[Closed] Not M Sport / swapping out run flat

100% ditch the runflats much more comfortable, this goes for any BMW, we have 2 BMW Minis one on runflats and one on normal tyres

+1 for ditching the run flats. I made the switch on my 130i and it was night and day in difference. No more crashing over pot holes and skipping over manholes. The car feels a lot more planted. There are a lot more tyre options available to you too. I've ran XL 92y rated tyres since I made the swap. Just make sure you're carrying a space saver (if you have room for one), a mobility kit or a couple of cans of tyre foam afterwards.

Thanks. Looks like a set of Rainsport 3’s will go on.

Kryton, my wife has a 1 series E82 M Sport that runs on 17" runflat summer tyres and 16" non-runflat winter tyres. Whilst the winter non-runflats are more comfortable it is more to do with the higher profile especially on potholed roads.

I have a 3 series F30 M Sport and the suspension on runflats is much more compliant than her car even on the winter tyres and I run 19"summer tyres and 18" winter tyres.

Both cars are auto's, mine being the 8 speed ZF which is butter smooth.

I know plenty of people do it but just bear in mind that your car’s suspension will not be designed to use non run flat tyres if it had them fitted (usually).

Stopping distances can apparently be severely increased by fitting non run flat tyres to cars specifically designed for run flats.

You may also find your insurance invalidated.

Also, watcha going to do if you get a puncture and have no spare?

It might be a bit more comfortable, well it almost certainly will as you're getting a more supple tyre, however bear in mind that the suspension is set up for runflats, and won't be ideally paired with normal tyres.

For god's sake, nothings ever simple is it.

I simply don't buy a car with something I don't want.

Like runflats, or diseasel engines. It is pretty simple.

Just check with your insurers - it only needs a quick phone call - I think the insurance issue is more to do with mixing run flats and non run flats - if you change all four at the same time you may find there is no problem...

Totally sick of the 'tramlining' issue, so I've just ordered a full set of normal tyres to replace the runflats on my 318.  Getting them fitted on Friday - will let you know how I get on.

I'm going with the tyreweld, compressor, and breakdown cover option.

LittleNose - did you consider the details in the comments above or are you just slamming on some tyres and hopping for the best?

I'm getting pretty sick of "cars" tbh.  Everything seems to be of a compromise somewhere, I'd really like to buy one I can drive and not have to worry about.  Not easy with the end of my PCP coming up, I'm at a point where I've no idea what to look at any more.

You should just get an M140i Kryton and be done with it. Auto, non RFT's... oh and lovely blown inline 6 up front sending drive to the rear.

...and £1000 a year to insure, VED is what, £250?  And it still won't be able to get out of a wet grassy field.

No, I need to look for something like an Octavia Scout 4x4...   dull but works.  There's a big difference between the car I'd love, and the car that works for my weekday travelling salesman/weekend MTB race requirement.  I was happy to keep the 120d until it beat me senseless at the weekend.

You forgot average 26 mpg..

On a serious note what about a 320i Xdrive touring if you're coming to the end of a PCP with BMW and it's easier to stick with then? A friend has one (saloon) and said it was excellent in the recent snow on normal tyres. Just stick some XL normal tyres on if you like and the suspension setup should be fine.

4x4

Normal tyres

Practical for MTB

0-60 in 4.6secs

Looks like the GMC Syclone ticks all the boxes again!

You'd have to be a communist and a gay not to want one.

I've had a 320d 2014 F30 with 205/55/R16 non run flats.

Currently 330e M Sport 255/40/R18 run flats.

The 3 series F30 has always been set up to run run flats and does an extremely good job of it, it is not crashy at all.

The 320d should on paper have  had the more supple less crashy ride due to smaller alloys and non run flats. When I went to the M Sport I expected the ride to be more crashy and it just wasn't.  The ride was just the same, but turn in sharper and more control on the limit of grip.

IMO the tyre brand makes more of a difference.  The 330e came with Continental run flats, but now has Goodyear Eagles.  The Eagles have improved the handling, but they are a harsher drive than the Continental.

So get over the run flat thing because it just isn't an issue on the 3 series.

Re potholes the only answer is to ditch big alloys and go for a bigger sidewall.... but that would then upset the handling.

Most of the BMW’s and Minis I’ve driven have had run flats, and I hate them, I even picked up a 4-Series from a young bloke who was only too glad to hand it back, he hated it, and I could see why when I drove it home, noisy, crashy ride, tramlined like a bastard on roads with the surface grooved by trucks. He was getting a Merc S250. I have driven a couple of 5-Series which didn’t have runflats, and there was such a difference in the way the car felt and drove. As the majority of cars I pick up have inflation kits with a bottle of goo in the boot, I see no reason why using the same with a BMW or Mini should cause any issues.

