill you. (report)
erno (6/9): Erno, when you buy a BMW, and you drive the car where they are made for, you have to use them, they are perfect (report)
believer (7/17): Ever had a front tire failure at 110+ MPH? If I had conventional tires, I most likely would not be here to type this note! I was able to safely pull over to the side if the roadway and call roadside assistance. THe tire carcass was destroyed but it remained intact enough to allow me to control and slow the car. The safety benefits of runflats are numerous and are worthy considerations when deciding to either buy a car equipped with them or deciding to replace them. As for me, I'm a believer. I'll put up with shorter treadwear life and somewhat harsher ride as compared with conventional tires, but I will not compromise my family's safety to save a few bucks. I bought a BMW for its performance and handling characteristics. It is a well engineered car and the safety features built into the car are are too numerous to list, but one must not forget that no matter what car you are in, the only contact you have with the road is through the four little contact patches where the tire meets the road. Runflats are better able to maintain a flat contact patch even when deflated and will also remain attached to the rim. Conventional tires' sidewalls collapse and the tire will easily separate from the rim at highway speed. I no longer feel comfortable driving a car with conventional tires, especially when driving spiritedly. I will not compromise safety for $$$. If you are driving a BMW and the issue of replacing runflats comes up, and you choose the cheaper route rather than the safer route, you are doing a disservice to all who ride in the car with you. Would you inform your passengers that you have chosen to replace the runflats with cheaper conventional tires which are not as safe as runflats in event of a failure? I doubt you would. (report)
Anonymous (8/7): I wouldn't go so far as to say I love them but I have +38K on my set or OEM tires (Continental) on a 2007 328i sedan w/sport package. I am now doing my research on replacement tires but it is a little concerning to hear so many have had issues. (report)
Anonymous (9/7): I have a 650i convertible. Try 95k out the door. Although I understand how performance tires wear and usually cost more than conventional tires, the run flats have been a real source of aggrevation. When a run flat needs replacing because of a slow leak or a conventional puncture, we are beyond 'road performance' and into the area of 'product performance.' I was told that I had to replace a perfectly good tire at 11k miles (at $600/tire) because it has a slow leak...not even a puncture and the BMW service department took it upon themselves to replace another tire that had no problems at all, claiming that it was punctured. (bad boys....you'll pay for that one) The BMW dealer that put me into this vehicle failed to inform me of the issues related to run-flats (there are class-action suits in play right now over the matter) If a car mfg is going to support an OEM product/part, they need to make sure it is adding the right value mix for the customer. BMW, you missed the logic on this one.....find a tire mfg that can live with repairs and maintain the speed ratings of the run flats...and disclose the issues of cost and specifications to your prospective buyers in the mean time lest you face product disclosure issues from a litigation perspective. (report)
Anonymous (9/15): I have a 2007 BMW 328i coupe with sport suspension that has Continental ProContact SSR tires in 225/45R17 (H speed rated all season). You can get these from the Tire Rack for $162 each. My car has 12,000 miles on it and the tires still ride smooth and quiet at low speed and highway speed. The tire wear looks very even to me, maybe can go another 20k?. No feathering or cupping at all. I think for H rated tires they handle well. I'm thinking I must have gotten a set of good ones because I'm not having any of the problems you other poor folks are. (report)
Anonymous (9/27): I have a 2008 335xi with run flat tires, I don't love them but have had no problems in 10000 mies, also had a 2006 330xi with no problems in 25000 miles. To qualify this I'm 67 and a normal driver. (report)
Anonymous (10/9): I had the GoodYear F1 run flats they were awesome just to dam much $$$ so went with Kumo (report)
Anonymous (10/18): I have 2008 328i cov with RFT, they are not bothering me. Little rough but sporty, handles well. Cheers. (report)
switchback (10/20): I have a 320d (In Europe) and the run flats are great. I drive between 80 - 120 MPH on the high way all the time and would not consider doing this without the run flats. The winters are tough here so I bought winter run flats as well and they also perform much better then any all season radial I ever owned back in the State. (report)
luishrealty (10/22): TO LET YOU ALL KNOW. WHATEVER THE COST OF THESE TIRES... THERE IS NO PRICE ENOUGH TO SAVE A LIFE. MY MOM WAS ABLE TO WALK AND BE HERE BECAUSE OF GOD AND BECAUSE SHE WAS DRIVING THE 335 WITH RUNFLATS. She was driving in the highway here in Miami, with cars around but there was a steel rod almost 5 feet long that she could not avoid since to either side was a vehicle and behind as well. She almost lost control but she was able to drive the rest of the day as if nothing happened. Next morning we go and take her Honda to the dealership while I am driving, all I notice is the red tire light thinking it had no air. I asked her, she told me what had happened.... when I saw the tire and the rim I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW LUCKY AND BLESSED SHE WAS! The lip of the rim was bent as it was shot at close range while the wall of the tire was partially chiseled!!! The integrity of the wall was compromised but the this tire and this car saved one very important person in many people's lives, and my life... my mother. I guarantee that if it were any other tire, it would have exploded upon impact... the wheel probably would have broken off and/or the car would have definitely flipped over and this would be a different story. Thank God for this car and tire.... (report)
Anonymous (11/5): To switchback: If you endorse RFTs so much, what did you do before the technology became available. Surely you were driving on highways at highway speeds on conventional tires before. What are you lot saying about the majority of motorists who drive cars that don't even have the option of RFT technology? Think about it. (report)
Anonymous (11/9): Z4- no spare,no patch kit, no problem. (report)
Rnflat (11/14): Run flat are fine.The problem is people do not check the air pressure regularly.I bought a new 335i and 2 days after I took delivery I checked tire pressure and all tires needed to have air added. Be dilligent in checking your tire pressure and there are no problems. (report)
macclancy (11/17): BMW has been on the cutting edge and yes-bleeding edge over the years and they remain at the forefront of speed and safety technology. If you want a comfortable vibration and road feel free car you may want to look at the Pontiac, Cadillac, Lexus, or even a Mercedes (God forbid)! When you purchased your car I’m sure that you had done hours of research and you were fairly convinced that you really were purchasing “The Ultimate Driving Machine” and your salesperson went over the advantages and the disadvantages of not having a spare tire. Most of us live in an urban area and really when was the last time you actually got out and replaced your tire with your spare? The added room makes way for your extra set of clubs girlfriends luggage or groceries. Ever tried to go on a little excursion in your Z06? Unless you strapped your shit on the roof, you didn’t take the Vette. Seems to me that when you take everything into consideration you will end at the same conclusions that BMW did when they did away with the spare and began another innovative development with the Run Flat tires. As manufactures come online with new offerings the prices will fall and the product will become more refined… So quit yer bitchen and be content knowing that you really are driving The Ultimate Driving Machine! (report)
akwBMW (11/30): I have a 2006 325i and have not had any trouble with the run flat tires...yet. Had to replace one due to a nail puncture, which was costly at the dealer since I did not have the tire insurance package. But I found a tire replacement company nearby which has a much more reasonable price -first replacement of the rear ones was recent, at 56K miles. (report)
Anonymous (12/3): I feel it a little more when I hit pot holes, but besides that they do not bother me. I think the convenience is worth it. I am at 50,000 miles with the original tires (report)
daway4 (12/9): love them however the car runs extremely loud,with an appearance that the tires are out of line. These tires were just replaced for a quiet ride lasting about 2 mths 2months. (report)
LAmadness (12/12): I had mine repaired but the bloke explained me thatif the incident had been on the wall I needed to change the tire for me that was reasonably good but .. maybe if i had to change the tire it maybe not so cool (sorry for the crapy english) (report)
StevenB (12/31): I bought an extended policy for my BMW 300 series that insures my run-flats, so paying for them if one or all need replacing is not an issue. The cost of the aditional coverage is less than the cost of replacing one tire. (I did the math at the time I leased the car) The ties are expensive only if you have to pay for them. I've even filled them with Nitrogen to improve comfort and longevity! I'm 62 years old and live in Boca Raton, Florida and the thought of changing a flat on route 95 in 95 degree weather with trucks and maniacs whistling by at 85 mph is not something I'm interested in doing,. especially on a long trip away from home. To me the additional expense is justifiable considering the alternative. (report)
Anonymous (1/8): I own a 2006 330i and I replaced my standard 17in rims with 18s and got the Bridgstone RunFlats. I am at 20000 miles and still going. I did get my car aligned at the time of purchase but I have not had any problems. I had them rotated at 10000 miles and the tires wear wearing down evenly. I believe I will get another year's driving out of them (report)
411tbum (1/16): I bought a 135i in May and had to replace one run-flat tire in August. Now in early Jan. '09, I'm getting continuous low pressure indicator lights. Back to Performance BMW in Durham, NC. Room for a spare or not, I'm to replace these lemons. (report)
mm1028 (1/25): I recently purchased a pre-owned 2006 325XI with 35K miles. Car came with (relatively new)Continental run-flats. While there seems to be pronounced road noise at low speeds 35mph or less (almost like a slight grinding noise), the noise dissapears at highway speeds. I haven't had any issues with these tires and they seem to hold the road well so I'll post again in a few months. (report)
Anonymous (1/31): i love them, in fact i bought an extra set (on sale of course) and keep them at home and sometimes i will go out to the garage and look at them because, let's face it, they are downright sexy and having them around is SUCH a life saver because of the fact that if the ones on my baby get stolen or someone vandalized them or if they got paint on them (that i couldn't get off of course) then i have extras that didn't cost me as much as other people would charge me if they had to replace them in a pinch and you know how badly some bmw dealers are they charge so much for parts and service that it is almost better to just not have a bimmer at all because of how outrageous they can be but i am totally covered because of my great deal that i found and now people get jealous of me because of how lucky i am to have a complete spare set just in case of a disaster of some sort or type, you know? (report)
brokersml (2/8): I can't imagine it's not worth the additional cost to be able to get home safely & quickly should you have a flat. I did have to replace my set and I got damage within 12 months & the dealer replaced the damaged tire for FREE. I think they are great & wish there was wider availability for other cars as they make me want another BMW. (report)
notakid (2/10): No problems here with both the vehicles i have with run flats. Keep the pressure right in them and they will last. My wife had a blow out ( nail) at 80 miles an hour in the fast lane on the 5 freeway orange county. She did not know it happened until the light came on. She was able to pull over across 5 lanes safely. she then got to a spot where she felt safe. called raod side assitance and had the tire replaced. It wasn't cheap but neither is her life. Most front tires when they blow at 80 mph cause traffic accidents. I have had no problems with run flats what so ever. (report)
Anonymous (2/12): I don't have a problem with mine, but then again I came from an Infiniti G35 Coupe 6M, so I was so used to a rough riding car. I don't feel any vibrations and at speeds over 100mph, the car is smooth. I have a 2005 545i. (report)
2006z430si (2/13): I just purchased a certified/preowned 2006 z4 3.0si roadster with a sport package(produced 2006/03). The car had 11,500 miles when I got it, and I think the Bridgestone Potenza RFT's were still original. In 1 month I put 2,000 miles on the car driving aggresively, and the tires handle great! The tread wear is even, Both fronts 225/40/18 still measure 10/32 deep and look like new. I keep them inflated to 33 PSI (as the door sticker recommends). The rear left measures at 11/32 and the right rear at 8/32 (this is the only puzzle...). I keep them inflated to 38 PSI, but now since I noticed the difference in the tread wear in the rear, I will slightly deflate the tire that has more tread left. I agree that the ride is a little stiff, but the tires grip real well. I don't have any vibration, or excessive noise. The rigid side walls are very good for hard cornering. The tread wear factor on them is 140, which does not spell extra long life. Because I drive a lot I will probably experiment with something like Nitto Invo for the rear when the time comes. The rear tires wear faster on this car, so I think I will do 1 axle at the time. If the front's give me a couple of years worth of driving, I will probably replace them with the same tire, mainly for safety reasons. If I get standard and non-RFT for the rear, I will get the goo can, compressor, plug-kit, and a flashlight. In last 10 years I had to put on a spare only a couple of times, so I will take the risk. If it's non-fixable on the road, I can always get it towed to the house (my insurance covers that...) and then fix it on my terms... - TZ4 (report)
Oblivious (2/25): Not sure which column to put this in, but here goes. I just bought a 2009 335xi. It will be delivered sometime next month. I personally dont care much for the stock sport package wheels and was looking to get aftermarkets with run flats. A question to all those who have gotten replacements, What brand of tire did you buy? Are they any better than what come from BMW? (report)
cruiseforwork (3/1): I've had no problems with my factory RFT's. Have a 2007 BMW 328i. I am due to replace them due to standard ware; they are a bit loud closer to replacement I've noticed.. But no major issues other than noise (report)
azroadster (3/1): I've been pretty happy with mine (on a 2003 Z4 3.0i Roadster). I wish I had more choices in applicable tires, though, instead of the OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE050 Run-Flats. We use only Michelins on our other vehicles and they just seem to be a better brand of tire. Unfortunately, I just got to try out the run-flat feature today. However, on a car like mine, I like the extra space and convenience provided by NOT having to carry a spare. (report)
Anonymous (3/3): I own a 2007 BMW33i Coupe and I absolutely love my run flat tires. To have these tires will cost you a "premium" but for women who travel and having the piece of mind of safety that you can travel on these tires is worth every $$$$ spent. (report)
SROBMW (3/4): SROBMW - 3/1 - run flats are the only way to go. much safer, getting better with exper. - conti's are better than bridgestone (report)
Anonymous (3/11): i had a 2004 bmw 530 with run flats. great tires. no, you do not need to replace them if you get a flat as long as you do not drive more than 50 miles while flat. they are fixable like any tire (i am sure the dealer will try to bs you for money but a reputable tire shop will tell you the truth). they have very stiff sidewalls which give the car a rougher ride. but not a big deal. not having to stop for a flat is priceless. my 5 series would do wide cloverleafs at 70 mph before the autopilot kicked in. (report)
Anonymous (3/11): btw, i had my run flats repaired 3 times in three years on my 2004 530 and never had to replace a tire. i tunrned it in at the end of the lease with 36k miles and only lost $50 due to excessive wear. (report)
Anonymous (3/17): I love runflats on my BMW. They prevented me from being stuck on the shoulder of the highway, where I could be hit by a car or mugged by unscrupulous people. (report)
jpalmer1167 (3/21): I have only had issues when I hit HUGE pot hole that bent the rim of the car. Granted a major isssue with the rim but other than that the tire held up...considering the damage to the rim I was pretty impressed. It's a sports car look and ride that is pretty typical. The fact that they have survived Rochester, NY for 3 years is impressive in itself! (report)
stix (4/2): as a tire sales man and a run flat tire owner they are the best tire on the road. yes when they go flat you or they get a nail in it you have to replace the tire but it is one of the hottest items on a sporty car today. as long as you take care of them and you get a good name brand you will pay alot but you get what you pay for... (report)
stix (4/2): go to firestone they have some great deals and the tires are the best i have riden on so far on my z3 i payed more but it was worth it. (report)
Anonymous (4/3): I'm sorry to hear about all the problems. I haven't had any problems thus far and I've put about 20-25,000 miles on them. (report)
mickans (4/9): i wouln't say i love them, but i have a 320i with s/pack and have just clicked over 51k kms. I need to replace rft's in next few weeks. Lucky, I have not had any problems but they are noisy at low speed and i do worry late at night far from a dealer! (report)
Anonymous (4/12): My 3rd bmw is an e90 (2006) with RFT. my feedback - 20K miles for a performance tire is GOOD, rft or not; turn in and tire feel is pretty good, noticed it right away; not having a spare still worries me, taking a trip up I5 from CA to WA this summer, what happens in the middle of no where? Cost is very high, not happy about that but it is a BMW so what do u expect? Cornering is good, ride quality is ok, tracks a bit on uneven pavement but honestly no more than my s-03's on my old m3. IMPORTANT: KEEP RFT's AT HIGHER TIRE PRESSURE - I KEPT MINE AT 38-40 LBS AND WITH 15K MILES ON THEM I STILL HAVE 7/32-8/32 (NEW 10/32) ON THEM! Noise and feel are also improved. Read this on a review on tirerack.com, surprised BMW recommends 32-34 lbs, the higher pressure made a big difference. (report)
TOKION (4/18): I live in Tokyo and drive a 2006 model BMW 530 Touring with M-Sport package and run flat tires. My car also came with the active steering option installed. I am a keen driver of sports cars, as well as modified (tuned up) saloon cars. However, both the run flat tires and the active steering system is to my liking, and I am entirely satisfied with both. My car does not have any vibration problem what-so-ever, and it drives smoothly, sharply, and comfortably. (report)
Anonymous (4/24): I have a Z-4 with run flats. Never had any problem. I do pay attention to the tire pressure. (report)
TBoyd1973 (4/27): WOW!!! I feel I have to throw some defense out for these run-flats. I have a 2007 HUMMER H2 and a 2008 BMW 328i. The HUMMER is really like nothing else (as the motto goes), but I prefer to drive my BMW. My BMW drives much smoother, handles better and I feel safe with my boys in the car knowing that if I have a blow out on the freeway we aren't going to roll like we possibly could in the HUMMER. We take the BMW everywhere..it is now the "family car" instead of the HUMMER. My run-flats have over 16,000 miles on them in less than a year and (knock on wood) no problems! I never thought I would choose to drive anything other than my HUMMER... (report)
ladylover (5/10): Well, my car's tires are coated with Rhinotire's Technology in New York, and I love such excellent protection, my wife says she can't drive without Rhinotire. (report)
ccorrea (5/13): Well, I wouldnt say that I love them. They look nice, they feel nice on the car. My only issue is that I should probably keep a spare set when I go out to "burn rubber" in the country side. :-) My rear tires have only lasted about a year, new. While the front ends look un-touched. 128 i, Boise ID (report)
philmoore24 (5/16): I just bought my 2nd BMW with run flat tires. I had a 2006 BMW 325i, and I put almost 43000 miles on it without any problems with the tires. I just bought my new 328i Convertible the other day, and it also has run flats. I believe the safety benefits (by far) outweigh the potential problems with the tires. Also, in Car and Driver Magazine, they were noted as testing the new BMW 335i and getting a flat tire on their way to the testing grounds. They got the tire patched, and the tire gave them no problems. Now, I was told with the purchase of both of my cars that I needed to replace the tire anytime something happens, but Car and Driver's incident just goes to prove that you can get by with a patch if you have to. Happy motoring! (report)
Anonymous (5/27): Buy a tire protection package for an extra 20 bucks a month and if anything happens to the tire there is a zero deductable. Ive had 6 tires replaced on my 525 with no cost out of pocket. and yes they are run flats. (report)
Anonymous (5/27): hbart: BMW's aren't that much more expensive than any other car. When you work hard for your money you will see. (report)
Anonymous (6/5): This is especially respond to samlr77. This is true. So make sure you check the thread of the tires, especially the front ones are ware out faster. I have Z4 for more than 2 years and so far, I only bought 2 fronts(twice) and switch the old front tires to the back. Don't forget that. It makes your tires last longer. So, make sure to buy only 2 new, put at the front, and put the old ones to the back. After you do this routines, check the threads (if they are thinning) only the back tires because now the old tires are the rears. This is a very good tip!! Especially for bmwmadman, this is very good tip for you. I drive a lot, I mean a lot!!! For 2 years, I put more than 50,000 miles and only bought 2 tires (twice) I drove to Tahoe and Reno, LA and San Diego, Yosemithe, Sequoia, and drive about 300 miles a week. I drive my Z4 everywhere, to school and work. So, my advice is, buy only 2 at a time, put at front, and put the old ones at rear. It will last longer. (report)
LoveZ4 (6/5): Tip for run flat tire owners: Make sure you check the thread of the tires; especially the front ones are wearing out faster. For the first time of replacement, buy 2 new tires at a time, put the 2 new ones at the front, and leave the rear tires alone. The second time you buy 2 new tires, put the new one at the front, and put the old front ones on the back. Remember, put the new tires at front. I have Z4 for more than 2 years and so far, I only bought 2 fronts (twice) and switch the old front tires to the back. Don't forget that. It makes your tires last longer. So, make sure to buy only 2 new, put at the front, and put the old ones to the back. After you do this routines, check the threads (if they are thinning) only the back tires because now the old tires are the rear ones. This is a very good tip!! To answer samlr77 question, and especially for bmwmadman, this is very good tip for you. I drive a lot, I mean a lot!!! For 2 years, I put more than 50,000 miles and only bought 2 tires (twice). I drove to Tahoe and Reno several times, LA and San Diego twice, Yosemithe, Sequoia, and drive about 300 miles a week. I drive my Z4 everywhere, to school and work. So, my advice is, buy only 2 at a time, put at front, and put the old ones at rear. It will last longer. I hope this tip work for run flat tires owners because it works for me. Thank you. (report)
swampy_6 (6/9): does anybody know what tire pressure my run flat tires should have . I have a E46 coupe with 225 x 35 x 19 on the front and 255 x 30 x 19 on the back. thanks (report)
Allusive (6/10): Wow I am surprised to see how many people have had issues. I have 04 545i with Dunlop SP Sport 01 DSST Run Flat and have no problems. I see most people run Continentals so maybe give these a try and yes they are not cheap especially if you are in Canada. Good Luck! (report)
itserve (6/15): I have a late 2008 BMW 320D M Sport and I love my Bridgestone run flat tyres. No problems, 10000 miles and very little wear - should be good for 25,000 miles! (report)
Anonymous (6/19): I have a Mini Cooper S with Run flat tyres, and I must say that I am in two minds. I love the fact that if I get a flat I can still drive somewhere to have it fixed. I recently developed a small bubble on the sidewall of the tyre and NO I did not hit a curb or a pothole. So what now? Firstly there is absolutely no stock in the country of the Dunlop Runflat tyres and I do not want to replace 2 tyres, only done 9000 kms. (report)
Anonymous (6/29): I have an '07 328i Sports Wagon with Bridgestone RFTs. At 18,500 miles, I've experienced no problems. I won't say I love them but then I don't hate them either. (report)
Anonymous (7/2): No problem. One call and BMW service gets me to a tire place or out of trouble. We should not confuse issues due to optimistic profiles (roads are not race tracks) with run-flat tires. Bridgestone 3rd generation run-flats have acceptable lateral stiffness (no more wood tires) (report)
1stbmw (7/6): I don't hate them. but I don't love them. I bought a new 325i 2006. It had Bridgestone. They were load when slowing down. So they replaced them for free at around 12000 miles. I have Continentals now. They're not Michelins which I grew up with. I had a flat due to a nail. I went to Belle tire to had it fixed, and and it still leaks. They said it was because of the seal around the rim?? Other than that, no problems. I have about 40k miles on them now. I have one more year left on the lease, but I'm going to need new tires before the winter. I live in MI. The roads are bad here and winters can be rough. I hope that I can buy used ones or cheap ones for a year. Anybody have any ideas. (report)
sptung (7/9): I have a 2005 545i, sports package, with run flat. Just been informed by my service guy that my current set of run flat needs replacement - after I have put on 30K miles. No complaints on noise. Run flat is a good feature. (report)
Anonymous (7/14): I've had run-flats on my '04 645i; '07 550i; and now on my '09 X535d. I've never had a problem of any kind with wear, with noise, with alignment-related problems, or with puncture repair. My wife's '07 X3 does not have them, but I'll be relieved when it's replaced with a '10 X3, with run-flats. Being stranded, especially for a woman, is a really bad deal, and the run-flats give me much greater confidence that it won't happen. Our cars are driven around town, and often at high speeds over long distances, both freeway and secondary/tertiary roads with bad surfaces. In short, I prefer them for safety reasons, but don't feel I'm compromising on ride quality. BMWs are optimized for the OE tires, in this case, the run-flats. (report)
girldoc31 (7/14): Tyres are a little loud, but overall it takes nothing from the ultimate driving machine. Got 53,000 miles out of my set; but I am going to have them replaced tomorrow. They guys at BMW are laughing at me. (report)
brucec87 (7/16): I have a 2007 X5 4.8i with run flat tires. In '07 if you did not order the third row seats, you got a spare as well. I did not care particularly for the OE Bridgestones. They were louder thatn I would have liked, but not intrusive. We got 30,000 miles of wear before needing replacements. I replaced them with the Michelin Latitude Tour HP ZP (run flat). Much quieter. Total cost was $1000, but I opted for the $40 per tire "hazard insurance". We live in an area where there is a lot of construction and picked up a nail in the sidewall that was deemed not safe to repair. Discount Tire replaced the tire at no cost without complaint. The same would have been true of any tire construction with that type of damage, so Idid not feel victimized by BMW's decision to spec RFT as OE. There is a certain peace of mind that I get knowing that my wife is driving on tires that will get her home in an emergency. In contrast, my '08 X3 Sport has regular tires. At 20k miles I have absolutely no complaints. Other than some additional tire noise with the BRidgestone RFT's on the X5, my ownershop experience with both sets of tires is comparable. (report)
Anonymous (7/17): I'm loving my 6 series, but dread the thought of replacing my tyres, are'nt they roughly £250 a tyre? Thats £1000 for a set!! I'm not rich, it's not impossible for someone to afford a BMW, but it is a bit accessive. I took out some sort of tyre insurence I need to check out. (report)
Anonymous (7/25): They seem ok. Michilan now allow their run flats to be repaired once and this stays within their warranty. (report)
beemerboy (7/25): just purchased a sportswagon with the run-flats. I boought coverage against run-flats replacements. From the stories i've read here, it was a good choice. one flat tire or blow-out covers the cost of the insurance. but then, i hate having to replace tires no matter what. (report)
Anonymous (8/4): Haven't had a problem with them and I'm at 21,000 miles. They are very expensive to replace though. (report)
Anonymous (8/6): Don't love or hate 'em. I've changed tires before under dangerous circumstances and/or lousy weather. I have a 335Xi with Continentals. Hit a few potholes as has everyone. So far, so good. These tires are way better than the Potenza's on my old 330i w/sport package. Had one mail puncture in tread - it was plugged with the caveate that 'we're not supoosed to do this'. Been fine ever since. (report)
Anonymous (8/8): I've had R-F's on my 545i, and my 550i (both were the Sport version V8). At first, I didn't like the added unsprung weight (they feel heavier than conventional tires). I noticed that both cars became a bit heavier feeling when swapping out from my snow tires (Dunlop conventional snow tires) when the snow and temps changed in the Spring. But, after living with them for five years (both Five's combined), I like everything about them but their price. I have about 40,000 miles on my current set, and just tonight pronounced them dead because the belts are showing on the inside edge of the rears, and they began to shred. My dealer had been warning me about this after my recent service. Even fragged as the rear is, it still holds air, and I was never stranded. One of the fronts I plugged (nail through tread, NOT sidewall) with a $15 kit from the NAPA store, works fine after 8,000 miles, no leaking. Yes, you CAN plug them. I imagine they are also immune to spike strips.... I never have to worry about my wife confronting a flat tire, and I think that IS worth the extra cost. My other car is a Porsche Cayman S with low profile 19" wheels, with no spare tire at all, and no, it doesn't have run flats... I wouldn't want my wife driving that set-up. It does monitor tire pressure by the pound, you've gotta always be watching that read-out on the dash... (report)
Beemer_Happy (8/10): I have an 07 328i Coupe with the 17" rims. I haven't had any problems with them, other that a little noise. But that's expected for Performance Tires and 37,000 miles. I'll be getting a new set around 40,000 mls. For those who go thru them too fast, remember to ROTATE your tires every 7500 miles, keep them fillled and slow down on the corners. Been there, done that (report)
Anonymous (8/10): I have goodyear run flats on my MINI from a BMW dealership. I got 40,000 on the front tires and they say I have 5-10,000 left on the back tires. A bit noisy but I'm happy with them. I had a flat last month and it was so nice not to change a tire and just drive to Goodyear. (report)
Anonymous (8/22): only have 5000 miles on 08 328i....love them.....wife drives the car at night 25 mi each way.... (report)
titusman (8/23): 17,000 miles and one nail that was repaired as the tips alerted me that there was a potential problem. I do wish my 2008 328i did at least have room for a temporary spare but plan to replace them with another set of runflats, probably continentals. (report)
Anonymous (8/25): I have a 2007 335 and almost 40,000 miles on my run flats. I would say I have had success with them. (report)
GFBMW (8/29): Clearly, the concept of RFTs seems sound to me. I live in London and have a new BMW 320d SE, with 225/45 R17 RFTs and they seem fine, albeit only 3000 miles in. Nevertheless, I noticed that the tyre pressure label in the door jamb doesn't actually specify the pressures required for the RFTs fitted! (report)
middleagegit (9/8): I have run flats on my 320d (UK)with over 30,000 miles so far on the present set, so am pleased to date. They do however now make a hell of a noise as they are wearing down and the fronts are now in need of replacement. They do provide a reassurance for high speed driving; a summer trip through europe gave the opportunity for a 130 mph (fully legal)high speed run, which seems somehow more comforting knowing the risks of a high speed blow-out are diminished. Personally i think the downsides are well worth tolerating given the benefits of the technology contained within the tyres. (report)
stuartf (9/9): I have found a company that will repair run flat tyres, even if they have side wall damage. They use a system called vulcanisation where they weld a new piece of rubber into the damage. A repair costs £25 inc VAT, the only downside is that you have to leave your tyre with them for 24 hours as the process involves putting it into an oven for around 8 hours. Apparently, there are only two companies in the UK that can carry out this process. The company I used was called Jamesons and are in Birmingham. (report)
Anonymous (9/10): I got a screw in the middle of my tread. After researching online and pricing a replacement I decided to have the tire patched. $20 and it took <30 minutes. Seems like the rigidity of the run flat will work if that tire goes flat in the future - I'll let everyone know if it does... (report)
Anonymous (9/11): I have them on my '07 Z4 Coupe and have had a flat tire; great to be told by the dash icon and not by steering, etc. I have had no problems in 17000+ miles. (report)
Anonymous (9/12): I can't say I love them, but my second set (Continentals) were far superior to the Bridgestone Turanzas that came with my 2006 325i. That being said, I had my car in on April 15 for servicing and the tech mentioned my tire wear ... imagine my shock since I had purchased them exactly one year previously to the day (we never forget tax day). So here I am, now having had my last rotation and balance and I'm shopping for my third set of runflats. First set made 22K miles and the second set are at 25K now, but have worn much more evenly and were much much quieter than the Bridgestones. Since they have been aired up every two weeks with few exceptions, I can only blame the crappy roads in Alabama. I'm thinking of Michelin Primacy runflats this time. Wish me luck, I'm hoping to get 30K this time! (report)
bzaq12wsx (9/15): I have 27550 on my 335 Sport on the original set of tires. I drive this car very hard on back roads and highway (ave. speed of 42.2 mph). I'm not sure if I "love" the run flats, but I have had no problems. I'm about to replace them, but I consider this "normal" wear mileage for me. I have run Mich. Pilots on my 540 for years and get about the same mileage. (report)
2006325i (9/16): I am on my third set of Bridgestone tires. I have a 2006 with sport package and have had no problems, although the ride is rough. I purchased the Millenium Tires for Life package and have had two replacements at 25K each. My dealership is still honoring the replacement even though the Milleneum guys have filed for bankruptcy. I have kept the car aligned and the wheels balanced - so far so good. (report)
Anonymous (9/16): I've got original Goodyear RFT's on a 645Ci. Still have a lot of tread after 33k miles with no problems. If people don't like runflats convert to regular and buy a spare wheel and tire for the trunk, just in case. (report)
Anonymous (9/21): I still have 2 original Bridgestones RFTs on my 2006 3 series. 60K+ miles. Had to replace 2 at 40K because of nail damgae to one. I don't know how you drive but if you have to replace them at 20K then you gotta relax a bit when driving! (report)
Anonymous (9/21): Mine passed inspection after 41,000 trouble-free miles. Haves used these on the track, and they were surprisingly good! (report)
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Ferr3 (9/25): I had a flat and it proformed as it were supposed to. I was able to get home about 90 miles away with no problem. However, you do need to buy a new tire. It can not be repaired. (report)
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Anonymous (9/30): The safety issue is good but my 325 is 3 years old and I'm about to buy my fourth tire at $300 a pop! They are too expensive and don't last long enough! (report)
Anonymous (10/10): They are bad news, most tire shops don't carry them in stock and are very expensive. I picked up a nail on the face that was close to the sidewall and the BMW Service center told me they were not allowed to patch or plug the tire. That was with less than 500 miles on the tire. Something like $395 for a new one and a 3 day wait because it had to come from out of state. (report)
Anonymous (10/18): OK, but checking pressure every week is a MUST. (report)
joelalbertpoe (10/18): I have a 2008 BMW 335i and I love the run flat tires. I have hit potholes, etc without any problems. I have had 2 instances where nails punctured the tires and my tire warranty covered both of them to be replaced at no charge. When I got the flats I still drove for three days at speeds up to 65 mph with no problems at all. In fact, the handling of the car (I have the sport package) was not noticeably different at all after the tire was completely flat. I love them! Feels like you are indistructable. I had one issue with the tire pressure sensor coming on during cold weather when the tire pressure was fine. I simply looked at my owners manual and reset the sensor right in the car with no problems. Sure, they are expensive, but are they more expensive than missing a flight? Missing an appointment with a valued client? Having a delay to a career-changing meeting? I think not. Now I am buying winter blizzak run flats (bridgestone). I'll keep you posted after the winter. (report)
Anonymous (10/30): I bought my 3 series used with 25,000mi on it, the tires did not look new. Now at 50,000mi I need to change the tires b/c there's no tread. My only complaint is that I had Bridgestones and they were very loud. Hopefully the Conti's will give me as much life out of them as the Bridgestones...just a much more quite life. (report)
Anonymous (11/10): I'm about the buy a Mini Cooper S with of course run-flats. I too have seen many reviews, which concerned me. However I found a great un-biased review to blow many myths away: www_autoexpress_co_uk/products/products/203239/tyre_test_runflat.html ... may be I will change my mind, but from the review the facts speak for themselves. (report)
BM_driver (11/10): Goodyear Eagle F1 Assy is a great tyre. It solved the tramlining issues on my 3 series. The ride and road-holding is so much better than the runflats. Cheaper too! (report)
Anonymous (11/16): I GOT 2007 BMW 335I COUPE,MY RUN FLAT WORKING GOOG FOR ME ,BUT LOOKS I SHOULD CHANGE THEM SOON,I DONT KNOW WHERE CAN I DO IT?ONLY DEALER? (report)
geno319 (11/26): i have a 2009 335xi, so far i have more than 9K miles so far so good, knock on wood. my biggest issue is that they are bridgestone. i'm not a huge bridgestone fan. i keep looking around for michlen or goodrich (report)
nykolej (11/30): I have an 06 325I, live in Atlanta and drive mostly highway miles. I am looking for a run flat tire and want to know if there is any difference between nitrogen and air in the tires. Thanks! (report)
jholt (12/10): I am like the guy who said he was not sure which column to put my comments in. I hate the price of the rfs, but they give a great ride. I bought a new '07 328i, with bridgestone rfs. The front made a noise and were unplesent to drive.I replaced the same style/make/tire and it is 100% different? Quiet, and control is great and I feel safe. Replacement at Bridgestone dealer cost about $100 less per tire than BMW dealer quoted me. I am about to use Nitrofill, as low tire light comes on constantly in cold (7 dgree) weather. Any experience with that?? (report)
Tripleset (12/28): I have a 2003 Z4 with run flat tires and I love them! Never had an issue with blowouts & I have hit many a pot hole (it's Houston, please!) I even have a large gash in the back driver's side tire and thought the air dissipates on occasion (especially during the cold snaps), I have not had a problem. It's about time for a new set and I will not hesitate in buying them! (report)
Tripleset (12/28): Another point - also had a nail in one of the tires a while back; Discount Tire tried to get me to buy another set at the time, but instead, I had them patch it and I have not had further problems with it since. ;) (report)
Anonymous (12/30): I originally did not care for my RFTs, however my opinion has now changed. I hit a pothole on 395 at 65 mph that blew out two tires with my kids in the car. I was able to maintain control and even drive home at 50 MPH no problem. The car behind me hit the pothole, blew 3 tires, hit the jersey wall and then spun across 3 lanes of traffic from the same pothole at the same rate of speed. I am now a believer in RFT technology. (report)
