[AnthonyVincent]

I have a 2021 540i M Sport with 20in wheels. Purchased in June of 2021. Two days ago, I noticed a small screw right in the center of the left rear tire.

The tires on the vehicle are P Zero run flats and the size for the rear are 275/30 R20.

I did not lose any air. Checked with an accurate digital gauge. Of course, the tire pressure monitor also showed no loss of air.

Called the BMW dealer and the tire was $625 plus balance. Also, called some local chain tire shops and the price was in the $500 range. I am very apprehensive about using tire shops since I am not certain of the equipment they use to change a tire.

The dealer and the tire shops did not have the tire in stock. I took a step back in thought and started thinking of other options both temporary and permanent.

As a temporary measure, I plugged the tire myself with a high quality self vulcanizing tire plug that I had for emergency use (picture included). The screw was very thin and did penetrate and the plug took perfectly. Although there are so many debates about whether plug or patches are safe to use regardless of the type of tire (with exception to the screw or nail being close to the sidewall), the manufacturer of the tire, BMW and probably the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would not endorse repairing a run flat tire. Then there are so many that say you can. Nonetheless, the car is in the garage and I would not drive it until I make a decision. I have another car to use.

This leads me to my feelings about run flat tires. Yes, I can afford to replace the tire at that cost. But the concept of run flat tires annoys me. They are a "one damage and toss concept" with no real benefit unless you get a small puncture and drive to the nearest tire dealer. Then they won't have it in stock. Then what? What if it sustains damage from a pothole that causes a complete failure? No spare tire and you are screwed. To me, it is a flawed concept.

I am thinking of replacing all with non-run flats of equal quality and ratings. Yes, that would require creating a "kit" that would include a spare, jack and wrench that will occupy at least half of the trunk. No issue for me because I don't use the trunk to carry much. And I can neatly wrap the "kit" and secure. A conventional tire would also need to be replaced if a screw or nail entered near the sidewall. But, that is a gamble that is okay with me. And the tire would be less expensive.

I know some will say, I own a BMW so I should be able to spend $500 to $600 every time I get a nail. I can, but the concept annoys me and I don't like to waste money on foolishness.


Thoughts? Thanks!

[AP]

Yeh I think at first glance the sound of run flat tyres sounds great on paper , but in reality there are some flaws.

Supposedly you should drive them for more than 50 miles, I can speak from experience that they last a lot more than that having covered about 400 miles on one some years back. ( learning excercise and thought air pump at petrol station was faulty and couldn't work out why I couldn't top up pressure. Had the abs sensor system rather than tpms so aware if problem but couldn't see it)

As I say learning excercise but the point of the story is that the tyres can last for more than 50 miles

Anyway , yes if you are more than 50 miles away from your destination , then in theory you are stuffed

Bmw dealers seem to better equipped with replacement tyres but probably not the best price , thing is you need a replacement straightaway so arguably a captive market


Although I've not tried myself, many in the forums say that changing to normal tyres improves the ride handling significantly.

For me personally, gieven the choice I would stick with RFT for the peace of mind that if I have a puncture , it's not a big deal and should be able to get back home even if more than 50 miles away.
On balance they have the advantage but agree they are not perfect

[Brucelinc]

I have an M550i on the way with run-flat tires and I have been considering replacing them with non-run flats to improve ride and noise level quality. In discussing run-flats with my dealer and with Discount Tire, both told me that they repair run-flats as long as the puncture is not too close to the sidewall. It certainly appears from your picture that the tire is easily repairable.

Am I missing something?

[AnthonyVincent]

Brucelinc - you are not missing anything and, yes, the repair I did was perfect. Never lost air so the tire was not compromised in structure and the self vulcanizing plug bonds very well to the tire and turns black when they do.

Self vulcanizing plugs are red in color and don't require adhesive because they bond.

Logic tells me that I should be okay with that repair. But the fact that it is not endorsed by BMW, the tire manufacturer and is even illegal to do in my state at least (tire shops will not repair a run flat) places a shadow of a doubt in my mind and wouldn't want to compromise safety.

My car is not a M550 by any means, but, it is no slouch and has seen speeds north of 100MPH when passing multiple trucks on the turnpike or just quick spurts.

[SctsOut06]

I just ditched the PZeros for Conti DWS plus non-RFT. Car rides completely different in my opinion. I'll never look back - rides smoother and feels better on the road.

I do have the PZeros if you need some though! 😀

[AnthonyVincent]

The Continental tires are nice. I was thinking of the Michelin Pilot Ultra High Performance. They are not run flats and are available in the staggered size that my car needs.