Re potholes the only answer is to ditch big alloys and go for a bigger sidewall…. but that would then upset the handling.

They’re rarely a problem on Mercs and other cars I drive with fat tyres, probably because they have a slightly taller sidewall which gives more flexibility to the tyre. Any changes to the handling are hardly going to be noticed by anyone who isn’t Smurfmat or other driving god, and will mostly be offset by the improvements to general comfort and driving quality.

tramlined like a bastard on roads with the surface grooved by trucks.

Is he comparing it to something like an Audi? Different cars for different people.  The Audi will sit comfortably on a motorway mile after mile, but get them to a bend and they are drive like a bus, no feedback, wollowy, dull.

A BMW will not be as relaxed on a motorway as the car is set up to drive around bends and be engaging.  That has **** all to do with the run flats, just different set up.

On a serious note what about a 320i Xdrive touring

Yep, probably exactly what I want - well maybe a 320d - its just a matter of cost at the dealers - these cars are coming in a £20-23k unless you can jump oil a higher mileage one around £17k before they go.  There APR BMW charge gets in my throat also - working with my current dealer he'll offer me 7.9% but thats still double of what I get at the bank.

This is what is on offer from him currently:

https://usedcars.bmw.co.uk/vehicle/201803285004881?quoteref=18306040-6d2d-4605-9c11-239f1e62575b

It would be perfect, I'd even be tempted to buy it after 4 years but about £100pm more than I want to pay, and £700 more than I have for the deposit.

Yep - that's a lovely spec in that link. We're looking at one (to replace wife's ageing Mini Cooper) with a manual box but slightly older/more miles and £16-17K gets you a nice one on a 64ish plate.

LittleNose – did you consider the details in the comments above or are you just slamming on some tyres and hopping for the best?

I spent some time reading on bimmerforums, and from what was said there it seems that this should transform the drive somewhat.

It has gotten to the point where I'm ready to sell the car if this isn't an improvement.  The car feels great when driving on a nice surface, but the state of the roads around here is awful, and the car does not feel planted in any shape or form with the patched up patchy & potholed roads

Ive got an E87 130i.  Ditched the run flats and spent £100 on a space saver and a jack that will live in the boot.  Comfort is 10 times better than it was.

I agree that runflats aren't an issue on the 3 series.

Over the last 3 years I have had a F10 120d M Sport and a F30 320i Sport which were run concurrently.

My 120d M-Sport felt much harsher than the 320i, even though both cars had 18" wheels. The 120d has gone now but it used to skip about on the road and feel very crashy.,This is not an issue on the 3 series.

I recently changed the tyres on the 3 series, but went with run flats as I have no issue with the ride, and having had a couple of punctures in the last year, have been pleased not to be standing at the side of the road changing the wheel, or waiting for someone to come and do it for me. Very helpful when the whole family are with you.

(Edit - these are my experience of 18" wheels. 19" wheels might be a different story)

Looks like I have to find a way to fund that 320i!!

Yep, definitely get rid of the BMW ..... or failing that just the run-flats.

If you're getting rid of the bimmer there are plenty of other 'sport' models from other manufacturers that are fun to drive, don't wallow about, still have a decent ride and are a pleasure to drive - some even have working indicators (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Feel free to list them madhouse...  I need to have a thin what else there is about...

Only thing I would say about the 320i is that you have to work it hard to make it feel anything like the 120d. On a test drive, you will probably feel a bit disappointed.

My F30 320d M-Sport has 18" run flats on it, Pirelli Cinturato P7 run flats on it in 255 / 40 section and the ride, while firm is pretty damn good. More than comfortable enough for 500 mile + slogs across England, Wales, France & Belgium and it handles brilliantly.

Granted it's not as comfortable as the wife's new Evoque with taller 17" tyres on it and lovely floatylike soft roader suspension, but then again I wouldn't fancy a National Speed limit overtake on a twisty A-road in it either.

As for the other models / makes quoted above, the Merc C Class AMG's aren't anywhere near as sporty, Audi's are Audi's unless you get a S or an RS and everything else is just a Ford or Vauxhall tin box with a fast badge

I’ve got a 5 series M Sport and have normal tyres on and am happy with the ride. I augmented the compressor & can of spray though with a space saver spare as some breakdown companies are apparently not very sympathetic to sorting you out if you have changed over from the manufacturer spec run flats.

We swapped the run flats on the wife's X1 xdrive. It was a different car, much smoother and nicer to drive.

Just carried a compressor kit with sealant in the boot. Told the insurance who were fine about it.

TBH, the suspension changes they make to offset the effect of the run flats vary between doing absolutely nothing at all and at worst, well below what you'd be able to notice and/or measure without access to a million quids worth of monitoring equipment. Or the actual drawings of the parts.