diamonddri (12/31): Diamonddri: Just had to replace one front Michelin RFT which had cuts and bubbles from potholes to pass RI safety inspection. That's the worst problem I have had in two and a half years (24,500 miles) on bad New England roads. The annoying problem is having to reset the tire monitoring system every fall whenever we get the first cold temps and the alert shows "low pressure' (report)
gooddeal (1/11): They saved my life. I hit a pothold on the Jersey Turnpike that was over 10" deep. Traffic all around and travelling at 120+ km/hour. The car held true. I did have to replace the tire and did so through BMW. I have since learned that you can buy these tires many other places for much less. BMW also offers insurance packages. I was ambivalent about the tires before - I'm a firm believer now. On the note of fixing small leaks, etc. Unless the side wall is compromised, small leaks are fixable. Just not by BMW. (report)
Anonymous (1/19): Love them for the safety and convenience. Got a nail on the way to the airport but wasn't delayed. When I returned to SF, went to dealership w/o appt and my tire was replaced same day. I purchased tire care warranty with my BMW so no cost for me. (report)
Anonymous (1/23): I've owned a 2009 328i Coupe since early May '09 that has standard Continental RFT's and do notice a harsher ride; however, after 15K miles so far, I see a very minimum of tread wear on them. I'm guessing they can at least hit 30K before I need to replace the set. Twice my air pressure guage has alerted me about low tire pressure, but just a quick trip to the gas station air pump has easily rectified it. The pressure guage is sensitive as the tires "felt" fully inflated. Just a few PSI's can set the warning lamp off, but it's not a big deal. So far, except for the harder ride, I see no difference in RFT's vs. regular (and I do like knowing I can get to work in the morning even if I do get a nail, if I just reduce speed to 50mph). I think the safety factor far outweighs the harsher ride. (report)
Anonymous (1/30): I have a 2006 325i. I have 35,000 miles on the original rft's. I am dur for a tire replacement and the $1405 + tax I am considering a cheape brand. Any suggestions. I have not experienced any problems with the tire. I do check air pressure twice monthly. (report)
Anonymous (1/30): wow. I wonder if BMW changes suppliers? The bridgestones seem quite shoddy. (report)
woprd9 (2/6): It's not a black and white issue, as demonstrated by many of the comments here, which would probably be mostly in the "Neutral" box if there was one. The safety benefits of RF's come at a higher cost. Is it worth it? In some cases yes, in some maybe not. I had a 335i with low profile RF's for two years with no problems at all (and drove it like it a nutter), whereas my wife's X5 3.0 picked up a nail after about 15,000 miles, and the NEW TIRE has just got a nail after about 10,000. Another $350++! Ironically I had tire/wheel insurance on the 335i, figuring I was more likely to have problems with the low profiles, and never had any issues. It is annoying that they don't support any kind of repair for these tires, but maybe it is the nature of the beast. Reading between the lines, it is probably partly driving style that causes high wear rates and problems like nails. My wife is a relatively sedate driver so the three undamaged RF's have lasted 25,000 miles on the X5, and probably have a couple of thou left in them. Obviously one can't entirely avoid nails on the road, but in my experience, keeping the car as close as practical to the center line and away from the sidewalk alleviates issues with nails and kerb damage. All of the crap that drops on the road makes it's way to the edge because of the camber, so it makes sense to keep the vehicle away from this side. Both of the nails we have had with the X5 were on the right rear side. (report)
Advisor4BMW (2/25): The tires pictured above are a thing of beauty. That knot in the sidewall is a picture of the tire doing it's job. Had that been a non-runflat. that would have been a blow out (which would require replacement anyway) The major parts on your bmw suspension are made out of aluminum and rubber. If you hit a pothole and bent a suspension part it would cost MUCH MORE! Would it be different then? Probably. We should all face the facts that this is the next step in safety. When radial were introduced to the market, everyone hated them but we accept them as the norm now. These will be the same way in 5-10 years. (report)
kevlaw (2/26): I have run different brands of performance tires on different cars over the years, and have seldom gotten more than 18,000 miles, usually far less. I have Bridgestone Potenza RFTs on my 2008 335i, and have had no porblems whatsoever with them, other than ride harshness. With 15k on them, they look to last at least 20k. Had my previoius 2006 325i three years with Bridgestone RFTs and no problems. I look forward to buying the 3G version when my present Bridgestones expire, since the reviews are all positive regarding the comfort and handling of the new technology. I have owned Infinitis and BMWs, and any driving enthusiast who would exchange the nimble performance of a BMW for the leaden ride of a G35 just to avoid run flat tires is a fool, as are those who trade in their RFTs for an an imagined performance upgrade in their BMW, while sacrificing safety, weight, space, and convenience. (report)
Anonymous (3/8): Well, I was going to complain that I just found out I had to replace my 2 front tires at 40,000 miles but I guess that's pretty good for these tires. I will say, these tires saved my life 3 years ago. I had a major blow out going 85 mph down a mountain in CO in between 2 semis. I heard a loud pop sound but the car didn't drive any differently. I didn't even know what had happened until we go to the bottom of the mountain to look up what the warning sign meant. I just hope my new tires work as well as the last two. (report)

Related Posts
BMW Run Flats Suck
Replacing Run Flat Tires - Here's Your Answer
 Responses (888)
bmwmadman (10/29): I agree. I have a 2006 325i special ordered and I needed a new tire within a week. That blows! Now at 20,000 miles I need a whole new set of tires. Thats seems a bit short. I live in SF and dont drive that much. Having no room for a spare blows as well. what should we do. (report)
Anonymous (11/2): i got a nail in my run flat and bmw and now I'm told they are unrepairable. crazy. (report)
Tng (11/6): Crazy !! cannot get the run flat tires, run flat tires is only can get from BMW dealer, hard to find and very expensive. 3 series is without spare tire and have to use run flat, no choice !! (report)
alferdaus (11/8): I changed the wheels and tires for 20" but no space for a spare. The run flat vibrate on highway and they are a little noisy too. Anyway if you want to buy run flat for 325 it has to be online. Go to www.tirerack.com (report)
sick (11/19): i have a 2006 325xi and of course run-flats. I had to replace the whole set with only 15000 miles on them, and as posted BMW holds you hostage with the price of the new ones. SICK, Love the car, hate the tires..! (report)
Anonymous (11/26): Can't drive without getting a head ache. Embarrassing. (report)
tmull (11/28): I have not yet had the car 2 years (about 20,000 miles) and have to replace all four tires ($275/each) because they are worn and "chopped" and make a lot of noise. I also have to pay for a wheel alignment (so much for four years of free maintenance-wheel alignments aren't considered maintenance). I'm told that this type of replacement is very common on these tires. I never would have bought the car if I knew I had to replace the tires every 2 years. Also, the first time I had a flat it took a week to get a new tire -- of course it couldn't be repaired. For the 4-tire replacement -- the dealership didn't have the tires (again) and my car is there waiting for a delivery. (report)
Anonymous (12/6): flat run tires on my 2006 bmw are terrible,and bmw seems like they don,t care Rich (report)
Anonymous (12/18): I have a 2006 325i with these tires, and honestly have had no problems with them. Until yesterday. I went to the dealership because I had a couple of little things for them to fix, and the guy tells me I need a new set of tires! At 24000 miles! Ridiculous! (report)
ssshhhh (12/21): Based on my current experience as of today, BMW will replace my RFT for 50% cost. Which is an insult as this is not a fix but a bandaid until I roll another 10-15k miles. This smells like a class action against mfg defect... (report)
Anonymous (12/27): I have a 2006 325xi and tire noise is major issue. BMW said was a balancing issue and rebalanced tires, but this solved nothing. (report)
Anonymous (12/28): they suck bad. I have a 2006 330 convertible performance package... yah, that's an expensive freaking car!!! 1 year = 3 tires changed. 2 flats and 1 (according to bmw) has an air-bubble? I was saving up for the 2008 M3 but I may back down if BMW are going standard with the run flats (report)
Anonymous (12/28): For my 2006 325xi BMW is replacing original Bridgestone Turanzas with Continental ContiProContact SSR - do these solve noise problem? (report)
Zane (1/5): I have had to replace all my tires and have been told by BMW that they do not know of others having the same problem Zane O'Donnell (report)
Anonymous (1/11): I refused to buy a new BMW due to the problems a co-worker had with run flats. They lasted less than 20,000 miles and ran with a horrible ride and vibration throughout the life of the tires. (report)
RFTsuck (1/11): The RFT are total Crap, and BMW better address the issue soon, or they might have to run flat (report)
moanamontes (1/15): Overall I have had no issues with the run flat tires on my 325i. Yesterday I took my car to the dealership for scheduled maintenance and the alignment seemed off. Well they called me this morning and informed me that the alignment is okay but my tires need to be replaced. $875 for the set. My car only has 16500k on it. It's been two years since I purchased the car, and as you can see I do very little driving in it. That's alot of money every two years to be spent on tires. (report)
FLtravelingman (1/31): I live in Orlando and have a 2006 330i which started making tire noises at 14k miles. Taking the car in, I was given "everything normal" by BMW service dept. By 17K, noise was so loud I took back in and BMW said that all my tires were out of alignment and were ruined and I had to buy all new ones. After strenuously protesting, dealer agreed to buy two, I bought two, at $350 each, plus mount, balance, etc. I now have 24K on car (8K on new tires) and just got a low tire light this week. I went in yesteday and was told I had picked up a screw on the road. This slow leak is going to cost me another $350 because they don't repair the tires. I said I'd find a place that did and they said I'd better have a new tire, not a repaired tire, when I turned it in at the end of the lease at the end of this year or they would charge me then since they now have a record of the leak. Talk about a racket. (report)
slosurf21 (2/1): Just bought a certified 06 325i. Best car I have EVER had, except the tires. I new the tires would be an issue before I bought the car. I read all the reviews!...it seems this is an epidemic!... I just reached 18k miles, and the noice at 0-40mph is horrible (only during slowing down though). Its crazy, the noice is nothing driving at 110mph! But at 20mph it seems so bad. I knew this was going to be an issue before I bought the car, and the dealership said they would replace them. So right now I am trying to get my monies worth, and a few thousand miles more out of these tires. Seriously though, is this going to go on forever?!!... To hell with the spare, and maybe just buy regular tires?.. What tires do people recommend here?... Like I said, LOVE THE CAR, tires suck though. Has anyone brought a lawsuit yet? (report)
BIGTENTAM (2/7): I HAD TO FIGHT TO GET MY RF REPLACED @ 11,000, NOW I AM AT 27,00 ALL HIGHWAY MILES AND THE NOISE SOUNDS LIKE STUDDED SNOW TIRES...BWM NEEDS TO FIX THE TIRE PROBLEMS..THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES ON MAINTENANCE FREE LUXURY VEHICLE - THEY FORGET ABOUT HAVING TO PAY TO REPLACE THE TIRES EVERY YEAR!!! (report)
Anonymous (2/17): the worst tires ever. period. the worst. I have owned 8 bmw's and may be driving my last one if bmw doesn't find a way to fix this problem. the worst. (report)
Anonymous (2/18): The run flat tires are nothing but a problem. I purchased the warranty for the wheels and tires but this cars have an aligment problem and the warranty wont cover the tire for that problem even thouhg the car comes with that problem.I have replaced the tires 3 times already and tomorrow I am going to the dealer to replace 2 more that are not covered. (report)
Anonymous (2/19): 2007 335xi sedan. Bridgestone Turanza all-season tires. Runs rough, noise a bit bad at speed. No cupping or irregular wear yet, but only at 7000 of mostly highway driving. (report)
LoveCarRFTsuck (2/24): I agree. I have 335 cic and already replaced 2 tires in 8 month. Now 3 of my tires formed bubbles the size of a child's fist, and the 4th one keeps loosing pressure. I am at a loss, and BMW keeps denying that there is a problem. (report)
BeamerFan (2/25): I just purchased an 07 328xi from the US in December (Canadian). Don't get me started on BMW Canada and their pathetic money grab Anyway the car has 16K mi. on it and I did notice some noise, but I didn't really have much time to get a real sense as I had to put winters on it as we were getting a fair amount of snow. I bought regular winters as rft prices were just stupid. ...most of us have lived without rfts to this point in our lives. How often do we get a flat tires? I think the CAA backup plan is a perfect solution. Instead of living with rftS and hating the car, why not just buy regular tires and enjoy the car while you have it. (and of course continue to hate the dealer) (report)
Anonymous (3/1): RFt's are Complete Shit. Never will allow them on a vehicle of mine again. Switch to GFT's join AAA at once and save yourself the hassle and headaches. (report)
BMWorSemi (3/1): Have to warn people when I drive them that their experience will be similar to riding in a big rig truck... the noise in unbearable! (report)
Steven (3/1): RFTs suck! True story...I hit a very small piece of 2x4 while making a right turn yesterday. Within a second the tire monitoring light came on. I called my local dealer then went in for what I thought would be a simple reset. Instead I got the news that after only driving this 06 325i roughly 24K while ensuring that the tires were rotated and balanced, I needed a brand new set along with an alignment at a cost of 1,450 bucks...ouch! My father never had this problem with his Buick. I'm thinking about replacing the tires with a traditional set. Does anyone know what tire is a great replacement without compromising the ride and without the road noise? (report)
turner (3/1): Capt Lee I have a 330D with 255s on the rear which are only lasting 10,000 miles driving normaly. In addition they are taking a week to get hold of a new set of tyres. I cant get any answers or advise from BMW. Typical head in the sand (report)
knug5 (3/3): i have had 24 flat tires in 31 months. There is something wrong here. I have the 330i 2006 w/ sports package. A NIGHTMARE!!!! BEWARE, legal action is necessary.. Jglass6278@aol.com (report)
stevdc1 (3/4): 2006 BMW 325i with Bridgestone run flats and hate them!!! Only 25K miles and they are worn out and make such a loud noise that you can't hear anything! Called BMW and Bridgestone. They each blame the other and stil nothing has been done. (report)
stevdc1 (3/4): If anyone has a solution email me at scollier@triad.rr.com Thanks (report)
Anonymous (3/6): the first and last BMW I'll ever lease, if you're going to put really expensive tires on my car they better perform like really good tires (report)
bmwx5 (3/10): anyone got a rft problem with the new X5 E70 (report)
Anonymous (3/10): I recently bought a 530d M Sport Touring fitted with run flats. After just 3 weeks into ownership I have had wrong warnings of pressure loss. I feel that the i-drive system plus the run flat tyres should be replaced by BMW. I am already considering changing the car in view of these early problems. (report)
Anonymous (3/17): My mom has had her 328i for 8 months and already has her second flat ($368.00) tire with only 3,000 miles on the vehicle. She will now be putting four regular tires on her vehicle and never buying a BMW again!!! (report)
Anonymous (3/19): yes, i agree with everyone's post. The run-flat tires suck!!!!! They make a horrible noise that you can't hear yourself talk in the car. (report)
Anonymous (3/20): noisy and bumpy.... (report)
Anonymous (3/25): I have a 2006 330 in Dubai, UAE. I had a flat tire and had to stop the car immediately, as apparently the run flat system was "damaged". Had the car towed by BMW (charged) service. The car has been sitting at BMW for FOUR days now waiting for one replacement tire, and this cannot be found. BMW is even charging me for FREIGHT on the replacement tire (?!?). So my car is in perfect conditions and cannot be used simply because of a FLAT TIRE? Sorry, does not make sense... Still can't get an answer from BWM on when the tire will be available, so I have to rely on taxis. Never again RUN FLAT! HATE IT (report)
Anonymous (4/2): I want to run regular tires but here in Canada it will void roadside assistance... I think it is worth it to buy a CAA/AAA membership and go with regular tires. Tires have been around for years..... RFT will not save your life if you check your pressures every 2 weeks like your supposed to do anyways. (report)
Anonymous (4/6): I am on our second set of Bridgestone tires and we are having the same problems, cupping and loud road noise. The dealer says they will replace again for half the cost with continental tires, but there is some issues that BMW wont address. Whats up? (report)
sienna (4/12): I feel vindicated when I read the 43 posts on this subject. I have been a BMW owner for the past 24 years. But after my experience with the Bridgstone Turanza run-flats, I will be looking at alternatives. Apparently, there is no choice right now but to accept BMWs with these tires-which have been the worst tire experience I have ever had! Firstly, they are so noisy that when I go over a pothole, everyone in the car including me screams with terror. It sounds and feels like an explosion and vibrates through your body. I had the manager take a ride with me and, of course could not duplicate the experience in the neighborhood. It's much worse on the highway. They pretended, like another post said, that it must be the alignment. But one of the salesman admitted to me that they have had alot of complaints. One customer replaced all four tires with regular radials. But I was told of this option after I had paid to replace three run-flats-you can't mix and match. My first set were replaced free because it happened in under 15,000 miles and I gave them hell at the dealership (where I got my last four BMWs). The second time I had to pay for 2 out of 4, and months later another, and today another had to be replaced. I intend to visit the Edmund's town hall site that apparently has 1,500 such complaints, and I recommend we all do. CAN ANYONE SAY CLASS ACTION?? (report)
mikesievers (4/18): I have replaced two tires and the car is only 8 months old! Now I have to buy a rim! EL42 Turanza on a BMW 335xi are terrible! (report)
chrisy (4/18): I hate them. I have 325xi. Dealer first told me nothing wrong. Then He said he will replace for 50%. I paid 50% and asked for the tyres so I can keep. But he would not give me the old tyres then dragged for a month and then reimbursed me the 50%. But the car is very bumpy and the dealer didn't even take it for a test drive. Every manhole cover I cross I get a big bupm and it hurst my ass and back. (report)
hotz4 (4/20): i have a z4 3.0 si sports package. stiff ride and road noise is fine with me, but the RFT tend to tramline road irregularities and make the car dart across pavements with one hand on the wheel. this is a real problem b/c i have manual transmission. tramlining sucks, otherwise RFT is ok. (report)
Anonymous (4/24): 2006 330XI: I think it is garbage that a company like BMW would take a stance of silence, while everyday more and more people have this problem. This is my third and last BMW. (report)
tracydude (4/30): tracydude. I'm very disappointed with these tires. They are fragile! Massachusetts is laden with potholes, you can't drive without hitting them, and bammmm. There goes your rim and tire. Hundreds of dollars later...... (report)
Anonymous (5/2): BMW 2007 328xi with Bridgstone Turanza ("aka. terrible") tires. Started producing noticeable noise at around 15k km; tires and stiff suspension produces absolutely terrifying experience going through pot holes. Complained to service after 17k km, but dealer and BMW Canada would only cover 75% of replacement cost. Needless to say, "BMW" just lost another customer. (report)
RNFLTH8ER (5/7): Not only have I had to replace 2 run flats on my 2007 328xi, I also had to replace the wheels which were damaged when I hit two separate potholes. I wasn't going fast, yet the tires AND the wheels were destroyed! (report)
oliinla (5/9): I have had to replace 3 tires in 3k miles - the tires buckle under ANY pot hole pressure (causing bulges) - they are a disgrace - a costly one too. A class action needs to be filed against Bridgestone & BMW for not addressing the problems. (report)
Anonymous (5/12): Had 2006 325xi with Bridgestone Turanzas, replaced at 12k miles...just got 2008 335xi with Bridgestone Potenzas, my husband has on 08 335i with Michelin Pilots, we have a bet who's tires will last longer!!! This is my only complaint with this car, and BMW doesnt manufacture the tire!! (report)
Anonymous (5/13): Run Flat Tire noise is horrible on my 2006 325i. I'll replace with regular tires and carry a 12v air compressor. Have similar problem on BMW Mini Cooper S! (report)
Anonymous (5/15): I own a 2007 328I with 14,800 miles. My runflats are bald and now I need to replace all 4 tires. My husband has a 2004 F-350 dulley and is just now replacing his tires. Pretty sad the ultimate driving machine is beat by a truck! (report)
Ramsey1294 (5/15): My 2007 BMW 328xi started with loud road noise around 10K miles. I took it into the dealer this week only to find out that my tires need replacing. They said it's a known issie with the Bridgestone run flat tires called "cupping". BMW tried to tell me that the tires were not covered. WIth 11K miles I told them BS. My dealer told me they might be successful in getting BMW to cover at least half the cost cause they've done it before, but no guarrantee. Then he tried to tell me it's not a known issue. Apparently, it's a very well known issue. (report)
Anonymous (5/16): I own a 2006 330i and at 31,000 need a new set. I took my car to te dealership and they told me I could not replace run flats with regular tires. This is not true...sure you wont have a spare but usually when I have gotten a flat I have been able to make it to safety or I have called roadside assistance. I think BMW should offer free replacement and do away with run flats. You can get run flats from other tire places. BMW needs to step up to the plate. (report)
calcioman (5/17): I am a huge BMW fan. I currently have two (just sold the third) cars. I have a 2006 325xi with the plagued Bridgestone run flat tires. The tires make the car ride so hard and create a terrible resonating noise when you get a little over 1,000 miles on a set. At around 10,000 miles the dealer changes a set at no charge because the sound was terrible and the rubber was feathering on the tread. The claim was that bridgestone has created a new and improved model and that is what was installed on my car. I recently brought the car in at 22,000 miles becasue the same noise was occurring again but worse than before. The dealer tells me that they can change the tires but they will only pay half! I proceeded to call BMW of North America and place a claim. After three days they gave me the same line of garbage and opted to pay half of the cost. They also consider 10,000 miles on a set of tires a significant number. I have a big problem with BMW and there run flat specification on the 3-Series. I will no longer be purchasing BMW cars because of this. I cannot believe that they are leaving so many loyal BMW customers high and dry. I will buy the cheaper and better infinity or acura. They are not BMW's but at this rate BMW is not the same BMW we all know and love. (report)
Jdogg214 (5/19): 22k miles on a 2006 330i sport and my right rear blows out this Saturday night around midnight. Run flats right!?! I can drive 30 miles home at 25mph and then get the tire fixed tomorrow right?!? WRONG. The entire tire blows out about 15 miles into the trip stranding me on the side of the road. I get my pretty little BMW towed to the dealership on Monday for them to tell me that not only do I not have a warranty for the tires but I have a blister on the right front and it will be about $1100 for them to replace them!!!! (report)
blacktundra05 (5/22): Regarding the RFTs on BMW great concept bad reality. I have had my 2008 335i since Dec and already we have had two different tires have flats due to screws and nails. With the first flat I went back the dealer who told me they were unrepairable- wrong! I took it to my friends at Discount Tire and they instantly repaired them and I might add w/o cost and with a warranty! The guys at Discount Tire informed me that BMW is just too lazy to do the work to fix those tires and frankly its more $$ for them. Considering I have only 4k miles on them, I can't wait to get rid of them and take my chances w/o a spare! Praise the Lord for AAA and Discount Tire! Don't believe what they say - do your homework! (report)
Anonymous (5/24): Crap OEM to begin with Bridgestone Turanza EL42 RFT. No repair just plugs when you can find an independent to do the work. Too expensive through dealer. BMW does not caution merely attempts to hard sell tire insurance. (report)
egln498 (5/27): Have a 2006 325i not even 20,000. ITS LOUD and unbearable to drive because of the tires. I have a 1996 BMW that I'd rather drive. It's sad that BMW ruin a nice car potential nice car all around. BMW is known for the drive, this includes GREAT QUIET TIRES. (report)
Anonymous (5/28): I am a two time (and last time) BMW owner solely because of the run flat tires which cause excessive noise and vibration while driving. I was told the only remedy is to replace the four tires...I plan on replacing the whole car instead!! (report)
Anonymous (5/28): I have a 2007 328i and I have a flat already. Yes, safety is a plus, but I'm sure we have the technology to make run-flats that can be patched instead of purchasing a brand new tire just b/c it has a leak in it. The fact that supply is so limited and you're forced to purchase them at the dealership seems a bit fishy to me. Perhaps this is how they're making up for the free maintenance package which Mercedes got rid of. (report)
Anonymous (5/30): This is the 2nd time when we were on a road trip and had to replace a run flat tire. This time, we needed to buy two tires (for about $500 each) just because we had some superficial puncture holes in them. We were told that if they had been regular tires, we could have easily patched them. But, we were told you cannot patch run flats because taking them off the rim tears the tire. On top of that, the two BMW dealers near us (as well as a Bridgestone tire dealer-- our tires are Bridgestone) did not stock run-flats. We ended up having to be towed 200 miles to the nearest dealer that had them!! Got a very frustrating response from BMW when we complained. So, not only are you forced to spend a lot of money for each run flat tire that has a hole in it, but good luck in finding a BMW dealer that stocks them. We are now concerned about taking our very expensive BMW on any long road trips. Thank goodness we are leasing the car so that we can shop for another brand other than BMW next time. (report)
Anonymous (6/1): Ran over a pothole on a Socal freeway and tire bubbled up almost immediately. So fragile and useless... (report)
Anonymous (6/4): The noise from these tires are absolutely awful. I love my BMW but hate the tires. BMW replaced them at 10,000 miles, now at 27,000 miles the noise is so loud you can barely hear the radio. Guess we'll need new tires at 17,000 miles on the new set. We will probably not get run flats, will just sacrifice the room in the trunk for some sort of spare. (report)
scman (6/7): these are a piece of shit tire and bmw people are fools to put them on these cars.I'm switching to toyota. teddy doyle (report)
ripped (6/8): I hit a pothole and the rim went right through these tires.... is there something weaker in this sidewall as I have gone through the same potholes on my streets for years with earlier bmw models with normal "non run flat" tires! It also would be nice to have even a donought spare when I live quite a way from tire replacement.... Another way for BMW to cut costs but doesnt do customer service any help... (report)
Anonymous (6/9): Noisy at all speeds, deafening between 40 and 50 mph. Luckily, my 545i does have a spare - so as soon as I can justify the cost I will move to regular tires. (report)
sharpretail (6/12): We are based in the Uk and have numerous BMW's on our fleet, I run a 730Li, we have had BMW's on our fleet for over 20years with no problems until now We have 3 x 5 series models with run flat tyres and have had nothing but problems with them. It is costing us a fortune. We have rear tyres bursting on the inside wall, and unusual tread wear on the cars. BMW UK inform us that they are not aware of any issues, but feel sure they are keeping the problem quiet. We have Goodyear Tyres which BMW fitted from factory. Be pleased to hear from anybody in the UK with similar issues they have reported to BMW dealers. (report)
Anonymous (6/12): Hate these tires. I have had my 330i for 2 years and have had 3 flats and 2 bubbles. Tires are $400+ each to replace. They can't be repaired. Worst tires I have ever had. (report)
Anonymous (6/14): Own a 2006 330xi. The noise problem got worse over time, can't evne use if for a 20 minutes trip - I would go crazy by the deafening noise. probably will trade in the car for a different brand soon. (report)
Anonymous (6/15): I just bought my E63 630i and I hate the bumpy ride. Don't know what to do now. (report)
kduff (6/16): They have been nothing but a costly problem for me (report)
Roadster (6/16): Run flat tyres are one of the worse ideas that BMW have come out with, that and not being able to change the reversing bulb on 6 series without taking it to the dealership, but thats another story. RFTs are noisy they give a hard ride and wear really quickly as the compund in the middle (the main tread) is a soft compound to assist in grip. BMW forced the tyre manufacture to mass produce run flats, the maunfactures have taken leaps and bounds in this technology but are far from perfecting it. Changing your FRT for normal tires can be done - down side poorer handling and you are stuffed if you get a puncture - but by a mobile repair kit to get you home or hold the telephone number to mobile tyre repair service. The costs are also prohibiting as well. In the UK they are charging £300+ per tyre ($600+ ea)! Best thing to do go out and buy a set of new rims and tires that make your car not just look good but awsome and ditch the RFs! Its a pity BMW aren't listening to their customers (report)
Anonymous (6/16): i believe rft tires are more suceptible to flats than ordinary tires...I got two flats within three months...I hear that the run flat tires are heavier and harder...and somehow...more suceptible to flats when an encounter to road garbage.not to mention the noise is terrrible....its gonna be my first and last BMW purchase!!! (report)
Anonymous (6/17): I agree, I find the run flat tires make way too much noise. My old BMW was smooth, quiet and a great ride. However without a spare tire I guess I'm stuck with the run flats for my commute. I'm on my second set and they are pricey to replace. (report)
Tbone (6/18): My 2008 335xi is too new (less than 100 km) to tell if I will hate them (17" Continental tires). My question is: can RFT's be replaced with standard non tun-flat tires on the spec (manufacturer rims? (report)
Anonymous (6/19): try being in the UK. A 255 35 18 for a 2007 335i M Sport is £257!! About $500!!!! You think youve got it bad with $200 a piece!! BMW are ripping us off. I changed all 4 tyres for standard tyres, half the price, bought a space saver wheel from my dealer and gone are the bumpy rides and terrible road noise. Only downside is handling had been affected slightly but this is only at 80mph+ if you turn the wheel quickly, other than that its amazing! (report)
mark81 (6/21): 5000 km on my 328xi with Bridgestone RE050IIA. Tires are already severely scalloped and very noisy. Mostly highway miles. Love the car, but very disappointed in the tires! (report)
Anonymous (6/22): i hate them.. they are really junk.. I am on my next set BMW sucks.. don't buy their cars.. they don't stand behind their product. (report)
Anonymous (6/23): I've bought 5 new run flat tyres, all the tyres developed bubbles in the side wall. there is only 5,000 miles on the the tyres and they are fit for the bin. I contacted BMW and they told me that I was hitting large pot holes and they are causing the issues. I have bridgestone tyres on my BMW 325. I contact Bridgestone, but no one would listen to my complaint. (report)
Anonymous (6/23): We have a 2006 330i. Thus far we have replaced 5 ties on this car. 4 for road noise, and one for a flat, after we hit a pot hole. Now we have a bubble in one of the new tires we got, and BMW dealer in Fremont, CA, is saying that to go and deal with Bridgestone directly and that they want nothing to do with it as BMW did not make the tire, that this service department just repalced, and we paid for. The Service department is rude. This time the bubble developed, and we have not even hit any pot holes as the service department insists we did. BMW claims that this car has maintenance included, but what good is that when you have to spend thousands getting your tires changed. I hate this car. (report)
Airbus (6/23): They are absolute garbage in terms of how little wear on the mileage you get from them. I've had mine for 27,000 mi. and they're nearly worn already! Junk for a lot of money. Even though they handle well when new. (report)
Anonymous (6/23): I have a E60 530iA and 18" Star Spoke 123 with Dunlop SP01 - 245/40/18 - most terrible tires I´ve ever had - very loud and very hard after only 16.000 km. The problem is, that I´m not the first owner of this BMW, so I don´t think, that BMW can do something for me. (report)
Anonymous (6/24): My wife has gone through 6 tires in 13 thousand miles. All of them from bubbling on the side walls. One dealer told me it could be from hard cornering. So what thought!! I bought a 45K dollar ultimate driving machine. BMW needs to hold bridgestone accountable otherwise it will be the last BMW I purchase. (report)
gbeckowski (6/24): I have the Continental ContiProContact run flats on my 2007 328xi. I did not pay much attention to the repeated pressure loss warnings until recently when I would lose 10 psi sometime in a day and sometime in a week. The dealer says there is nothing wrong with the tire or the wheel but it continues to lose pressure even more frequently since I visited them. A NTB rep actually told me I needed to replace all four since the uneven tread from one new tire would damage the xDrive. I was skeptical. The dealer cannot seem to stop focusing on the tire I had plugged which is actually the one holding pressure. I didn't know about the no-repair policy. The dealer is disinterested in looking into the pressure loss or TPM alerts but repeatedly points out the tire with the plug (a cya move I am sure in case something happens). I have not experienced any of the problems you all have had but I will pay closer attention after reading about your experiences. (report)
Sanjay (6/25): I bought a 2007 328xi and i get humming sound by the tires. When asked in the showroom, they said the tires are feathered. This is reduculous as the car drove below 10000 miles.I am upset with this. (report)
al001 (6/25): i have just brought a 320m sport CONV on a 57 with 19inc run flats within 3 weeks i have had a blow out and 2 different holes so needed to replace 3 tires and bmw insurance sucks !!! bye bye bmw im puting the car up for sale NOW!!!! (report)
Anonymous (6/25): I have a 2007 328xi with ONLY 16000 miles on the car. I went in for service because I couldn't stand the noise - the car has gotten so loud around 40 mph. I was just told I need four new tires and alignment. I'm furious. (report)
rockinit99 (6/26): RUN FLATS STINK!! I bought a used 2007 BMW 328i two months ago. A week later my rear right tire was flat. I figured the used car lot sold me the car with nail in the tire...so I bit the bullet and bought a new tire for $450. Now a month later, my front left tire is flat! WTF?! Are you serious?? 2 flat tires in 2 months? They say these tires give you better traction and whatnot. Who cares?! I'm not Dale Earnhardt Jr. who is taking curves at 100mph! I've been driving for 20 years on regular radial tires with other cars, and if I ever got a nail in my car, I just take it to the tire shop and they fix it for ten bucks. Now I gotta shell out another $450 for another tire. This car is turning out to be a HUGE mistake! WTF BMW?! (report)
Musikane (6/27): If you have under 10,000mi. BMW will replace the tires for free. However, You must complain like crazy. Over 10,000 mi. maybe they will buy you 2. Replacements are the same noisy shitty tire. BMW is trying hard to lose customers. Very unhappy! (report)
ursula (6/27): I hate the run flat tires. I had to replace 2 tires at the 3,000 mile mark and another one at 7,000 miles. I just droped off my car this morning with BMW because again my tire warning light is lit and the pressure is down in two of the tires. Tires are noisy, cause vibration and just frustation and anxiety everytime I see the tire light come on. I have a 2006 330xi. I loved my 3 other BWM's... this one is for the birds and can't wait for my lease to end. BMW you made a big mistake on this one. I think my love affair with BMW has just ended. (report)
Newhouse (7/4): i had a nail in my tire and also was told that BMW is unable to fix the tire. I was forced to buy a new tire at $425 for my M3. I told BMW that I wanted the tire with the nail in it for future use. When I picked up my M3 BMW was nice enough to put my "bad" tire in my trunk and they plugged the tire! So why tell me that cannot fix the tire! I am selling my M3! (report)
Anonymous (7/6): After reading all the posts on the RFT's it is obvious that these tires are completely unacceptable. I own a 2007 335i with only 14k and the front tires are almost bald. I have already had them aligned at 7K. This is ridiculous. BMW you've got to do something for these owners or you're going to lose thousands of customers. (report)
dsteding (7/9): 2 years after purchasing my new 325i, I have spent > $1,330. in tire repairs on the RFTs. Let's start a class action against BMW of NA. (report)
watts20 (7/12): My 4th BMW. I have a 2007 328i I bought new. RFTires started making a noise around 9000 miles, thought it was a wheel bearing. Took it in and the dealership said it was the tires and that they were safe as long as I could just handle the noise. They acted like this was some unheard of issue (the cupping). I drive a lot for work and the noise is getting unbearable. If BMW does not fix this problem I am sad to say this will be my last one. I have talk to other owners in my state that have had the problem as well. (report)
twalkerw (7/13): We have a 2007 E93 with 16k miles on it. While driving back from a trip out of town I experinced a blowout while exiting I-68 onto I-70 in Maryland. It's a 90 degree turn in total, but smooth and, admittedly, I was doing about 75 at the time - there was nothing of any size in the road. The top was down so I heard the loud sound of the right-rear blowout and the run-flat took over. I lowered my speed to under 50 as recommended in the manual and proceeded the 5 miles or so to the next exit. Looking at the tire underneath the car, it was plain to see that part of the tire was actually off the rim, so my best explanation was that, due to the centrifugal G's in the turn the tire had separated from the rim and, hence, the blowout. In any event, the tire is trashed and I had to get the car towed some 90 miles to the BMW dealer near our home, but the BMW Roadside Assistance was both fast and completely free. It was only luck that we had our other car (trusty Yukon XL) there also and were able to offload luggage and provide me a ride back to our home. The BMW dealer told me that BMW does not warrant the tire. I have not heard what the replacement will cost yet, but I'm expecting around $350-400. Four lessons learned in this experience: 1) It was very nice not to have to change a tire on the shoulder of a major highway; 2) a blowout of this kind at 16k miles is inexcusable in a performance car of this type and I will be lobbying hard to get BMW to pick up the tab; 3) BMW Roadside Assistance was great; and 4) if you're out of town and have a run-flat issue on a Sunday or in a remote area, you will likely need to stay with the car until it can be repaired - as opposed to just putting on the spare and heading on down the road. It cost us a few hours and was hassle - I'm just hoping BMW will pay for the tire, but am not holding my breath. (report)
