[nogren]

Originally Posted by j1980mac

I've been looking at the PS4s! I'm wondering if they'll cure the heavy steering wheel in the X3 M40i?

Perhaps select "Sport Individual", and put everything in Sport, except steering?

/n

[Pretzel]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

which rft tires comes with 19" 698M?

My 2018 came with Bridgestone Duelers RFT

[j1980mac]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

Your steering is heavy? Mine is really light except in sport where its a little heavier. What tires/wheels do you currently have?

I'm running factory wheels with Pirelli P Zero AS + tires

I'm mostly speaking of when it gets over 35 or so. It's really hard just to have a relaxed drive. I'm fighting it to stay in the exact center lanes more than I want.

I've got the stock Pirelli on 20s. The only way it feels lighter is to have the tires overinflated by 2-3 psi. Not really ideal.

[j1980mac]

Originally Posted by nogren

Perhaps select "Sport Individual", and put everything in Sport, except steering?

/n

Appreciate the suggestion, but "Comfort" is still pretty heavy feeling.

[Pretzel]

Originally Posted by j1980mac

Appreciate the suggestion, but "Comfort" is still pretty heavy feeling.

I guess the 'heavy' feeling is relative. Coming from my floaty Acura RDX I'd call it more responsive.

In comparison to my 2011 e90 I'd call the M40i steering light.

Driving my older BMW is like going to the gym. Even driving in a straight line is a lot of effort. If I toss it around I risk pulling a chest muscle...it's that heavy

[j1980mac]

Originally Posted by Pretzel

I guess the 'heavy' feeling is relative. Coming from my floaty Acura RDX I'd call it more responsive.

In comparison to my 2011 e90 I'd call the M40i steering light.

Driving my older BMW is like going to the gym. Even driving in a straight line is a lot of effort. If I toss it around I risk pulling a chest muscle...it's that heavy

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I had a 2014 RDX AWD and it was very agile.

Although, the X3 could out maneuver it any day, but you'd pull a chest muscle.

So I'm questioning the stock Pirelli RF and am wanting to go with the Michelin PS4 non- RF.

I guess the only risk would be if this change would truly make it feel more nimble and give me the steering input I desire? Hard to say.

[Gimmethecash]

Steering on the M40i is much lighter than my M2’s was. I have PS4S on mine and I think it’s about as responsive as you can get without going to a track tire. Quiet, grippy & smooth too, an improvement in pretty much every way over a run-flat (except being able to run when flat, but usually TPMS gives plenty of warning).

[j1980mac]

Originally Posted by Gimmethecash

Steering on the M40i is much lighter than my M2's was. I have PS4S on mine and I think it's about as responsive as you can get without going to a track tire. Quiet, grippy & smooth too, an improvement in pretty much every way over a run-flat (except being able to run when flat, but usually TPMS gives plenty of warning).

Great to know. I was looking at these or the Michelin Latitude RF when it's time to replace. Not sure about the Latitude. Not much buzz about them.

[j1980mac]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

Your steering is heavy? Mine is really light except in sport where its a little heavier. What tires/wheels do you currently have?

I'm running factory wheels with Pirelli P Zero AS + tires

You know what, I turned off the lane keep assist and it's lightened up a lot. I guess it's trying to over-correct my bad driving.

[ari_bose@pacbell.net]

how about off road options for the m40i, anyone has experience using off road tires, we live in Tucson and need to go off road, but the bridge stone tires cannot even handle pot holes, two flats in two weeks.

[ContactPatch]

Originally Posted by ari_bose@pacbell.net

how about off road options for the m40i, anyone has experience using off road tires, we live in Tucson and need to go off road, but the bridge stone tires cannot even handle pot holes, two flats in two weeks.

You have pot holes in Tucson, I thought they were caused by water and the freeze-thaw cycle?

[ari_bose@pacbell.net]

yes, it does freeze here and rains cause flash floods

[T16ole]

Mine came with 21”rft, I bought a second set of 20” 699`s / Pirelli scorpion winters non rft

For the first time ever, the ride is basically the same, I actually prefer the sharpness on the Alenza 21” rtf tyres.

I was a massive hater of previous rft tyres.

[j1980mac]

Originally Posted by AndroidRobot

Your steering is heavy? Mine is really light except in sport where its a little heavier. What tires/wheels do you currently have?

I'm running factory wheels with Pirelli P Zero AS + tires

I'm running 20s & Pirelli RF.

[T16ole]

Originally Posted by j1980mac

I'm running 20s & Pirelli RF.

My 20” set is non rft and the 21” is rft, you think the larger profile tyres which are not rft would be more supple, but they’re not really any different and I prefer the feel of the 21” rft, they feel more grippy and sharp

[zaitcev]

In my case, the deciding factor was that I sometimes venture far away out in the field, where the closest supplier of the run-flat tires is 15 miles of trail and 160 miles of highway away. A run-flat tire will not last that long without air, and towing is out of question (well, it can be arranged, just costs a lot).

Additional factor was how much easier it is to find conventional performance tires.

The hump is a detriment, but not enough of one.

I suppose if one never leaves confines of civilization, and only uses the car for mundane commuting, run-flats are a better option.

[dan74]

I came from 10 years of run flats in my 3 series. Ordered x3 with nin run flats and not regretting it so far..19 inch pirellis...better handling and more quiet. Came with the spare option.

