[SquareWheels]

I live in TN, I assumed it would be safe to get a car with 20" wheels. If you've ever driven on Rt 40 in Nashville, you'd know what a mistake that was.

Anyhow, the car came with RFT, if I had the luxury of ordering the M500 (as you know, no longer produced), I would have got the optional spare and non-RFT.

So, my daughter graduated from Amherst and I decided to drive to MA instead of flying. I am originally from MA, so on the way up and back, I stopped in to see friends and family.

In Chelmsford MA, I hit what seemed like your smaller MA pothole, the tire didn't agree and had about a 6-inch gash in it. Sadly, only 11k on the tires.

I got lucky and limped along (remember, RFTs) to a Towne Fair tire. When I walked in, he said, "Is that your M5 out there?", I said, it's an M550, he was still smirking and said, "Yeah, we don't have tires for that".

He was super helpful. He said since there were only 11k miles, we could replace just the one tire. They have a lot of suppliers, but no one has one. He even called BMW for me and said they didn't have one either, and couldn't get one.

He said your next option to stay on RFT, is a different brand. That too proved to be very hard. He found the front at ones supplier and had the rear. Told me it would take a day to get them, no worries, I would stay with friends right down the street.

The supplier called back and said at least three days as the tires were in TN (ironic).

So plan C. How about moving away from the run flat? H said I think I have a run flat out back, let's go compare to a "regular" tire. The non run flat he found to compare was my front tire. He had no idea they had it, it seems someone ordered them and didn't pick them up and it never got entered into inventory.

So, the good news for this story is I got 4 new tires same day and was able to drive home.

For me the bad news is, I no longer have run flats. If I get a flat now, I suspect my only option is to get a flatbed tow to a tire shop? Down here in TN, that might take a while.

I liked the security of the RFT, I was able to drive the mile or so Monday to the tire shop, with my current tires, I would have to get a tow.

I know people will say I'll love them, but I didn't notice the difference in ride quality.

When these wear out, I'm going back to the RFT.

[Joe-BMW33]

Just keep in mind, you most likely blew out that tire on what you thought was a relatively minor pothole BECAUSE it was a runflat where a non-runflat would have handled it. Don't lose sight of that in your reasoning. So what's better, get more flats you can drive on and be inconvenienced at a shop that can't get replacements or significantly reduce the risk of gashing and bubbling tires over medium size potholes that the non runflat (that are widely more available) would absorb?

Just offering up an alternative view. I have non runflats with the spare tire option. I have yet to get a flat and if I did, it is unlikely I am putting the spare on, flatbed to dealer.

[jcal65]

I think some of the issues are not only with the wheel size but the type of tire as well. I ordered my car with non- run flats, and it came with a spare tire. My 20” wheels came with Bridgestone S007 max summer performance tires. Super sticky but extremely delicate. I cringed every time I hit the slightest road imperfection because these tires crashed hard on anything but smooth road.

On my way home from delivery of my M550, I hit an unavoidable pothole at around 150 miles on the odometer. I ended up replacing one tire the next day due to a massive bubble. The impact was so hard I thought I destroyed the wheel. I got three more bubbles on my right front tire just before replacing them at around 10k miles. The surviving tires were nearly bald at this mileage. I purchased Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4’s. The Michelins are much more forgiving over bumps, seem to be wearing better, and so far, I have not had any issues.

I agree with Joe. I just replaced the run flat tires on my wife’s car with non- run flats. Her car did not come with a spare. My past experience with flat tires was that it was too dangerous to change the tire on the side of the road, or there was not an adequate surface to use the jack safely. While I will keep a tire slime kit in the trunk for an extreme emergency, we will just have it towed to the tire store or home.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Just keep in mind, you most likely blew out that tire on what you thought was a relatively minor pothole BECAUSE it was a runflat where a non-runflat would have handled it. Don't lose sight of that in your reasoning. So what's better, get more flats you can drive on and be inconvenienced at a shop that can't get replacements or significantly reduce the risk of gashing and bubbling tires over medium size potholes that the non runflat (that are widely more available) would absorb?

Just offering up an alternative view. I have non runflats with the spare tire option. I have yet to get a flat and if I did, it is unlikely I am putting the spare on, flatbed to dealer.

hmm, so run flats are more prone to damage than non run flats?

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by G30M

hmm, so run flats are more prone to damage than non run flats?

Yup, the sidewalls of run flats are steel reinforced so they don't compress when there is no air in them. They are so hard, they can stand up on the rim while driving deflated. While that is a good thing in the case of a flat, they also do not compress when taking a hit to absorb it. When you hit a hard pothole with a run flat the chances of the sidewall bubbling under pressure increase exponentially over traditional tires.

I do agree with jcal65, the brand of the tire is important as well. I am a big fan of Michelin's.

[NGT2]

Also in TN. Memphis for me. I240 can suck but they’re finally repaving all our main city roads. If you’re familiar with Memphis at all, you know which ones.

I also like the security of runflats, even though I thought about switching. Ended up getting some Michelin PS4 ZP runflats. I really like them a lot.

[BlueSander]

Maybe get yourself a spare tire, throw it in whenever you do long trip?!

How far did you have to drive after hitting the pothole to the tire shop?

Here is another thing to keep in mind. If you are keeping run flat, do not tow your car to BMW dealer ever, especially in New York. They will only use OEM tire.

[SquareWheels]

Originally Posted by BlueSander

How far did you have to drive after hitting the pothole to the tire shop?

Not sure, I'd guess a mile. I got lucky.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by SquareWheels

Not sure, I'd guess a mile. I got lucky.

I had run flats on my F10. They say you can drive on them for 50 miles and I pushed it to that a few times. They pretty much start to break down after 15 miles and when you get to 50, the car is pulling and leaning to the side of the flat and the tire is fluttering very similar to driving on a flat.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

I had run flats on my F10. They say you can drive on them for 50 miles and I pushed it to that a few times. They pretty much start to break down after 15 miles and when you get to 50, the car is pulling and leaning to the side of the flat and the tire is fluttering very similar to driving on a flat.

I had to drive on a flat in the X7 once. About 7 miles. It was fine, but it was loud as hell.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I had to drive on a flat in the X7 once. About 7 miles. It was fine, but it was loud as hell.

They actually feel pretty good until you get to 15 miles or so and then you can just feel them collapsing slowly every mile after. The sidewall that is holding it up begins to deteriorate.