HadEnough (7/13): enough is enough. bmw is not going to do anything until they are forced to do so. i've gotten 4 flat tires within 10 months. so, i am going to mail the next flat tire to Jim O'Donnell (President of BMW of North America). i think if we all did so, it would send a clear message that they need to take this seriously. alternatively, you can send Jimmy a certified letter letting him know that as a loyal bmw owner you are seriously thinking about leaving the brand until they fix and stand by their product. Jim O'Donnell's corp address is BMW of North America, LLC; 300 Chestnut Ridge Road; Woodcliff Lake, NJ; 07677-7731. good luck and let me know how it goes. (report)
Anonymous (7/14): I own a 2007 X5, 15mls, and need the tires replaced due to noise, and gas pedal vibration. Paid for rotation which stopped the noise for one month, now the noise and vibration is back driving me insane. Am talking with BMW North America. Will post an update ... (report)
doctoro (7/14): I have a 07/328i and I hate these freaking run-flat tires ( high noise and runs like a truck), but I had changed for a (falken) 19" tires, with rims (Petrol). No problem and runs very smoothly. My question, did I violate my BMW Warranty after this tire change? Will appreciate your expertise. Thanks (report)
Meghan (7/15): I have a BMW 328i with run flat tires and I hate them. It sounds like I am driving a truck. BMW wants me to buy new tires , I don't think so. I am going to complain until they fix the problem. (report)
Anonymous (7/16): Two words - class action. It is shameful that BMW would sell a product it knows is defective. An insider informed me that BMW knew of the defect and instructed their dealerhips to deny, deny, deny and force customers to buy full replacement tires. I complained about tire noise and pull for about a year (service saw no problem) before blowing a tire yesterday. After much haggling, they finally offered to pay for two of the four BALD tires. Then...the refused to do anything unless I say I am "completely satisfied". Audi here I come. (report)
believer (7/17): Most complaints I read here are probably due to a misunderstanding of runflats and their underlying technology. Getting 20-25k miles out of ANY Z,W,Y,U "ultra-performance" tire is a feat in itself. The tires are designed with a bias toward handling, grip and water dispersion. After having numerous sets of runflats on my BMW, Carrera, and MINI, I am very aware of the faults ofter associated with the tires. One of the most common complaints I I know of is noise and harshness. This is usually attributed to the fact that the tire(s) were driven for an extended period of time in an underinflated condition. By this time, even when the tire pressure has been corrected, the damage was done to the tire internally and will be apparent as noise, vibration or harshness, especially at lower highway speeds. If you expect a soft ride, very long treadwear life or noiseless tires, you probably shouldn't be driving a BMW (or Porsche, Corvette, MINI or performance model Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, etc.). Nowadays, the auto manufacturers design the cars while collaborating with a select few tires manufacturers to achieve extreme handling, roadholding and braking levels that were never achieved in the past. It is understood that these special car and matched tire combinations are going to come at a price. After experiencing a blowout in the left front tire while driving over 110 MPH, I was able to safely control and slow the vehicle and get to the side of the roadway where I called roadside assistance. I was not upset that the tire was completely destroyed (only 5k mi). Instead I was grateful, VERY GRATEFUL, that the tire and car performed as designed and protected me. If it were a conventional tire, I most likely would have struck the concrete center barrier and would probably not be here today. I would like to say that I will NEVER drive a car equipped with conventional tires at those speeds again. In fact, I no longer feel comfortable with conventional tires at all. (report)
JohneeM (7/17): Just blew two run flat tires on my 2006 325i. Luckily, I had purchased the tire protection/replacement warranty but was almost 150 miles from the nearest BMW dealer and had to be towed. Talk about a long, bad day! (report)
Anonymous (7/20): Had three flat tires in 6 weeks and less than 20,000 kms on my 2006 325i. each time dealer said i picked up a nail and can't be repaired. driven for 30 years and never had a flat tire before. Its time for a class action against these tire bandits (report)
sjh9924 (7/21): I bought 2007 328i with 6500 miles (demo) at 9500 miles reare tires have severe wear. BMW said nothing is wrong with the car, at 12500 miles the rear are completely bald. Another dealer said the same thing. I am a first time BMW owner and can't believe this experience from BMW. (report)
kb622 (7/21): This is bullshit we should unite and tell BMW to change our damn tire for free and never put a run flat on another car. (report)
travelingman826 (7/25): less than 4,000 miles and tires have bubbles. Iam really bummed out. (report)
Anonymous (7/27): costly and worn out quickly. I bought 325 in 2006 and have had the front two runflat tires changed. (report)
mistresswillie (7/27): I also have a 2006 325i and at 21,000 miles I started noticing a loud roar in my right front tire. I thought it was the rotars or brake pads or such but as soon as I mentioned the noise to my service advisor, he told me it was my tires. I wondered how he knew this right away without even having the car checked out by a mechanic. When I questioned him as to why I would need new front tires at barely 21,000, he said I was lucky to have gotten as many miles as I had; most BMW owners only got 16,000-18,000 miles before they had to buy new tires. When I asked if perhaps we could try rotating the tires, I was told that the roar would just transfer to the back. I still could not believe what I was hearing. The service advisor told me that he knew without a doubt that it was my tires and had a BMW Bulletin spelling out the problem. When he faxed it to me, I then realized that this is a common problem with the run flat tire and wonder why in the world BMW continues to use Bridgestone Run Flat Tires when obviously this is a very costly problem for us BMW owners. I certainly will not buy another BMW as long as they continue putting these type tires on their vehicles. (report)
Mags (7/28): We have had more problems in the last 2 years with runflats than in our previous 25 years driving. About 6 punctures and very expensive replacements. (report)
Anonymous (8/4): Hello.... tell me about it. I am now on my fourth replacement in an 18 month period. When I originally purchased the car noone at BMW even mentioned that the RFT can only be replaced at about $400 a pop and not repaired. It wasn't until my third flat and flip out at the service center when a manager mentioned there was some type of insurance I could purchase for these tires??? Since I already had spent probably the cost of 4 brand new tires, reluctantly I asked to sign up only to find out that "unfortunately", it had to have been purchased at the time of buying the vehicle and when I bought my car it was not being offered??? What BMW is doing with these RFT is extortion and something should be done! I have a flat now and don't know what to do??? (report)
polo10 (8/5): Worst tires ever on my 2008 X5. Had to replace 2 tires, less than 10,000 miles due to bubbles on the sides of the tires. Bridgestone Duelers. Neither BMW or Bridgestone could care less. This could be my last BMW (have driven BMW's over 20 years) due to these run flat tires as original equipment. (report)
Ronald999 (8/6): I do not like them. They cost to much and the ones on my 325xi 2006 Are not good in snow,rain and hard ride and worn out at only 30,000miles. (report)
bmwtony (8/8): I have an 07 328XI w/5800 miles in 1 yr, runflats already cupping - dealer advised rotation and 15k if i'm lucky. These are Bridgestone, dealer suggests another brand for replacements. (report)
Anonymous (8/8): 2006 330xi. Four flats in a year and a half. The tires are terrible and I wish someone at BMW would acknowledge that fact and fix the problem. (report)
Anonymous (8/11): As a 325I owner, I just want somebody to tell us how to get rid of the RFT's and sensors. Can we still use the rims with conventional tires? I know someone out there works for BMW and knows what we can do to get rid of these problems. (report)
jmiz (8/13): I have a 2007 335i I leased in March 2007. Within 1 month, my front tire formed a bubble, even though I did not recall hitting a pothole. I replaced that tire at BMW - $450. Now, over one year later, all 4 tires have bubbles. Any suggestions? (report)
Anonymous (8/13): I hate them. The biggest reason I will never buy another BMW product or Pirelli product. They suck. I have owned BMW since 1969 but I am about to sell my Mini S and my 745i and never go there again. All because of tires. BTW... I will never sell my 2002tii. (report)
ericperkins (8/18): I just had a blow out this weekend. My 2008 335i convertible with 12K miles. Both rear tires worn to steel belts and dealership says I need $2200 in 4 new tires on a 10 month old car!!!! They claim they have not had many problems, but they are just "high performance tires" and vary from driver to driver. Am looking for a class action lawsuit...if there is not one then I'm sure there will be one soon....as these crappy bridgstone tires fall apart. (report)
Anonymous (8/18): RFTS are horrible. 2007 328xi in Canada. Had noise around 12k. Went to the dealer at 15K. They said it was because of underinflated tires. Told them I'd see them in court. They replaced for free. Tires need pressure checked every 2 weeks. First and last BMW. (report)
Anonymous (8/18): RFT's are very expensive ... $430 for a new 255X18 last year. Once punctured they are not recommended to be repaired. I may not buy another BMW because of lack of a spare and RFT's. Lifetime on high speed RFT's is low (don't know about non-high speed tires but you can't find those in run flats). This is a racket that we are paying for to BMW and the tire makers. (report)
Anonymous (8/26): I was just told by my SA that I have to change all 4 tires on my 2006 325xi with 23K miles. My tires started making very loud noise 6 months ago. The cost to replace them is $1370. I will join the lawsuit posted by ruperman. (report)
REGIS77 (8/28): I leased a BMV330 with run flat tires in 2006, and have approximately 26,000 miles on the car. So far I have had to replace 6 of the run flat tires. I took the car in for regular service at Santa Monica BMW, and was told there were bubbles on 2 tires and they required replacement. I was told that since it was my wife’s car, it was my wife's fault for hitting the curb, or a pothole. The next 3 tires had the same problem. Each time the dealer said it was road impact, or curb slamming that caused the "bubbles" to appear. Tires number 5&6 had the same issue; however I was not so inclined to believe it was my wife's driving. She is a 50 year old lady who has never had a ticket. She doesn’t drive at high speeds, even on the freeway, and is an excellent parker. I complained to the service manager at Santa Monica BMW. He told me that these tires were a problem. He gave me a goodwill discount of 50% on 2 new tires. I had to pay only about $300 per tire; however new tires require an alignment, which ate into the goodwill discount. So much for goodwill at Santa Monica. Today I received another call from the service dept, notifying me that there was another bubble, most likely from road impact, or curb hitting, and I had to replace tire number 7. I reminded the service manager that this is California, where the roads are pretty good and lacking potholes. (TO BE CONT’D DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS) (report)
REGIS77 (8/28): (Continued) I was advised that there was no goodwill discount. I would have to pay the full price of $550 for the new tire, plus the perfunctory alignment. I called the BMW, national, at 1 800 831 1117, and explained the situation. I was given the same party line story that road impact, or curb hitting must have caused the problem, in which case, no luck, no warranty, no courtesy discount. In summary. I believe these tires are a road hazard, unsafe, due to the lack of a spare and totally defective product, which qualifies for compensation under the California Lemon Law. I am willing to fund the litigation, and file a lawsuit to get relief. This is s problem that BMW knew, or should have known about and yet continued to sell cars with these defective tires to an unsuspecting public. Anyone interested in getting involved in a class action lawsuit please contact me by email at regis@cohibapartners.com. If nothing else, BMW will have a firestorm of bad publicity while trying to cover its tracks. Additionally, new car buyers might think twice about buying a defective, unsafe product that BMW does not warranty, or stand behind. When one buys an expensive car, supposedly one of the best examples of German engineering, one has the right to expect better quality. This issue must be addressed, and if BMW won’t handle it after notice, it is up to the courts to intervene and make them do the right thing. Please join me in the upcoming lawsuit. (report)
bimmer (8/28): i have 600km on my new 2008 328i..what the hell is that noise that sounds like crickets??? PLEASE tell me it's not my tires!!! (report)
Anonymous (8/29): I have them on my 2007 X5. They are so loud you can not have conversation in the car. Dealer says "we really can't do anything." (report)
buffalobob837 (8/31): I'll go one further, having bought the 325xi from Prestige BMW in Ramsey, NJ the "Business Mgr." Cesar Sanchez, who has proved to be "Montezuma's Revenge" convinced me to purchased the tire protection plan. He did this knowing the tires already had over 12k miles on them with irregular tire wear on them already. Then when I bring the car in for a nail in the tire Prestige says the tires are not covered by the plan because of excessive wear. Thank you BMW, Prestige of Ramsey, and thank you Cesar Sanchez the Prestige Business Manager. (report)
ames59 (9/1): I'm not in love with the run flat tires on my new 328i. So what else is new? Question is... don't I need to replace the rims if I opt to get regular tires. BMW sells the rims + tires as a $4000 option. I don't plan to pay that and wondered if it would be risky to just purchase tires. Has anyone done so. I'll probably stick with these since they're brand new, but I'm interested in any info. (report)
s003aac (9/2): I live in Alaska and my new 2007 335xi handles worse than my old 2004 325ci because of the tires. Now I've had the car exactly one year (12000 miles) and both front tires have air bubbles in them. Now I will probably have to drive 400 miles to the closest BMW dealer to get them replaced. (report)
Anonymous (9/4): I too, purchased a 2008 BMW 335XI, and have had two run flats fail due to hitting pot holes that with normal tires would not have been a problem. Recently I picked up a nail in my driver side front tire and am disappointed to hear that it can not be patched as a normal tire. Also the performance of the run flats is below the level of a normal tire (things like break away and ruff ride) and the increased expense with these tires make far less appealing than traditional tires no matter what they say about the ability to hobble home during a tire failure. (report)
Anonymous (9/4): They're pretty awful. I had the 1st set of Turanza's replaced, with a 30% discount, and the 2nd, revised Turanza turned out to be just as bad. The dealership is putting all of the blame on the manufacturer, but BMW needs to step up and take some responsibility for it, they chose these tires for their cars. I have a 328xi 2007, and spent $40,000 for it, and I feel slighted on the treatment that I've received from BMW and Bridgestone, which by the way I can never get anyone 'live' on the phone. I need another set of tires, and don't know what to get...any suggestions?? Thanks. (report)
Chochy (9/8): These tires suck! We have a 2006 325i, great car, however its very challenging to expierence the car while driving on a full set of bricks. They are a poor addition to a great car. (report)
jwk0721 (9/8): I have a 2004 525I with the Dunlop run flat tires and they had horrible road noise after 10,000 miles. In the past 1-1/2yrs I've had 6 flat tires (all repairable), but now the tires are bald after 20,000 miles. The dealer claimed they knew nothing about a problem with these tires, which is the reason why I will not buy another BMW. Take care of your customers while you still have them!!!!! (report)
Anonymous (9/11): I was very excited when I bought my first BMW, unfortunately that excitement ended a few weeks ago when I learned that there was an optional warranty for the run-flat tires that was never offered to me when I purchased the vehicle. This is the first vehicle I have owned that has these types of tires. A light come on, on the dashboard, and when I took it to the dealer to find out what was wrong with them, I was told I needed to replace the tire because I had picked-up a nail on the road and the tire could not be fixed, but instead replaced. The service guy told me that I did not have the service warranty on the tires so the price for a new tire was $350 + alignment and if I wanted to purchase the warranty, I had to pay an additional $850+ tax since it would not cover the current damage. I was furious, here I am thinking that I got a great deal for an awesome vehicle but instead I what I got was a headache. This vehicle only has 4200 miles on it and I already have to spend over one thousand dollars in order to get it fixed – what kind of deal is this? This is what BMW calls $0 maintenance for the first 4 years or 50K, c’mon !!!!!! I have done some research online and have come across several sites where people are posting these same problems with their run-flat tires. It’s amazing, none of the sales people mentioned anything about the tires nor the optional warranty when I was in the process of purchasing the car – I guess this is how they make their money? What is BMW going to do about this? I was a Honda lover, I have owned 5 to be exact, and NEVER, NEVER did I run into these types of problem. These cars were excellent – why on earth did I switch to a BMW??????? If this was not enough, the GAP insurance was also not included in my loan, so I had to go back and pay for this up front, instead of having it included in the finance. (report)
Anonymous (9/12): The Bridgestone Turanza runflats that came on my 06 325 wagon were absolutely horrible. At 12k miles one became distorted after going over a pothole. I replaced them all at 24k with the Continental. Also, the all-season tire selection is slim pickins. I love my car but the runflats are the weak point. This may be my last BMW if they continue to use runflats. (report)
shirleypops (9/16): since purchasing a 3 series 318 d I am sh&**&ng myself driving this car as I live in scotland and the roads are not exactly smooth as a babys bum here iykwim, I am taking it to the dealer this week as I think there has been excessive wear to the tyre - the motor hasnt even done 18000!!!!!!! PANTS Shirley (report)
Anonymous (9/18): I have a 2007 328xi. My tires make a constant groan type noise and it is driving me nuts! The only thing I can do is replace all 4 of my tires even though they still have plenty of wear in them. Really annoying! (report)
Anonymous (9/20): I had to replace 3 out of 4 tires because they had bulged at the sidewalls. The dealer claims I hit something like a raised sewer grate. They sold me 4 at a reduced rate. They were still DAMNED expensive. The sales rep told me it is easy to do this to the tire because of the run flat design. He said it happened to him on his car. Just wishing I had been warned. (report)
Rob14 (9/22): I have a 2007 328xi and the Bridgestone Potenza's are where garbage before last winter. They only had 20k on them and now they are toast. I am getting no satisfaction from BMW Canada or the dealership where I purchased. Is anybody getting satisfaction from BMW? What is everyone doing? Cheers, (report)
Anonymous (9/24): I had a flat tyre on my BMI 120d recently and thought that all I would need to do is pay a small fee to get the puncture repaired. To my disbeleif, I discovered that run flat tryes can't be repaired, and that every puncture means that the tyre needs to be replaced. It cost me $409.95! I'm very dissapointed with the running costs of these cars...it's the last BMW for me! Evan (report)
Keyshawn (9/24): Im getting uneven tire wear on the outer walls of the tire - is this normal?? My steering wheel also vibrates sometimes (report)
Anonymous (9/25): 2007 335xi sedan, have replaced passenger front tire 3 times in 14k miles. (report)
dansker (9/26): A month ago I bought a 2006 325 xi. I had read all the blogs about the run flat tires and so was mentally prepared when the car was delivered. The Bridgestones on the car were has bad as many have said. They were extremely noisy and acted unstable on certain road surfaces. After playing around with the car for a few weeks I went to the tire shop and put some regular all season, 70K mile tires on the car. It completely changed the way the car drives. The car feels like my other BMWs have felt only better. This car is amazing once you get some real tires on it. The only downside is no place to put a spare I kept the best run flat and found an OEM wheel. Once I get the wheel, it's going in my trunk for spare. I also found a BMW jack set on e-bay so I'm all set for the next flat As long as I don't need to take lot of luggage it's not a problem having the spare in the trunk. (It's wrapped up in a tire bag so it doesn't mess up the trunk liner.) So common guys, quit whining and just go get some new tires. The car will love you for it. (report)
Anonymous (9/27): I have 6000 miles left on my lease and I am afraid to drive it. I should not have to buy new tires. I will never get another bmw. JoAnn (report)
cool1 (9/28): I bought a new 325i 2008 and with ONLY 9 months in the street I had a bubble in my front-left tire!!! (report)
micinca (9/28): mine is 06' 325i the tire sux, very noise on great condition road. the vibration makes me sick, plan to change a better one, for sure (report)
jonno (9/29): I live in Australia and my 325i is only about 18 months old. My brother borrowed my car to go back to Melbourne and on his way back to Sydney driving on Highway conditions, the tyre pressure low alert came on to indicate that one of the tyre has lost pressure but it was safe to continue driving so long as he does not exceed 80Km/hr. This he did as he was in no man's land but still on the Highway. Unlike the US, our Highway have only 2 lanes going one way and he had trucks queuing behind him so it was not that easy for him to pull to pull over (something that BMW alluded that he should have done but the alert indicated otherwise). When it was safe for him to do so, he pulled over to find that the tyre has split on the side and because of that, it has also caused damage to the rim due to his continued driving. Now I am up for replacement of both items as BMW is denying liabilities. I am up for over $4K to replace both items. I can be out of pocket for this full amount or claim part of it from insurance (except for the tyre) which means my No Claim Bonus will drop by 20% next year. I bought the car with those tyres was after I queried why there was no spare wheel, the salesman showed my wife and I a picture of a Runflat Tyre with a gaping hole on the side and said the driver drove his car to his BMW dealership even with that tyre in that condition. Is this grounds for fraudulent misrepresentation? I think so. To say I am angry would be the understatement of the year. This is my 3rd BMW and probably my last. (report)
bmwtirescam (9/29): I have a 2007 335xi with the run-flats. I had to replace the whole set with only 13,400 miles on them, and because there is NO SPARE!... you are forced to buy new tires! . HORRIBLE! Love the car, hate the tires..! (report)
MKK (9/30): I have 2006 325xi, about 24,200 mi. A few months ago(probably at about 20K mi), I started noticing loud tire noise when driving < 40mph. The dealer is telling me that all 4 tires need to be replaced ($1,225 + $160 for alignment). I wasn't informed of this issue/problem when I bought the car new. That's alot of money to be spent on tires every two years. From all the comments I've read, seems like there are alot of problems with RFTs. If I'd known, I would have never bought BMW w/ RFTs. Anyone know if I can replace the RFT w/ regular tires on 300 series? (report)
wagshell (9/30): I have 25,000 miles on my 2006 325i. The tires make a loud howling noise when slowing down around 40mph. Dealer said I need 4 new tires and it will cost me $950. Said the tires only last around 15,000 miles usually and that getting 25,000 is good. The tires are scalloped meaning that they are wearing unevenly on all 4 tires (report)
djkalliongis (10/1): I would never again buy a car with these tires. The complaints I have relate to noise, they shred easily ( 3 times in 28k miles needed replacement) and NOBODY has them to replace. I needed a tow recently due to this problem. (report)
Anonymous (10/1): I got a nail in my tire and had to spend $419.00 to replace it. I was told that the run flat tires cannot be repaired. This is truly a nuisance. (report)
rraj (10/2): RR (2/11/08)I have runflat tyres on my 325 convertible and i dont like the tyres. They provide a lot of vibration thru the steering wheel. Two of the tyres split and were needed to be replaced after only 14000klm. The split was due to me going over a pothole or some other reason. I have driven plenty of standard cars with standard tyres and have never had such a problem before. To compound my problem, it was $1700 to replace the tyres...money not the issue, but more the principle of shitty tyres. In addition, there was no stock in Australia when I went to replace the damaged tyres. (report)
wakemasta (10/4): These tires are horrible. After 10,000 mi we got a small bubble in the sidewall from a pothole, we were told that we should replace it because the tire could blowout on the highway. Since my wife drives 40 mi to work, of course I'm going to replace it. Unfortunately, we had no idea of the cost of replacement for RFT when we bought the car. Now that we have 30,000 mi and have massive road noise, we are looking to replace with regular tires and stick a spare in the truck. This will be the last BMW we have if they choose to continue with RFT in the future. (report)
Anonymous (10/4): I love the car....BUT the run flat and NO spare is down right stupid. I guess the cars are not actually meant to be used. By my calculations the tires need replacing more than the oil, again...stupid. (report)
masj (10/5): I am getting closer to bankruptcy, I have changed 6 runflats in the last 2years. I live in Kuwait. These tires are not easily available and it is a nightmare to see "Tyre puncture" on the screen. (report)
2Luke2 (10/7): Two months old 335i loaded and two bubbles in two of my tires, and they won't do anything to fix them. (report)
J71351 (10/7): Tire tread life is way too short. (report)
sparkym (10/8): I have a 1 series. In the past 9 months I have had 3 punctures. £130 a time. Plus apparently two of my alloys were buckled (which they blamed on not driving carefully with low tyre pressure) - another £360 each. I'm tempted to swear. Runf flats wear out quickly, and you have no recompense if they fail down the road from the garage that you bought them in. I'm not happy. Give me a space saver any day. 3 years and 90,000 miles with a VW Golf - 1 puncture, no buckled wheels and better service. (report)
xsteve (10/9): Extremely noisy dunlop sport 01 run flats - 18000 miles. Even the service guy who road tested said they were very noisy (report)
bcrafton38 (10/10): they wear out too fast..i am on my third set in 3 years, they only go 20,000 miles. you also cannot fix them, only replace them..... (report)
davidbmw3351cabrio (10/12): BMW 335i Individual Series 08 Cabrio runflats.... vibrations, total flats and damage to rims out of NOWHERE - no real selection for winter tires! OUt of control? Yeah Id say so! (report)
Anonymous (10/13): Same problems as everyone on here...noisy tires, bubble in the sidewall, need to replace...way costly. Looking to put normal, good quality, non-RFT tires in their place. (report)
Anonymous (10/14): I am being told by my dealer that I need 4 new tires at 14,000 miles. I'm not a satisfied BMW customer to say the least. They were not willing to give information regarding these defective tires either. (report)
Bonhom (10/14): I HATE, HATE, HATE Rfs. I've already changed 5 on my 550 and 2 on my wife's 330. I have cracked rims on both cars. Although I love every other aspect of these cars, I am to the point that I will never buy another BMW if it only come with RFs. (report)
Simile007 (10/14): Have a 2006 3-series. Had to get new tires at 17,000. Now need new ones again at 30,000 (says the dealer). I am trading in for a MB M-class instead. Run flat experience is the single reason why I am not a BMW advocate anymore. Loved the car otherwise. (report)
Anonymous (10/16): I have always 5 BMW's in the past 20 years. This is the last one. RFT stinks. A company like BMW should have done a little more testing before putting these on 3-series!!! (report)
lorachell (10/17): I have been through 5 run flats in two years on my 2006 325XI do to punchures and abnormal wearing. the dealer was no help and said the wearing is due to the negative camber on the rear end. So they know this is a problem and don't care. Do to this and many other run ins with BMW i will never buy one again (report)
Anonymous (10/22): I have a bmw 330d m sport and the ride is horrendous. If you hit any sort of bump its so uncomftable, im starting to cinsider driving a go-kart to work instead it might give a more comftable ride! (report)
jmcgsmith (10/22): I'm with you. These tires are a nightmare and make the use of the vehicle nearly painful. With no place for a spare and no one to talk to I feel like the biggest sucker on earth! (report)
sbbmw (10/22): We have a 325i with the Turanza's. Just this past weekend we had a sidewall blow out unexpectedly on the freeway. Replaced the front 2 tires and actually had a rear tire blow on the way back. Never again RFT or Bridgestone. (report)
Anonymous (10/22): I have a 2006 330i, my rft work OK as long as you don't get a flat...otherwise you have to replace the tire...its a scam....for them to make $$$....they know it too...changing to regular tires would be good, but no room for a spare...so they got you there too.....what can we do...maybe get a recall on all the rft, replace them with regular tires and have BMW re-fit all vehicles with spares...... (report)
Anonymous (10/23): They suck! This is my fourth BMW, and the car does not handle nor ride like any of the previous three. The service department keeps telling me that I can't replace the run flats with conventional tires because the car is engineered to ride on the run flats. Do you mean to tell me that BMW has actually re-engineered their cars to accommodate a tire? They also gave me a hard time when I requested they replace the Bridgestone RF with Contis when I had 6k on the car, but they did do the replacement. (report)
Anonymous (10/23): These RFT are a total scam you only get 50 miles of driving after you get a flat. Why would I pay $400.00 to drive 50 miles?? absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!! (report)
Demiglace (10/23): The worst tires ever: loud, the car drives like a truck!... And BMW doesn't want to admit a problem. this is my second set, after replacing the first one after 15000 miles, and a assurance from BMW that the problem will be gone. Same thing, they are cupping and are extremely loud. A bad tire, and a bad accessory for BMW. I will not buy BMW cars again as they do not want to guaranty the ties they decide to install on their cars, that become the "ultimate driving machine that drives as rough as a TRUCK" (report)
koko391 (10/23): 3 flat in 4 months. Had to wait 2.5 weeks to get the first tire repaired as tires not stocked by BMW. Running 19" Bridgestone run flats on my 645ci. Currently back to driving my Lincoln. BMW and their tire package sucks. I'd advise buying other brands that may support and service their vehicles. (report)
AbelE (10/24): Got a surprise when we were buying our 328i and they told us there were run flats and we should take out the insurance to cover the cost of replacement ...we almost didn't follow through with the deal. About 16,000 miles later we experienced loud noise when driving. Requests about "what is wrong with our car and we think it is the tires" has finally resulted in a service visit. Our tires are wearing uneven and that is the problem so we are told. AND BMW does not seem to offer a solution to remedy this issue. Our questions are: how often do we have to change tires? are they safe in rainy or icy conditions if they are wearing unevenly? is this a beta test of these type of tires and should we the consumer have to bear the noise level that is dreadful in a luxury car????? or the cost of changing run flat tires frequently??? We agree BMW does not seem to be interested in correcting the problem, we think BMW should take the car back because of this design flaw. (report)
Anonymous (10/26): RFT are just a ripoff. They will cost 500$ each if you get a little 2inch nail... IVE HAD 3 nails so far, 1500$ thanks BMW (report)
Stevey (10/26): Last year, I bought a brand new BMW 328I for my daughter. When I bought the car they never told me the consequences for run flat (can only be repaired once and cost 30% more than regular tire as well as short life expediency). They also never told me that I do not have any emergency tire or a jack in the car. She has about 16K miles on it andall tires needs to be replaced. I went to COSTCO to replace them with a STD tires. COSTCO would not sell me regular tires unless I have Kit (Spare tire and Jack) in the car. It would cost about $1000.00 Dollars to replace all 4 (which can only be used for 16K miles). These tires run about 30% more in cost with 1/3rd of STD tire life???? This is ridiculous. Not to mention that BMW have not even designed an emergency tire that would take a smaller space in their trunk. I will raise hell with BMW (report)
imotive8u (10/27): I have less than 5000 miles on my 08 Z4 and will be replacing 2nd run flat. $380.00. Have had the car since June and I will have put $760.00 in tires. (report)
Anonymous (10/29): We have a 2006 Mini-Cooper with only 9k miles a year and have had nothing but problems due to these tires. We even bought expensive insurance for them and when the first one had a nail in it, the insurance company refused to pay. It has been 7 months and we are still waiting for payment from our BMW dealer. Now, the light is on again for the tire pressure and I am sure we will have to address the issue all over again. The tires cost $425 each and have been nothing but a burden. This is our 3rd BMW and we will not buy again due to the issues we have had. (report)
dave123 (10/29): RFT are a great idea, except BMW needs to have room for a SPARE TIRE in the trunk area. I would rather have my wife be able to drive to a safe place when she has a flat but the flat tire still needs to be changed using a spare from the TRUNK to allow completion of the journey. RFT do have pre-mature wear, but that may be the price we pay for safety. We have 39,000 on our 325xi and we were told by the dealer we need our third set of tires for winter. BMW really screwed up on this one.................. (report)
Anonymous (10/30): It's just great how BMW won't go to bat for its customers, isn't it? You spend al lthat money for their car, they team up with Bridgestone, Bridgestone uses you as a guinea pig, and when the tires are a product liability, they say, TOO BAD for you, SUCKER! (report)
sfsascha (11/2): I got my 335i in August 2007 and had to already replace 3 tires. I'm really frustrated considering the price of more than 350$ a piece, I complained at my dealership but they didn't offer any help. I live in SF and the roads are horrible, I'm thinking about getting 4 new non run flats. (report)
Revert2003 (11/3): i went to bmw to fix 1 flat tire and was told to replace all 4 rft at 8,000 miles due to cupping. these could be there even earlier, but i may not have noticed them. cost: 2K. RFT sucks. tell bmw to take them off new cars until this is fixed or they guarantee them. (report)
Anonymous (11/3): i live in dorset uk and the road here are rubbish to say the least i've had a cooper s now for a year on rft and have to say that they are awful on bad roads the mini pull all over the place get suck in ruts and grooves it's taken some time to get use to but now i know that some time this misbehaviour can be put down to low tire pressure in one or more tire it seems differant to how a normal tire would feel when low also the rate they were is frightering and the price even more so now i going to change then for norms which will envolve a wheel change i could go on about the down falls but i wont but i do know that some presure on bmw should be applied i think that mabe this was the only way the tire company could get this product on the market there's no way any one would opt for it so force it on them (report)
Anonymous (11/4): I have a 2007 BMW 328I with run flat tires that sound like a truck. I am going back to BMW dealer to complain - they only have 7k miles and have uneven wear causing excessive road noice (report)
laurachazz (11/4): What a disappointment from a company like BMW! After only 6K miles and 10 trips for "flats" now they tell me I need new tires! BMW gives 3 year warranty and yet puts an "ordinary use" item like this on their cars! BMW should bear the cost not me! (report)
Nickg (11/5): Changing 4 Runflat tyres today on 18 month old BMW X5 - 18000kms. One punctured, the others worn through. Not very happy. Given every excuse under the sun. Not getting anywhere with dealer despite expressing my extreme displeasure. It's obvious BMW have a major problem with these tyres, and of course, will not admit it. Good luck to all others that haven't experienced this problem ( yet!!) (report)
dwi (11/6): We having a lot of problems with the run-flat tires we got on BMW 328xi 2007. we have control issues and feel very unsecure. We had 7 BMW before this one and never had issues. These run-flat make no sence. (report)
Anonymous (11/7): My dad in India was planning to buy a BMW. After readinig these, I shall ask him consider the option or and A4/C series. In his current car, as the road conditions are bad in India, he averages about 1 every 5,000 miles. Given these conditions, this is clearly not viable in a country like India. (report)
martinsmu (11/7): I got a 1 series. They replaced the front tires 3 times in 10 000miles. Feathering like a MOFO. SSSOOOO pissed off (report)
Anonymous (11/12): BMW of Arlington, VA I have a lease vehicle with only 8K miles; and the cupping problem is bad. The service manager said the problem is due to MY failure to follow the service guidelines and the tires are worn. However I noticed this problem less than a year after having leased my 2006 325i. The mechanic told me it was a known problem of that manufacturer. Glad the lease will be up soon. Well maybe service will get better when 50% of dealers go out of business due to the credit crisis and economy. (report)
Anonymous (11/12): I have a 2007 323i, and I need a set of winter tire, cause the original run flat tire cant handle the snowy condition in Toronto, Canada, but dont know whether it fit to install a regular steel radial winter tire with original rim? (report)
catiep (11/14): I have 335xi and have to replace the tires at 11400 miles ... only the front on worn because of how they are aligned. Dealer said too bad, so sad (report)
jcc (11/15): They are the worst tires I have ever used. Need to dump the tires. Right I am considering dumping BMW until they fix this problem. (report)
Anonymous (11/16): I have replaced four tires in two years. All for nails. I could have patched the tires, if I had non-run flats, but NO...I need a new tire. So now I have four tires with different wear patterns and tread life (report)
Anonymous (11/17): i have a 2007 328i with bridgestone run flats. they make a loud noise, and need to be changed with only 15000 miles. dealer said they are not covered, and also BRIDGESTONE gives you NO WARRANTY on run flats. DO NOT buy a BMW with run flats! (report)
jmajkowski (11/19): Got rid of them. Car sounded like a helicoptor. Got some Good Years and car drives like a dream. Have a pump and tire repair kit. However, would like a real spare Any suggestions (report)
Tavistockmartin (11/19): my 335i convertable has done 8015 miles from new.Today my tyre warning came on.My local tyre fitters tell me that both my rear tyres are worn through on the inside edges & are dangerous. No one seems to have these run flat tyres in stock. BMW's Plymouth UK dealership say they have not heard of any problems! (report)
gostone (11/20): I bought a 328i conv. last year. I have 36K miles, have replaced one rear tire because of a flat, and today I am replacing another tire because the dealer said that the other rear tier is shot. I love the idea of being able to drive a ways without having to change a tire, but do not like the idea of changing tires every year. I drive a lot!!! (report)
Anonymous (11/20): 2006 330i, 27000 mi. Run-flats are annoyingly noisy and I'm now told I need to replace all four due to tread wear. Was told 30,000 miles is considered "normal lifetime" for run-flats. Not happy at all about the tires, but otherwise I love the 330i. (report)
Wednesay (11/23): I have had two FLATS in 8 months. Already paid for one new tire....and I think it will continue unless I put on all regular. This is a DISASTER and will never invest in an other car with these CRAPPY tires (report)
