Next Gen BMW 3 Series (F30) Now Revealed

[cooldhaya]

But Peter the thing is you have to spend 20k for getting a new run flat tyre , that is where the problem really is. Say you end up with a puncture during a long trip and there is no shop to fix it , then you have to spend 20k to get a brand new tyre. Atleast it's 20k here in Chennai , don't know about the prices in Goa though. Yes BMW provides option for replacing 4 tyres a year by claiming insurance but still tubeless tyres will just leave all those hassles behind.


Though from safety point i agree that RFT'S are the best , you can be assured they won't burst at any speed , such high speed cars need good rubber!

 

[P3T3R]

But Peter the thing is you have to spend 20k for getting a new run flat tyre , that is where the problem really is.

BMW gives you upto 1 new tyre free every year. You're not likely to damage more than that.

Say you end up with a puncture during a long trip and there is no shop to fix it , then you have to spend 20k to get a brand new tyre.

Any normal puncture shop can do it. Procedure is same as a tubeless.

Atleast it's 20k here in Chennai , don't know about the prices in Goa though.

18K in Goa.

Yes BMW provides option for replacing 4 tyres a year by claiming insurance but still tubeless tyres will just leave all those hassles behind.

They are the same as tubeless except that you can drive with a flat.

Though from safety point i agree that RFT'S are the best , you can be assured they won't burst at any speed , such high speed cars need good rubber!

They are good tyres. Grip is pretty good.

 

[cooldhaya]

Punctures can't be limited can they? I have even had 3 punctures in a single month! But now for a long time i am running puncture free. The problem is what if you don't come across a puncture shop for the next 50kms? Then you will be forced to buy a brand new tyre once you return home. Also there is only a certain limit upto which you can travel in a punctured RFT and it varies upon the load in the car. Also you have drive it in slower speeds(below 80kmph). Instead i would just change the tyre in 10 minutes and continue my journey.


I am not against RFT'S , it would have been better if they had provided space for a spare tyre. I think newer models are not giving any space for the spare tyre too , you just have to place it in your boot.

 

[P3T3R]

Also there is only a certain limit upto which you can travel in a punctured RFT and it varies upon the load in the car.

That is without repairing it. If you fix the puncture, you can use it as normal till the next puncture.

I am not against RFT'S , it would have been better if they had provided space for a spare tyre. I think newer models are not giving any space for the spare tyre too , you just have to place it in your boot.

Actually when Radial tyres were launched, people reacted in the same way. You can't remould a radial etc. Eventually people accepted radials. Then came tubeless. Initially they too were not well received. But now they are accepted. I will be the same for RFT's.

 

[nickandre]

yes run flats are good. but what will happen if the side wall gets cut? or my alloy gets cracked due to impact on a pothole. i do not have a spare to replace and drive on. and suppose I'm on my way to goa. in the middle no bmw dealerships and the most i can go with run flats is 200kms at 80kmph so If lucky i can make it if not wait for some hours for bmw to send me a new tire. this is the only thing that makes me confused other then that i heard lot of good stuff of bmws after sales and bmw secure. i even love the way how service details are programmed in the key fob.

 

[P3T3R]

but what will happen if the side wall gets cut? or my alloy gets cracked due to impact on a pothole.

Can happen to a normal tyre too.

suppose I'm on my way to goa. in the middle no bmw dealerships and the most i can go with run flats is 200kms at 80kmph so If lucky i can make it if not wait for some hours for bmw to send me a new tire.

They will send a flatbed truck to pick up your car and provide you with alternate transportation or accomodation.

this is the only thing that makes me confused other then that i heard lot of good stuff of bmws after sales and bmw secure. i even love the way how service details are programmed in the key fob.

Their after sales service is good.

For those who are worried about driving long distances without a spare, they have an option of a space saver to be kept in the boot. Quite a few people use this. The only carry it when driving long distance.

 

[nickandre]

heard about the space saver good option. but don't you think that instead of sending a flat bed truck to pick up the car they could rather send a van with facilities to replace the tyre? but since their providing alternate transport and accommodation and they do keep their word no issues. thanks for clearing up some stuff peter me n dad were thinking about replacing our verna with either the 3series petrol or the a4 petrol(variant will need more thinking) i see bmw winning me more

 

[cooldhaya]

Yes i know they can be fixed in a puncture shop and driven again. But if there are no puncture shops for the next 50KMS or you are stuck in a remote place? I agree BMW provides accommodation , brings a flat bed truck etc etc. But a single spare wheel will avoid all the hassles and most importantly wont spoil your schedule na?


