[hawkeye252]

Boy I like the X3 but am very concerned about having run flat tires and having a flat down some dirt road in the mountains without a spare. Is this a valid concern?

[Yeltzer]

Originally Posted by hawkeye252

Boy I like the X3 but am very concerned about having run flat tires and having a flat down some dirt road in the mountains without a spare. Is this a valid concern?

Nope. The run flat tyres are designed exactly for that situation. Just remember to adhere to the recommend speed and distances you can travel on a punctured tyre.

[KF]

Hi run flats are not designed for that situation. They are designed for a car that never gets more than 80 kilometres from a tyre dealer that stocks that size tyre.

If you need a replacement tyre more than 100 kilometres from a stocks of your size tyre you will be lucky to get the tyre that day.

Having said that we have done 20,000km in our X3 with a spare tyre using much of our luggage space and did not have to use it.

We have been as far as 6000 km away from where there are stocks of our size tyre!!
KF

[brissim]

hawkeye252 - Don't let the issue of the runflats put you off the X3 - its worth it. The spin I would put on it is that a X3 is no worse than say the Q5 and XC60 with their space saver spares. These space saver spares have much the same distance and speed restrictions as a puntured runflat but in their case, you have to stop and put on the spare - with runflats you just keep on driving.

Having said that in my case, on delivery I replaced the runflats with conventional tyres and a full size spare tied down in the back. The downside of this approach is that I have to always carry the spare. Thankfully, luggage space has not been an issue for us even on long trips because there's just to two of us. Your sitution may be different. While there are secondary reasons why I replaced the runflats (ride quality ; wear rate of the OEM tyres), the main reason - much the same as KF - is the lack of support for replacement runflats once you have left one of our six State capitals. Again things may be different in your situation.

One side issue is the repair of a puntured runflats. While it is thoerically possible to repair a punctured runflat as long as the puncture is in the tread of the tyre (which is the same as a conventional tyre), I notice more OEM tyre manufacturers are recommending the replacement of any puntured runflat rather than their repair. I notice Pirelli is the lastest manufacturer to take this approach. While I've no doubt that part of Pirelli's motives are clearly aimed at requiring you to buy a new tyre, the practical reality "on the ground" is that more tyre repairers are going to refuse to repair runflats based on this advise from OEM manufacturers.

Also take your time and use the search function on this forum as there are several threads on the subject of runflats - which I would be expect to be case on any BMW forum.

Tony

[n55x3]

Don't sweat the RFTs! They are a bit clunky but IMHO are worth it. It's my wife's daily driver and I feel much better about her driving around alone knwoing the RFTs will be able to get her home if one goes flat.

I'd actually prefer the RFTs in the back country over a space saver spare for several reasons. First you'll need to also carry a jack and accessories. Changing a tire on a fire road can be a pain. I know from experience. Also, if your half way up your favorite trail and you get a flat you're more likely to get back with the RFT than the semi-bald space saver especially if traction is a concern. Also, what happens if you are super unlucky and your thinned rubber space saver tears on a rock, then your really in a bind.

[GenX3]

It's more expensive to run RFTs than conventional (though, you do have to purchase a spare tire, wheel, and jack kit)... RFTs are more expensive and given that repair is becoming more and more rare, you'll be coughing up for a new tire at almost every flat. Plus, depending on your mileage of the other tires, you could be in for two/four new tires even if they have miles left on them.

And there is no doubt that the RFTs are still kind of a rare bird. You don't want mix and match manufacturers or tread wear. I couldn't find anyone (EVEN GY) who could supply the tires that my 2012 M came with. I had to get it from the dealer.

I'll be looking at the issue again when it's time to replace the tires. At that point, I may opt for conventional tires with a spare.... Not really sure.

[KF]

Hi I agree that the wheel barrow tyres offered as a spare are less desirable than run flats.

Our original Dunlop Maxx cost $585 and we can get same size not run flat Pirelli P Zero's for $460!! Sorry Tony but the last time I asked there were good stocks of our size in Melbourne and Sydney but none any where else.

I believe that BMW should offer at least in Australia the option of five full size wheel as does Mercedes. Would likely need to put a pod on the tail gate just like the Japanese SUV's

KF

[brissim]

Originally Posted by KF

Sorry Tony but the last time I asked there were good stocks of our size in Melbourne and Sydney but none any where else.

I believe that BMW should offer at least in Australia the option of five full size wheel as does Mercedes. Would likely need to put a pod on the tail gate just like the Japanese SUV's

KF

That would figure - I certainly would not like to have my X3 off the road for 2-3 days while you waited for a replacment tyre to be freighted in. I know at the time I took delivery of my car and replaced the OEM runflats (Sep 2011), the four Goodyear Excellance 245/55/17s that came off were the only 4 in the country - Goodyear Australia didn't even have the tyre listed on their books.

The annoying thing about Japanese and even Korean built SUVs, is that many of them carry full size spares internally without any sacrifice in say fuel tank capacity - because thats the way they were designed from the beginning. At the time I was looking at the X3 I did ask one of the sales guys what were the chances of BMW Australia offering a tailgate fitted full size spare in the same way they do for the X5. He just laughed and said "bugger all". Apparently given the very poor uptake of the full sized spare option for the X5, there was no way BMW Australia would stick their neck out and do the same for the F25 X3.

Tony

[Razel]

Originally Posted by hawkeye252

Boy I like the X3 but am very concerned about having run flat tires and having a flat down some dirt road in the mountains without a spare. Is this a valid concern?

32 miles of dirt/mountain road getting out of Saline Valley (NW Death Valley) and then 40 miles of pavement to the tire store. No problem with a flat right front tire.