Anonymous (11/23): Saying I hate them doesn't begin to express how I feel about them. I've had them less than 11 months and am replacing three of them tomorrow. Why didn't someone at BMW tell me that any time you get a flat you have to buy a new tire??????!!!!! At $300 per tire, a flat isn't cheap. WHAT WAS BMW THINKING!!!??? The car is amazing, the tires suck. Talk about a "money pit". (report)
Anonymous (11/23): I have a 2007 328i that had run flat tires that made noise, so they were replaced free of cost at 9300 miles. Now after 20K miles the back two tires are BALD. BMW is trying to tell me this is normal. I plan to contact BMW of North America about it. (report)
Anonymous (11/23): I am at the end of a 3 year lease on BMW 550. I had to buy two new tires in the first 18 months for close to $900 each. A third shredded itself on the highway a few months ago and cracked the rim. I took the car ito the dealer and they quoted over $2000 for a new tire nd rim. Being a lawyer, I told them that it was easier and cheaper for me to file a lawsuit based on BMW selling an inherrently defective product. The dealer and BMW N America agreed to replace the wheel at no charge. Anyway, I used to love Beemers, no more. I understand that one can pay $1000 or so for a tire policy - but this just means that they acknowledge they are selling a defective product. (report)
Anonymous (11/23): 2008 335. Just bought the car...a month later i had to replace my rim because BMW said i had a small crack in it??? They said i also had to replace my tire that was on that rim. This cost me $1000. 1 month later.... same tire is tripping out on me and im getting a TPM warning. If i have to replace that tire/rim again, im going to go off on them. (report)
Anonymous (11/24): BMW will be handling huge lawsuits as accidents happen from hydroplaning. Having leased my first BMW 328xi, I was never told that the tires were only good for less that 25K miles. Having brought the car in for service, I was still never told that these tires wear out at 25K miles and mainly wear on the inside where a driver could never see them worn. My son used the car and told me that he thought it was hydroplaning on the wet road. The tires looked ok, except I didn't know to look at the inside of the tread... they were bald. Apparently the tires/car are designed to wear more on the inside and are designed with deeper tread on the inside. Well they sure wore out on the inside and I never knew it. I was lucky and my son was lucky. Someone is going to be killed from these tires. You would think that the service warning systems would be letting you know that they should be checked, Shame on BMW. This is horrible. Oh and by the way, the crappy tires cost $1000 to replace. Don't buy the idea that these are performance tires, the car(328xi)doesn't even handle well with these tires and feels like you hit a house when you meet a small pot hole. Shame again on you BMW. John-Central Massachusetts (report) (report)
jeh (11/24): I have Bridgestone runflats on a BMW 330d after 17k miles three tyres developed bulges in the walls and had to be replaced. I am getting nowhere with Bridgestone who claim it is impact damage which I totally refute. has anyone had a similar problem (report)
Anonymous (11/24): I feel everyone's pain and at the same time am relieved to find that I am not the only one having this problem. I couldn't get a straight answer from my salesman or service advisor as to why I need to replace my tires at 19,000 miles. I did buy the tire and wheel guarantee and have had to use it once but it doesn't cover this problem. Now I know why they offer it though based on some of the responses posted. What does their corporate office have to say? Obviously they know about the problem. (report)
Anonymous (11/26): I bought a brand new 2007 BMW 328xi. The noise problem was unbearable and the dealer replaced the bridgestone tires with continental tires. After about 1500 miles, the same problem is beginning to occur again. Let us see what the dealer and BMW does this time. (report)
Anonymous (11/27): I agree 100%. BMW said "Customers we know what is best for you". I think that someone should post a picture of their beemer with a tire bungee-corded to the roof = ala a Range Rover on an african safari. Above it " The Ultimate Driving Machine". I have had 3 beemers. I have endured this problem in the 5 series since I always get the sports suspension. I have removed the run flats and stored them until the end orf my lease. But, at least in the 5 series, I have a donut spare. Now, I am looking to downsize to a 3 series. I love BMW except for their stupid decision as to run flats. This has been going on for a number of years. The automotive media - like the last Prez campaign - has been silent. Are they really objective????? They may rave about BMW, but they do not have to endure the hassle when you are unfortunate enough to have a flat on a Sunday or holiday and are more that 50 or 100 miles from your decision. Trust me. Not only the expense, but a major headache. While you get always be subject to an engine/transmission breakdown, I can accept this rarity. I do not accept this hassle for something as common as a flat tire. BMW eventually will listen when enough of the public becomes educated about this issue. Ultimate Driving Machine, my "heinie". Goodbye BMW! (report)
srikart (11/28): I agree. I have a 2007 BMW 328XI. I hardly had 14k miles and it started to develop noise. I had taken it to the BMW center and they told me its normal. Now @ 20k its become horrible and now they are stating I have to pay 50% of the cost and other 50% is covered by BMW. This is ridiculous. What is this crazy warranty they give on these expensive tires. Its just like maintaining a white elephant. Seriously all of the BMW owners need to file a class action suit against BMW for giving this kind of ridiculed service. Please let me know if you have any options to file one (report)
smsmithxo (11/30): I have 1 2006 330I with 22,000 miles on the run flat tires and have to replace two tires already! I hate them!!! (report)
richp38 (12/1): 2007 328XI Coupe 12000 miles and two front tires shot! Garbage! (report)
Ewing (12/3): This is my last BMW if I have to go to conventional tires and take up trunk space with a spare. And think about spending $180+ to fix a flat!!! (report)
danielled78 (12/3): Run flats are a joke, i got two punctures in the last month and had to pay 220 euros per tyre cause the run flat cannot be repaired. (report)
bbelden (12/4): I actually hate them also. However, after 8500 miles on my 2006 330xi, my dealer replaced the original Bridgestones for the cost of a wheel alignment. They then put on Continental ProContact SSR tires. At just under 23000 miles...in other words, 14500 miles later, the same incredibly loud noise again. To the dealerships credit, replaced again and talked to BMW to avoid paying for wheel alignment again. Evidently just have a great dealership. But BMW doesn't obviously pay for the tires, only labor. (report)
redneckcracker (12/5): I have a 328xi and had to replace my stupid run flat tire. I have 9,000 miles on it. A screw caused a puncture and the dealer told me that run flats can not be repaired. On top of that there is a bulge on the sidewall. That sucks. The dealer wanted $260 for one 16inch tire. That’s insane. I asked him if I could get a regular tire and he said that I couldn’t' do that because it would mess with the balance. I would have to either get one run flat or replace all four tires. I don't think I’m ever getting run flats. (report)
Anonymous (12/7): i hate them. 2007 328i and at 19K miles all four tires must be replaced. They are very noisy (report)
wellsfan (12/7): I have had problems with my BMW run flat tires since purchasing my 2007 530i sept 2007. We have taken the vehicle in several times and are told "thats just the way it is and you wil have to live with it". In additiosn the tire pressure monitoring system does not work well. We check the tires regularly, tread wear is uneven, we have had it aligned but. The noise is almost unbearable. We are now at 35k miles and have been complaining since the purchase. Any ideas? M (report)
phil4tax (12/8): I was just told that the wearing of my front left tire was due to a camber problem common to 328 series and that I would need a new tire and alignment, at only 13000 miles ? Give me a break ! (report)
mjbailey (12/11): I bought 335i convertible in June 2007.After only 16 months and 17,000 miles both rear wheels an tyres had to be replaced as the tyres had worn through and the wheels were cracked! BMW have refused to accept responsibility saying this is due to 'external influences' such as poor roads, potholes and speed bumps things we all encounter driving every day in the UK. It has cost me £1,600. Iknow I am not the only person who has had this problem but don't know any particular individuals so would be pleased to hear from any fellow sufferers! MJB Surrey (report)
wayne (12/12): I have a 2008 335xi and I've been dealing with this problem for months. I originally had air in the tires so thinking that due to the temperature change it is possible to loose some pressure but what I was seeing in my opinion is pretty drastic. I would see a drop from 32psi to about 27-28 psi in about 22 days. The rear tires seem to be a bit better but still loose some as well. I brought the vehicle to Motorwerks bmw in Bloominton, MN and they inspected the tires and wheels...not any surprise to me they did not find anything wrong. The offered to seal the tires and remount the tires to the wheels. I thought this was going to resolve my problems but the problem came back today. The fronts again read 27-28 psi and the backs were not far from those number as well. I am brining my vehicle back to the dealership...with only 7k on the vehicle I am going to want someting better than we'll look into it. (report)
Anonymous (12/15): 2006 325xiT, 35,000 mi. on the run-flats. noisy,harsh ride. am going to trade UP for a set of nokians. they cost more, but i'm tired of the square tire ride. for those that say they won't trust a non run-flat, remember, the tire came out because bmw, and others didn't have room for a spare! run high end conventional rubber and keep a can of flat fix in the tiny cubicle where the spare should be. (report)
Anonymous (12/16): 2007 335i. Replaced two tires in the first week of purchasing the vehicle due to bubbles. Don't recall hitting any pot holes. Cost $1,000. Hate these RunFlat tires. Am going to change soon to regular non runflats. Shame on you BMW! (report)
Anonymous (12/16): After 27000km the tires have to be replaced!Also very NOISY especially during last year. the thinner the thread the noisier they are.A pile of garbage as far as I am concern.Just bought regular tires and they are fantastik and so quiet I love my BMW again. Why BMW do you do that to your brand????? (report)
Anonymous (12/17): I absolutely hate these tires. I am constantly replacing tires ever year, because the run flat tires only last to about 20,000 to 25,000 miles. I got a nail in one tire and I was told that you cannot repair run flats. You have to buy a new tire and this was absoluetely ridiculous. These are the worst set of tires I have ever owned. BMW should be ashamed to have these type of tires on such an expensive vehicle. (report)
gjlp (12/17): Noisy (report)
gjlp (12/17): I have a 2007 328xi with noisy run flats @ 11,000 miles. I was told if they were Bridgestone there was a replacement policy between Bridgestone and BMW, but on my car I have continental and am trying to work through them/NTB with little response. No help from BMW. (report)
Anonymous (12/18): I bought my BMW used and the car was fine until 5 months after I bought it. Now it sounds like a truck. (report)
mendozab (12/18): They are noisy, wear out fast and uneven, and expensive. The no-spare is also a design blander. The only advantage of the RFT is safety. BMW should have pick a better tires than ELN42. (report)
MikeB (12/19): My 2006 320d Touring consumes a set of rear tyres every 10,000 miles and the car handles poorly. BMW insist there is nothing wrong with the car and refuse to offer any further help. They in denial and must realise that have a huge problem with run flats (report)
kpsgill (12/19): I have a 2008 550i with 7800 miles driven, the front tires have a air pressure loss issue every few weeks, also I am now feeling a pull on the steering when ever the car hits a bump, seems like the car wants to "track" the road. Not good. Kanwal Gill (So. Cal) (report)
DieselJimmie (12/19): I hate BMW for not allowing us the choice to change to normal non run flat tires by not having a space to store a spare tire. The best you can do is buy four standard tires of your choice and carry a can of tire sealant in the event of a flat. There are a lot of good tires on the market and BMW is restricting us to run flat. Why they can't give us a wheel storage space even if it is empty is beyond me. (report)
Anonymous (12/19): New car with Bridgestone Turanzas 3 months ago. After 1,000 miles very noisy on 80% of road surfaces at all speed up to 70 mph. Every potholwe feels like you have hit a brick. Terrible !! (report)
bmwchic (12/19): 12/19/08 my BRAND NEW BMW 2008 328xi has 5k miles. steering is off, vibration in gas pedal & steering wheel at any speed over 30 mph, brought it in to bmw..they said front tires are feathered & told me i need wheel align.,tire rot. & bal, & that i am not covered for any of these services. went to budget muffler & they said i should get two new front tires & they felt I did not need an align. b/c the tires were causing this problem. went back to BMW and I told them that I want new tires. They said that they will get back to me. This is my 3rd bmw lease, but my first w/ run flats & might be my last if they do not own up to this problem! I will let you all know what happens next... (report)
toogood4girls (12/21): I bought a 2006 certified pre-owned 330i and I had no idea this car had run flat tires on it until I was signing paperwork and they offered me the tire protection plan. I took the protection plan when I found out that the tires are $500 each and you could not repair them. As soon as I left the dealership I noticed a rough ride and a horrible road noise. I went from a 2004 545i that did not have run flats to this 330i and it's HORRIBLE! I contacted the dealership that day and told them something was wrong and when it went to service THE SECOND DAY I HAD THE CAR, they informed me that the tires need to be replaced because they are wearing ab-normal. I asked if this is covered under the tire protection plan and they said "No" I would have to pay to replaces them, because it was not a road hazzard. I just shelled out $35k for a car and I have to hand them $2k for a set of tires 2 days later. I THINK NOT! I will throw a box of nails in the road and have all 4 tires full and we will see how they like that road hazzard. I have a love for BMW and was very impressed with the safety that my 545i showed when I was in a really bad accident and the car was a total loss and I walked away with out as much as a scratch. I love the BMW product, but an not impressed by the use of these crappy tires. If there is a class action suit coming I would LOVE to be a part of it. (report)
c7ped (12/22): Nightmare. I have a new X5 and had to replace all tyres after 12,000 miles due to very excessive wear on the Outer edges(front) and inner edges (rear) Currently being messed around silly by BMW (report)
Anonymous (12/22): What year are these posts? This is 12/22/08. I had no idea they were so bad in the snow. I had a 325xi, which was fantastic with all-weathers. I assumed the 330xi would be just as good. Talk about a joke. I may as well have polyurethaned the tires. Now I have to look at a full set of winter tires. If i had the room for a spare, i'd just go regular. But BMW took that option off the table. (report)
Anonymous (12/22): I have a 2007 328i which came with the dreaded Bridgestone RE050A run flats. Absolutely the worst mistake BMW has ever made. I only had 10000 miles on the tires and they were vibrating like a jack hammer. I have toughed it out to 18500 miles to at least get my money worth out of the tires. Actually I do not think that is possible. I have done countless hours of research on every run flat tire available in my size of 225/45 on the fronts and 255/40 in the back and all I found is bad news. The run flat technology has just not been embraced by all the tire companies yet, so the choices are very limited. Limited to all garbage. I am going to bite the bullet and buy the new Michelin Pilot A/S sport plus. This tire has fantastic performance reviews and great mileage claims as well. I will have to buy a doughnut spare and a compact jack. I will just keep it in my trunk. I priced these tires at Costco $860 mounted and balanced and then at TireRack.com for $797 which does not include mounting and balancing. I think however and tire shop should be able to do that for about $60. If you are in the market for tires and are willing to take the chance on non run flat tires check out the Michelin A/S pilot sport plus. (report)
Anonymous (12/22): I had more troubles with the run flat tires than any other standard tires. I had one flat with standard tires in the last 10 years but more three on the run flats in the past year. Not to mention the time and money lost. After leasing multiple BMW 3-series for the last 12 years, I decided to dump BMW because of these stupid tires. Love the car, HATE the tires. I almost got stuck in the middle of nowhere one time. After eight hours of waiting, a tire shop finally found a run flat tire for me (special delivery 50 miles away). I would take a 20 minutes spare tire change myself any day over the run flat option. (report)
edo (12/24): Do other cars have similar issues with Run Flat Tires..like the Audi S-5 or A-5? If not, why not? I am looking at purchasing the BMW 335i or Audi A5/S5. Thanks (report)
nwest (12/27): I purchased a BMW 328i in March of 2007. I already need new tires at $350 each and it's December of 2008. (report)
troystewart (12/30): My run flat tyres are losing air and causing the alarm to come up every 4 to 5 days. The tyres are fine and BMW cannot find any problems with the alloys - any suggestions? (report)
Anonymous (12/30): I had RFT on my Series for one year (Continental Sport). They offer worst ride ever in everything but pristine roads, so eventhough they are safer in case of incidents at at high speed, I'm gonna change them for regular tyres, because as they say below: premium priced tyres should offer premium driving, not worse. (report)
HATETHETIRES (12/30): I have a 2008 328i I bought in July. I have less than 20k on the car and they said I need 2 new back tires!! They are not the Bridgestones I have the continental tires. I have talked with the class action attorney at KABO. Please email me if you are having problems so, I can forward our information on to them to let them know we have the same problem!!! Kristiesheets@hotmail.com (report)
joedrums3 (1/1): I have an '06 three series and have had problems with the rft's: significant noise and vibration. A local dealer offered to replace them for $750 because, it was explaned to me,there is a defect with the rft's. I didn't think it was right to pay $750 for tires with less than 15k miles on them. BMW is a fine company with loyal customers; they should realize they made a mistake with the rft's and stand behind their product via a recall. (report)
Anonymous (1/2): i got a small nail in my tire and they said i have to replace it (report)
roncray (1/3): 2006 330i; I suppose I am lucky, we have gotten 29K on the Bridgestone RFT's, however, they are the worst tire I have ever owned. NOISE, tracking, ride, handling, wear and cost are all the pits. I'm changing to regular tires. Anything should be an improvement. RCR TX (report)
Anonymous (1/3): I really dislike the run flats. The ride is rough, especially on Chicago roads. I've actually hydroplaned a couple of times. The last BMW I had, a 2003 330XI, could have driven over Lake Michigan. They don't handle the snow and ice well either. (report)
Anonymous (1/5): AWFUL vibrations and NOISE!!! (report)
Anonymous (1/5): Easy to see that more people have problems than enjoy them....I have an '07 530d with Goodyear NCT run flats....kind of a stiff ride but can live with it because I don't drive the car hard. However, just hit a pothole that left a slash in the sidewall. Bought 2 new regular tires for the front so I will be riding on normal front tires and the older (19k) run flats on the rear. Kept the undamaged one from the front to replace a rear tire in case one of those gets wrecked.... (report)
maty (1/5): I have the same problems as already noted by others here. I have a 2007 328i with Bridgestone Potenza tires. The car was a joy to drive initially: great handling on dry, wet, snow and curvy roads. Then I noticed a noise at low speeds at 10K and took it into the dealer at 12K. Dealer tells me the problem is the tires. I told him about the posts on the Internet and he says that BMW has a replacement policy on the Turanza and there are no problems with the Potenza. He suggested I contact Bridgestone directly. Bridgestone pointed to the alignment and offered no recourse. Wanting to save some coin, I've suffered with these tires and am now at 21K. I can't take the noise and vibration felt through the steering wheel any more. I'm now going to have to replace the tires but don't want to get Bridgestones. Any suggestions with the other brands of RFT? (report)
Anonymous (1/6): 3rd full set and popped a side wall +300 to replace. Come on BMW admit your mistake and fix our problems (report)
Anonymous (1/8): We purchased a 328i BMW in June of 2007 and in Dec 2008 after only 12,000 miles we had to buy new rear tires because the tires were bald. The cost at the BMW Gallery in Norwood MA was $706.00. We knew that RFTs would be expensive when we had to change them, but we had no idea that the Bridgestone tires would wear out in only 12,000 miles. When we went to the dealer they said it was very unusual and tried to blmae it on our driving style. I won't be going back to that dealer for not coming clean on the tire problems and I won't be buying another BMW. Do we have any recourse with the BMW dealer or with BMW? (report)
bmw2007florida (1/8): January 9th, 2009: I am taking my car in to the BMW dealer in West Palm Beach, FL tomorrow. Apparently as soon as I hit 25K miles, I noticed a horrible sound coming from the wheel area. I thought it was the brakes or brake pads. But when I brought my car in about a month ago the service advisor came out and didnt even test drive the car and told me I needed 4 new tires. I waited until after the holidays and of course they still say I need new tires. I'm wondering if it's possible to only get two new ones now and two others at the end of next month? (report)
Anonymous (1/9): BMW 320dse.RFT's are noisey,give a hard ride,expensive to replace,unrepairable and will not last beyond 20k miles.Would perform better all round if made of wood.Don't even think of using them in snow/icy conditions.They are crap.This is my 3rd and last BMW without doubt. (report)
aachuu (1/9): Please lets all get a lawyer a file a class action suite. This will cause a recall and a solution. All my RFT Bridgsone potenza have side wall bubble. This is an accident ready to happen (report)
TAZBMW (1/10): I have had issues with my 2006 325XI tires. They are breaking down on the sidewalls even with good tread. (report)
Anonymous (1/12): 10,000 miles on my 328i and I'm paying the dealer about $400 (1/2 price) to replace the tires in order to get rid of the road noise. BMW again? I doubt it. BMW should be paying for this replacement in full since it is a known problem due to their design! Sure, BMW didn't design the tires but they sure did specify them! (report)
turboman (1/13): I have a 335 with runflats. The handling is fine. The ride is dreadful on anything but the smoothest road surface. Derbyshire lanes are an issue for them. My CD jumps so often it is unusable and my teeth are all chipped. Everything else is fine (wear rates seem normal to me) but its difficult to replace them with non runflats - the garages have been told not to and BMW simply won't consider it. They do make a space saver wheel/tyre for the 335 but its not available in the UK for some reason best known to BMW. Standard tyres will fit on the run flat rims which have a special bead to retain the run flat. My view - fit standard tyres (if you find an obliging garage - you may need to just take in the wheels off the car!) - save money (around £50 a corner for me), keep an old spare tyre (or 2 if you have different fronts to rears) and hope you don't have a puncture too far from home! Also get one of those moose kits BMW put in some cars which had no spares or runflats. (report)
Anonymous (1/13): I have a BMW 3 series and I blew a tire hitting a pothole on the freeway on my way up to Tahoe. The good old run flats on my car only last 50 or so miles, so I was basically stuck in sacramento. I called everywhere trying to find a replacement tire but these damn run flat tires are hard to find and very expensive $300 each. I finally found a place in roseville and was lucky they replaced it that day. Now if BMW had just designed a spare tire into the car like EVERY car on the market I would have been fine. I am SO disappointed in my BMW and the lack of a spare. I'm going Audi from hear on out. (report)
Nospare (1/13): I've had nothing but problems with run flats. Numerous nails and now I will be buying four new tires after only putting 15,000 miles on my first set. (report)
Anonymous (1/13): I am having to replace tires on my 2007 bmw 328i after 30k miles. the car is now riding rough and my traction is low. i am trying to decide whether to put regular michelins on my car or rft. has anyone had michelins and which michelins are best for my model? (report)
timverhoeven (1/14): My car is not even 2 years old and i will now of bought my 9th run flat tyre today... this is an absolute joke!!! (report)
Anonymous (1/15): I have a 2008 bmw 335 xi and live in chicago which is notorious for potholes. in the past 12 months I have had to replace 3 run flat tires. they are expensive (approx $350 each), and i've never had this problem with my other car (audi A4). (report)
Nomoneybmw (1/15): I have a 2006 325i and have just found out that the tires will have to be replaced with only 20K miles. I also run a van and a pickup truck and I'am accustomed to running tires to at least 40-50,000 miles and don't pay $900 to replace them. As far as shakes, rattles and rolls, there are none...just the cost and low miles. I'm now looking to replace them with regular low profile tires if I can find something that will work. Any suggestions?? I think I know what is going on with BMW....they don't charge you for other services so they have to make it up somehow..Nomoneybmw (report)
Cryoman (1/19): THe dealer inidcated I need new tires after only 15,500 miles. they want only $1700 for 4 17" tires This is for a Z4 (report)
guynextdoor13 (1/21): So much for the BMW's 4 year/50,000 mi warranty it's just a catch to lure costumers to buy their car. I think there's a conspiracy between BMW and the tire dealers to purposely place a defective tire or misaligned wheels so that they can get even on you on their free service. I just bought 2 tires and it cost me $850 and sad to say they don't have warranty on the tires that they are selling. (report)
Anonymous (1/24): Bought a brand new 2007 BMW 328i wagon with run flat tires. One tire went flat after 4000 miles and was unrepairable. Paid $225 to replace. Then all the other tires wore out completely after $20K. That's pathetic. (report)
cnuzz (1/25): In March 07' - I leased a 07' BMW 328i sedan with the RF's Bridgestone Teuranza EL42 & bought the Easy Care Warrant approx. $500 (what a waist). The noise started around 5k miles so I took the car in on 03.26.08 & the dealer said the tires were fine. NOTE: I was unaware of the "Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)" #10026984 dated 09.01.07. Anyway, on 01.22.09 I took the car in for service with 10,326 miles with a list of items along with tire noise. Long story short: the service advisor told me I need to replace the tires (per service bulletin) & they would pay 50%. Why not pay 100% I asked...well you are over 10k miles & that is the policy. Hey I am only over by 326 miles cut me some slack - NO WAY. They said they were doing me a favor because not only were they paying for 1/2 of the tires they were paying 100% of labor & installation. Bull! Also, I need an alignment - cost $150... Talk about being irritated! I only I had known about this TSB - I would have taken the car in before it hit 10k miles. Who wouldn't!!! Give me a break. My issue with the dealer, BMW Corp. & Bridgestone was that I received NO NOTICE of this issue! I made several calls, spun my wheels & ended up angry each time! We went back & forth...bottom line I paid the $511 for the 2 tires & got 2 for free - so to speak. Same f___g tires though - could not get any other brand. Also, I told them I am not paying for the alignment & they finally agreed after much noise. Based upon my research, these blogs on autoforum.com, here, etc. - perhaps we have a class action since clearly these RF's tires from Bridgestone were defective from day one & BMW knows it & continues to put them on their vehicles. I am not letting this go! If anyone has input please respond. (report)
EXBMWDRVR (1/25): We have a 2006 330i, which has 34000 miles. We don't drive it much because of the run flat tires. It has had at total of 9 tires in 34000 miles and roars like a freight train. You cannot even carry on the conversation. I will never buy another BMW because of this (We have owned 5 BMWs, BTW). (report)
Anonymous (1/26): I 100% agree! I bought a new 320d in June 2007. In November 2008, the TPMS warning light came on and I sent the car to the local dealer. They checked and told me it was a nail puncture. It costs me £150. On 6 Jan 2009, the TPMS warning light came again, the second tire had a nail puncture, another £150 for this replacement. I was shocked today (26 Jan 2009), the TPMS warning light came on again!!! The recent replaced tire had a puncture again. I only experienced no more than 3 times of the nail puncture during my previous 15 years driving history. With this bmw RFT, no repair could be done. SICK! PANIC!! HATE!!! (report)
Anonymous (1/27): I have a 2008 335xi and have had nothing but problems with these tires. Just under 5,000 miles (yes 5,000!) I noticed the car was handling weird. Took a look at the tires and notices that they were almost into the cords. Took it to BMW and after looking at it, asked me if I had been racing it on track. Of course I said no, and they said there was nothing they could do about it. So I took it to Bridgestone and replaced the 2 back tires with not run flats, and again after another 5,000 miles, have to replace them again. (Guy at Bridgestone said not to drive it in the rain because its too dangerous.) Has anyone heard of tires that last only 5,000 miles?? (report)
JohnBMW (1/27): I have 07 335 w/ 20k miles and the entire front end vibrates and makes a grinding noise. After the dealer charged me for an alignment and balance the problem has not gone away. I've replaced two due to bulging side walls. BMW needs to address this issue. They seem to be in denial. I've called them and even w/ 4 BMW cars no positive solution. Is there a good BMW approved replacement tire that someone has tried. If car is leased, tire has to be OEM approved. (report)
Anonymous (1/28): They seem to be designed only to enrich BMW at our expense. I have never had any problems before with flat tires; now I am at my fouth visit in only 18 months to the dealer. If they do not address the issue, I will seriously consider buying another make next time. (report)
jabgoon (1/28): I have a 2007 335I purchased new and have always had noise. I only have 27k on the car and I can feel a noticable cupping with my hand. I take excellent care of the vehicle including checking air pressure frequently. I had an alignment at 20k and the noise continues to get louder. I have complained to the dealer severl times and they just want to sell me new tires at $400 a piece. I have also never had a car with less traction in snow. Snow sticks to the tire and you have to spin them off on dry ground to get moving. (report)
Franarsa (1/29): I drive a 2006 330i and the run flat tires are noisy and only last 17,000 miles. (report)
jerhawkins (1/29): Haven't had bubbles or flats with mine, but I agree with all the posts about uneven wear, noise, and poor ride. Just turned 25K on my 2007 328i and the car is not safe to drive on wet roads. 6 months left on lease and have to spend $1500 on a new set because the car has to be returned with BMW approved tires. I will be carting the 4 ruined tires home to be stored in the garage while awaiting the eventual action against the manufacturer. If I ever buy or lease another car that comes with run flats I will have the dealer swap them with real tires or no deal. (report)
CLACY (1/30): YOU CAN GET RUN FLAT TIRES CHEAPER ON TIRE RACK ON LINE GOOD LUCK THEY SUCK I HAVE A BMW 3251 WENT THREW 2 SETS OF THEM (report)
Anonymous (1/31): had to replace 2 tires (at full price) with less than 10,000 miles then had to replace all 4 with less than 20,000 miles due to recall and excessive noise and vibration. BMW paid for 2 and I paid for 2. BMW very quiet about program, you need to scream very loud (report)
DG1 (2/1): Have just bought a 2 year old 350D from a BMW dealer with 9K on the clock and had four new 16" RFTs fitted as the previous tyes were mixed non-rfts not recommended by the manufacturer. The new tyres are dire compared to the ones I test drove the vehicle with. They are noisy and cause excessive vibrations. I feel like I am driving a horse wagon with wooden wheels. I can't believe BMW use RTFs as standard and don't allow room for a spare! How much adverse publicity is needed before they do something? (report)
Anonymous (2/2): I have had more problems with the run flats on my BMW than any tires on any other vehicle I have ever owned. I have had to replace 3 tires in 16 months on my 2007 328xi! At $500 a pop (tire and labor), this is unacceptable from BMW. All 3 tires had punctures. Two dealerships told me that run flats cannot be "patched" like other tires, so they must be replaced. While friends with other luxury vehicles have simply had tires patched, I have spent at least $1,500! I will NEVER buy another vehicle with run flats! Frankly, I expect more from BMW. (report)
reconsideranew1 (2/2): This is my 1st BMW. I have a 2007 328i. I have enjoyed my ownership experience until the issue with the tires arose. I was informed at 14,000 miles that I needed to replace the rear tires at a cost of approximately $550. Just seems ridiculous at 14k to need new tires. I purchased the warranty on the tires but was told that because the tire is below specs, if i have a tire problem, it will not be covered by the waranty now! Its a shame - its the only thing I can say I truly hate about the car! (report)
Anonymous (2/2): 335i, 2 sets of new tires within the first year. Runflats suck. I can drive highway speeds on normal tires. If one of them blows out, I trust the car to be safe enough to protect me. If it gets wrecked, that's what insurance is for. Buy a good set of normal tires. Better yet, get seasonals and wheels to match. I bought a set of wheels for the winter/fall/spring and have sets of winter and all seasons for that purpose. I bought performance wheels for the summer with ultra high performance summer tires. Runflats are heavy as are the wheels they go on so if acceleration, braking, and handling are big on your list you would be doing yourself a disservice to leave the runflats on. (report)
fuad (2/2): I just picked up a 2007 335i and it has only 8000 miles. My two right tires are showing a slight bulge but the tread is fine. I was told by the dealership that there is no warranty on the tires and I must have left them under inflated. I had a similar problem with my 2006 BMW 330i. I wish I can sue BMW (report)
Anonymous (2/3): I have a 2007 335 hard top convertible. I love the car. To me, the runflats are a liability and put me at risk as far as control of the vehicle. They grab onto imperfections in the road and lurch the car toward anything like a minor rut or bump or grade. I have almost crashed several times because of losing control, due to the run flats. I think these are a death and a lawsuit waiting to happen. (report)
BrianKE (2/3): I'm with you. I purchased a BMW 328i brand new in 2007. I now have 10,000 miles on the car and they are telling me I'm in desperate need of new ones! I could not believe this. I am very angry with Bridgestone. I think at the very least they should pay of half of the replacement cost. Brian (report)
HVK (2/3): RFTs are a great way for tyre manufacturers to make money. The treadwear is almost half that of other tyres ie it wears twice as quick and they are a whole lot more expensive. in RSA it costs approx USD600 for an RFT and around USD350 USD for the same size std tyre(UHP 255/35/18). Its cheaper to get your car towed to a fitment centre & to stock up on an EXTRA set of standard tyres. the only time an RFT has an advantage over a STD tyre is when you have a blowout. There was no crisis before RFTs so scr#w em (report)
HVK (2/3): I see most of the people that swear by the safety issue of RFTs were speeding. "steel rod almost 5 feet long that she could not avoid" .. use the brakes next time :) (report)
nebomb (2/4): I just had my THIRD TIRE ruined in about the span of 4 months, even after i bought 4 brand new tires, the same passenger rear tire continues to fail and conveniently, when i'm MILES away from a dealer and on the interstate. I HATE HATE HATE HATE them (report)
Anonymous (2/4): I am on my third set at 40,000 miles. They are awful. Shame on you BMW! (report)
Anonymous (2/4): RFT have ruined the BMW experience for me. I owned an M3 with 19inch wheels and regular tires. The ride was Much better than my current 335xi. I CRINGE when going over potholes. Ever bump produces a loud BANG in the car. My wife HATES the ride of my new BMW. She knows nothing about cars, yet knows that my car rides like CRAP. My solution? New wheels and tires from Tirerack, remove the RFT put them in the garage. Just amortize the cost over the life of the car. Argue with BMW? Ha! that will do nothing. (report)
Anonymous (2/5): I have had six (6) tires damaged in less than 10,000 miles. They are so bad, BMW replaced the first 4 for free. Not having a spare sucks. Also, the Bridgestone Potenzas seem to be vey fragile. Class Action, Anyone?? (report)
bzscorpio (2/7): I bought my had my 2007 328xi coupe in 12/2006, or just over two years ago. I have 28,000 miles on my car and live in a good climate (Southern California). I've also replaced FOUR Continental Run Flat tires now, and just got the tire monitor indicator tonight, which means a FIFTH replacement in two years and under 30,000 miles(knock on wood it's only one tire that needs replacing). This is completely unacceptable and I am going to raise h*ll on Monday with my local dealership. (report)
Anonymous (2/8): I have a 2007 328xi with 23,000 miles and I just found that one front tire is completely bald. I do not have a lead foot, never had a pressure warning and find it completely unacceptable that a tire go bald after such low milage. In addition, the road noise and response to small bumps and potholes is also unacceptable. I would much rather have regular tires and a spare and may give up the trunk space if I have to spend a fortune for new tires after 2 years!! (report)
330i (2/10): I have a 2006 330i, I am on my fourth set of tires at 37000 miles, the tires look good, but you can tell they have wear as the car sounds like a "log truck" when you are driving it. I spoke with my salesman and he told me that they are told in the sales meeting not to tell potential buyers that you will have to replace these tires between 9000 to 12000 miles. The concept is good, I have had a flat and was able to make it to the BMW dealership to have it replaced, but if these tires are so great they should at least last 60000!! My gripe is if you spend this much money on a car you are buying quality and that should be with tires also. The car drives great but no one should have to replace tires on any car every 9000-12000 miles. I think potential buyers should be told the cons as well as the pros on run flat tires and if they decide to move forward on buying a vehicle with run flat tires, then at least they had the courtesy of being advised of the cons on run flat tires. When I bought my 2006 330i in 2005 there were "no" negative reviews at that time that I could find, I feel we are the guinea pigs. I now tell everyone who is thinking of buying a BMW to fully research the run flat tires as they will not be told the full truth when they buy. Great car but I am very disappointed in the tires and would not buy another BMW with these tires on it. (report)
lilsarim (2/10): Like the car but tires suck... I first replaced the tires when the car only had 10,000 miles... but guess what? It's time to replace them again when its only 33,000 miles... (report)
Anonymous (2/11): I had a 2006 325i with the sport package and went through 4 sets of tires over 41,000 miles. One time i got a flat tire in the middle of nowhere and the run flats failed. They didnt last anywhere near what they should have and i had to be towed. Luckily Pirelli replaced the whole set because there was damage to the other 3 tires that they said was most likely the case for the flat tire. They replaced them a second time but when it came time for the 3rd time(4th set) i had to finally pay. I choose the new continentals which just came out and they were much better. But 1 month before the lease eneded i got another flat(it wasnt the tires fault, i ran over something), but i never replaced the tire. It happen the same day that i was buying a new X5, so the 3 just sat in my driveway for a month and the fine i payed at the end of the lease to replace it was less then buying a new tire. After 13000 miles on the X5 and no signs of the ware that the 3 had i realized its not the tire, its the size. 17's with run flats are just too big for a 3 series. There isnt enough tire to absorb an impact which causes the tire to deteriorate and possibly go flat more quickly. There is much more tire on the 18 inch run flats on the X5 to absorb an impact. So while run flats can be a pain, its not the technology and the idea of having a runflat that you should worry about, its the size of the tire that needs to be appropriote for your car. (report)
