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[shanecarmaster1]

I KNOW this has been discussed, but what differences do people feel in the general life of their E9x with and w/o their RFT's? What are the real differences?

[ZJP]

The difference is that runflats blow and non-runflats don't.

They are terrible tires in every aspect.

[jopa489]

It's true. Aside from the convenience factor, they offer no benefits and quite a few drawbacks. They're heavier, don't last as long, don't grip as well, and can't handle bumps or non-perfect surfaces as well.

[jeremicium]

I don't have any problems with my Bridgestone Potenza RE050 RFTs. Ride quality/noise is fine, better than the my wifes non RFT bridgestone RE050s. Grip is great, hold the road better than the non RFTs that i've tested. We'll see how long they last, if I can get 25k out of them i'll replace them with more RFTs.

There are so many opinions on this issue, i'm not saying everyone else is wrong, just that practically all you hear is how bad they are...and that is not my experience.

[jopa489]

I also don't mind them for daily driving, despite my post above. I run RE050A RFTs on my the E90 too, and really can't complain about them. They're not excessively loud, and get the job done. There's nothing bad about these tires, but non-RFTs are better overall.

[maswastage]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

I don't have any problems with my Bridgestone Potenza RE050 RFTs. Ride quality/noise is fine, better than the my wifes non RFT bridgestone RE050s. Grip is great, hold the road better than the non RFTs that i've tested. We'll see how long they last, if I can get 25k out of them i'll replace them with more RFTs.

There are so many opinions on this issue, i'm not saying everyone else is wrong, just that practically all you hear is how bad they are...and that is not my experience.

You're not the only one. I've got over 35K miles on the Continental ContiPro all seasons that came with my car. I've experienced none of the "usual" problems associated with run flats, but who knows, maybe we're just the exception

[catch]

runflats are harder adn you can feel it while you drive. they weigh more, theyre less flexable and dont get sticky at all!!

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by catch

runflats are harder adn you can feel it while you drive. they weigh more, theyre less flexable and dont get sticky at all!!

This could just be my ignorance...wouldn't be the first time...but isn't the primary difference with RFTs the sidewall. The portion of the tire that contacts the road is made of the same material as non-RFTs. If that's the case, they should get sticky and have the same grip as non-RFTs.

[Dmitriy@AUTOcouture]

RFT's in general, for lack of a better word, blow... No pun intended.

Couple of reasons:

1. The ride is much rougher.

2. The tires are, especially the stock Potenza's, are extremely hard. You are guaranteed a minimum of 2 bubbles per tire.

3. If you take a NON-RFT and a RFT, put them next to each other and try to bend both, you will see that NON-RFT's have much for flexibility.

The disadvantages weigh out the advantages by far. Get NON-RFT and a spare tire kit from Tischer. You'll thank all of us later.

[UncleWede]

What about those of us who never upgraded from the 16 stock wheels? That Tischer e60 spare is a 17 setup. I'm still torn since the wife drives it daily, me on weekends. I have AAA, but she would be calling me when it goes flat. She doesn't seem to care. A bottle of slime and a compressor would fit in that mini storage container that she never opens in the trunk, and I think she'd be much happier with softer tires.

[F32Fleet]

RFT's no biggy on base 328, but on sport pkg equiped cars they really get harsh in cooler weather (Many of us live in areas where it hovers in the 40's in winter and get no snow), and when you get closer to the wear bars.