For a spare solution, there are companies that offer a complete kit such as this.. https://modernspare.com/

[Warp Ten]

I have had runflats on my BMWs for more than 15 years. The ride quality has been fine (except in the earliest years) and they have saved me twice. Once when I had a significant blowout (tire not repairable) but was able to drive to the dealer to get the tire replaced, and once when I got a screw in the tire center like you did. That was easily repaired by a tire dealer (but the car dealers won't do it in part for liability reasons and in part to sell you a new tire). Michelin recommends that the repair be done from the inside with the tire dismounted; don't know about Pirelli. Tire Rack is a good source of information on runflat repair recommendations from manufacturers. --Bob

[AnthonyVincent]

Yes, an inside repair is preferable to a plug. But, the dealer and the tire shops won't repair a run flat. I'm sure it is a liability issue and not worth the profit of the repair. So, I plugged it myself since I couldn't remove the tire from the rim myself. As I stated in my original post, there are no many conflicting opinions on repairing run flats. Many have claimed to plug or patch them and had no issues for many thousands of miles and there are also many who think it is a crime to do so. Many years ago when I lived in NY, it was so common to plug and I have many tires plugged with no issue.

[LogicalApex]

I won’t comment on the merits for or against run flat tires as that has been beat to death.

But you are running Pirelli tires which has road hazard protection built in. That tire could have been swapped for free at the dealer…

https://d3nv2arudvw7ln.cloudfront.ne...Policy_USA.pdf

[claykin]

Originally Posted by AnthonyVincent

Brucelinc - you are not missing anything and, yes, the repair I did was perfect. Never lost air so the tire was not compromised in structure and the self vulcanizing plug bonds very well to the tire and turns black when they do.

Self vulcanizing plugs are red in color and don't require adhesive because they bond.

Logic tells me that I should be okay with that repair. But the fact that it is not endorsed by BMW, the tire manufacturer and is even illegal to do in my state at least (tire shops will not repair a run flat) places a shadow of a doubt in my mind and wouldn't want to compromise safety.

My car is not a M550 by any means, but, it is no slouch and has seen speeds north of 100MPH when passing multiple trucks on the turnpike or just quick spurts.

I have never heard of state or local laws prohibiting a tire repair. As I understand it, the US DOT leaves run flat repair to the tire manufacturer to decide.

In your case, your tire is safely repairable (regardless of what Pirelli may say). Your puncture is near center of casing. You didn't drive on it severely under inflated (under 18 psi). I suggest you patch repair from the inside to avoid the plug leaking in the future. And yes, you have good reason to be concerned about tire shops and their typically crap tire changing / mounting machines. Ask the shop if they have a leverless or no touch mounting machine. I suggest you look at it yourself b/c many shops will not be honest. Check the Hunter Engineering website to see what a good machine looks like. Hunter and Corghi are the two most popular makers of no touch machines.

[stryder011]

I won't comment on the details of getting the your tire repaired/replaced or getting rid of RFT's as their are people much more knowledgeable then me on the subject here.

However, I am compelled to comment on the the pic you posted. Looks awesome .. looks like u have some skill their.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

I won't comment on the merits for or against run flat tires as that has been beat to death.

But you are running Pirelli tires which has road hazard protection built in. That tire could have been swapped for free at the dealer…

https://d3nv2arudvw7ln.cloudfront.ne...Policy_USA.pdf

This and since the OP already did a repair, my suspicion is Pirelli would deny the warranty.

1 year from vehicle in service date and first 2/32" of Tread.

[claykin]

OP, Check to see if you have one of these in your area. I've used them before and their trucks are equipped with top of the line Corghi tire changer and balancer. These guys do a lot of the super/hyper cars in South Florida. And they will typically repair a run flat if it's safe to do so.

https://treadconnection.com/

[AnthonyVincent]

I was aware of the Pirelli warranty and the BMW dealer told me that only applies if it is a defect and according to them, a screw penetration is something that does not qualify. Did I trust their answer? Not really. But if they were not willing to honor the warranty, short of taking legal action or calling BMW corporate, nothing I can really do. I also called another BMW dealer further away and same answer.

At this point, I did the plug so I'm sure that would void the warranty. Perhaps, I can find a shop that will plug from the inside and has the proper equipment so the rim would not get damaged.

Off topic, I just came back from an Emergency Vet here in Miami because my dog of 14 years had what appeared to be a massive stroke out of the blue and has passed away. So, I really appreciate all the great advice but right now, I am a broken man and my car and it's stupid tires are kind of irrelevant. It's amazing how irrelevant something that was bugging me becomes when faced with tragedy involving a loved one. Even a pet. Cars are material things. I'd toss my car in a canal and eat the monetary loss if I can reverse what happened today.

Just responding here because I didn't want to leave these great suggestions from everyone unacknowledged.

Thank you

[LookBothWays]

Loss of a pet that is a friend can really hurt. I've lost many and you never forget.

[nicky dj]

You're missing the point… BMW first instituted the run flats to replace the "spare tire" in the trunk or under the car. It's so if you get a flat from a puncture wound, you can still drive safely to get to safety.