dogalow (2/12): 14K miles and lots of tire noise, dealer recommends I replace them. I will not purchase this lease vehicle. (report)
entropy_00 (2/12): 1 year. 4 new tires. I bought the tire insurance with my car..and then the insurance company started dicking me around. I live in NY and any time I hit a pothole, I know that hte car is going back into the shop. The irony of driving a fast car is that I have to drive like Grandma. The RFT's are a waste of time, money and BMW prestige. (report)
not2happy (2/13): I am very unhappy with my tires. 3 out of 4 have bubbles on the side walls and my front end vibrates like crazy at 40 MPH. Not Happy! 20K miles and I am close to needing to replace them. BMW should fess up and make it right! (report)
silksmoothy (2/14): I have a 335i and this one tire out of 4 keeps on loosing pressure on me, so every 2 wks or so the check tire pressure light would come on. I have taken it to the bmw dealer 4 times and all they did was fill the air and told me nothing was wrong and that I should be checking the tires and filling the air as needed at 2 wks intervals. i don't know about anyone else, but 2 wks then having to fill tire sounds like a big pile of manure to me. i will never buy or lease another bmw again after this experience. my ford truck is more dependable than this supposed great car. (report)
Anonymous (2/16): I don't have any issues in terms of harshness of ride. However, I think the difficulty in getting them repaired is a scam between BMW and the tyre industry. (report)
Anonymous (2/17): i have a bmw 325i m sport with run flats. the car has been into the garage 3 or times as the car slips sidways every time i go over small bumps in the road. they say there is no problem with the suspension or tyres but i am sure the tyres are the main problem. (report)
Anonymous (2/17): Have a slow leak - looses 10 psi in ~ 6 weeks and tire pressure monitor comes on. Both rear tires are worn out in ~26k miles. I am going to replace all with regular tires. Maybe even buy 5 and keep a spare in the trunk. Still be much less than buying run flats. (report)
Nmagnow (2/18): Nick123 I have a 2007 335I convertible with 9K miles and have gone throught 2 blow outs, 2 cracked sidewalls and 1 leak in a place on the side wall that could not be fixed. I drive in NY and Long Island but need to go ahead and purchase 17" tires. The lower profile of the 18" is just unrealistic for normal city driving. BMW continues to tell me nobody is really having any issues with them, must be a company conspiracy to keep quiet. Everbody I talk to is complaining also. I felt like getting ride of the car because of this, but will change the tires soon. Does anyone know if BMW would make a change for other tires and rims without a charge to the owner, please let me know hwere to call. (report)
phantom002 (2/18): I can not believe that Bridgestone RFT are being used on all BMW when everyone claims they are the worse tires. They are so noisy and get bubles on the sides very fast. They are very costly-$335 ea. I think BMW should fix their suspension and used regular tires to deal with the noise issue. Tony (report)
eusabri (2/19): I hate them. Very Expensive and they wear out so fast. My 06 325i needed new front tires in 2008. (report)
throb (2/21): i don't know where to post this one because i love and hate them. i have had 2 z4's and the tires on that have been fine. however the 328si (conv) i have, just had 2 tires crap out on me and i am out $1300 for tires plus balancing and alignment. bmw won't bend on the pricing of their tires (around $500) even though I can find them online for $280 and $350 (front and rear) (report)
hbuen (2/22): i have 2006 325i, after 11000miles, i hear load tire noise causing the inner tire to get bald more, i went to dealership to complain it, they recommend wheel alignment not covered by warranty for freaking $500.00 it doesnt stop there, they told me i have to buy 4 new RFT tires, when i told them that i will put conventional tire, they said they will void warranty!!!! what the hell.. (report)
Anonymous (2/24): I have had two different BMWs in about a year. Both brand new, and both with Run Flat tires. 2007 Z4, and 2008 335i. Since then, I have had a total of 4 flat tires, each requiring me to replace the entire tire on the car! I switched the Z4 to normal tires and have yet to have a flat. I had two flats on the Z4 in under 4,000 miles of driving in highly populated areas and on good roads. Each tire cost me $350 and only the BMW dealer had them in stock. (report)
jlk (2/25): We leased our car August. We had to replace one tire soonthereafter because they said there was a nail in it. Then in December 2008 the sound when coasting and breaking was this awful rubbing/grinding noise--as if the car was misaligned or something...I asked them to check the brakes, but the dealer service dept. said the run flat tires were "chopped" and I needed 4 NEW ONES! --Out of our pocket of course. The car doesnt even have 20 thousand miles on it. We were told we could continue to drive on them and didnt do it yet because we are hesitant to replace them because we think they will need replacing again before the lease is up...so I have a horrible sounding car..and dont know what to do. We are kind of stuck because its a lease. (report)
aingarth (2/25): In concept, a great idea. however, on my BMW 5 series which I have now owned for 3 years, the noise is ridiculous. The garage has checked several times and confirmed that there is n othing mechanical wrong, just the tyres. There is a low whirring at slow speeds, increasing to a whine a higher speeds all of which gets noisier if you brake. it's noisier than a land rover defender with town and country tyres. I would like to change the car, probably selling the 5 series privately but no-one would buy it with the noise. Quite ridiculous for a supposed quality product. Has anyone put non-run flats on a 5 series - I already have the spare wheel kit? (report)
Anonymous (2/25): I bought a 325 new in 2006 and these ties are loud, they vibrate way too much. I cant stand them. (report)
rowdyrita (2/25): there should definitely be a class-action lawsuit about BMW's RFTs. (report)
mastersung (2/26): I had to replace three (3) bridgestone runflat tires in a span of one month. If you run on flat, it will permanently damage the sidewall. Somebody should start a classaction against BWM or bridgestone (report)
Lusciousness (2/28): I have a 2008 BMW X5 with run flat tires. I have had a problem with the left rear tire every month since taking the car. I get a low tire pressure warning, so I fill it up with air. I only decided to take it in because my son told me that they are run flats and I will ruin the tire if I do not. I plan to take the tire in today. I am not much of a car lady but finding out that I may have to purchase a 300.00 tire (or more) considering the car is new (August new purchase) is a bit disconcerting to say the least. (report)
Splin (2/28): I've a 335d and I have to change these tyres, they are unsafe, I have complained to BMW with no effect, these tyres track where ever they want, and if this is the only offering by BMW next time I will change manufacturer! (report)
Anonymous (3/1): I hate them, I have an 06 330i and alreay exhausted the additional $2000 tire warrenty I purchased and at least another $1500 on tires and rims because of flats, bubbles, and cracked rims. I do mostly highway driving, I am in NJ with terrible roads and potholes but I never experienced anything like this before. Something seems to go wrong every 6 months. (report)
hatebmw (3/3): HATE THEM! Huntsville AL BMW told me @ 11,000 miles they needed replacing..then had the nerve to tell me it was my fault. I feel cheated they didn't stand behind their product. Did they help??? what do you think? Love my 2007 328 car...hate the tires. Thinking about trading it and it won't be for another beemer simply because they didin't stand behind their product. Huntsville BMW can not be trusted. Period. (report)
thesalbean (3/3): I leased a 2008 135 convertible w/ sport package last month. Within the last 5 days, 2 flat tires: one a slow leak from a nail, but not repairable because punctured on the shoulder, the other a blow out from a very minor pothole in southern California. Was forced to go to BMW dealer to get fixed because my tire place could not get the tires for days (and the run flats dont last that long--only 90 miles). They charged $100 more per tire than even the tire shop was going to (460 vs 345 for the rear). And 35 each to mount them, not 15 like the tire store. All tolled, cost me 1050 to replace 2 tires on a one month old car and they refuse to acknowledge any other problems and make good on these issues. No room for a spare, so cant switch to regulars. Also, I;m on a lease so would need o put runflats on again at some point anyway before turning car in . Basically, huge ripoff....hopefully they go class action. (report)
splinter (3/4): I bought my 2006 530xi two years ago. I have suffered more flat tires and false alarms from the TPMS system than the law would allow. Although i "thankfully" have the tire insurance, I spend as much time riding in the flat beds that haul the car to the dealership and waiting for the dealership to "replace" the tire than I can record. What can be done! It appears that these tires suffer damage from a pebble? I hate them. Any suggestions? I had a 1995 525i with just a very good set of Michelin tires. Never had a problem. While I had an occassional flat tire, it was maybe one a year. Now it is one a month!! (report)
blue1 (3/4): they wear out very quicky, there is NO warning! (report)
fwad (3/5): I have had my e90 330d for exactly one year and i have needed 6 six tyres due to nails or metals entering the tread. I managed to get tyre insurance after buying the first 2 punctures. AA Warranty paid for 4 after I paid £10 excess for each tyre. My tyre insurance is now over and AA have refused to renew it, so I now have insurance and no other company is offering me it! (report)
RFTyuck (3/6): I have a 2006 325Xi, just weeks after we bought it my wife came home with the Flat tire indicator on the Dashboard. We were told by BMW that they didn't cover the tire even if it was just week old. Later on my wife noticed vibration and noise when driving the car, we took it to the dealership again and found out the problem is the tires. The three remaining ones were replaced. The car has now 30K miles and it handles horribly in the snow, even on dry payment if you a are going to fast and try to break the car pulls to the left; again the dealership says the tires have worn out... At 30k miles!!!! I have had other cars that didn't need tires until they reach 50 or 60K miles. I was looking for an alternative on one website I entered the year and model of the car and the tire suggested is a Michelin - Primacy™ MXV4® or Michelin - Energy™ MXV4® S8. Does any one of any issues using these tires instead of RFT, besides the obvious of not having space for a spare tire in the trunk. (report)
Jacksback54 (3/6): BMW stands for Beware Madman at Work. Their engineers must be crazy these tires are crap. I have a new 535i and the tires continually leak. Just replaced three on my wife's 330i at a cost of almost $1200. Didn't replace the fourth because I had to fight with BMW service over a bubble that developed and they prorated that tire. What a deal......the engineer that thought of run flat tires shuld be shot and the company that makes them is getting away with murder! (report)
Anonymous (3/6): I have a Mini Cooper and the tires are shot at 20,000 miles. One blew out and stranded me. The tire shop said that CA state law prohibited selling normal type tires without a spare, and of course the car has no spare and I had no wheel. I had to pay $100 more each for the tires (I only bought the fronts)for the ride flats than I would have paid for normal tires that are rated to last twice as long as the ride flats. This is so wrong. Nelson Strasser. (report)
Anonymous (3/7): well i used to love them cause they are supposed to hold up. now that there is a mysterious crack in my right front tire im not so fond of them. the fact that the tire had a crack in the wall makes it unrepairable and i dont even know how it got there. anyways it has been about over a week and i been having to fill the tire with air every 2 days... im still unsure if im going to go runflat or if im just going to go for performance tires... (report)
little_bobo (3/9): They are big and we are small. They know that the tires are no good and unresonably priced, but they try to sell more and more of them. Why? Because we are still buying them. They sell $500.00 alignments too. Why? Because we agree to pay that much (Oh, it's a BMW!) Pretty smooth. They make you believe you have something special and that only they can touch it. 2 new tires and alignment for $1500.00! This is just f-g crazy. Don't be their muppet. Do your homework and don't let them earn your business. There are so many choices of tires and alignment centers. (report)
WhAtDaHeck (3/10): I have had to replace these tires twice a cost of 280 dollars it's a crime no shop wants to give me road hazard and when puncture and fixed and i still loose air, it's a no win situation and not to mention they wear out at 10 to 15 K. Yeah it's safe but the cost adds up. Please somebody do something about this. (report)
Anonymous (3/11): 2007 BMW 328i Sport package the tires need replacing after 11800 miles sucks. I recently had a slow leak in one of the tires spoke to someone at bmw service he said they could be patched for slow leak by a local tire shop took it in and they did so for $40. This will buy me a 1000 or so miles until I replace all 4 ridiclous crapy tire. No more BMW for me. (report)
brouskay (3/11): We have had two run flat tires go bad in three months, its a killer on the check book and if you replace them, you are without a spare. there should be a choice when purchasing the car which type of tire you would like with place for a spare. Thanks for the site! (report)
budyerr (3/13): I thought there was something wrong with my 525I. I started hearing the road noise and it was progressing getting worse. I only have 13K on my run flats (bridgestone). After researching the tire noise, I see I'm not alone. My next step is to get the tires rotated and see if that solve the problem. However, I'm not optimistic that will solve the problem after reading these posts. (report)
Anonymous (3/13): I absolutely agree. These tires are the biggest ripoff ever, in 8 months I have had to replace 2 and I am having problems with the other two. The BMW dealer was less than cooperative, in fact when I mentioned that runflat may be a problem they said I coudl replace them with regular tires... but now thye say BMW does not support that. What a disgusting mess, I will never buy a BMW again just because fo this. (report)
Anonymous (3/14): I have a bmw 325xi 2006,with34000 miles on 2nd set of run flat tires ,their is scaloping with vibration and noise, (report)
Anonymous (3/14): in the last 15 months have bought my first and definitely last BMW. Apart from a number of other problems with the car that we won't go into here the last straw today was replacing a run flat tyre with less than 2000 miles wear on it because a nail just punctured the tyre and despite changing it within less than 30 miles driving after the puncture and no evident damage to the sidewalls - No option the garage won't repair and it's another new tyre ...Incredible and almost unbelievable...as said it's the first and last BMW I shall touch - very disappointed Chris 14/3 (report)
Anonymous (3/15): I can't take it any more! My 2006 330Xi is degraded by these run flats. I am getting rid of it or going with quality regular tread and foregoing a spare. The car is crap with the run flats. And it kills me because I know how fine it could be. As a long time Audi owner this is my first BMW. What the hell are they thinking? Do they drive their own products? They are trashing the very aspect that creates respect for their product. (report)
Anonymous (3/16): noise at <10k told they were fine worsened and at 24K told they needed to be replaced at my cost (report)
Anonymous (3/18): My BMW has only 16,000 miles, and I'm about to replace my 2nd RF Tire - fortunately, I have an insurance warranty on them. Once that runs out, I'm getting a different car. (report)
notoriusdig (3/20): I ave a 2007 328i and have had to replace two tires already. My car is rarely driven and only has 9000 miles on it. Got the first after only 2000 miles. How do we get a class action started?! (report)
Anonymous (3/20): I drive a 2008 328xi with all season run flat tires. The tires are noisy and started wearing out on the sides after 6k miles. I have about 12K on them now and the excessive wearing on the outside of the tires is getting worse. If I have to replace the tires out of my own pocket I will go crazy. I think it is time for BMW to take responsibility for this huge issue because I do not recommend this car with these tires to anyone. The car is great but the tires are terrible. BMW knew that the tires are a HUGE problem and lost money in 2006 because of this undeveloped technology and yet decided to keep ruining they reputation through 2009. Why? It has to be the worst decision BMW has ever made. Think about it! They decided to ruin a great $ 40K car because of some $1,000 for undeveloped terrible tires. What good is a great car without tires? If you put run flat tires on a Ferrari for example it becomes a peace of “FORD” if you know what I mean. HOW DO WE GET A CLASS ACTION STARTED? I URGE ALL OF YOU TO CALL BMW AND GET A CASE NUMBER. (report)
Anonymous (3/21): These tires are so dangerous. My car takes the pot holes really bad and I hear every little noise while I'm driving. (report)
Anonymous (3/23): 35,000 miles and five new rear tyres already... and they're not cheap, wheel alignment and new valves as well.. not impressed. AND they're had to get hold of. (report)
Anonymous (3/24): Replaced three due to nails and dealer won't repair. $$$$$$'s (report)
phwolfsondmd (3/24): In 2008, bought 2007 demo 328XI wagon with 12,000 miles on car (and tires). Had to replace one fairly quickly because of nail (covered by warrantee). However, tires bottom out against rims very hard with jarring results on any rough road (not even pot holes which I go around assiduously) Recent servicing at 23,000 miles revealed way out of alignment and seriously worn front tires (not covered) Very aggravating. BMW says they haven't had complaints (hard to believe) I believe that lack of adequate support from tire base in run-flats causes misalignment earlier than would be the case without them. I asked about upgrading to regulation tire, even though a spare couldn't be carried without an overhead carrier. They said "not recommended, would violate warrantee". My son-in-law made switch on his 330 coupe from RFT to regular tires and loves the difference. I would wait until warrantee is up (2 years) but I'm not sure if it would fit clearances and would need new rims, etc. Any ideas? Phil W. NJ (report)
Anonymous (3/25): Not good. After 24K miles, tire cupping and noise is unacceptable. Would not recommend. (report)
hbuen (3/25): we cannot replace the runflat to regular tire, because, dealership will void warranty, but after 50,000 will buy me regular tire and buy extra rim for spare, to solve this problem.... (report)
Anonymous (3/26): They are aweful. Such a great car (e90 325i) ruined, buy poor ride, tyre noise, tramtracking etc. Not suitable for Australian roads (report)
burnettn (3/26): I bought my 2008 335i in July 08. Since then I have gone through 4 tires. Thank God I bought the Tire insurance for 1129 dollars. I am currently trying to get a 5th tire due to a bubble that i just noticed. However the Tire Insurance company is now staring to give me a hard time. The now say they want to come and inspect the tire, because of somany repeated failures. The BMW SA will not acknowledge the design flaw and blame it on roads. (report)
Anonymous (3/27): There are terrible. I have a 328i and have the Bridgestone RFT tires, my BMW is really noisy not to mention they do not last long. I had a 2003 325i for 4 years and 90,000 miles and the radial tires lasted just kept them rotate and the car aligned. I am very disguised. They should have recalled these tires! (report)
Anonymous (3/27): The RTFs are terrible. I have a 328i and have the Bridgestone RFT tires, my BMW is really noisy not to mention yhe tires wear really fast. I had a 2003 325i for 4 years and 90,000 miles and the radial tires lasted just kept them rotated and the car aligned. I am very disguised at the quality BMW choose for their vehicle. They should have recalled these tires! (report)
JOLGA (3/28): They are the worst pieces of garbage known to man! I will not recommend BMW's to anyone anymore even though apart form those &^$#@#$% runflats they are the best cars in the world! If you must have a BMW, then have them taken off immediately and get a set of normal tires put on. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT Drive with them. I now have 2 sets normal tires (all season & winter) on my 2007 323i and now for the first time feel free of the run-flat plague. They cupped after only a year and a half. You can't get them fixed anywhere (you need a special $30,000 tire changer to do that. No one has any in stock, they ride hard and they're heavy and Oh, did I mention that one of those useless abominations costs $525!!!! pLUS you can't get them repaired (for liability reasons yadda! yadda! yadda!) We should sue BMW for ruining the best cars in the world! (report)
jimaugust1 (3/29): Same story as many others. Car is 4 months old, has approximately 10,000 highway miles and now I need to replace two tires at a cost of $694 plus tax. Very disappointing. (report)
Giotech (3/30): I had BMW replace my problem feathered and uneven wear noisy tires for half the cost last May and it's back to the same problem with my bridgestone RFT. Note: I have had the Blizzaks RFT for 2 seasons on the same vehicle and no problems! 17's (report)
Anonymous (3/30): my bridgestones had to be replaced after about 15,000 miles. I switched to the continentals and got much better performance and reliability. I have decided my next car will NOT be a BMW specifically because of this issue. (report)
Anonymous (3/30): I just took my 2006 330 in today with 25k miles and the two front tires are so worn they are asking me to pay 1300 for four new tires, this is beyond ridiculous. hate the tires, hate the noise, love the car, not too fond of the service department at this point. (report)
yesdan (3/30): I have had my BMW325 for less than two years and I have changed all tires, now I have to change and get a new set of tires. This will add up to 1,000.00. I would have nevr gotten this type of car if i knew that i would be changing tires every year!!!!!!! (report)
Anonymous (3/30): I have a 2008 X5 and wasn't told about the runflat issue until I had taken possession and then they want me to buy tire insurance for $500! THe sales pitch falls into 2 categories: fear and guilt. Fear: what if your tire blows at 110MPH? Well, I have been driving for a little over 40 years, and have never had this happen, possible because I don't drive 110MPH. I have had flats, and even one blow out. I kept the car under control until I got to the side of the road. If you are a good enough driver to be able to tell the difference between a BMW and, say, a Buick, you can probably handle this task. Guilt: the salesperson, told me that he had the run flats on his wife's car because he cared too much for his to let her drive without them. Really. Now my wife is at Rasmussen BMW in Portland Oregon (a disreputable place if I have ever seen one) telling me that with 12,000 miles on this tire that has a slow leak, it needs to be replaced. What I have been able to determine is that the car will drive better with regular tires, it won't void the warranty, and eventually you need to get away from this scam. (report)
Anonymous (3/30): Will tire companies (not BMW) replace my RFTs with regular tires? I have been told that some tire companies refuse to replace original tires with a different type. (report)
cdreifuss (3/30): I have a 2005 545i with 41,000 miles and the run flats have replaced them 3 times at BMW's expense. (report)
RKD (3/31): iHATE THE FACT THAT THE TIRES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY..LAST TIME I'LL BUY A FUCKING BMW.. (report)
Anonymous (3/31): RFTs can only be described with one word: Excellent!!! (report)
Anonymous (4/2): I have them on 328i with uneven wear in the front. Very Noisy ride and expesive to replace (report)
Anonymous (4/2): I have a 328i coupe with bridgestones on it and the ride suc ks, the noise suc ks and I hate this car. My 5 th BMW. Scre w them get an audi. (report)
Anonymous (4/3): We were told we had no choice but to get these run flats with our 2006 BMW and we ended up buying new tires 2 months later. They kept running low on air and the ride was hard and loud. This was our 5th BMW and our last unless they smarten up and get with the program. It's what the customer wants stupid. (report)
mnrobbi (4/6): I have a BMW 335I for 8 months and have had 2 break! They cost nearly $400 to replace and today I have found out that Michelin has discontinued the tires! I would obviously like to know what BMW is doing about this problem. I have been driving for over 44 years and never have I had this type of tire damage on a car. I think it is very unfair to the consumer and the dealers are not informing anyone that this is a possibility. In fact I wasn't even aware that the car had no spare. (report)
Anonymous (4/7): I have a 2007 328i and the tires are HORRIBLE! I hate these tires. They sound horrible. My tires didn't even sound this bad when i rode a spare on my Pontiac. It make so sense to me that they would have these tires sound like this and charge a ridiculous proce for them. (report)
IQbob (4/7): I have a 335i convertible, 18months old. So far I have had to replace all four tyres and wheels. I have just found one of the new rear tyres is ripped apart and the car is being recovered. We also have two 320d tourers with RFT's both have now had to have tyres replaced due to deflation and the walls being ripped out. Bring back the spare wheel. BMW refuse to take any responsibility for these failures. Time to replace the car me thinks. (report)
Anonymous (4/8): I absolutely hate them. I have now had 4 tyres in 1 year which the tread was almost perfect. I cannot believe this should happen and for me it as been the worst problem since owning bmw's for 40 years. I am considering selling my car now as this is beyond a joke.' The tyre company who is supplying and fitting these tyres now know me by name and keep tyres in stock especially for me as they know I will be back every 3 months'. (report)
Tduger (4/8): I had to replace my tires at 18,900 and now at 31,000. These tires are awful and they make a terribly loud noise. I am thinking about putting all season tires on them, but i was told I may have to get new rims because the rims are not specifically made for all season..?? (report)
Anonymous (4/8): I have had lot of problems, vibrations, noise, etc. Got the road force balance, etc, and finally replaced the bridgestone with continental and the problems have become worse. Not sure how to get this resolved, I guess sell the car and buy another brand. (report)
daves (4/8): In October I purchased a 2003 Z43.0i. I thought I was getting a great deal with only 5200 miles on it. At 9,000 miles I had a tire blow. At 11,000 miles the car shakes terribly. I have reached out to BMW with no reply to date and firestone claims the tire was damaged due to low inflation while driving. The car has tire pressure sensors plus these are run flat tires, how do they figure this is the cause. I think Firestone and BMW know the issue and pass it off. Anyone want to but a BMW? (report)
Anonymous (4/10): I have a2007 325xi and during this year's winter potholes, which can't always be avoided, i have destroyed 3 tires (balooning out on sidewalls); luckily I had taken extra insurance package to cover the cost. It's hard to understand how BMW could let this flaw get through to the final product. And the standard perfornmance tires are hard as rocks below freezing and provide little traction, thereby negating the 4 wheel drive; of couse the dealer wants to sell the $2300+ snow tire exchange program. Interesting that BMW recommends snow tires that are not run-flat for winter! Terrible choice made by BMW, plus the jolt of hitting potholes with the rigid sidewalls does not make my passengers inclined to buy BMW - quite the contrary: these tires make bad PR for BMW. It's particulary bad that they don't offer an all season run-flat option. Great car - but it's going to be a rattle-trap soon after all the jarring from these terribe tires! How could BMW let somebody compromise so severely what is otherwise such an excellent automobile? Hope the guy (or gal) didn't get a bonus! (report)
jp1975 (4/10): I am very glad I purchased the insurance policy on the wheels and tires! The tires have been NOTHING but problems!!! Anybody know how many miles you are supposed to get on them before they need to be replaced... although I have had at least 3 replaced already due to bubbles in the sidewall, some of the originals are already wearing out and it's only been a little bit more than a year! (report)
mikeyalannyc (4/10): I have owned either the 3 or 5 series over th the last 10 years or so and these are absolutely the worst tires I have ever experienced. I will be moving over to the A6 when the next gen model is released - they have real tires over at Audi. I simply can no longer take the kidney damage caused by the extremely rough ride of these tires. A small bump rattles my organs! Ridiculous! (report)
Anonymous (4/11): I have a 2008 BMW 335i coupe and after only 12k miles, I have to replace my two back tires. I've hydroplaned repeatedly in any rainy conditions, and I almost got into an accident twice as the car lost control. That is absurd that my car can't handle slightly wet conditions when it's supposed to be the ultimate performance car. (report)
2007bmw325xi (4/13): i have a 2007 325xi leased bmw and have already replaced two of these tires. i recently hit a pot-hole and the tire pulled away from the rim....new tire? you betcha. i will not have a car with these terrible tires again (report)
Anonymous (4/13): I dont like the rft on steel rim, it sounds very noisy - like a a cog railway. It no comfort to me, no more pleasure at driving (report)
Anonymous (4/13): I have a 2007 328i with 21,000 miles. The tire noise is going to drive me CRAZY!The dealer has agreed to replace all 4 tires for $350. What choice do I have? I put less than 10,000 miles a year on my car. (report)
yourstruly48336 (4/15): 20k on Conti RFT and amost bold, 325i sedan regular susp and not a harsh driver either, I enjoyed them in the snow as I thought they were good but once over 15K noise and harsh ride started to appear, i am torn between getting conventional tire next or stick with a RFT but another long lasting one maybe? not sure if that is a possibility , thoughts? (report)
Anonymous (4/16): Purchased a 335d sport with 19' wheels....very dangerous, no grip on anything but a very smooth road, the ride was so hard it was unbearable.....even on German Autobhans BMW refused to help so I fitted 18' wheels with non run flat tyres, out of my own pocket.....now the car is the World beater it should have been from the factory, its faster, quieter, 2mpg better and rides like a limo....perfect. (report)
Anonymous (4/16): I now lease a 650i and do much driving. I am on my 5th flat w/ the run flats.I have the 19" sports package and failed to learn my lesson from the M3 where I had similar experiences. Will never go through this experience again and I have found the dealers to be very callous about this issue. May be last BMW for me. (report)
Stan (4/16): Nothing but vibration problems. Feel every crack in the road. Ordered and replacing with Michelin tires. Time someone complains. I,m personally fed up. Stan Edwards (report)
Pal (4/16): Uneven, fast wear and vibration. I need new tires every 20K miles or so, though I hold out longer. Tons of money for a bad product. (report)
Anonymous (4/16): Had BMW technician from the company check out the issue for me and his comments are that it is normal and would not acknowledge that it is a issue (report)
tturbay (4/16): The are very noisy, you feel like something is happening to the car's engine... (report)
Anonymous (4/17): 2006 BMW 325i Sport/Premium package with run flats... I had some horrible road noise in the front right tire and they told me the tires are cupping... Bridgestone performance tires. They said it’s the tire, they are known for cupping, but there is not a whole lot I can do. Love the idea behind them, but man it’s becoming a hassle. (report)
Anonymous (4/18): 2007 Z4 - two rear tires replaced separately within the week for $1000! One had a screw (unrepairable) one had "contact separation" - a 2 inch hole where the tire meets the rim. The dealer told me that was not a defect?? Car has about 21K miles and the two front tires will need to be replaced soon for another $1000. WTF? (report)
Anonymous (4/19): 6,000 miles on 135i and blew tire on small pot hole doing 40 mph, my cost 459.00 for a new tire (report)
Anonymous (4/19): Having run flats on my BWM 5 series maybe OK, but seems that BMW are to poor as manufacture to supply cars with a spare wheel this can only mean inconvenience and financial disaster when puncture occurs. I had a puncture 150 miles away from home unfortunately it was Sunday and the so called run flat only lasted for further 60 miles at 50mph before it all disintegrated. I can only say this I have since ripped the all wheels off with tyres of the car and replace them with conventional tyres and will never purchase another car with run flats what ever the manufacture. If this is what you call a progress then I hate to think what tomorrow will bring. (report)
Anonymous (4/19): Run Flats on BMW--- feel like solid rubber-very uncomfortable-noisy-do not get stuck with them!!! (report)
johnp421 (4/20): I live in central Ohio which has many potholes, in 9,000 miles I have had to replace 3 tires from pot holes. I am switching to non run flat tires and having a diffucult time finding a spare and a place to put it. I will never buy another BMW (report)
daskrincosky (4/20): UGH! Will never ever buy a BMW again due to this! (report)
rcouturier (4/20): Just completed 45k lease on a 2007 335i. Went thru one set of front summer tires, and four sets of rear summer tires. Also went thru one set of rear winter tires. Absolute joke that rear tires only get 8k-10k. Love BMWs, hate runflats. (report)
IhateRFTs (4/21): I bought a BMW pre-certified 325XI with brand new Bridgestone run flat tires. After 10K miles, I noticed that they were getting loud. At 14K, I mentioned it to my service associate at BMW. He said "Yeah, lots of people are having problems with them and some are going back to regular tires". I'm surprised that he was so open with this info since the sales guy that sold me the car ironically, had never heard of such a problem- again, yeah right! I complained to the service manager and they have offered to replace 2 tires for me- but I have to pay for the other 2- to the tune of $600!!! That's outrageous. BMW should be ashamed of themselves for getting duped into these RUN LOUD Tires. They obviously did not do enough testing on tread life and durability. I want to get rid of this car and buy an Audi. That's my plan. I hope people vote with their wallets and send a message to the stuffed shirts back in Bavaria! (report)
RaySasso (4/21): Incredibly stupid product. In my entire adult life I have had one blow out, but countless dozens of nails, none of which made the car undrivable. This product turns the most common of tire problems--nails--into a major issue. They can't be repaired, and depending on where you are you may not be able to get an new one quickly. (report)
Runningoutofmoney (4/21): About as bad it can get having BMW Run Flats--don't do it. You can';t repair them--they are throw away tires. BMW should scrap replace these tires ASAP.... (report)
chat18025 (4/22): I really hate them on my 06 530 Xi..just put 4 regular 18" tires and put a slime kit tire repair kit in the trunk. (report)
frugi007 (4/23): I hate them they are very expensive (report)
Anonymous (4/23): i have a 328Xi and my run flat tires started making noise around 20K. At first I thought it was my brakes that was making noise, but when I went to the dealership they knew right away that it was the tires. BMW did not even inform me about the known problem. They want to save money and saying that it is not a problem that's why they did not inform me. So disappointing. (report)
Anonymous (4/24): I have 328i with rft and I hate it so much. They should make it as an option (report)
Anonymous (4/25): This is our 3rd bmw, but the run flat tires were going to be a problem for us from the minute we ordered the car. Couldn't believe there would be no spare. Also, we took out the tire insurance since we knew there would be costly replacement. Living in NYC the bumps are horrendous and the ride is horrible. We will not be buying bmw again. Agree with sick, love the car, hate the tires. Our car is 2008. Didn't know this problem has been around a few years. Just today, we hit bumps and felt like we were riding on steel. We thought about contacting the company and demanding new tires. We never thought that the" blow out" safety issue was major. Jolted in NYC (report)
kobe (4/25): I have an 06 325i and at 46k miles, am on my 3rd set of brand new rft,s. Am sure everyone knows how that feels... (report)
rutherfordthe3rd (4/26): I have a 06 325 and i think bmw just went out in a bad way doing business with Bridgestone. i had the Turanza RTFs on mine and they were crap. the front driver side started to warp and have all kind of un even wear. this isn't the only site they talk about this either. check around the internet. BTW i have some 19 inch rims and low pro tires and the car is much much quieter and alot smoother. (report)
Jettdenny (4/26): I hate these tires enough where I won't ever buy a BMW again (and I've owned three.) In the year and two months since I've had the car I have had to replace two to the tune of over $800. Additionally, they ran out of them so I'm having to now buy another brand because they can't get my brand before May of this year. They are horrible!! (report)
Jettdenny (4/26): I just read a class action suit was filed against Honda for these tires in Federal Court. Is there an attorney in the house? Michelin just announced they are no longer making them due to their lack of success. (report)
Anonymous (4/26): Just replaced the Run Flats on my Z4 about a week ago. Replaced with cheap Nexen N3000 tires. Ride and handling is significantly improved. Tires no longer get stuck in grooves in the road (a major safety concern). Emergency roadside assistance is included with my insurance, so no need for a spare. It makes no sense to sacrifice the ride every day on the off chance you might get a flat. (report)
alan20708 (4/26): I have a 2004 645ci and can't stand these tires,have had to replace 4 tires within the last 6 months,the rear tires wear the worst,now i need two more tires,if anyone knpws were to get them cheaper let me know 245/45/18 either the Goodyear or the Bridgestone, I've beeen running only the Goodyears and they're $405.00 a tire, may try the Bridgestones this time around,not limited to BMW's my neighbor has a Mercedes AMG,and has spent $5k on tires the past two years (report)
Anonymous (4/27): We have a 2006 325i with 38k miles and we need a third set of RF tires. The noise is unbearable, they wear our-of-round, and a waste of money. As others have said, BMW US and the local dealer do not care. I have made numerous phone calls and sent emails. I get more response out of my dog. Great car, but I would not buy another. (report)
Anonymous (4/28): utter rubbish - fine if bmw had designed a suspension system that could handle the lack of give in the tyre walls but they have not. my e90 has 50k miles on it and the dash has started to rattle and squeak annoyingly due to the harshness of the ride and crashy nature of the suspension. (report)
sam79 (4/28): i have 320i 2007 1) Flat tires out of stock most of the thime 2) they seem to be have more friction, plz correct me if this is wrong 3) i had an incidenet where the run distance for the flat was not enough as i was in the middle of no wehre so i stuck for 2 hours till the lifting trolly arrived. (report)
brokencivic (4/28): bought a 328i convertible w/ sport package, got 2 flats on one side in the first week alone! potenzas suck, i had a 05 TL for 4 years and never had a flat w/ my michelins, wish i bought the tire/wheel warranty from bmw =( (report)
Anonymous (4/29): Had to rewplace 4 tires at about 18,000 miles...advised that this was average life...got screw in tire and had to replace it...advised that run flats in general could not be repaired...5 tires in 18 months ...advised to check tire pressiure twice a month to get maybe 20,000 miles...the tire manufacturers love run flats for obvious reasons but not the consumer...bad engineering decisions by BMW...will trade in this year for better engineered car (report)
