[ReturnZero]

Have any of you guys thought about getting an M Tire Repair Kit and ditch the run flats? My tires are almost due and I'm thinking about replacing them with regular tires and getting one of these kits just in case.

Anyone have experience with these?

[mtbmaniac]

I bought my X3 M-Sport in the fall of 2012 and immediately upgraded to 20" BMW OEM 311 wheels with runflats that the dealer sold me at cost because the customer they ordered them for backed out at the time of delivery. A few months later, I put 19" non-runflat snow tires on the stock wheels and bought the same BMW recovery kit from my 1M or an M3. I have driven the car for two winters now with the non-runflats and have not had any problems. Based on my experience thus far of the better ride quality, more tire options, and less expensive tires, I will replace the 20" runflat tires with non-runflats when they wear out. I may also buy a doughnut spare from bimmerzone just to have available if I ever take a road trip where I think that I might be more than 50 miles away from a BMW dealer, which is most of the Rocky Mountain region where I live.

[hillanddale]

I have an X3 on order and often do road trips out west. I was wondering about just putting Slime in the tires ahead of time whether they be RFTs or regular tires? When I leave KC it is at least 500 miles to the west for a BMW shop and west of Denver the next one is 500-600 mi. to Salt Lake. While I'm looking forward to my first BMW I am concerned about this tire deal and no spare. 50 miles won't get you far in the West. May not see the next jack rabbit let alone tire repair or anyone who knows what an RFT is. When you leave Green River UT going west a sign says, Next Services 100 miles.

Another question is, if my tire light says a tire is going down and I'm in the middle of nowhere, can I deflate the tire, put in a can of slime and re-inflate or what is best way to handle this?

[bagekko]

The repair kit, which is in my M5, has the sealant you inject and a compressor. The sealant ruins the TPMS sensor in the wheel when you use it, AFAIK. Paying for AAA is cheaper. I would never use it unless it was a crazy emergency, otherwise I'd just wait for a tow, or if close go home and get a spare wheel from my stash. I dont mind the RFTs on the X3, but will never use them on my M5 or anything I drive hard.

[mac10]

Originally Posted by hillanddale

I have an X3 on order and often do road trips out west. I was wondering about just putting Slime in the tires ahead of time whether they be RFTs or regular tires? When I leave KC it is at least 500 miles to the west for a BMW shop and west of Denver the next one is 500-600 mi. to Salt Lake. While I'm looking forward to my first BMW I am concerned about this tire deal and no spare. 50 miles won't get you far in the West. May not see the next jack rabbit let alone tire repair or anyone who knows what an RFT is. When you leave Green River UT going west a sign says, Next Services 100 miles.

Another question is, if my tire light says a tire is going down and I'm in the middle of nowhere, can I deflate the tire, put in a can of slime and re-inflate or what is best way to handle this?

The 'Slime' as you put it is PVA.......to put it in the tyre prior to a puncture is of no use! It will go off in the tyre and dry up, when you have a puncture and then put it in the idea is that it will fill the hole with the goo and solidify thus sealing the hole. It can do nothing if it is already solidified.
Problem with it is that tyre fitters will not do a repair on your tyre, no matter how minor, once it has this around the interiorof your tyre.
Another problem is that if the damage to the tyre is large then it does not seal, it just bubbles out.
A proper spare and somewhere to put it is the way BMW should go. Revert back to the way way it used to be.
Why not make it an option!
Fill the wheel well with compartments or the like for those who do not want a spare......remove them for those who want one.
I carry a spare space saver loose in the boot!
Would rather do this than use the goo supplied by Alpina.

Just my opinion.

[woodchuck1]

My dealer told me that if I trade my car in with non run-flat tires, they can't sell it as a BMW certified used car unless they put new run flats on it. Basically, no matter what the condition of the conventional tires, they would deduct about $2000 from the value of the trade to replace them with new run-flats. I have a compressor kit and I had planned to replace the OEM tires with non run-flats, but now I'm not so sure....

[bagekko]

Thats correct a CPO car must have BMW approved tires for that model. Our CPO X3 was transferred from a affiliated non BMW Dealer to their BMW Center after it was traded in. Before they sent it to BMW they replaced all 4 tires with unapproved tires, BMW had to remove the brand new tires and put the correct ones on before selling.

Originally Posted by woodchuck1

My dealer told me that if I trade my car in with non run-flat tires, they can't sell it as a BMW certified used car unless they put new run flats on it. Basically, no matter what the condition of the conventional tires, they would deduct about $2000 from the value of the trade to replace them with new run-flats. I have a compressor kit and I had planned to replace the OEM tires with non run-flats, but now I'm not so sure....

[philtrick123]

Originally Posted by woodchuck1

My dealer told me that if I trade my car in with non run-flat tires, they can't sell it as a BMW certified used car unless they put new run flats on it. Basically, no matter what the condition of the conventional tires, they would deduct about $2000 from the value of the trade to replace them with new run-flats. I have a compressor kit and I had planned to replace the OEM tires with non run-flats, but now I'm not so sure....

Not sure about the US, but my UK X3 came with standard spec 17" wheels, with non run flat tyres. I think 18" and above are all RFT.
So the statement about trade in with non RFT tyres is not completely true, at least in the UK.