[DNYC1919]

I feel like 20s will always have more issues then 19s. I think the 19s have 40 sidewall compared to 20 with 35 sidewall. So if your gonna have runflats and have any type of crappy roads you should probably go 19
I always lease,I live in ny and have 19s and just leave runflats on. Don't want to deal with buying a set of tires as this is a lease and don't wanna deal with costs etc., and hope I won't have too many issues. I drive a lot less as I'm working remote now so that probably helps as well. I use to do about 15k miles a year and now will probably be at like 5k a year. So far so good.
I did get the spare tire package when I built my car and that gives me a little extra piece of mind.

[DNYC1919]

Originally Posted by AnthonyVincent

I have a 2021 540i M Sport with 20in wheels. Purchased in June of 2021. Two days ago, I noticed a small screw right in the center of the left rear tire.

The tires on the vehicle are P Zero run flats and the size for the rear are 275/30 R20.

I did not lose any air. Checked with an accurate digital gauge. Of course, the tire pressure monitor also showed no loss of air.

Called the BMW dealer and the tire was $625 plus balance. Also, called some local chain tire shops and the price was in the $500 range. I am very apprehensive about using tire shops since I am not certain of the equipment they use to change a tire.

The dealer and the tire shops did not have the tire in stock. I took a step back in thought and started thinking of other options both temporary and permanent.

As a temporary measure, I plugged the tire myself with a high quality self vulcanizing tire plug that I had for emergency use (picture included). The screw was very thin and did penetrate and the plug took perfectly. Although there are so many debates about whether plug or patches are safe to use regardless of the type of tire (with exception to the screw or nail being close to the sidewall), the manufacturer of the tire, BMW and probably the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would not endorse repairing a run flat tire. Then there are so many that say you can. Nonetheless, the car is in the garage and I would not drive it until I make a decision. I have another car to use.

This leads me to my feelings about run flat tires. Yes, I can afford to replace the tire at that cost. But the concept of run flat tires annoys me. They are a "one damage and toss concept" with no real benefit unless you get a small puncture and drive to the nearest tire dealer. Then they won't have it in stock. Then what? What if it sustains damage from a pothole that causes a complete failure? No spare tire and you are screwed. To me, it is a flawed concept.

I am thinking of replacing all with non-run flats of equal quality and ratings. Yes, that would require creating a "kit" that would include a spare, jack and wrench that will occupy at least half of the trunk. No issue for me because I don't use the trunk to carry much. And I can neatly wrap the "kit" and secure. A conventional tire would also need to be replaced if a screw or nail entered near the sidewall. But, that is a gamble that is okay with me. And the tire would be less expensive.

I know some will say, I own a BMW so I should be able to spend $500 to $600 every time I get a nail. I can, but the concept annoys me and I don't like to waste money on foolishness.


Thoughts? Thanks!

Tires are that much each for the 20s?
I thought the 19 inch awd Pirellis were like $300. Am I wrong on that ?

[jsf721]

Thanks that’s awesome. Took down my
Local number for future use. Thanks

Originally Posted by claykin

OP, Check to see if you have one of these in your area. I've used them before and their trucks are equipped with top of the line Corghi tire changer and balancer. These guys do a lot of the super/hyper cars in South Florida. And they will typically repair a run flat if it's safe to do so.

https://treadconnection.com/

[Brucelinc]

AnthonyVincent, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your dog. I totally understand the heartbreak and my thoughts are with you.

[crypto]

Many people, myself included, have replaced their RFT with non-RFTs and are happier. I took them off a few days after my car was delivered. Mostly because I got my car in the winter and they shipped summer performance tires and did not have an all season option for the 20" wheels at the time (dumb). Although I'm glad I didn't order with all season because it then apparently permanently limits your top speed from the factory. In any event, the ride is better and it's way quieter. That's compared with the Goodyear RFTs anyway — maybe the Pirellis are much better.

Tires at the dealer will always be expensive. Same for most B&M shops. Find your tires on Discount Tire Direct or Tire Rack. Good chance they're $50-$100 cheaper (per tire). Depending on tread wear you will often by looking at replacing two tires each time something goes south for a tire. That's the same for RFT or not though. Your concern on pricing and pay X each time is just the way of life if you hit bad luck on the road.

Your hole was directly in middle on thick tread. Easily a place to fix and forget. If it's done right there shouldn't be a safety or function concern as far as I know.

[malpatti]

Originally Posted by AnthonyVincent

I was aware of the Pirelli warranty and the BMW dealer told me that only applies if it is a defect and according to them, a screw penetration is something that does not qualify. Did I trust their answer? Not really. But if they were not willing to honor the warranty, short of taking legal action or calling BMW corporate, nothing I can really do. I also called another BMW dealer further away and same answer.

“If a Pirelli Run Flat, PNCS or sensorized tire becomes unserviceable due to road hazard damage within the first year from the date of purchase, or within the first 2/32” of the original usable tread, whichever occurs first, the Pirelli tire will be replaced with an identical or comparable tire at no charge for the tire to the owner, including mounting and balancing (subject to applicable limitations).”

Should show them that text from the policy next time.