Earl123 (4/29): Had to rewplace 4 tires at about 18,000 miles...advised that this was average life...got screw in tire and had to replace it...advised that run flats in general could not be repaired...5 tires in 18 months ...advised to check tire pressure twice a month to get maybe 20,000 miles...the tire manufacturers love run flats for obvious reasons but not the consumer...bad engineering decisions by BMW...will trade in this year for better engineered car (report)
Anonymous (5/1): I have a 2006 325i. Replaced all 4 tires at 15K due to vibrations and noise, BMW paid 75%. Replaced right front tire again at 31K with the same problem, it was 1/2 and 1/2. Would probably have to replace all 4 again pretty soon. (report)
Anonymous (5/1): For the third time ,my run flats on my 2006 325i ruined my day. The three tires have imploded at 22,000,26,000 & 27,000 miles. With only 3 months left on my lease BMW will get a returned car with 3 ( maybe 4 brand new tires). While Bmw covers all repairs, nothing breaks ( unlike my 1992),but don't cover the tires and it's a disaster. The worst part is that no tire places have them and my car sat at a station for 3 days, no one would sell him only one tire. Also at 330.00 each it a sham. This will be the last BMW I ever own,,Prius here I come. (report)
Anonymous (5/2): 2008 with 24K miles and the tires are so warped, the noise is unbearable. BMW claims that's the life and noise is part of the "bargain" for run flats. Never again..... (report)
delicate57 (5/2): When I bought my BMW within 3 months of owning the car I got a flat tire. Took it to the dealer and the told me that I had to buy a new tire. I then became concerned because these tires are almost $600 ea. So I inquired about a warranty from BMW and they referred me to the manufacturer. I called the manufacturer and they indicated that there is no warranty for run flat tires. What a rip off. If you are leasing the car you must always use runflat tires if your car was originally equipped with runflat tires. (report)
KDF (5/3): I bought my BMW mid March and I hate these run flat tires due to the vibration and and dragging noise I notice whild drivin. (report)
kgoodfl (5/4): problems. Vibration from the start with the right front and now won't hold air. (report)
klw (5/4): Although I appreciate the aspect of being able to drive to safety in the event of a flat tire (on run flats), I honestly don't think worth the trouble. The very first week I owned my new car, I got a flat in the run flat and they had to replace it for over $300 (wasn't covered). I am a normal driver who drives in places and areas that most everyone drives on a regular basis - to the supermarket, on the freeway to work, around the neighborhood etc. So I certainly wouldn't say that I was driving through construction zones or places you'd expect nails, glass etc. However, in the past 3 years of owning this car as of yesterday morning am now on my 3RD!!!! flat tire and am so frustrated. It would make me reconsider whether or not I purchased a BMW again which I'd hate to do but this is absolutely ridiculous. I think I'm ready to take my chances (with regular tires) for that one chance in a lifetime situation where I'm stuck in the ghetto with a flat tire and able to actually take advantage of a run flat. I had a VW 4-5 years before I even replaced a single tire after being forced once I saw they were worn down to the steel!! Sincerely, Sad and mad about run flats. (report)
Anonymous (5/5): Very costly even if you buy the insurance. Any little bump on a curb or rail or whatever will damage enough the walls that you may have to replace the tire and the insurance will NOT cover that. You'd think run-flats are more robust than that but they are dainty little things to be rplaced very often at $400 a pop. (report)
twinfiel2 (5/5): I agree with the noise you hear when driving on Run Flat tires that are on my 2006 BMW 325I. The first month I got my brand New 2006 BMW 325I, I complained about the noise I heared when I drove my car. The dealer just brush the noise I heared as being normal. Excuse me! If I drive with the radio down, it sounds like I am driving a truck. I complained sooo much until finally they changed one (yes, one) tire to ease the noise, to no avail. I am ready to trade my car in just because of the noise I hear from the RUN FLAT Tires. (report)
Anonymous (5/5): I dislike them because I've had two situations with screws penetrating my tires. Of course, I had to replace both, and of course I didn't spend $600 for "run flat" insurance. (report)
Anonymous (5/5): Just spent the last two hours getting yet another tire changed. This is my 2nd screw which penetrated my tire. Of course, the tire could not be plugged, of course I did not get "run flat" insurance for a whopping $600. (report)
Anonymous (5/6): Montreal ( 05/2009) I own a 335xi 2008 and the runflats are the worst , by far , tires I have ever had . Vibrations , premature wear ,they feel as if you were driving solid gokart tires. BMW shy away from their responsabilities by not supporting their customers . I owned a couple of Audis prior to this BMW and can assure you that the moment my lease is over I am gone . (report)
MAlanNYC (5/6): Let's see - before I even reached 15,000 miles I'm pretty certain my run flats (225/45R17's) have contributed significantly to, if not caused, two cracked (front) rims as well has a broken radiator - stemming from severe vibrations which casued cracks in the underside. The idea is a worth one, but until their construction is improved they are casue mroe problems than they are worth. Also note, BMW provides the tire manuafcturers with the specs for these tires, so it is completely possible the specs BMW is providing results ina tire not sufficent to truly carry the laod of the cars they are supporting. Or, maybe its a way to to ear more money in the end servicing these cars. Food for thought. (report)
Anonymous (5/6): 2 punctures in 3 weeks... $500 each time. NOT HAPPY! (On a 118i) (report)
pointone (5/7): In October 2008 I purchased a new BMW 335XI Sport with the standard Turanzas RFT. In February I hit a rut in the road that caused my vehicle to begin to shake while driving. I drove to the BMW dealer and they explained to me that my tire wall has been compromised and the my rim was bent beyond repair. I replaced the left front tire and rim at an expense of almost $1000. A month later the vehicle was vibrating a around 40mph, so I took the car back to the BMW dealer to investigate. They advise me that the tires were file, but I have 2 more bent rims. The service manager at the dealership informed me that the combination of the run-flat-tires, the sport suspension, and the factory aluminum rims has been a fatal combination. That all the road force is transferred directly from the road through the reinforced walls of the tires to the aluminum rim, and the stiffness of the sport suspension reflects the force back to the rim and tire. This combination has caused a tremendous amount of FRT/Rim combination failures. Well I was not very happy to hear this. So the bottom line is I have never replaced a rim/tire due to road conditions prior to my BMW. In 3 months, I have replaced 1 tire and 3 rims due to the design and implementation of the FRT and the BMW 335XI Sport in under 8000 miles (6000 miles for the first tire, and 8000 for the other two). (report)
Anonymous (5/8): Those G-Damn M-F-ers! I have a mini cooper and within 3 months had a flat that cost me $450 to fix! I live in LA and the pot holes don't help. Today, now about 4 months later, I get the dreaded "Low Pressure" light. I have filled the tire back up, but am scared s-less that I'm in for another $450 expense that I can't afford. This is all about corporate greed. I would much rather have regular tires and call AAA if I get a flat. I'll take the risk any day over the nail biting anger the stupid run flat tires cause me. I hope BMW burns in hell with all their mini coopers along with them. (report)
Anonymous (5/8): These tires are horrible. About to go through tires 5/6. Amazing that it could be so poorly engineered. Last bmw for me! (report)
jfadmd (5/8): By far the worst tires ever. Now contemplating what to do now that my second set of front tires have bubbles in the sidewalls. Previously had 3 Merdcedes CLK 's with conventional Michellin Pilot Sports and never purchased a tire in 9 years. This is driving in the same conditions and same roads. The run flats have the harshest ride possible. Something has got to give and on my car it is the sidewalls. They are like "Fred Flintsone Tires". I will never get another BMW and will not even consider a car with run flats / I HATE THEM!! (report)
marydf (5/10): These tires suck. I own a 2008 328I and had to replace front tire because it had a bubble on side. Replaced that and now i noticed a bubble on other front tire and on one of my rear tires. BMW should do something about this! I have 17000 miles on car this should not be happening! (report)
jlr (5/10): I agree with you I have a 2007 328xi and these taranza run flats are the worst tires ever... noisy as all heck and they ride very very hard...Tire wear is poor...18k miles and i need new front tires...ugh (report)
Zip (5/11): Run flats - great concept, crappy tire. 15k miles and they are horrifically noisy between 5 and 60mph, especially when slowing down. They wonder all over the road. I’ve had my alignment and balance checked. BMW says replace the tires. Yeah I’ll replace the tires but I sure as hell am not buying them from BMW, and they won’t be run flats. We need to organize a class action if there isn’t one already. These things are absolute GARBAGE. Ultimate driving machine? Heh, yeah for maybe 8000 miles if you’re lucky then your German engineering drives like a 1960 Ford ½ ton with worn out ball joints. (report)
ejoffe (5/11): I have just completed 30000 km with runflats on a 2006 330D auto and they are finished. The ride is terrible and I have wanted to trade the car in a few times due to this. The rear end jumps around on the road like a 1968 mustang V8 which has all its weight in front and little at the back. The two BMW dealers I have conplained to have shrugged it off and have proved incompetent to set up wheel alignment properly E Joffe Cape Town (report)
Anonymous (5/12): Less than 25000 km (16K miles) of mostly freeway driving on my 2007 335i with Sport Package and the rear Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFT's are worn out. These tires ride harsh and tram-track strongly. I am replacing all four with Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport non-runflats at about half the cost of RFT's. (report)
Littlefuzz13 (5/13): I have had to replace three tires already and have only had the car for 5 months, I am very happy I purchased the tire warranty. I think that having to replace a tire every time it gets a flat or has a problem is really an outrage not to mention environmentally friendly I would say NOT. I am very surprised BMW would have such a product on such a wonderful automobile which also makes it ride and handle worse as well. (report)
Shawna (5/13): I have 2007 335i and have bought 6 run flat. I work on a pretty bad road but I drive slow. but I hit one bump and need a new tire. I hate that I have this car... well the tires anyway. (report)
edcarpent (5/13): Either they fix the tires or i will never buy a BMW again. why should i have to buy a tire warranty i know it is only like 20 dollars a month but come on isnt that why peolple buy a BMW becuase of quality???? I think i will switch to regular tires and be done with it. (report)
force1241 (5/14): I bought a 2008 528xi I've took delivery in OCT 2007 I have 34000 miles and I already have issues with the tires, I noticed a bublle in the front right tire, If BMW doesn't do the right thing I will never Buy another BMW again. I can't beleive they haven't aknowledged that there is are issues with their runflat tires. (report)
taoxu1031 (5/14): they are really bad!!! Noisy, does not run flat as it claims, and it is easy to get bubbles after hit pot holes. Finally it is too expansive. (report)
ast (5/15): After sold my 2005 M3 a year after, I was considering new 3 series for more civil ride. This RFT concept put me away until now 2009!!! I got a Lexus instead. What BMW designers were smoking, RFT concept is horrible. You simply have to live in a big metropolis and don't drive far from there, otherwise if you have a flat tire, chances are you will be stuck in some small town where nobody can/will repair/replace your tires. (report)
Anonymous (5/15): The tires are loud, difficult to replace (find),and expensive. I have replaced mine with regular radial tires but had to spend almost 300 bucks for a mini spare that would go in the trunk. (report)
Christopher (5/15): The run flats SUCK!! I have a 06 330i.. I got 2 nails in my right rear tire..a they told me they cold not be repaired and a new tire would be 512 dollars! wtf!!! I dont care if I'm a millionaire I'm not paying 512 for a tire out of principle. Anyway I eventually switched to regular tires..just couged up the bucks and bought an extra rim and tire and threw it in the trunk :) Oh and I put an old comforter to keep it from sliding around.. kinda tacky yea.. but no one will ever know :) Other than the tires..its one awesome ride. (report)
Anonymous (5/18): the noise is too high (report)
Anonymous (5/19): I too hate the run flat tires but i have a secondary issue. I have a 2008 335 convertible, and have had to replace 5 aftermarket bmw rated rims and 3 run flat tires in the last year due to bent rims. I have lived in the same area of northen CA for 15 years. I have owned 6 cars in that time and have never bent an aftermarket rim. Even with low profile tires. I don't drive crazy or fast and only have 14k miles on the car I read that this new convertible is 400 lbs heavier so I am thinking that whenever I go over any pot hole, the weight of the car just pounds it. The replacement cost of the tires is around $400.00. I spent a lot of money on this luxury car and to answer someone else's comment. even thought I could afford the car it doesn't mean I have the money to constantly replace tires and rims. Is anyone else experiencing this? Sorry to intrude on this site pertaining to run flats only but I am frustrated with my beautiful BMW. (report)
ribbitrocks (5/19): can't say im thrilled. since day one with my 335xi also, very sensitive to any little thing on the road and was only a matter of time 1yr now, to my first instance of cut tire from a pot hole encounter. makes me nervous about driving since we all encounter rough road conditions. does that mean that a 335xi is only to be driven in good roads??? talk to me BMW? you're better then that. concerned owner (report)
cornerstone2009 (5/19): I agree, the Bridgestone RFT tires I have started making noticeable noise at about 10,000 miles. I now have 22,000 on them and the noise is driving me nuts!!! Having no spare makes it difficult to switch and it seem none of the run flat brands are quiet. This sucks for a car like BMW that you pay top dollar for and then have to put up with noise you would expect from a Ford Pinto, maybe? (report)
poorpaul (5/22): Have a 2007 335x with optional 18" wheels and Bridgestone Potenza tires. Worst thing I ever bought, and they cost $600 extra! Car has 26000 miles and has had four tires fail, at average replacement cost of $300! No problems with rears, so far. I don't know with what to replace them with. Any ideas? (report)
nordic_01 (5/23): I have a 2008 BMW 325i convertible. One front Bridgestone run flat needed to be replaced at 4483 miles for a sidewall bulge. BMW insisted I had hit a road hazard and damaged the tire. Now at 11,000 I have bulges just developed in both front tires within a month. I have a placid suburban commute and I just don't buy that these tires have been damaged due to road hazards. Can't wait to have this next discussion with my BMW dealer! (report)
Anonymous (5/23): Im disgusted! Just got new tires today and unfortunately they have to be the same kind. We got 9,000 miles out of the two rear tires on a 2008 bmw 135i. I couldn't believe it. And the other choices sounded just as bad. This is a problem and must be fixed. (report)
joke (5/24): Had to bring in my car yesterday which I thought would just be a routine check up, and having a warrany still really didn't scave me until they told me I had two nails in both my rear tires and then they told me they don't patch run flats that I would have to buy two new tires at 375 each! plus the labor out the door 875. (report)
Anonymous (5/24): The people who decided not to have a spare must be brain dead. They did not consider that not only the tread but the side wall that can spring a leak. I have had to replace four tires in less than two years due to side wall problems and I had to have the car- 328Xi-towed each time since there is no spare. Maybe the tires are flawed to be begin with but not to have a space on top of this is idiotic. (report)
Anonymous (5/24): Screw BMW! I had my car for 1 month and got a flat on my right front passanger side... The tires were back ordered and I drove around for 1 month on the flat.. then I got another flat, this time it was a rear tire. So both tires were backordered.. no spare and I was left stranded. I had to buy 4 new NON run flat tires... now I am returning the car at the end of my lease and they are giving me grief saying I have to put 4 new run flats on.. Never will I get a BMW again. (report)
Anonymous (5/25): Noisy and expensive, depending on the road surface,you get a different humming noise. (report)
Anonymous (5/26): HATE! two hard. two expensive. chaned to normal tyres! If you have a flat you better not drive with no pressure or you will have to buy a new one! (report)
Anonymous (5/26): and a worse driving experience (report)
may09 (5/26): I have problem with the rear left tire too. I had the low pressure and took the car to the dealer. BMW dealer said I needed to change a new tire and there was no way to fix it. It costs $600 for 1 tire. I hate it. If I knew this before, I would not buy BMW. I hate BMW Run Flat Tires. BMW should have the Run Flat Tires on their warranty (report)
chip (5/27): I went out and bought an exrta wheel, extra tire and replaced run flats with real tires all around on my 06 330xi. So now I have no truhnk as spare takes it up. But run flats a nightmare not to mention that they drive like s**t. BMW has taken best car on the market and ruined it. It is about the drive afterall. (report)
Anonymous (5/27): junk - that about sums it up. lost both fronts within 1 week and now the right rear has a bubble. have not hit any major potholes or anything. worst tire period. this last tire brings me to a total of $1100 for 3 tires in 6 weeks. if bmw keeps this up, this is the last one I will buy. (report)
rfh1957 (5/27): I dislike them (not hate). They make the car sound like it is mounted with snow tires, and contribute to a harsh ride. When I hit a pothole, the noise and impact give the impression that I've bent a rim, but that hasn't actually happened. They are showing signs of wear at 28,000 miles. I have the Continentals, which I hear are better than the Bridgestones. I would like to replace them with conventional tires (willing to risk not having a spare). My car is a 2006 325xi. (report)
Anonymous (5/28): very noisy, uneven wear, cost me a lot of money and BMW blame it on the driver driving habit or tire inflation problem. Someone should start a class action law suit. (report)
Anonymous (5/29): THEY ARE FUCKIN SHIT (report)
raimo240 (5/30): I have 2006 330xi, i just bought it. Love the car but hate the tires , too noisy. I wanna get rgular tires but i don't wanna leave a spare tire in the trunk. Maybe a new set of run flat tires? (report)
Anonymous (5/30): I would be willing to start a class action suit. Does anyone know how to go about it? (report)
Anonymous (5/30): they suck !!! I have 2007 328i with 21,000 miles and the front tires are bald on the outer edges ,The dealer wants 750.00 dollars for two tires! (report)
demedja (6/1): Thank God, I've been lucky with the fun flats so far. I just clocked 10,000 miles on my new '09 3 series, and I haven't had any problems. They seem to be wearing normally. But I'm expecting them to go to crap soon because I've read that they really get noisy once you're approaching 15,000 miles. When I need to change tires, my plan is to ditch the run flats and replace them with high performance conventional tires, a jack set, and a full size spare. I don't mind the spare taking up space in the trunk. I only plan to drive with it if I'm going on long trips. If I'm driving around town, I won't need to keep the spare in the trunk because I can call the BMW roadside assist service (or my Geico roadside assist service) and have them either two me to a tire shop where I can have the tire plugged and re-inflated or take me home where I change it myself. (report)
mahigir (6/2): I hate them! less than 20k and they are gone, they are noisy and almost every week my tire light comes on to put more air. in them. Too bad I love the 328i sedan but hate the tires! (report)
GregS (6/3): I recently up graded to the crome version of my OEM wheel, this is on a core returnable program. I sent my wheels back so that I could be refunded the core charge and was told that they were out of round. I was also told that the run flats cause the problem due to the fact that the tires do not absorb the stress from the road, the wheel does. I lost an additional 300.00 on this deal... (report)
Anonymous (6/3): I have a 2007 335i and RFT are the worst. Replaced the first set of rear tires at 6,700 miles. Had to replace 4 tires at 14,944 miles. 4 Bridgestone Potenza RFT cost $1700. BMW says there's nothing wrong and they accuse us of racing the car. It's 2 years old with only 15k miles. More people need to complain so BMW will finally fix the problems. (report)
KDF (6/4): I hate these tires. I bought a beautiful 2008 335i convertable and hate how it runs primarily due to the tires. What were these people thinking or smoking when they made this decision to leave no room for a spare!!!! I am thinking of getting rid of my car due to these tires! (report)
Anonymous (6/4): useles, those who are happy about that, wait until you'll have puncture :) YOU CAN'T FIX IT, need to change every time you had puncture. (report)
Anonymous (6/4): Just got back from the dealer and they say the noise is coming from the tires. Nothing they can do. Hate the RFT but love the car otherwise. Also, pick up a friend in Houston and took him on a ride and the first thing he says to me after we went about 30 yards ia "Where is that noise coming from? I had to then explained the RFTs....you get the picture. Yuck! (report)
chrisp (6/5): I have had issues with run flat tires on my last 2 bmw's (a 545 and 328)The sales rep said that the problem had been fixed when I got the recent vehicle .... BS ..they are terrible (report)
Anonymous (6/5): They're awful...I've had 5 BMW's and this 335Xi is the worst w these run flats, never again.. (report)
ribmw (6/5): My 335xi is less than 1 year old and with less than 15000 miles on it BMW is asking me to replace all 4 tires as they have bubbles in them. They are claiming that I must have hit something; apparently mulitple times! This is ridiculous and someone needs to do something about it. Lets file a class action suit. (report)
Crossrdsgal (6/5): I hate the RFT's!!!! The noise is horrible..you hit a bump and you think your front end is going to fall off! I bought a Certified 2007, 328xi with 7000 miles on it...I have 14,000 miles on it now and already I had to get a wheel alignment. I complained to my local dealer and I was told that all of their cars have run flats....no choice! They SUCK...I had a 5 series with Continental tires...great ride..no noise...I might just replace the whole set with these and use my space in the truck for a spare! BMW has to own up to this problem..and take care of their loyal customers..otherwise we will be going elsewhere!! (report)
Anonymous (6/7): I hate them. Have complained about bad ride. Now I find they are defective, and BMW wants me to pay half to replace them after 14,000 miles, when I have complained from the beginning. No one told me about the defect until yesterday. (report)
Anonymous (6/8): The Bridgstone tires that came with our 2007 328xi are horrible. They are loud, ride hard and don't corner well. In addition, they are cupped so badly, the car vibrates. (report)
Anonymous (6/8): it's not that hard to change a tire, I hate them, I have them on my 135i and look forward to the day they come off (report)
Disappointed (6/8): I hate Run Flat Tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are TOTAL CRAP. This is my 3rd BMW and most likely my last. I was told I don’t have a choice to the RFT because it would void warrantee… what warrantee? I still have to pay for a replacement tire after buying the 330 xi 2006 2 ½ months ago and getting a “nail” in the right rear tire. Oh, and 5 days later, the right rear tire goes flat again and this time it’s the rim – same right rear tire. So I told them to show me the tire with the nail in it and was told it would be impossible to know which tire came off of my car. And of course, they suddenly found the tire that came off my car only to show me “a tire with a SCREW in it”. I’m a girl and yes I do know the difference between a nail and a screw and I’m convinced I got screwed! So, my dealership very “GENEROUSLY” replaced the 2nd new tire and the rim since it was now a rim problem – a hairline crack “because I must have hit a pothole” but they replaced both items FREE OF CHARGE. Nothing free about it: I had to take time of work – TWICE, I was very frustrated because I knew that they knew it was the RFTs and not a real flat tire situation (first “FLAT TIRE” in 31 years of owning cars), and I know this is going to reoccur. BMW, YOU SHOULD TAKE THESE COMPLAINTS SERIOUSLY OTHERWISE, MANY OF US WILL NOT BE TAKING BMW PRODUCTS SERIOUSLY IN FUTURE, EVEN AFTER YOU ADMIT YOU ERROR IN JUDEMENT ON RFTs. (report)
Leo (6/8): Excuse me but if you buy a BMW i assume you are not a beggar. If your budget is tight you should buy a Honda... (report)
LIFESAVER (6/9): Tyres wear for a reason. Run Flats last longer, Its not the manufacturers fault you get a puncture, it is however it is there technolgy that allows your people to drive in the instance, SAFETY ahead of PRICE... Which is more important to YOU! Only now are other manufacturers catching onto this. (report)
Anonymous (6/9): worst decision that BMW have made, no spare tire really make you think for long trips...the ultimate machine, w/ the sound that produce those tires affect the BMW reputation... (report)
Anonymous (6/9): 2008 335i; hated the OEM Bridgestones that lasted 10,000 on the rear; tried new Michelin, ride better same wear reary to replace again at 10,000 miles on the rear. Love BMW but hate the tires. (report)
Henri (6/10): Rear tires on my 328i wore to the threads with less than 7,000 miles. The inside of both rear tires were worn and dangerous. Did not realize it until I went in for maintenance service. TWO new Bridgestone RFT, plus 4 wheel alighment cost me almost $1,500. Love the BMW but not happy with the tire situation. Wish I had been warned of this prior to purchase of the BMW. Could I switch from 18" wheels, but no place for spare in my ret. hardtop. Very discouraging.......Henri Deshotels (report)
Anonymous (6/10): These tires are crap. Hitting a small pothole at 25 mph will blow the tire and bend the rim. We've replaced two tires and rims on our 2007 335xi, and at just over 20k miles, the remaining original tires are at the wear indicators. We were considering an M3 next year, but not so sure now. (report)
Anonymous (6/11): I just replaced my second set of run flats on my 2006 330i, this time with regular Bridgestones, not run flat at a BMW dealer. The improvement is incredible. It is like a different car and the tires were 1/2 the price. For the number of times I get a flat, I will call a damn tow truck. (report)
Anonymous (6/11): I'm glad I found this website to confirm that I'm not going crazy. I've had my 335i for a little over two years and less than 12k miles on it. The roads in the Bay Area of California are a mess. Pot-holes and uneven surfaces everywhere. I noticed a bubble on the side of my front driver tire yesterday and was wondering how that happened. I guess it was from the dozen or so pot holes I can't avoid going over. I had no idea RFT's were so fragile. I was hoping BMW warranty would cover the replacement, but it looks like I'm out of luck. For sure I am not going to buy a replacement from BMW. Reading the other stories here and from the road situation in the Bay Area, I will probably just get another bubble in a few months. Thank you for all the other tire suggestions. I will probably go the route of new rims and radial tires. Now I also have thoughts of selling my car and my dream of getting an M6 have been destroyed. :( As others have said: Love the car, hate the tires -and now hate BMW. We can't all drive on pristine roads. So BMW, stop putting pristine road only tires on a sports car. (report)
sxeswa (6/13): I am shocked that 58 responces were positive for the RFT. The BMW Bridgestone fire stone are worst possible tires. I first thought it was NYC potholes. I have changes 9 RFTs in My BMW 330xi in 3 years. The noise, the jarring nerve racking bang whin going over a small bump,side wass bulge afte going over a Manhole in the road,the price to replace them must all be known to BMW. It is not easy to get replacement while travelling and trust me when I say that the RFT does not last even 25 miles when flat. Shame on BMW and the car magazine articles. It may be slightly safer than regular tires. I will never buy another car without spre until the tire companies solve the problems. BMW and the B/F should be sued since they the problem exists for a long time. SE (report)
Anonymous (6/13): Rft's are the worst!!!! I had so many problems with these bridgestone oe that I finally decided to get a different set at discount tires. They recommended Michelin unfortuneatly they still are rft's but I'll see if they are any better. I was told that the suspension of the car is meant for rft's therefore can't change to regular tires! Very upsetting :( (report)
rogermaillet (6/14): they only have short life span (12,000km) and expensive...can we install regular tires ?? I have a BMW Z4 2004 Roger (report)
mckayjl (6/14): I have a 2007 328I coupe with sport pkg these tires have been nothing but problems. My 2004 used low profile tires with no run flat and they never gave me any problems at all (report)
Anonymous (6/14): they left my family stranded, the tire did not perform what they were design for. give me a spare anytime. (report)
Sam2008 (6/14): i have the same issue.I bought my BMW in Dubai and i had Michelin tires on.Every hole you hit in ,it costs you 450USD$.i am switching to Bridgestone,apprently the side tire is harder and better...i guess!!! (report)
RFTvictimInVA (6/15): Both front tires had side wall bubbles at less than 14K miles. Dealer said it was due to pot holes. I say it is due to faulty construction and/or poor design. Bridgestone sucks. (report)
sya (6/15): It's ridiculous.I have 2009 BMW 335i and I had flat tire in the hearth of manhattan in a friday night and I Called BMW assist (Their service was not pleasent).I was told my car will be towed (originally not equipped with spare tire) and I will be able to get my car back on next Monday or Tuesday because all BMW services closed for weekend.No body have this tires in stock and they are so expensive.Cost me $500.00 to replace it.Loosing the car for 3 days for simple problem is not acceptable. (report)
Anonymous (6/16): they stink! since I hit 13,000 miles my car makes an awful rolling sound almost like there is something wrong with the transmission. delaer told me I needed New tires... New tires at 13,000 miles?? Finally replaced all 4 at over $600 and safety for what?? Who needs to continue driving 100 miles after a flat?? There are road rangers here in florida who pull over and change motorist flat tires on the highway for you for FREE inn a matter of minutes. Give us back a spare! (report)
Disgustedwithbmw (6/16): I bought a run flat for my 335i convertible about 6,000 miles a go and they are telling me I need another one for a swell $400. This is a disaster and I won't buy another one of these tires and maybe forget about BMW altogether. What an absolute ripoff (report)
Disgustedwithbmw (6/16): By the way - this no spare tire strategy is reminiscent of the titanic's no lifeboat strategy. (report)
Anonymous (6/16): 2008 328i. I hate these tires. They have awful handling and wearing characteristics. Now I picked up a nail. The dealership is the only one around who carries RFTs, and they are 60 miles away. On top of that, they don't have any in stock and it will take 3 days. Sooo, I went to Tirerack and found I could order a set cheaper and get them faster... but no shop around will touch/mount them! A vehicle down for 3 days due to a nail! Ridiculous. If the idiots out there think that the TPMS is not enough and need RFTs, make it an option when buying the car. Otherwise, just give me good tires and a spare please. All this being said, I have learned my lesson and will NEVER purchase another vehicle that has no spare tire storage previsions. (report)
Anonymous (6/16): The handling is terrible, in corners on bad roads, I loose grip. I switched from a Porsche Boxster to a BMW 650i and I thought the car is broken, or has a really big problem, but then I was told that this is due to the RFT's! Now what, they don't want to take the car back! (report)
Anonymous (6/17): 2008 328i, 1-1/2 years old, 15K miles: the RFT's are worn and need replaced and the car needs an alignment. In FL there are very few potholes - no excuse there. I am done with BMW and RFT's. (report)
Anonymous (6/17): had to replace before 30,000 miles and BMW said I was lucky to have gotten that much mileage...old ones were very loud too...new ones not supposed to be so loud - new ones are Continental brand. (report)
Anonymous (6/17): Too much cost for too litle benefit. (report)
bigt (6/17): Never again!! I have a 2004 330xi and if I knew they put these run-flats on the sports edition I would never have bought the car. How are these run flats an improvement? Expensive to replace, hard if next to impossible to patch, rough riding, easliy goes out of alignment, hard to get replacement tires (even the dealer has to order them), one nail in them costs you at $300-$350 each and you can run over another nail in a week. So, they say that you can drive 50 miles on it, big deal! Then what? wait days to order a tire, and be without a car and pay ridiculos prices! Don't do it!! (report)
Geobiker (6/17): Rough riding. Low mileage durability. Can't hold pressure. What's to like? (report)
Anonymous (6/18): I am in the same boat. I have a 2008 BMW 535xi, have driven it only 10K in the past year and a half. I have replaced the run flat tires 5 times and now going in for a 6th time this weekend. I love the car and the way it drives but these tires are incredibley frustrating and expensive. I dont care if I can afford a BMW, I still do not want to dish out $400 everytime the tires blow out, its rediculous. (report)
Anonymous (6/18): Unhappy, with only 11k miles I'm told that my Bridgestone Potenza RFT tires are either cupped or feathered and need replacing. BMW says tire's fault, bridgestones says BMW fault! Great (report)
Anonymous (6/18): Keep them properly inflated, and drive the heck out of them. It's a performance car, if you want a quiet car buy a toyota. (report)
dguy230951 (6/19): I've had a 335xi coupe for a year and a half...20,000 miles and I've been through 8 tires already. This is ridiculous. I'm a long-time BMW owner and I'm getting pretty fed up with having to have my alignment re-done every two months. Very harsh ride, and the potholes in NJ are killing me. I look like I'm either skiing when I drive or I'm drunk! (report)
Anonymous (6/20): All the horror stories I read reinforce my discomfort with the annoying nois at medium speeds (report)
Anonymous (6/20): I drive a 330i with sports package. I am not impressed with rum flat tires and wish BMW would provide an alternative for those who care. The tire nosie is one thing. More anoying, however, is that they make the steering through ruts a near nightmare. There goes the benefit of the ultimate driving machine. I had the alignement of the car checked and it is o.k. Result - my wife refuses to drive the car, and that is not because she is a bad driver. (report)
Birddog (6/20): My 2009 335i Coupé has now 4000 miles on RFT. These tires are terrible uncomfortable, jumping the potholes and follow the ridges in the street so that you must permanently correct with the steering wheel. I will ask my BMW dealer to replace them with non-RFT. If he doesn't change them on warranty, I'm not willing to take these rough rides anymore and will switch to the new Mercedes E-Coupé with regular tires and a spare. The way it should be! (report)
Anonymous (6/22): HATE THEM. I have a 2008 528i since June 2007 and have already replaced 4!! of the run flats ($2,000). (report)
Anonymous (6/22): so far not so good. loud road noise, uneven wear pattern, and lousy in snow. Had them checked at under 12K and feathering was already present. Need replacing at 22K. (report)
Anonymous (6/22): I have problems with my new BMW 535xi tire within 6 months. And MWB dealer told me that the tire can't be repaired! (report)
Anonymous (6/23): They are the worst tire that I have ever had on a car int the 40+ years I have owed cars (report)
Anonymous (6/23): Who ever heard of a tire, that in 2009 lasts less than 30,000 miles and cost 2-3 times a normal tire. I will never buy another BMW!!!! (report)
Anonymous (6/23): I have a 2007 335i and these tires are making me re-think BMW ownership. (report)
Anonymous (6/24): I have 3 BMWs with Run Flat tires. X5, M3 and 525. All 3 vehicles have tire issues. Any time we take the vehicles in for mysterious noises, vibration, shimmying, etc. we get the classic line from service "you need new tires". the X5 has a total of 27,000km on 2 sets of tires, the M3 has 33,000km on 3 sets of tires and the 525 has 60,000km on 4 sets of tires. To make matters worse, the dealership has done nothing to resolve the issues (and there are many, many more than just the tires) and BMW Corporate has done even less. Not impressed with the tires or BMWs service. (report)
Anonymous (6/24): I used my runflats for about 20 minutes then tossed them for normal tires. Noise is harsh and the ride of the 16" OEM tires is worse than my low profile 18" normal tires. Only thing that sucks is that I have to put a spare in the trunk - wasting space. (report)
Anonymous (6/24): I have a 2007 bmw 335i w/ run flats. I HATE THEM. I have replaced 6 tires in the last 2 years. 2 tires formed a bubble on the side wall, 2 had nails on the side wall, 2 got shredded. Each tire costs $305-$450 depending on where you get it replaced. Is this a known issue as a faulty tire design? (report)
Monica001 (6/24): I hate thesse ytires with a passion, would never purchase another BMW for that reason. My husbands 2009 X5 and my 2006 325i had the same problems. Hard ride and very loud. I am going back to Mercedes or Lexus for my next ride. (report)
Anonymous (6/24): Mein Auto weackelt wie ein Kuhschwanz. Manchmal leigt er bei 250km/h wie ein Brett auf der Straße, manchmal versetzt das Heck schon ab 180km/h. Keine Ahnung, warum. Sobal die Reifen einigermaßen abgefahren sind, kommen Non-Runflat drauf. (report)
Anonymous (6/24): My run flat tires are very problematic. Every month the car gives me a warning that one of the tires has low pressure. I'm constantly stopping to refill the air. I was away and the car was parked for over two weeks. When I returned, there was a bulge in the driver's front tire. BMW of Beverly Hills told me it was my fault for hitting a pot hole. That never happened. This is at 10,000 miles. (report)
janjanie (6/25): Had I known about the early wear on these tires I would have asked for new ones at 10,000 miles (report)
janjanie (6/25): I have a 2008 535i, and if I knew about premature wear on RFT's I would have asked for replacement tires at 10,000 miles. We have 20,000 miles and the BMW dealer says we need all new tires @ $400 each. Highway robbery! (report)
Anonymous (6/25): These are the worst tires I have ever had. I bought a brand new 2006 BMW 330xi. After 10,000 miles the front tires had to be replaced because cupping had ruined the tires. Now after another 10k miles I need to replace another front tire because it has a bubble in it and they suggest I replace the rear tires as well, which only have 23k miles on them. On top of that, I might as well have bought a big rig for the amount of road noise associated with them. At this point I would never buy another BMW and would not recommend them to anyone I know. (report)
Anonymous (6/25): i have an 06 - 325xi w/55,000 miles. Third set of run flats - all have been changed because of excessive noise. Not descriptive enough, loud, excessive noise etc. Third BMW, wifes car. Love it...but - looks like Lexus next. (report)
Anonymous (6/27): my dad bought a 325i. i myself dont like luxury vehicles though. maybe when im older ill feel different. but im the one who has to order his new tires online and take it somewhere to switch em out. if you dont need trunk space, buy a new rim, tire and a tire iron and jack set, then problem solved. but now you have no trunk room. he bought it knowing that it was designed to minimize size and weight. great mileage comes at a price i guess. (report)
Anonymous (6/28): I Hate them. I have had a 328xi for just over 2 years and I have had to buy 4 tires so far due to these issues. At $250 a pop it starting to get quite costly. Those damn bubbles pop out on the sidewall. (report)
jayNH (6/29): I own a 2006 325xi and had issues with my tires after 13,000 miles. However, the dealership was kind enough to replace them at no charge. The tires that they replaced only lasted 10,000 miles and again the dealership replaced those tires with Continentals. My newest set is as good as my first. Basically it sucks, but I am glad that the dealership replaced them twice for no charge. Regardless, I freakin hate run flats and the fact that no matter which tire you put on a BMW...it'll only last 20,000 at the most. (report)