As i said before i am not against RFT'S. It would have been better if BMW had provided a spare wheel or atleast a space saver option along with the car. From what i heard the space saver tyre also has to be bought separately and that costs another 20k!

 

[350Z]

But Peter the thing is you have to spend 20k for getting a new run flat tyre , that is where the problem really is. Say you end up with a puncture during a long trip and there is no shop to fix it , then you have to spend 20k to get a brand new tyre.

Guy who can afford a BMW is also supposed to have enough in the pocket to spend Rs.20,000 for spare replacements. Just like other manufacturers, BMW also offers roadside assistance if you’re stuck somewhere in a location which does not have a workshop nearby.

BMW gives you upto 1 new tyre free every year. You're not likely to damage more than that.

Good. That’s news to me.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[P3T3R]

As i said before i am not against RFT'S. It would have been better if BMW had provided a spare wheel or atleast a space saver option along with the car. From what i heard the space saver tyre also has to be bought separately and that costs another 20k!

Yea it costs 20K. But then I can't base my decision on the spare wheel. Currently BMW makes more sense than the Merc or Audi.

 

[cooldhaya]

Of course BMW makes more sense to me also because of their maintenance packages.
Even i was looking for a BMW and this RFT did not influence me!



@ 350Z Yes they should but not for un-necessary things like 20k for a spare tyre! I don't mind spending 50k for a broken windshield but 20k for a brand new tyre is too much imagining you end up with a puncture where there are no shops to fix it! It should not cost BMW much to give a spare tyre. It's easy to say road side assistance will tow your car in flat bed and you will be treated nicely but also all your plans go for a toss , all your schedules etc etc A simple spare tyre would have avoided all the hassles.

 

[350Z]

@ 350Z Yes they should but not for un-necessary things like 20k for a spare tyre! I don't mind spending 50k for a broken windshield but 20k for a brand new tyre is too much imagining you end up with a puncture where there are no shops to fix it! It should not cost BMW much to give a spare tyre. It's easy to say road side assistance will tow your car in flat bed and you will be treated nicely but also all your plans go for a toss , all your schedules etc etc A simple spare tyre would have avoided all the hassles.

What if the road side assistance would fix the puncture on the spot? I haven’t seen someone towing a vehicle because of flat tyre.

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[cooldhaya]

I haven't seen someone calling road side assistance for a small puncture. If BMW gets the puncture fixed if we call road side assistance then it's good.


But still i stand by my words , a single spare tyre will avoid all the hassles , won't cost BMW much either.

 

[P3T3R]

I haven't seen someone calling road side assistance for a small puncture. If BMW gets the puncture fixed if we call road side assistance then it's good. But still i stand by my words , a single spare tyre will avoid all the hassles , won't cost BMW much either.

How many people have really experienced problems with RFT's? Or is it just speculation? Or maybe it's the classic "The only people who have a problem with RFT's are the one's who've never used them"!

Thinking of it from a different angle, if BMW is ready to provide roadside assistance, replacement etc., they must be pretty confident that the problem is not likely to come up frequently.

 

[cooldhaya]

I personally know BMW owners who are not happy with the RFT. Not only because of the spare tyre thing but also these tyres are extremely hard and so they are not very comfortable in low speeds , in other words ride quality is harsh in low speeds. Still don't believe me , search for BMW ownership reviews online and atleast 7 out of 10 people would have accepted that RFT'S are not comfortable. Many people stay with the RFT fearing warranty issues and few stay with them because of budget constraints. I have seen even owners reporting ride quality has improved after switching to tubeless tyres. I don't think the owners should be lying , and i trust those owner's words.


And one doesn't need to own an RFT to talk about it , this is just basic common sense and logic. Suppose i am on my way uphill to Ooty which is a good 60KMS and i get a puncture and there is no shop to fix it. The moment i reach Ooty i have to buy a new tyre now which is worth 20k. And also not to mention the constant fear of driving with a flat tyre in ghat roads , speeds should be below 80kmph.


A simple spare wheel will save my time and ensure peace of mind.


I don't mind paying even a Lakh rupee to maintain or replace a part but such simple things should have been in the minds of BMW while giving a car to our country.