[TurtleMax]

Hey guys, I am enjoying reading up on the differences between tires... I currently drive a 2011 X3 with run flats... In a month I will be embarking on a period of heavy field work in the Mojave Desert, traveling on rocky, muddy, and generally gnarly roads... In an effort to avoid being stranded I would like to replace my tires with conventional all-terrain tires and purchase a 5th spare to be stored on the roof rack... I would greatly appreciate any off-road tire recommendations to make this little SUV a bit more rugged and reliable... Thx!

[BillD1953]

Originally Posted by BillD1953

Im pretty happy with the Bridgestone Duellers AS RFs that came on my new M40i.
Very compliant soft ride....and I did order the spare tire kit......

Update: @ 24,500 miles. The RF Duellers are getting harder and just a bit noisier as the miles add up.

Same thing happened with my 2016 228i that came with OEM P7 Pirelli runflats. At 38,000 when I traded the 228i in for the X3M40i the P7s hummed and road like hockey pucks.

I'll be bolting a set of air tires on the X3M40i at 30,000.

[deborahr124]

I went with non run flats and the spare. What I didn't know is that the floor of the cargo area is raised a bit due to the spare, I guess. If I had known that, I would have taken the run flats and bought non run flats when I needed tires, which I have done with my other X3s.

[deladude]

IMO its about what you value more in your tires.

If you're priority is peace of mind that you won't get stuck on the side of the road than RFTs are your best option.

If you're priority is performance, comfort or cost than your best choice is going to be a non-RFT option.

Since I care about ride quality and performance the most I ditched the RFTs at the soonest possible moment. I also have a spare in the back and AAA so I have the rare emergency well covered regardless.

Consider that BMW does not run RFTs on ///M cars.

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by deborahr124

I went with non run flats and the spare. What I didn't know is that the floor of the cargo area is raised a bit due to the spare, I guess. If I had known that, I would have taken the run flats and bought non run flats when I needed tires, which I have done with my other X3s.

i have an E84 X1 .. it came with runflats and I replaced them with non run flats and have not looked back...

Originally Posted by deladude

IMO its about what you value more in your tires.

If you're priority is peace of mind that you won't get stuck on the side of the road than RFTs are your best option.

If you're priority is performance, comfort or cost than your best choice is going to be a non-RFT option.

Since I care about ride quality and performance the most I ditched the RFTs at the soonest possible moment. I also have a spare in the back and AAA so I have the rare emergency well covered regardless.

Consider that BMW does not run RFTs on ///M cars.

Originally Posted by Mark House

I may just purchase a single spare run flat tire to keep on hand. That way I wouldn’t have to order a tire if I needed one quick but not necessarily carry one in the car.

Originally Posted by zaitcev

In my case, the deciding factor was that I sometimes venture far away out in the field, where the closest supplier of the run-flat tires is 15 miles of trail and 160 miles of highway away. A run-flat tire will not last that long without air, and towing is out of question (well, it can be arranged, just costs a lot).

Additional factor was how much easier it is to find conventional performance tires.

The hump is a detriment, but not enough of one.

I suppose if one never leaves confines of civilization, and only uses the car for mundane commuting, run-flats are a better option.

indeed... whether or not one decides run flats are a good idea is a very personal decision... and may be largely based on one's activity with the vehicle. My X1 came with 19" Pirelli Run flats. I switched to non runflats... but i did so actually AFTER an experience in which the run flat saved me... but only sorta.

On a 200 mile trip towards Houston from Dallas, I ended up driving in a construction area with the lanes partially shifted. The lanes were shifted onto the shoulder.. and the shoulder had cuts in it designed for alerting motorists when they were leaving the lane. Due to the way that the lanes were shifted, one had to make a conscious decision to avoid the part of the lane that now has cuts in it. I saw a couple of other motorists pulled off the highway.. a short while later.. my own Tire low light came on. Realizing i had RFT tires, I still stopped at the next location I could, and could hear air hissing out. There was a gash in the tire, no way it could be repaired. ok so now i figured i would just casually find a tire place to replace a tire. I searched and no tire shops within 45 miles. BMW Assist offered to send a tow driver that could arrive in 2-4 hours. I continued on and reached the next town and was able to limp my X1 on a now SHREDDED tire to a tire shop.

The nearest Discount Tire/Walmart/NTB etc was still 45 miles away and of course.. no 19: tires in stock. They can order one and it will be 48 hrs or so for delivery. The tire shop I stopped at was able to locate a 19" tire in their pil of pull off tires that had a slightly different aspect ratio that fit. I was amazed when I stopped that the rim was ok... and ever more surprised that they changed the tire without scratching the rim. So .. with a USED tire installed for around $50.. i was on my way. I made it to Houston and back, and ordered a full set of four new NON run flat tires from the Tire Rack and had them installed.

So.. while the Run Flat tires did allow me to get off the road safely and find a tire shop.. I was still not able to locate a tire in stock... and even had i been in Dallas or Houston... I would have had to wait for a tire to come in to be installed.

All other times that I have had a flat in the past... in an E30 M3.. or in a Ford SUV...i simply pulled out my spare tire and was on my way in 25 minutes after changing the wheel and tire out myself. For me.. the added expense of the Run flat tires provided a certain level of convenience while I was in distress...but really not enough to be a full solution to the issue of needing a tire to continue on.