Anonymous (6/29): I love the handling and the ride at 15000 miles but shortly into 10000 miles I have bubbles in both front tires. Bridgestone is washing their hands in what appears to be a tire that is not reliable enough to handle the roads. (report)
bronzebabe (6/30): 26,000 miles, having to get 2nd new set. Oh and a puncture when new on the first set meant a brand new tyre had to be binned. (report)
user542563122 (6/30): I have a new BMW 128i and the tires only had 26PSI in the front! Red light came on after 2k miles telling me they were flat. While I was pumping them up with my bycycle pump I just learend they were "run on flats." Read it on the tires... I knew right away I was in deep do do when I have to get new ones :) All these fancy tires are soft now-a-days... You don't buy a car anymore, you buy a payment plan! When BMW's revenue is low, they flip a switch at the dealership and the red light goes on in your car and you bring it in to do some sort of thing that keeps them in business :) Invest in Christ, not man made junk! (report)
Anonymous (6/30): from California (6-09):We own a 2006 330i and with shitty tires. At 27,000 miles I had to replace all four tires. A year later, one tire goes flat and needed to be replaced after only 4,000 miles. The dealers don't care that you have to buy a new run flat tire. We are angry with BMW because they will not help in any way. The BMW car is supposed to be the number one in the world but they are using shitty tires. (report)
baloo588 (7/1): God, these tires are junk. I have 10,500 miles on my expensive 335xi coupe and I am digusted that BMW decided to put these tires on. They jolt and vibrate on the roads badly and makes my Lexus feel superior on the highways with no vibration. I am going to get these off and get decent Michelins. (report)
DAS2000 (7/1): I have a 2005 545i that came from the previous owner with bridgestone blizzak 18" run flats. The first winter I started getting cracked rims due to the stiff sidewalls. Not a problem with my regular 19" summers though. In 2 years I had 3 cracked rims. When fixing a rim my mechanic noticed the tire had a crack on the inside all the way around and told me i had to replace it. The fronts were still good so I chose to buy 2 more of the same tire. Drove to Florida that winter 2 day drive from Toronto and both tires blew out on the trip. I will never buy runflats again. (report)
Anonymous (7/1): All run flat tires are a waste of money. I am on my third set of tires for a 2005 530I that has less than 50K miles. (report)
Anonymous (7/1): My story: 2006 BMW 650i Cabrio w/sport package and 23,000 miles. One nail in RF tire. Dealer wants $2700 to replace all 4 tires and alignment. (report)
Anonymous (7/1): WE NEED TO FORM A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL ATTORNEY. (report)
Anonymous (7/1): I recently bought a 2005 certified pre-owned 330ci in which the dealer outfitted with Bridgestone Potenza run flat tires. I've only put 9,000 miles on the car and had nothing but headaches with these tires. I got a slow leak in one tire that could not be patched. Another tire had a bump/bubble on the sidewall that I was told was from impact damage. Aren't run flats supposed to have reinforced sidewalls? If so, how could the sidewall get damaged so easily. Luckily, my car has a spare tire so I said the hell with run flats and replaced my tires with conventional tires (Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s...sick tires!) (report)
robbocat (7/2): There is no advantage to having a tire that runs 50 miles flat and then cost $250 to replace because of a nail punture. BMW replaced my RFT at 15000 miles with the same exact tire,seems like a bad decision,I still have the same problems. Lets get together and do something. (report)
delpais (7/2): I do not hate them but they do not wear even. I am on my third set and the car is only four years old. I do not drive that hard! (report)
vpjl (7/3): I've had my 2007 328i coupe since it was new (its now June 2009) and I've now replaced 7, yes that's right SEVEN, run flat tires! you bet I hate them. The only reason I haven't gotten rid of the car so far is because my husband insists there must be another solution. If I can't figure out how to put other tires on the car in the next two weeks, I'm buying something else. (report)
Anonymous (7/3): Z4 2008 run flat rear tires...worn out at 14K miles...BMW does not want to acknowledge any problem (report)
Anonymous (7/5): I agree with the poor quality of the BMW runflat tire choice. I am shocked and disappointed that such a great, durable car company would choose such an inappropriate tire for type/quality of car. (report)
ellenb (7/6): I was told I had run flat tires.I got a flat and I couldn't find instructions in the owners manual on inflating the runflat feature. I assume that there may not be action required to actuate. My tires don't have the symbol that the manual said they should. Is there a secret runflat ID? There is a space for a donut spare, but no spare came with it, and I was told I didn't need it due to the runflat technology. My car is stuck. I'd like to bring my tire somewhere to get looked at, but I don't want to leave the car unattended up on the jack without a tire on it because it would be dangerous. Good thing I got a ride. If it was in the AZ desert I'd be dead. I hope I can get an answer from BMW because I can't leave the car unnattended any longer. (report)
BigBen (7/6): I ordered a 2006 325i with Sport Package from the factory. It arrived with the Pirelli Eufori RFT's. Like thier cousins,they have been replaced 3 times with only 40K miles on car. Just replaced the back tires with GFT's and will replace the fronts with same when needed. I have had it with the BMW-NA and dealer lack of response or acknowledgement of the issue. I will not buy another BMW or car with RFT's until the technology rises to the level of functionality. (report)
makrides (7/6): I just spent over $1,200 to change from the run-flats to regular tires. BMW refused to trade them, so now I am left with 4 tires I will probably never be able to sell and a $1,200 in the whole. When driving in Boston, whenever I hit the road suface potholes, etc you would think the entire suspension was going to crash. I had a client in the car and she was visibly upset when we hit a pothole and insisted we stop at a service station before continuing. Great idea, but apparently not researched well. I am extremely dissapointed in Herb Chambers Boston BMW's response to this issue. I will not be returning there to puchase another car. (report)
Anonymous (7/6): I run a 118d with 18" rims and run flats. The car is 18 month old with 15k miles and all four tyres have crackes in the bottom of the treads. Also bad scrubbing on drivers side front, the tracking has been checked by BMW and no reason given for uneven wear. Waiting to see Bridgestone rep at dealership. Tires £200 - 250 Ouch. I did not know this when I purchase the car. Good econamy £35 RFL but tires cost a fortune ? (report)
Anonymous (7/7): I have a 2007 ci. I had a similar issue. I hit a couple freeway potholes and boom, multiple bubbles in the right front. Santa Monica BMW hit me for 400+. Total joke that these tires are not covered under the warrant. There apparently is a class-action already filed. You can find it on google or any search engine. Had BMW disclosed the cost and fragility of their tires then I would not have bought the car. 500 to 1500 a year on tires is a significant expense. I otherwise love the car, although it does seem to have a lot of small problems because of all the sensors and stuff. There is no reason that replacing a tire should cost anywhere near 400 dollars. (report)
Anonymous (7/7): Im pissed! I have a 2007 335i, and all 4 tires need to be replaced, only 35000 km, i hit a curb on one side, not too hard and both tires have bubbles, the ride is horrible. I called bmw to buy a spare and they dont make them for this car, to replace the tires they have to be ordered in and its costing me $250 per tire! ridiculous (report)
olivierj (7/7): I have a '07 328xi and 2 of my run flat tires are huge bubbles coming out the side and it makes my driving very uncomfortable. (report)
Anonymous (7/8): I am not happy with them. The 335 xi has a very tight suspension (= great handling but hitting a pothole is like a minor explosion). I think that the suspension's lack of "give" contributes to tire problems because the RFT needs to absorb so much of the energy of a pothole/bump. I lost a tire last week on a pothole and now am being told I need to replace the other 3 tires (<30,000 miles) plus BOTH FRONT RIMS which they say are "bent". Grumble.... (report)
robles829 (7/8): These tires are a problem. I have a 2008 335xi and had to service it due to poor alignment twice. The second time the BMW mechanic found my front rims were bent. I drive the car everyday and was told I must have hit 2 huge potholes. I know I did not hit 2 huge potholes. The Run Flat Tires are poor when absorbing shock on any road surface. This is the cause of my bent rims. BMW is only concerned about not having to provide spare tires with rims on every auto. If I get a flat I can can call AAA. Also if you get a flat and you can drive 50 miles until you can replace the tire, what happens if it is late and their is no tire store to purchase a new one. What is the logic? My next car is NOT going to be A BMW. (report)
Anonymous (7/9): I just purchased my 4th replacement tire in 15000 miles. From bubbles forming near the rim to complete flats - these are the worst! Went from an Audi S4 to this car because I wanted the retractable hard top; I would take the ragtop in a minute over this mess, which means I am extremely disappointed in my first BMW experience - even more than the nightmare CL55 that I drove for only 15 months before I unloaded that thing. See you soon, Mr. Audi Dealer. (report)
Terry (7/9): can i buy a tire for my z4 2004 that runs a little bit softer?? greenlawt@yahoo.com (report)
dbrbmw (7/9): 1st and foremost, RFT CAN BE REPAIRED!!! Dont let anyone, (BMW, Dunlop, Mich, Good Year, ANYONE!) tell you otherwise. I have Dunlop Sport SP01 on my 07 530i w/ sport 18 " wheels, I have put two plugs AND two patches on one tire alone (a few plugs in the other three over time). They tell you not to repair but thats just because it "can" compromise the integrity of the tire. Same is the case for the non runflats so why no rule saying you cant repair non rft? Only reason I can see is MONEY! I regularly drive 120 plus and aside from the "normal" noise vibration associated with rft or as Dunlop calls them, DSST (Dunlop Self Supporting Tires). (report)
Anonymous (7/10): Had a nail in a front tire at 20k. Went to local Bridgestone dealer and was told they couldn't fix OEM tires, but they could fix replacements they sell. Went to BMW dealer and was told it would cost $320 to replace. Ended up getting regular Goodyear Eagle GT's for the front. What an amazing improvement in ride quality and handling as the car no longer zigs and zags when going over seams in the concrete on the freeway! Had to buy a donut spare, but small price to pay. Will have to replace rears soon, and they will definitely NOT be Bridgestones, not even the regular tires. Also have a 2007 Infiniti G35 Cpe with Bridgestones. Noise is killing me. Will be changing to Michelin Pilot Sport A/S in a couple of weeks. (report)
wilsog1 (7/10): I have an '08 335xi with just over 12K miles. I am having the same noise issues due to the tires running bald already and they are $450 each to replace. The back two have now gone out completely. By the time my lease is up I will be spending over $5K in tires!!! No wonder they boast a good warranty plan since they make all that money back on subpar tires!!! I just wish I had read this site before buying. It will end up being cheaper for me to break the lease than keep buying tires!!! (report)
JMB (7/10): Run Flat Tires are expensive disposable tires. BMW has made a big mistake going this route and they are arrogant about it too. They are noisy, don't handle all that well and don't last. I finally gave up and went to Michelin MXV4 tires with a 60,000 miles warranty and what a difference. I won't be buying any more BMWs---owned them since 1974 too! (report)
mikethek (7/10): I have a 2008 335xi with only 9500 miles. The front tires are in awful shape and I complained to the dealership who basically blew me off. I spoke with BMW Customer Relations and they are not much help either. There are a lot of unhappy customers out there and it is hard to believe that BMW is not doing anything to resolve this problem. (report)
Anonymous (7/10): I've never had a side wall bubble issue prior to having these tires. I too have a 335Xi and am having the same issue. The bubble issue coupled with poor tread wear is requiring new tires in less than 30K miles. At a cost of $1500 to replace, I'm questioning whether or not I'll be purchasing another BMW. (report)
Anonymous (7/11): My wife has a 2008 BMW 1series convertible with 17,000 miles and one tire is completely bald and the others are significantly worn. The dealer said that we have to buy 4 new tires and that it must be my wifes driving. She is not an aggressive driver and I have never had a set of tires worn out like this. The dealer wanted $1600.00 to replace the tires. This is definetly a rip off. Not sure what we are going to do at this point. Tires should be covered under warranty given the junk tires that BMW has chosen as oem. (report)
Anonymous (7/12): Just purchased a 08 535 xi Sportwagon. It is as good as my previous wagon in Germany, except for the run flat tires. I plan to replace them immediately, due to the road noise they generate and the BMW website warning about potential suspension damage. (report)
jeffd (7/12): My 06 325xi had them replaced twice already (both after less than 10K miles) Luckily the dealer/BMW ate the cost as they know it's a problem but I'm getting ready to end my lease and think they will need to be replaced again. Doubt that i will get another BMW specifically for this reason. (report)
tecumseh (7/13): have 2006 bmw z4 run flat tires and after one year will now be repalcing my 4th tire-covered by bmw insurance but the real isssue is my safety (report)
Anonymous (7/13): I bought a 2006 325xi in Feb 2009. 3 months later I had to replace the 2 back Continental runflats. Dealer offered to "split" the cost with me - gee, thanks. Had them for about 2,000 miles now, and on the way home last night the red tire pressure symbol came on. The car feels like it's riding rough. These tires are already wearing out unevenly...and so are my patience!! (report)
Anonymous (7/13): fronts only lasted 10k miles. Dealer gave BS answer for their early demise. (report)
Anonymous (7/13): Since I drove off the lot I've had a problem. The same rear right tire needs air and has finally given out completely at 17k miles. I was stuck 150 mi from hm, pulling over every 20 mi for air and unable to just buy one since most run flats are special order at the tune of $250 ea. A full size spare would have been great! Oh well, looks like I'll be replacing all 4 with regular tires. Glad I made it home. (report)
buttface (7/14): Hey believer - if you are so concerned about your family's safety wtf are you doing driving 110 mph? The safety benefit of rft is very minor and outweighed by the many disadvatages posted here. (report)
nursemoore (7/14): I hate them, I have a 330i and wish I could put normal tires on-BMW told me that I could not change the tires due to the rim is a run flat rim (report)
Anonymous (7/15): I am so furious with my new BMW. It has only 328 miles, brand new 128i. I got the flat tire yesterday and now I need to spend over $450 to replace a new one. I saw many complaints about the RFT and I truly believe that it has to do with the tire and not BMW but BMW decided to use RFT. I love my old BMW 325i and I had it for over six years. It was wonderful until at the sixth year. I test drove over five different brands including Lexus, Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo and Honda before I purchased my 128i. I also test drove the 328i and 328 awd. Personally I feel BMW has the best performance and handling except now with the RFT. It is really disappointing and I almost want to get ride of my 128i now. Don’t tell me that it can happen to any tires. I don’t accept it. I never had the flat tire in my life. At least the tire was fixable and didn’t need to get a new one. It is totally ridiculous. I think the RFT has problem. I do check my tires and replace my tires every three to four years but never expect to get a new tire for a new car with only two weeks old. (report)
Anonymous (7/15): I have an 06 BMW and have replaced 2 tires do to nails. I just had my car inspected and I was told I need 2 tires the tread is "wobbly" and you can hear it when you drive down the road. IT sounds like someone with snow tires driving on dry roads. (report)
Anonymous (7/16): Great car horrible tires, I have had 3 flats in just 13k miles, a total joke. I guess the upside is that I won't have to replace a set ever. I do believe this tire issue a manufacturer defect that BMW should address. (report)
Anonymous (7/16): I bought a slightly used (5,000 miles) 2008 328xi and the rear run flats were worn out completely on the inside. (report)
ameliau (7/16): I am ready to find a class action attorney. We have just been advised we will have to purchase a rim, and 3 more tires after replacing all 4 tires 8 weeks ago, and 2 tires 4 months ago. We bought our 2009 335i less then 1 year ago. After finding this website, If they don't offer to purchase our car back tomorrow morning, I will locate an attorney and bring the info back to you. (report)
anonymous328idriver (7/16): Horrible. Just learned today that I need to purchase four more new tires. I had to do this less than a year ago. That is the second time in less than two years (around 21 months.) The serviceman told me today that three of the tires show excessive wear on the inside of the tires and that they think it is an alignment problem. I told him that when they replaced the tires the last time they said they'd fixed the alignment problem (drifted to right) and that I'd had no pressure warnings, and they had rotated the second set of tires in March. I told him someone at their shop better take responsibility for not fixing the alignment problem which is resulting in all tires failing with less than a years worth of driving. Of course no one there told me of any service notices from BMW (which I'm seeing online...) totally shady. I am leasing the car and need to decide if I'm going to turn it in or buy it in September 09. I love the car except for the tires (and break pads needing replacement often) By the time my two year lease is up this car will be on it's third set of tires. Totally ridiculous. I don't want to keep paying +$1000.00 per year for tires, and more $ for break pads. I'm going to check to see if the first set of tires had to be replaced with less than 15K miles (I think it was more like 10-12K miles...) Currently I have around 29K on the car and looking at second full replacement! I guess I'll start shopping around for a different vehicle. I had hoped to keep this one, but now that I learn that my first set of replacement tires wasn't a fluke, I think it would be unwise to keep the car. Really bummed out and pissed too.... (report)
Birddog (7/17): I changed my Bridgestone RFT against Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires. It's like having a new car. More comfort, more grip, less bumpiness. It's worth the money! (report)
lancecamper1055 (7/17): Leased a 2006 BMW 325i sedan with RFT. Very noisy tires that have a 15-20 thousand mile tread life only. $175 per tire. If I owned car, would buy regular tires and buy a spare rim and place in trunk. RFT need more research and development. (report)
michelem (7/17): I Have BMW on the phone as I am posting this telling me I need 4 new run flat tires after 20,000 miles. All 4 how is this possible I have had nothing but problems from the get go. I own a 328i 2007 my x5 did not even need tires when i traded the vehicle in. I do not understand this!!! Thanks for starting this blog (report)
Dtig (7/18): I have had to replace 2 tires and they tell me at 24000 the others are worn to point where I need to repalce those. These tires are horrible. I have leased many cars and drove as many as 45k miles without a flat or need to replace the tires. (report)
Bpstanfield (7/19): Well I bought the car used with ~20k miles. I've put 2k miles on it and now have my first tire issue. The side of the tire looks like I ran up on a curb or something. A big chunk is missing. I haven't price out how much it will be to replace them, but can't imagine...I've been Banting this car waaaay too much for this to happen. Strike one BMW.... (report)
Anonymous (7/20): I used to love BMW's until having to hassle with the dealer all the time, especially regarding the RFT! It's absolutely rediculous that BMW continnues to put these tires on their "luxury" cars. After 5 months of owning our 2006 325i with 12k miles we were told we need all new tires. Not much longer after that we had our first blow out with the RFT and called BMW's "Roadside Assistance" and they said they could pick us up but it will cost $120 to tow the car anywhere other that the BMW center. Now please tell me why I'd want to deal with you and your tires again BMW? Nope! We went straight ahead and found a honest tire shop to replace our tires with something other than RFT and for half the price! What a joke! Its not worth the money and safety...my husband and I will not purchase a BMW ever again! (report)
malsf1 (7/20): I have had to replace 2 in less than 25K miles. Although I appreciate the safety, I don't like the fact that they cannot be replaced easily, especially on weekends, since most tire dealers don't stock them. It now makes me nervous to travel long distances. BMW should be more active in dealing with this issue. (report)
Anonymous (7/20): Had a blow out today and the dealer Les Schwabb did not have the run flat tires. I had to purchase a set of four tires, non-run flat to get back on the road. Run flats have less than 23,000 miles and are 70% worn. Mike (report)
lou41983 (7/21): I am also on my THIRD RFT on my BMW, which not to mention only has 10,500 miles and is 8 months old. My first tire change occurred at 3000 miles and the second tire change only had 800 miles on the tire. CRAZY!!!! And now I just noticed another egg on my side wall and this tire only has roughly 5000 miles on it. I am absolutely disgusted with BMW and bridgestone. I would LOVE to remove the RFT, but there is no room for a spare!!! This is a serious problem and I feel like turning in the keys!!! I absolutely do not recommend these tires or BMW!!!! And to top it off ONE tire change, will cost at or over $400. Wish I would have known this before I brought the car!!!!!!! (report)
wagtn (7/22): had my first experience with the tires (942 miles on a new Z4) but was 50 miles from the memphis TN BMW dealer that was open and had the correct size ... ($385.00) BMW should respond to owners in some fashion as I would never buy a car, again, with only runflats amd no spare Bill (report)
prell (7/22): we had to replace 3 in one day due to pot holes!! had to put Pep Boy cheep tires on it to make it home bc no one had the run flats! i hate them. I think bmw needs to replace our tires for free!!!! i never had this kinda prob before!!! (report)
BIMMER525 (7/23): I THING THEY ARE A BIG WASTE OF MONEY AND THEY ARE SO MOISY PLUS BMW DEALERS DON'T EVEN STOCK THEM...YOU HAVE TO WAIT 2-3 WEEKS! (report)
Anonymous (7/23): i have really lost faith in bmw.this is my 4th one and my last. problems with run flats and premature wear of brakes and discs (report)
Anonymous (7/24): I too have purchased a BMW run with run flat tires which started to become extremely load at 15,000 miles and now at 20,000 miles you cannot hear anyone even talk in the car they are so load. And BMW does nothing to correct the problem nor does the tire companies. (report)
Anonymous (7/25): I have driven on run-flats on a 2007 BMW 328i sedan without the sports package! The original tires, Bridgestone P225/55R16s are comfortable enough for long range cruising. But this will probably not hold true for the BMWs with the sports package. This is because the aspect ratio on the tires with the sport package are smaller than 55. Probably 40 or 45. The tires on the BMWs with the sports package of course cause a much harsher and noisier ride but provide much better handling! In the world of automotive engineering there is no free lunch. There is always compromise involved in engineering cars. Tires become a bigger real life issue when the road conditions are not ideal and of course, outside of racing tracks, they usually aren't. The buyer must be aware of these issues when buying a car with the sports package as an option. (report)
karimsha (7/25): Hi, I have runflats but had no bad experience so far except for the rough ride. but i dont feel comfortable with them especialy i have no spare. what if i had a oucture on a high way with no tyre shop or Mobile signal with my wife and kids in the car .. I believe its is a very unwise thing from BMW to do so . I was told about the spare tyre after i paid the for the car . I f i knew all about this i wouldnt have bought a beemer in the 1st place. (report)
Anonymous (7/25): I have a 2007 bmw x5 3.0, 16k miles on it. I have replace 3 run flat tires already! Luckily I purchased the tired insurance but driving 20 miles to the dealership and waiting 2 hours every time is getting pretty dam old! (report)
Anonymous (7/25): 2007 335i despite maintenance these tires are done before 20000 mi on the front and b4 28000 on the rear. This, in spite of a "warranty", what a joke so over RUN FLATS (report)
bmw840 (7/25): bmw335xi Replaced 2 of the run flat tires already and I only have about 6000 miles on the tires BMW will do nothing about it nor will the manufacturer of the tire. (report)
PHALI2 (7/26): BMW 645 PLEASE EVERYONE CALL IT DOES HELP EVERYONE I concur law suit I am having the same problem I am contacting BMW North America also Bridgestone/FIRESTONE PLASE CALL !!!!!!!!!!!!! (report)
bayer99 (7/27): I own a 2006 325i which I purchased new in July of 2005. Starting at about 20k miles the tires started to get very loud. I replaced the front tires at 24K and the rears at around 30K due to the noise. The ride got rougher and the noise progressively louder with time and miles. BMW refused to admit that there was a problem although my salesman told me that there was and that I should press BMW for resolution. I got nothing. My BMW service manager said that I needed to have reported the problem before hittng 20k miles to get any restitution. I now have 44k on the car and, believe it or not, the fronts are so loud that you can barely hold a conversation. It looks like I'll need my 3rd set of fronts with under 45k miles! I love the car but without resolution of this problem, I probably won't buy another beemer! (report)
Evan (7/27): I have had a 335 for 17 months now and have 4 flats which i have had to replace at a cost od 3 times the normal cost of a conventional tyre i agree that they should be an option on BM's as i also have been caught 800KLMs from homewith no dealers in sight with a replacement tyre Evan (Austalia) (report)
mcanter (7/28): I have only 6400 miles on my car after one year so you see I do little driving my 328xi rear tire got a nail in it last week and I patched the tire we will see if it holds (report)
gromero (7/28): losing air constantly and running through them like they were made out of thin paper (report)
Anonymous (7/28): 2006 750LI will be my last BMW, getting rid of it in Oct for a Merc (report)
rbbys (7/28): 12000 miles on 2008 328i and rear pass side tire was at 15lbs this am called dlr and they crap read me tires are not warrantied an di need to replace the tire at a cos t of3-4 hundred bucks GOODBYE BMW KEEP YOUR CAR AND TIRES going back to jap cars probably lexus whre they value customers (report)
dgschnell (7/28): Same deal. 2007 Mini Cooper S hits a pot hole in Chicago and within minutes a giant bluge appears on the sidewall. Ruptured the next day. Mini, BMW, and Dunlop all said "Sorry, buy another $400 tire." Thanks... Sign me up for the CAS. (report)
Nicki (7/29): Ok if alot of people are so fed up with the tires. I'm sure there has to be a lawyer who drives one that should start a class action lawsuit. We should be able to get credit or reduced pricing on replacements. (report)
Anonymous (7/29): The idea is GREAT, but the drawbacks and outright inconvenience of run flat tires far outweight their benefits. They are extremely expensive, they are easily damaged, they have limited availability, they can't be repaired, they have poor tread life and I just learned they compromise efficiency and performance due to increased mass. All of this for the sake of running 50 miles, at a dangerously slow speed on the highway, without any air preasure. I'm spare the inconvenience of having to change a tire on the side of the road, but I can't get a replacement for one week! Thanks, but I'd rather change my spare tire. Oops, many cars equiped with run-flats don't have room for a spare! Again, great idea, but needs some tweaking in the REAL WORLD! (report)
cathystewart01 (7/29): I hate the fact that there is not room for a spare in the 335i. ALso, I had a blowout on my runflat just 2 months after buying the car and the tire did not make it 5 miles down the road! It is VERY annoying!!!! I also want to use regular tires, is this okay? And my low tire pressure warning lamp won't go off, even though my tire prssue is fine (I do not have idrive). (report)
Mac (7/29): I absolutely hate them, I will be dumping my BMW [6th one I have had] and getting a car without...I can't wait (report)
Anonymous (7/30): Within the past two years, I have replaced 3 run flat tires on my BMW , and I can't remember when I previously had a flat tire. I will never again buy a car with run flats and will share my story with anyone who is considering purchasing a BMW with these tires. This last one occured last Sat evening when I was up in Algonquin Park, Ontario. Far from any dealer and of course all were closed for the weekend. The car was not driveable and I was stranded with vacation luggage as well as wife and 2 grandchildren. Never ever again. Great car --- lousy, dangerous, and not driver friendly tires. (report)
Anonymous (7/30): I have a 2008 328xi with 18K miles on it and my tires were really noisy and bumpy. We used to brace for impact when we saw minor imperfections on the road. The bigger potholes would cause bumps that almost felt as if I hit something and the rim or suspension is going to break apart. Last week I discovered a dent in the right wheel and the left tire had a nail in it. Went to BMW dealer in Princeton, NJ and they said the dent came from driving over curb!! I think the dent came because of the really hard walls of Bridgestone Turanza tires and offered to replace the other tire for 400. So finally I decided to switch to regular tires and bought nice Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires from cosco. The car feels lot softer on the roads now. I don't see the point of having run-flat tires. It works really well for BMW because they don't have to tow for flat tires under their "4 year roadway assistance plan". But for consumers it doesn't make much sense because if you are out on a weekend somewhere and you get a flat tire, the BMW dealers won't be open and noone else stocks these tires. I'd rather have the car towed and the leak patched. The other problem with this is that if you get only one new tire, it won't balance well with the other older tires. So for the best ride, you will need to invest on 2 new tires! Anyway I look at this, having RFT is a losing proposition. (report)
Anonymous (7/30): 2008 335i coupe... hit infamous pothole on I40E onramp from Miami Blvd in RTP NC and guess what - serious damage to the left front. Not happy w/NC DOT and now am especially unhappy w/LEITH BMW! They don't have a replacement tire. Nor does anyone in Raleigh. What good are these freakin run-flats? Can we file suit against BMW for this absolutely brain-dead decision to go w/run-flats? (report)
azhura (7/30): Only 36000 miles and all four had to be replaced. Cost almost 1300 dollars. Truly hate these tires. (report)
theDentite (7/30): 12,000 miles of normal driving on my 335i and 3 tires have bubbles on the sidewalls. BMW gave me the brush-off, insisted they were from hitting curbs, and told me I was on my own. Now I'm stuck with $1300 repair bill. What crap! If you are going to use an expensive tire make it last long. As far as I am concerned this is a design defect and we should not be responsible. (report)
Trucutu15 (7/30): Weak, Expensive and Unreliable BMW should include a spare tire kit for those of us who preffer conventional tires (report)
Anonymous (7/31): I had a 2002 Lexus SC 430 for 5 years with run flats and I NEVER had these issues. Live in the same area with the same potholes. I replaced the tires twice in 5 years due to normal wear. I am seriously looking at selling my 2008 335 convertible and buying the new Lexus IS hard top convertible. Should have never left Lexus. (report)
Anonymous (7/31): I agree as well. I own a 2007 328i and man do I regret getting the sports package with with run flats. All I have to say is good thing we purchased the tire warranty...since we used it 3 times...and now we are having to buy 2 more for front out of pocket. Run flats are the worse! (report)
Anonymous (7/31): Colossal mistake. Never buy another bmw. (report)
KenKurzendoerfer (7/31): I also had my first tire blow out after 3,100 miles. The second tire blew at 21,000 miles and I now need four new tires. (report)
BMW545i (8/1): I have a 2004 545i BMW with Run flat tires. They prematurly failed at the tire edge on both the rear tire inner edges. THe metal is showing and part of the tire is delaminating. I'm going to have to replace them early, and I will not choose Run flat tires, due to these problems. (report)
gils (8/2): 8/1/09-only 19K miles on BMW 335i Convertible and tread completely shredded off inside rear tires while on highway. This is ridiculous for the price of the tires and vehicle. (report)
gils (8/2): Does anyone know of any class action lawsuits against BMW for these idiotic tires? (report)
Anonymous (8/2): We have replaced these run flats twice. After about 5000 miles the start to hum and the humming just gets louder and louder until we can't stand it any longer and replace them. 1st and last BMW for me, hate thinking about what I paid for a car that sounds like and off road monster truck when I drive it! (report)
Anonymous (8/2): Got a 2007 335i M Sport with 19,000 miles covered. Replaced all 4 tyres at 9k miles due to irregular tyre wear, a further 1 tyre (puncture) at 14K, and now need 2 new rears - again due to irregular tyre wear. So 7 repalcements in less than 20k miles - totally ridiculous. Neither BMW or Bridgestone can see a problem and there appears to be little in the way of alternatives? (report)
wrasmussen1 (8/3): I have had a slow leak since I bought my 335i used with 3000 miles. Tire loses 5lbs/week. I was told that it could not be repaired. (report)
Anonymous (8/3): They suck! Very noisy. Wear out very quickly! (report)
Anonymous (8/4): I've already replaced one and now I'm getting alerts of a puncture, even though the tires all look fine. (report)
Anonymous (8/4): If someone knows an attorney who can help us I would be on board in an instant. (report)
runflatnomore (8/5): My wife bought a certified 2006 325xi less than 90 days ago. We sold the car at a significant loss this week because with these tires it was effectively useless. However, the ties were not the only issue with the car. (report)
skoti (8/5): already replaced 2 with less than 3000 miles. can not repair and must by new (report)
20yearsbmwfan (8/5): Hated my RFT and as soon as I could I replaced them on my 530d (live in Europe) with standard rubber. I did buy from BMW a mini-spare wheel, jack and spanners as all this was missing in the car. A few home made alternations to the underneath boot/trunck space and it all fitted like a glove. Here I save on avg. 200USD per tyre AND anybody can repair them. BMW also advised not to put standard rubber on RFT wheel rims. More mis-information, I'm afraid..... (report)
tptman (8/6): I have a 2007 BMW 328XI with the original Bridgestone runflats. They have worn terribly, make horrendous noise and need to be replaced. My dealer told me that he would pay for two new Continental runflats if I buy two. My cost for the two would be $483 mounted and balanced. He said the replacements would be Contitrac runflats, but I cannot seem to find this model on the web. I see it in a conventional tire, but not in a runflat version. Is this a good deal or am I being ripped off? The car has 29,000 miles on it. (report)
straightarrow (8/6): They are a disaster. Poor grip, much greater jarring when going over bumps or potholes, and a reduced fell in the steering wheel. Worst of all, in the 335i, the absence os a spere wheel-well prevents changing to normal tyres. What were BMW thinking? Taking away the choice from buyers to change is just about the most stupid and arrogant thing I have seen. As a lover of BMWs, I find this a very unfortunate experience. (report)
crystalbmw328i (8/6): I have the 2008 bmw 328i coupe.......love the car. HATE THE TIRES!!!!!! I just got home from work and found that i have not ONE but TWO more tires with those stupid bubbles. noisy...and since i have already replaced one tire..i see that it is most cost efficient to just change out all 4 with regular ones. *sigh* (report)
dun (8/7): sitting at bmw dealership right now bought a z4 less then 2 months ago and now have to pay 480$ for one tire because it blew out (report)
Anonymous (8/7): They are a joke- a bad one! There must be some colusion between the tire makers and BMW, a quid pro quo. I have had four sets of run flat tires on a BMW I bought new 4 years ago. Why? They wear out quickly and...they can't be repaired so with three nails and a side wall cut I just keep buying more and more tires. BMW, for all of their quality (I have owned three; they are great cars) their tire choice deminishes the good name and reputation of BMW They need to fix this!! (report)
Anonymous (8/9): 3 tyres in 3 weeks rubish (report)
pwaldman (8/10): I bought a certified 1-year old 328XI in April of '08, and after complaining about noise [I thought it was a bearing], the dealer gave me a brand new set of Conti RF. I've had one leak fixed [nail in tread] and now I'm having recurrent problems. These tires are a scam and there should be a class action against them. I bought regular snows with one of those fix-a-flat kits from TireRack and I like the snows better than the conties. (report)
wolfie1 (8/10): after 1500 miles on my 2009 335 i got my first flat with the rft. unfortunately i didnt purchase the extra tire warranty option. one tire $450 plus labor. not happy. cant patch these tires according to the dealer. Is this a scam bmw has come up with. (report)
Anonymous (8/10): These seem to attract nails like crazy! Are there magnets in them??? (report)
Anonymous (8/11): £330 for a tyre! I thought they had a little more wear than being replaced if you have a single puncture. For the sake of going an extra 50 miles and NOT proving any spare its ridiculous. (report)
alznic (8/11): I drive a 328 /2007 its my 3RD bmw and these runflat tires are the wurst tires I hever drove with ,the same thing happend to my front tire ,I hit a hole in the road a bubble came out called my dealler and he was very fast to respond has if he knew exactly wath I was talking about ,Im probably not the only one to calle him with this problem (report)
goirish79 (8/12): I hate the run flat tires....two nails in one year and $800 later, I've replaced two tires way to early for my liking. My advice to anyone would be to pay for the tire/rim warranty because these tires are ridiculous. (report)
Anonymous (8/13): Abismal ride quality (13 August 2009). I have an 2008 X5 3.0SD E70 and sport suspension with Continental SSR 255/50 R19 runflats and I have never known such a bad quality ride. My other car is a Porsche Boxster S with sports suspension and the Porsche wins on ride quality. My old x5 e53 had sports package as well and ride was better. This problem has ruined was is fundamentally a great car with a superb engine. I have written to BMW HQ to see what they suggest and am waiting a response. If this problem cannot be solved, then I definitely wont be buying BMW again which is a shame since this is my 4th BMW. I am in Spain by the way and would be interested to see any other comments from other X5 owners with a similar problem (report)
dougv (8/13): 21K miles on a CPO. Rear tires roar like a lion. Dealer says I need a $300 rear alignment. BULLS**T. The tires are crap. I'll NEVER buy another Bimmer with RFT's. (report)
Reggie (8/14): I have a 2007 328xi. I just got back from the dealership and had to replace all 4 RFT Bridgestone tires at 20K miles. I got a 50% discount but I'm still out of pocket $330.00. Ridiculous. Bridgestone & BMW should be responsible for the total cost to replace. (report)
Anonymous (8/15): i have a 2008 bmw 328i with run flat tires and in less than a year i have replaced all 4 of the tires !!! they are extremly vunerable to nails.. and they are not repairable, i tried... im in nyc and the streets are full of pot holes and nails, these tires should be able to handle them (report)
Anonymous (8/15): I have a 328xi with 30000 miles. The run flat tires are worn out an need to be replaced, but they seemed to have lasted longer than most other users that posted at this site. Why can't BMW deal with this problem? Give us back normal radials and a spare, please!!! (report)
Anonymous (8/15): they suck!! (report)