The changes you'll feel from different tyres will be an order of magnitude more significant.

I have the F31 320i xdrive  msport, a 2015 car bought in December for £20k with 9k on the clock from a main dealer. I can’t fault it, the ride is comfortable despite the 19” low profile runflats and the xdrive is yet to lose traction despite my best efforts in a snow covered car park.  The Harmon/Kardon sound system is awesome And yes, the indicators do work!

You’ve asked this question elsewhere kryton and been given a very educational answer.

ignore the poster above who mentions suspension tuning.

BMW fit RFT as standard but you can tick a box at order to have it delivered on MPSS and there is bugger all difference other than the rubber.

The main issue is they spec an 88 sidewall when a 92 is the minimum in reality.

You’ve asked this question elsewhere kryton and been given a very educational answer.

I have, Ive been a grumpy arse on here whilst suffering from a bad back and frozen shoulder.  Currently looking to add some Rainsports or MPS 4’s plus some tyre gunk seeing as I need tyres anyway.

MPS4’s in 92XL

It has gotten to the point where I’m ready to sell the car if this isn’t an improvement.  The car feels great when driving on a nice surface, but the state of the roads around here is awful, and the car does not feel planted in any shape or form with the patched up patchy & potholed roads

Oh so its not that you have ragged the existing tyre and wear is uneven, or that your tracking is out, or that alignment is out?

The Continentals on my 330e started tram lining like buggery when they got worn.  A new set of run flats that hadnt been abused and no tramlining

As I said above buy an Audi and you can get away with crap tyres, poor tracking etc, buy a car that is more focused to handling and small changes make a bigger difference.

320d xdrive m sport touring here.

Summers were 19" run flats - not a great ride

Winters are on 18" non-run flats

The ride on the 18" non run flats is noticeably nicer and I'm about to put non run flat 18" summers on.

Dont forget the noise issue either. Stiff RF tyres transit a lot of  noise. A 330d m sport touring on 19s is not a quiet car. Bridgestone S001. Changed to goodyear much better noise levels.

Also get tge dealer to code the start stop function to "last setting". Its crap having to disable the SS every time you get in the car.

F11 M Sport Touring on 20's with RFTs went from being awful to actually not bad when I swapped them out.

3 series M Sport touring on 19's was even worse than the 5 with Bridgestone RFTs. Replaced with GoodYear nons and it's lovely now.

I don't buy the suspension argument above, no issue for insurance either. If I get a flat I have sealant so it's not an issue.

Just do it. Friends with new M3 and M4 have ditched them for non RFT and they are much nicer too. Another poor solution to a problem that shouldn't exist.

Also get tge dealer to code the start stop function to “last setting”. Its crap having to disable the SS every time you get in the car.

What do you mean? You don’t like the engine stopping when you stop? If that’s the case that’s bad for your mpg and really bad for the environment

You can set it so it' always on, or always start/stop rather than having to press a button every time.

Oh so its not that you have ragged the existing tyre and wear is uneven, or that your tracking is out, or that alignment is out?

Yep, that's the current state (give or take), the front pair are quite worn, and one back has just picked up a slow puncture.  It is more noticable now compared to when I'd just had the 4 RFT's fitted and aligned.  So I'm giving it a go with some MPS4's... let's see how it goes.

Also get tge dealer to code the start stop function to “last setting”. Its crap having to disable the SS every time you get in the car.

I have the opposite issue, my auto SS isn't working at all anymore... it's slowly getting to the top of the list of to-do's

Friends with new M3 and M4 have ditched them for non RFT and they are much nicer too. Another poor solution to a problem that shouldn’t exist.

M3/M4 does not come with run flats, they come with normal (non run flat) tyres from the factory.

I havent tried a car with run flat tyres but everything I have read on the internet points to a massive improvement in ride quality by replacing them with non run flats. I havent read about a single person regretting changing from run flats to normal tyres.

Interesting discussion, as soon as days meetings are over I’m going to tyre shop to pick my car (F31) with new tyres, this time without RF tyres.

My car is dad-sport version with 16” wheels so if the new tyres have too soft sidewall this might have been a downgrade.

Happy to report that my 318d drives well in the MPS4’s.

driven ~75 miles and it’s a so much more relaxed drive now.

Now after 2000km I can say that 16" non-RFs (205/60) make the car more quiet but at the cost of some steering feedback. Not a bad compromise for everyday driving, but not ideal if you want keep up with reputation of Beemer drivers.

F31 330d XDrive M Sport here, ditched the run flats after a 1000miles and grip has improved no end, ride is not as 'crashy' as it was on the runflats but still evident (a consequence of the xdrive suspension setup), ACS springs are on order to correct that issue and the understeer that the xdrives suffer from, will then be able to enjoy the true potential of that awesome straight 6 on my commute 😀