Price007 (8/16): Send your responses the the BMW N.A. Corp office. Fax, Mail or EMAIL, the do NOT know you're dissatisfied if you are just posting on this site! TAKE ACTION the correct way, with the CORPORATION not the dealership specifically, they only sell what they get from the Corp! (report)
lacroixss (8/17): Bad idea, rough ride and can't be repaired in case of a flat. Luckily I haven't had a major issue but everytime I drive off from my drive way, it feels like driving on a mine field. I used to look forward to getting my new BMW but not this one because I don't get enjoy it fearing the consequences of a bad idea. (report)
CarGeek (8/18): BMWs are great cars and so are the engineers who design them. I love them, and I could buy one, but I can't afford to maintain one so I don't own one. The purpose of the run-flat tire is because most americans have no idea how to change a tire, or are to lazy to do it. A run flat tire will get the owner to a safe place where he/she can change it themselves (not likely), or to a service station where you can have the spare tire installed...if your car even came with one. Some new cars don't come with spare tires... they have run flats. If you leased your pretty new BMW...sorry you have to maintain it as per the contract you signed. If you purchased your BMW you don't have to drive on run-flats. There are plenty of other tires out there that will suit your car, but not recommended by the manufacturer. Kumho makes a run-flat that is about half the cost of Michelins or Bridgestones, but because of this they are hard to find. My I recommend Discount Tire or Tire Rack, and they are both on-line. You can buy them one at a time and stick them in your garage until you need them. They will even warranty them...for a cost of course, but be warned... they do not cover defects do to alignment issues. Alignments are only as good as the person doing them, same as your mechanic. (report)
cbrez357 (8/18): My 2004 Z4 is sitting at the dealership tonight because I got a flat on the tire I bought 8 months ago whenI had another flat so two flats in 8 months. Shocked to find out I get to shell out $329 for one tire because of a nail. Tires can not be repaired so could happen again tomorrow. There is no doubt that my BMW dealership knows what I think of their RFT's. For another $699 I can get their road hazard protection for three years. Contemplating getting regular tires even though I would not have a spare. Cheaper to call roadside assistance and repair a regular tire Broke in Atlanta (report)
john686 (8/19): I have replaced 4 in 15000 miles due to nails and just picked up a nail in one of the replacements with 1800 miles on it and it has to be replaced. I would never purchase another car with run flats. (report)
Sinclair75 (8/19): My 335ci is 35 months old & completed 48k miles. About to fit third set of tyres due to high wear & poor grip of Bridgestone Potenza RFT. These provide me no confidence especially in wet. I run 90k miles in 5y on Dunlop SP9000 fitted to my previous (2001) 330ci which was fantastic. (report)
kanikf99 (8/20): I have a 2006 330xi and I have the same problem. I just had my inspection done and not even 5000 miles since the new pair in back and they tell me I have to get new ones. They are crazy!!! (report)
Anonymous (8/20): I have purchased a spare run flat to carry with me. I am feed up with getting punctures far from home and no body stocks the bloody things. Also I have now found a garage that WILL repair them! What is interesting, if you search ebay you will find lots of run flats up for sales that have been repaired!! make your own conclusion! (report)
Anonymous (8/21): I have a 2006 330i with the sports package and so far with about 18k miles have had to replace two tires! The first was a bubble in the tire and the second was a blown out tire. Today 21 Aug. 09 I just got the tire warning light again. I was heading up the road on this beautiful day and had to turn around for home. Needless to say, I'm not happy with these run flats, and am seriously considering changing out all four tires. BMW needs to do something quick or risk losing loyal customers!! (report)
Anonymous (8/21): WE just replaced two tires after only 9000 miles at cost of about $1000. The tires had "blisters" apparently from very minor contact with a curb. And road hazards are apparently not covered under the new car warranty. To purchase coverage for the two new tires would have cost an additional $900. (report)
Anonymous (8/22): Hi, I have a 2007 BMW 335 w/ Bridgestone run flat tires. I have under 16K miles and drive only on smooth roads. I have had 2 of the run flat tires damaged when the flat tire monitor came up and i was driving less than 10 miles at 35-40 miles per hour. After finding a gas station to put air in, it wouldn't even take the air as the inside side of the tire was just leaking the air out. This has happened to each of the 2 tires within the last 8 months. Has anyone had this problem and do you have any suggestions. I had to pay around $500 for each tire and I think this is a company defective tire. Please advise. Thank you! Johnny Lara (report)
smlpix (8/22): i have a 330xi and afyter just 16k miles the road noise was unbearable- you could feel the serated edges on the tire.. the tires handle horribly, and yes- it's the biggest mistake bmw has ever made and I've had bmw's all my life from my first 2002- to now.. I love the car! hate the tires. BTW bme repalaced all 4 tires for me at no charge (report)
Anonymous (8/22): This is my first and last BMW. I've got a 325xi (2006) with less than 26k miles on it. I ran the car in NYC for the last number of years. Now I've moved to Florida, and am looking into having to replace all 4 tires. The front two have belts showing through, and since the beginning, the road noise has sounded like I've been wearing ear muffs while spinning in a washing machine. It's almost unbearable. What's worse, no one carries the comparable rfts, and you're forced to go through BMW for these. The car was specifically de-engineered to not allow you to carry even a donut, which is criminal in my opinion. Hitting potholes in NYC has also destroyed my rims, as the sheer force and massive vibration felt throughout the car is like getting hit with a proton torpedo - people scream in the car, and on one occassion, my soda can flew out of the cupholder and wound up in the passenger's lap, soaking the poor louse. These things suck. I'm in on the class action. (report)
Tamose (8/22): A nightmare! Fortunately, my problems occured locally. 1st incident was when I picked up a nail. The tires can't be patched/repaired. Low and behold, it took 3 weeks to order the new tire (9k miles on the old one) and cost me $500.00. One week later, I pick up another nail/tire on the other side. These tires are pure insanity. What are people supposed to do if this happens while traveling? Even if you make it to a tire shop it's going to take almost a month to get a replacement tire, at $500.00 a pop. (report)
Tamose (8/22): Can someone give me a point of contact for any class actions suit regarding these RFTs? (report)
madmama (8/22): I hate my run-flats. They have 27,000 miles and two have already been replaced. the other two look brand new. What's up with that? (report)
Anonymous (8/22): Any reason why some of you are replacing tires paying 500 per tire? With that kind of money you might as well replace all 4 tires with nice regular tires. Also if you buy tires from tirerack even the oem turanzas will cost 225 per tire installed. (report)
eotto1 (8/24): Hate them, replace 3 tires on my 645ci! A nail in a tire should be able to be repaired without spending $450 and waiting for a tire. (report)
Anonymous (8/24): I had a complete failure a few days ago. Tire lost air, inside sidewall separated from tread. No one had a replacement in stock...car had to be towed to the BMW dealership and won't be ready until Wednesday...6 days without a $70k car... this may be my last BMW .... (report)
Anonymous (8/25): Very noisy and $$$$. Don't see a value in them. (report)
Anonymous (8/26): I am relieved to find this site. I have had a 335i for the past 3 years and my lease is ending soon. I've looked at the 2009 models and started thinking of what I will get next when I turn in my lease car, and started talking with another customer in the dealership about my extreme dislike for the super-expensive, unfixable run flats. I've replaced several over the past 3 years and thought I was being misled by the tire shops that said they wouldn't fix them. A BMW service guy runs out and starts to defend why they are a good idea. All I can say is that reading the posts on this forum reminded me how angry I get when I hear I have to replace a pair or all four. I kept one of the "worn" ones that the tire shop replaced and will put it on before I hand in my car. Unfortunately the latest models for 2009 and 2010 still continue this lack of an option for regular tires, and no place to put a spare. It's truly outrageous and will cause me to think extremely hard about whether I want to get into this situation again. The fact that they don't provide any choice or alternative is pretty insulting. They use the "what if your wife gets a flat in a dangerous neighborhood" - I'm a single guy not looking for a partner, I'm the only one that drives my car, and I have AAA who can come and fix a flat or put on my spare for me if I had one, but as some here reminded me other times you have to wait for a few days for one to come into a shop. Rediculous. IF, and it's a big IF due mostly to this RFT situation, IF I purchase a new BMW I will really think hard and will likely replace them all up front with regular tires, and may even get one or two rims and put spares in the trunk if I go on long trips. Unfortunately I believe the size of the tires is different in back and front so have to have two spares, not one, or maybe one would do for a short trip home until I can replace them. (report)
Anonymous (8/26): They suck! I will not buy another BMW with those tires. (report)
Frankie114 (8/26): I just purchased a 3281 BMW and the first thing I noted was no spare tire. The dealer explained to be about the run flat tires and that I don't need a spare tire. He also told me that the life span is only 28,000 miles and if they are damaged or punctured, I would have to replace them. He also told me that they are much more expensive than the standard tire and that they are more susceptible to damage when running over pot holes. If these run flats have all these problems, then why use them!! I've been driving for over 25 years and never experienced a blow out. From the way things look I'll have to replace my tires every 2 years. Oh, and he told me that within a 2 year time frame he had to buy new tires due to pothole damage and running over a nail. The only reason the dealer was telling me all this is so he could sell me some insurance. With all these problems you have to be crazy not to have the insurance. (report)
sylviahdz (8/27): After 9,000 miles I have a bubble on the side wall and the BMW dealer said they do not guarantee the tires. They send me to a tire dealer who said I had damaged it even though there are no scratches anywhere on the rim or tire and I have not scraped any sidewalks. The replacement costs are near $400 and the tire has to be ordered so there is a couple of days wait. (report)
anonymous1 (8/27): I have a 2007 328xi with 23,000+ miles and inside the car it sounds like a helicopter or train. Dealer said because tires are cupped/capped and this is a recurring problem for RFTs. If they knew about this problem, how come we BMW owners weren't informed about it. (report)
rstt2009 (8/27): 7,000 miles and we just got our first bubbled tire. Crazy thing is, it's summer and there are no pot holes on the road to hit; so what caused the damage???...probably just poor tire design. (report)
babsbmw12 (8/27): In April 2006 I purchased a new 2006 325i. I have had NOTHING but problems with the tires. I had to replace all four tires at 14,000 miles. Once again I had to bring my car back in due to loud vibrations in my car and I was told that I need to replace all four tires for $1500! This will now be the third set of tires on this car! I have been on car stats sites and this is a HUGE manufacturing issue with Bridgestone Runflat tires and BMW is being quiet about this even though they are highly aware of this large problem with these tires. The noise in my car is so bad that I am embarressed to drive anyone in my car!! I told the dealership that I do NOT want to replace with run flat tires. The dealer told me that they WOULD NOT install anything other than runflats on the car if the car came with runflats. ??? Makes you wonder, huh? By the way, if you do not keep the correct amount of pressure in your tire you can ruin the tire and will have to "replace" the tire. Make sure to always ask them to check the pressure when you bring the car in. Also, if you do get a nail in the tire, you will have to replace the entire tire. These tires SUCK and I would rather have a spare tire in the back than keep these overpriced pieces of garbage on my expensive car! (report)
wkc222 (8/27): do not go for run flat! period! high costs and uncomfortable ride. I have a 5 series and a small puncture on my rear RF is the perfect answer for me to change to conventional tyres.. worth it considering i've done over 40k km already (report)
VernP (8/29): They are way to stiff and stink in the snow I have a 2006 325XI whem I hit a road imperfection it sounds like my front end is going to explode!! (report)
Mart911 (8/30): Just bought a 2006 325 Xi. Very noisy tires. Dealer said there is nothing he can do about it. (report)
Publicsafety09 (8/31): Major Problem with the tires on a 2008 328ci. Three tires with bubbles and a bent rim! 12,000 miles on the car and BMW says it's the tires hitting pot holes. These tires are the worst and the way BMW is handling this is saying call the tire company!! Class action needed here? How about driving 65 mph on a highway at night with bubbles and you may not know it?! (report)
irisherin1203 (8/31): I hate them! Two years into lease and replaced 7 run flat tires!! This is absurd! (report)
johnthomas (9/1): My Girlfriends Mother has a 530d with the Run Flats.Great tyre for grip but to prone to punchures.The punctured tyres cannot be repaired and a new one 'has' to be bought.On tyre no 6 now, all replaced because of punctures.only 20,000 miles done since she bought the car.None of the replaced tyres were anywhere near worn.Each new Tyre is(Bridgestone) £170. F*cking Rip-off.Seems to be a flaw with the tyre design.Does anyone know if repairing is an option and that the Tyre salesman isn't ripping her off? (report)
Anonymous (9/1): I have a leased 2009 BMW 328i X-Drive Coupe. I leased it on December 24th, 2008. It has 9500 miles on it and two of the tires are already "cupped" (a.k.a. have bubbles in them). Dealer said that front right and rear left tires need to be replaced. They quoted $800+. This is a brand new car with mostly highway miles. These tires are of extremely poor quality. I am very disappointed with this issue. I thought I was a BMW driver for life, but this is making me seriously consider other makes. Please advise. If you could help me in any way, I would greatly appreciate it. I am looking for a copy of BMW Bulletin 360606. Sincerely, Lukas Wojtaszek (report)
Anonymous (9/2): just had a flat after 45k miles on original tires, 2005 Z4.I did blow one after 5k miles, pot hole Very hard ride (report)
Anonymous (9/3): i have a 2006 330D, nice car, horrible tyres. When the weather is below 15C they are rock hard and just bounce over any road imperfections. Add in some rain and on some badly pock marked roads they literally throw the car all over the place. But this is managable as you cannot put any power down anyway as the rear tyres just spin! Not confidence inspiring at all. Not what I was expecting from this car. It is the most disapointing aspect to ownership for me. I can feel this cars chassis wants to grip but the tyres just say nope. They are due to be replaced soon with - my current choice of Toyo Proxes T1R. I had these on my Honda and they have good ride, wear is ok for the level of grip and confidence that they provide. I read that 3G RFT are out soon but will not risk it. I have been driving for over 20years and have never had a blowout as I lookk after my tyres and check them regularly. If the car is driving strangely, you should stop and check them. The TPMS will still work with normal tyres. I would have liked normal tyres as standard with a space saver spare as changing a tyre for me is not a problem. Just make sure you take off the wheels when you first get the car and apply a thin coating of copper grease to the mating surfaces of the hub before they bond together. This way you wont have a problem. (report)
Anonymous (9/3): These tires are duds! I have driven my 2006 3 series sparsely and conservatively, and yet I noticed excessive tire wear at under 10K miles. My dealer is now pressuring me to spend $1800 to replace these tires. Somewhere along the way BMW has lost site of their proud automotive heritage and surrendered to corporate greed and deceipt. (report)
Anonymous (9/4): 30,000 miles and I'm now replacing by 5th run flat. One had only 12,000 miles on it. The last flat I was able to travel less than 5 miles before tire desintigrated. Spend a night on the Mass turnpike waiting for a tow, lose travel reservations and then have to get another hotel for the evening while waiting for new tire in the morning. After so many flats in so many not so great places I am totally scared to take the car on any long trip which totally defeats having the convertible. I love the car, but hate the tires and would certainly never buy another BMW. (report)
Anonymous (9/5): Folks: The RTF and embedded sensors in the cars( includes LEXUS GS 450H-performance model), is adding to the frustrations. Car manufacturers and electronics vendors blame the other for the other. For below 60MPH drives and rides, stick to the conventional tires. Safety is not a differentiator in these low -risk drives. This also includes for M6 ( 2008). (report)
Anonymous (9/8): I have brand new 335xi for less than 2 months, < 1300 miles on these Bridgestone RFT tires. One tire blew out last night while I was 100 miles away from home. Same problem as above. (report)
stuartf (9/9): I have found a company that will repair run flat tyres, even if they have side wall damage. They use a system called vulcanisation where they weld a new piece of rubber into the damage. A repair costs £25 inc VAT, the only downside is that you have to leave your tyre with them for 24 hours as the process involves putting it into an oven for around 8 hours. (report)
Anonymous (9/10): I have an 09 328XI Touring with summer tire package Michelin Sport Pilot 2's. On a trip from Toronto to Vancouver, I blew 3 runflats 2 due to sidewall failures, and 1 to a nail. I was out of cel phone coverage, effectively stranded in the middle of nowhere with no spare and no way to get help. This is my 8th and LAST BMW. Unthinkable how BMW can risk its drivers safety without fitting a spare, or providing tires which are resiliant to normal highway driving conditions. No coverage from BMW, and $2k to buy 3 new tires. (report)
Anonymous (9/10): Own an E70 X5 Diesel, 20 inch run flats, hit a small pothole on the freeway and the sidewall bulged on the Bridgestone Dueller. Tyre 7000km old, $750 to replace. Absolute rubbish, have never damaged a tyre in 20 years of driving. Last BMW I will own (report)
alkg (9/11): I have had exactly the same situation. I'm a woman and every time I see the "little red flat" light up I get very nervous because I'm usually alone in my 2008 328xi when it happens and usually not close to a tire repair shop. We spent $700 for the tire insurance after the first flat only to find out that the company has gone bankrupt, hence we're out that money too. My husband called bmw and their response was that we were not driving on bmw approved roads! Most of my driving is in the city, so by now I'm extremely careful going over potholes and bumps. I am now waiting for a call from the tire dealer to find out if I need yet another tire (#3). We still have 15 mos. left on this lease and I dread it. My husband drives a 500 series and he loves it--no problems whatsoever. (report)
Anonymous (9/12): I have a 2007 X5 that I paid $55,000. I assumed this car had a spare tire. The salesman never mentioned run flat tires, what they are, and that there is no spare. Worse yet, you cannot fix them. Another thing the salesman never mentioned. I picked up a nail in one of the tires, but due to the current treadwear I must replace all 4 with a special wheel alignment. I guess if you can afford a BMW you can afford the tires. However, I am having trouble finding the tires. This is crazy. Had I known this when I was looking at SUV's I would have bought the Mercedes. (report)
Ihaterunflats (9/12): The worst ever. 2008 335i, I've replace 4 so far and now have bubble on 3. Gonna switch to 17" wheels, put on standard tires, and take my chances. Should've done it long ago. BMW knows it's got a big problem and doesn't want to deal with it (report)
Anonymous (9/13): I just had 1000km on my brand new 335i Coupe and my tyre has a nail it in! Called 5 places, can't repair it. Have to now fork out $850 to get it replaced... ARGHH!!! (report)
Anonymous (9/14): This is the 3rd set of run flat I have had to put on and the car has only done 44k miles. I also now have to pay 2hrs labour for the alignment to take place on some KDC system. Fuc*ing ripp off BMW. I hate you! (report)
islandman (9/14): I currently have run flat tires on my 2007 BMW 328i. I started complaining to a service advisor at BMW around 10,000 miles because the noise coming from the tires sounded like snow tires. Bridge Stone says that the problem was the caster and camber that BMW insist on when alining the tires. Bridgestone also informed me of a technical bullentin whereby BMW is suppose to replace the tires for free if the customer complains before 10,ooo miles. 50% replacement up to 20,000 miles with 100% on labor. I had to tell the service manager that there was a bullentin and still they have tried to over charge me on the replacements. Should you like a copy of the bullentin please go online to www.bmwtis.com (enter SIB 360606) and it will cost you $30 to get access to the bullentin. Even with the bullentin it is a battle to get BMW to do anything about the noise or wear problem. Good Luck!! (report)
Anonymous (9/15): While I see the benefit, I've had to replace one tire to a slow leak and once again the warning light has come on. I bought the insurance but a lot of time is wasted in taking it to the dealer. To make matters worse I just got my car back several weeks back after a service call. This plain sucks if I can't depend on the tires to last even a few weeks (report)
Anonymous (9/15): Just had two brand new 275/35/19 run flat tires installed on my 645ci convertible two weeks ago today. Got a nail in one of them today and found out it can not be fixed. Had to pay $500 today for another one. $500 for two weeks and 400 miles???? It's way too much $$$$$..... (report)
Anonymous (9/16): If I new about this before leasing the car, I would never do it. These tires are simply a peace of crap.BMW and the dealer should also inform the customer that runflat tires are expected to last no more than 25 or 30,000 miles, which is ridiculously slow for the price they cost. Moreover, the wheels easily get unbalanced and unaligned with this tires. (report)
Anonymous (9/16): Sunshine: I have an 07 335I and have it in today for the 11th tire in 42000 miles...2 were from a pot hole...the rest just wore out!! I love my car but hate those tires.. and my dealer charges $435 per tire.. (report)
greenmean (9/18): I have a 325i and I had to replace two tires already, Hate the tires (report)
hillymarsh (9/19): I recently purchased a second hand mini from an allegedly approved dealer and within three weeks had to replace the nearside front tyre because it had burst. Whilst having it replaced at Kwikfit I was told by the mechanic that I had two run flats on the rear of the car and two cheaper ordinary tyres on the front. I had the offside front tyre replaced by the dealer and he refunded the whopping amount of 157 pounds to me. Can anyone please reply to me and tell me if this is illegal mixing tyres this way? (report)
RSklar (9/21): We have had more problems with these tires than any others that we have ever used. They are expensive, unreliable, and wear out quickly. (report)
fluckbmw (9/21): same issues (report)
Anonymous (9/21): My RFT on my 08 328i SP are cupping in the front after about 12k miles. Very noisy. I have to bring a spare wheel with me when we go on road trips (report)
steverobbo56 (9/22): I hate them with a passion. I have a 335i Convertible and have gone through six tires and two rims in less than a year. They keep telling me the walls are collapsing. WHY ??? I beleive we should lodge a class action against BMW Steve Roberts (report)
steverobbo56 (9/22): I hate them with a passion. I have a 335i Convertible and have gone through six tires and two rims in less than a year. They keep telling me the walls are collapsing. WHY ??? I beleive we should lodge a class action against BMW Steve Roberts (report)
Anonymous (9/22): I have had my 330d for 1 year and have had one complete set of tyres...including new alloy due to pot hole damage....now have 2 nails in 2 tyres, less than a month after they were replaced! Can't repair them....thinking about selling the car now! (report)
Anonymous (9/22): I agree. I have a 2008 X5 not even two years old with less than 20,000 miles. While in TX, I had to replace 3 tires and the truck was not even 6monts old at the time. Now, I have a leak in one of the tires I just replaced not even 7 months ago!!! This is madness. I have a warrenty for the tires, but it does not cover punctures, they can not be repaired, so what is the warrenty for?..I can't believe this!!! (report)
Houston1 (9/22): This is my second time replacing my runflat tire and I only had the car 1yr 2 months. It is costly and so is the warranty. Very disappointed (report)
RxDoc1 (9/23): 2005 BMW 645Ci, they are loud noisy and blowout in the middle of nowhere left me in a tow in situation that cost more than the tire...What idiot decided that we are all always going to be in range of service should have to experience all the expense and frustraion of the BMW driving experience in the real world...yes it is fine machine well built and sexy but not riding on the back of a wrecker for 125 miles...even a donut spare would have spared my complete and utter discust with my RFT experience! Oh BTW you cannot even find the Goodyear tires on mine you have two replace a minimumm of two, at 33K miles this will be the third set, mine were replaced at my own expense at 19K miles, have been pressure cked rotated and balanced every 7-8K, so much for preventative maintenance and fresh tires....... (report)
Anonymous (9/24): I have a 2008 X5 with 16k miles and the noise coming from the tires is ridiculous. BMW's suggestion, replace the tires. My suggestion, replace the X5 with an Acura MDX! Free maintenance isn't so free after all if you have to replace your tires every 10-12k miles! (report)
Anonymous (9/24): I hate run flat tyres also. I have just had my bmw services for the first time and have been told I need 4 new tyres at a cost of £160 per tyre. Not happy:( (report)
philiptaylor (9/25): I have a 2004 BMW Z4 and it is killing me with the run-flat-tire problems. I have replaced three tires in the past six months. Right this minute, the car is sitting with a rear right blow-out and no tire in town. The tire is nearly new and I am sick of this mess. (report)
Anonymous (9/25): I have replaced 3 out of 4 tires on my 335i in less than 20,000 km of driving at a total cost of $2,500. So far this is by far the most expensive car to maintain I have ever owned. (report)
Anonymous (9/25): I had a nail in my tire and now i have to replace the whole tire. I have BMW 2006 325i with sports package. If i had know that Run flat has so many issues I would have bought some other car. (report)
Anonymous (9/25): I have a 2008 328i Convertible with 13,000 miles and my two front tires (Continential run flats) need replacing. They are worn on the outer side of the tire but the middle and inner tire are fine. Go figure? The two back tires are perfect also. YA (report)
BC223 (9/27): What an absolute joke that a company like BMW thought that these tires were a selling feature. They perform aweful and they are noisy / loud! I have a 325i that I will be getting rid of soon. My Ford F250 is quieter!! (report)
Coppertop4268 (9/28): Your photo of the sidewall damage looks exactly like my front tire - except I didn't hit a pothole - I drive this car approx 6 miles a week or less - to the grocery store a mile away...no pot holes on the way. I believe this tire is defective. I bought the tire road hazard insurance at a cost of $900 - I was assured by BMW that this insurance covers EVERYTHING - now I see on the policy that it doesn't cover anything..really, its a rip off - I'm not shutting up about this and will go to BMW North America for a replacement tire. This is my 6th BMW, the first with RF's. Over the years service has greatly diminished with BMW. It's not just my local dealer either. I've had service in Minneapolis (MotorWerks), Souix Falls, SD (Billions), Long Beach, CA, Buena Park (Shelley). The customer phone surveys after service is getting them way less than 5's and they don't seem to mind. (report)
Anonymous (9/28): I hate them, it would be ok if you just hit a nail, which is how they are designed, but if you hit the sidewall, you are done! Horrible tires, you might as well take the chance with normal tires, and get AAA. (report)
Anonymous (10/1): Not only do I hate the tires, I hate BMW for selling me a car with these tires on them. I have never gotten more than 12,000 out of them, and I do normal freeway commute. In addition to the other problems everyone cites, the last straw for me was when I bought a new tire and it failed after driving on it for FIFTEEN miles. I hit no potholes. The dealer said "Gee, you hit a pothole, too bad." Too which I said "Gee, your tires are TOO FRAGILE for normal driving." I will be terminating my lease shortly. (report)
Anonymous (10/5): I have to put air in the tires every two to three weeks. I've also replaced one. They r the worst! (report)
pvisf (10/5): I have a 2007 335i convertable. Just now had to buy my 4th set of tires with on 43K miles on the car! Not only do the tires make it impossible to drive on pothole city streets (something that previous BMW's did exceptionaly well) they blister and pop at the first sign of rough roads. I've been to Germany and I know this is not just a US problem. Yes I can afford them, but. . . . . this makes me very unlikely to buy another BMW. They need to address this ASAP!!! (report)
Anonymous (10/5): I am dissappointed to say that I am embarrassed to drive my 08 328XI because the tires are so loud. I travel for work a lot and run flat tires do me no good if I'm in the middle of no where and cannot get a replacement. Not to mention, I cant even tell if one of my tires is bad or if they just need some air from the indicator lights. Of course, there is the additional cost and decreased life of the tire which would be worth if I truly felt safer...I dont though. I am a repeat BMW buyer but will not buy another if I cannot put regular tires on my car w/ spare. (report)
joliems (10/7): I have to replace all my RTF at 15,000! I should not have to pay for this faulty product. My dealer is giving me 2 tires free but I feel like I should get all 4 for free. Ridiculous! (report)
Anonymous (10/9): bubbles in sidewalls. For what the car costs, BMW cound use reglar tires and a spare (report)
bimmerjd (10/10): I just bought certified pre-owned 328i with rfts. They ride like shit and are loud. I just got a spare for an X3 bimmer used online and a jack. I will put regular tires on the car soon and as far as loss of trunk space, if I go somewhere with my wife I can use the back seat for bags etc. (report)
Anonymous (10/10): Have owned 3 BMW suv x5..this is my fourth one...(2001,2003,2006,2008)having a lot of trouble on highway, keeping this vehicle on the road! Never had this trouble with previous ones..Dealership can't find anything wrong when they drive it!! I think it has to be the tires!!Have said so since day one from the dealership! I used to be a die hard bmw fan...not anymore... (report)
raffaele (10/11): It is a ridicoulus gadget that improve the profit of company involved and has unacceptable cost.It is an insult to the customer's intelligence. Stay away from the car with this "feature"! (report)
raffaele (10/11): It is a ridicolous gadget that does not worth the money, good profit for the companies involved; sometime,dipends from how meny Km You drove on the same axle if You get a nail on one tire you should have to replace two tires. Seems to me an insult at customer's intelligence.Stay away from the cars that support these tires. (report)
renelaine (10/11): I try very hard to avoid potholes and curbing my tires. However, at 15,500 miles my mini s has a bubble on the rear driver tires. (report)
OLIBANE (10/12): Many repair shops do not want ot fix punctured RFT. If you must but a new tire for every flat, it is ridiculous. (report)
Anonymous (10/13): I have a 2009 328i, and i got a nail in my tire, now i have to dish out $350 to have it replaced, and will now have one new tire with 100% tread and the rest wearing at their own rate. I don't mind the run flats if they can be repaird. It gives the peace of mind that my wife can have a flat and still drive home, but it's not economical or enviromentally friendly to have to replace a tire every time you get a flat. And what happens if you're in a remote area with no access to RFT tires, do i have to start carrying an RFT spare in my trunk??? (report)
Anonymous (10/14): My 2008 335xi coupe has 19,000 miles. I use winter wheels and snows, so the ren flats have about 9,500 miles. I've had to replace two tires due to sidewall bubbles and the two original tires will not last the remaining year of my lease. They ride extremely hard, are heavy and its is difficult to find a shop outside of a major city who stock them or can work on them. If you get a true flat more than 100 miles from home, you're likely getting a hotel room! (report)
hateRFTs (10/14): Same story as pretty much everyone here posting. I have a 2008 328i convertible (sports pack), and at 14K miles one of my back tires blew out while I was driving! I took it into the dealership and they said that both back tires were completely bald. The front tires were fine. The dealership met me halfway and I paid for 1 tire, but I had to haggle and complain...that was in March 2009. As of yesterday (10/13/09), the 2 back tires that were replaced 7 months earlier and maybe 5K miles, are bald again! REALLY?!?!?! The dealership this time will NOT meet me halfway or anything....they said it's how I am driving my car...they've just worn out! I am beyond pissed and trying to figure out a way to recoup my costs!!! This is beyond a lemon of a situation! (report)
LBeagle (10/15): The overwhelming consensus is that run flat tires on any model BMW or any other car are inherently defective, obnoxiously noisy, wear poorly, ride hard, coarsely, and are difficult to locate outside of urban areas. Furthermore, if one owns an AWD vehicle, one has the prohibitively expensive proposition of replacing all four tires if only one tire is damaged. The only alternative to this unsatisfactory situation is either to change to regular performance tires or forego BMW cars. Find it interesting that Audi doesn't choose to mount run flats on their cars. If I were advertising Audis I'd make a point of emphasizing how displeased drivers are with run flats, the problems they cause, and the fact that Audis eschew such unpopular tires. My solution hasn't been to abandon my 325xi but to go with regular tires. But from a business point of view the stubborn position of BMW to hold to these frightful tires makes no sense. It's like shooting yourself in your front tire. (report)
dartaskar (10/15): I have a 2007 328i. I had to purchase 2 rear tires ($700) in Sept. 2008. My husband told me I should just replace the run flats and get four new tires. I liked the idea of the run flats since I drive a lot for work and sometimes not in the safest areas. Well, this year (Feb 09)the dealer told me the front tires were worn and I need new ones. Another $700.00. Again, my husband told me I was crazy. Well, now it's October and the tire indicator light is on. If I'm told I need new tires, I am going to replace them and get the conventional ones. Spending $1400 on tires in a year is just ridiculous. Where is the class action law suit? (report)
AlanB (10/16): I have had my 135i for one year and one week today. I have now replaced 4 tires and have had two damaged wheels as well. I try very hard to avoid potholes but once in awhile I don't see one due to a car being in front of me blocking the view. This is a $2,500 maintenance problem in one year, not to mention a great inconvience. (report)
Anonymous (10/17): I hate that they cost 370.00 per tire on my 330i and I can pretty much replace two regular tires for the cost of one run flat. I went non-run flat, bought the insurance and have AAA or BMW roadside incase i get a flat. (report)
Anonymous (10/18): Just lost one at 22,000 (report)
Anonymous (10/19): Have a 2006 330xi. Replaced first set of Bridgestone RFTs with non-RFTs due to harsh ride and bad reports. Blew one of the new tires on a pothole due to the stiff suspension (no sports packaage), replaced with Continental Conti RFTs on dealers advisement. Hit another pothole (New England roads), dealer now tells me at least 2 and preferably 4 wheels need to be replaced. Thats 2 sets of tires and 1 set of wheels in 50k miles. Unacceptable. Likely my last BMW, I have driven Saabs, Volvos, Audi, Subarus, VWs, and have never even had a flat... (report)
incolumis (10/19): I have a 1 year old 535xi with 245/40R18 tires on. My first front tire blew out 11073 miles. My second one now has a bulge at 14378 miles. There is something wrong with the tires and in any case, it is ruining the pleasure of driving the car as I keep looking out for potholes rather than driving! Class action is called for! (report)
Anonymous (10/20): They are so noisy that I have the impression that I am riding in a big truck. (report)
Anonymous (10/20): i just bought a brand new 328 in june 09'. less than 7,000 miles to date and got a leaky tire. had to put air in 2 that tend to lose more pressure than usual when temperatures drop. worried that i got a cuople of bad tires at purchase. i live in louisiana. (report)
Anonymous (10/20): Just talked to my BMW dealer about a "blister" in the sidewall of Bridgestone Potenza run flats with 10,000 miles. Dealer says it is my problem because I hit a pot hole? How do i get them to be responsible for what is obviously a design problem? (report)
Anonymous (10/22): i agree there a disaster last no time and if you get a puncture your not meant to plug it..money racket if you ask me and makes the ride very bumpy i wont be buying another bmw (report)
Anonymous (10/22): 2007 335i with BS Turanzas - for 3 years I have complained about the tires. Even had it inspected once about the noise. Now at my lease end and my front tire is almost bald. I have never heard of the "service bulletin" until my very last service. The tech mentioned the road noise to me. Once the car is inspected, I'm sure they are going to try and charge me for the tire wear. I just bought a used 328 with the continentals and they are light years BETTER. It's a totally different ride all together. (report)
robby (10/22): I hate them with a vengence! So far I have replaced 9 in 3 years. Assuming you are lucky enough to be able to find a replacement?? Also had to replace 4 alloys as they were all cracked! Tyre offers no protection at all to the wheel. Worst invention ever! Bridgestone say you can repair runflats but BMW say no?? Speak to BMW they say these are 'no problem and fitted for your convenience? Towed in 3 times so far?? (report)
Anonymous (10/23): I just had the same experience, got a nail in my tyre and it could not be repaired.I only did 5000km in my new 320i. I stay in Northern Cape where distance between some towns are 140km and there are no runflats available for more than 400kms.Wesley (report)
Anonymous (10/23): This is insane. $300 to replace a tire from a nail for a 2008 528i. I am leasing it and will return it next year. This is how BMW makes up for not charging us maintenance for 50,000 miles. (report)
Greek (10/25): I have a 2006 325i and i love the car but the run flats are rough.They hold the road good but they will beat you.If the pressure is down the least bit then it is all over the road (report)
Anonymous (10/25): I have a 328xi with run flats and THEY ARE THE CRAP!! I replaced two at 15,000m and had to fight with the dealer to get them to pay for the tires they know are defective!! I asked about a peplacement tire(not RFT) and got a stock BMW answer that the car is built around the RFT. When you push them about other tires they will tell you that you can put non run flats on but now you have to have a spare bla,bla bla... I drove on regular tires all my life and Im still living!! Noisey and you get a little vibration on the highway. Now at 23,000 miles I have to replace all four. I will NOT put RFT on again. Great car; crap tires. (report)
jfh (10/28): Jfh (10/27/09)i hate them. this is the 2nd tire i have to pay for in less than 6 months and i have a brand new 328xi. first it was a nail and now a pot hole. these are expensive tires to replace.i was wondering if any of this, a result of poor design or a way to rip off the customer. (report)
anotherbaldrick (10/28): Run flat are rubbish. Just bought a new 318 with them on. Wish I had stuck with Mercedes !!! (report)
Anonymous (10/28): This is my 5th but last BMW I'm looking into a different car...I hate the RFT...HORRIBLE! (report)