When to replace tyres

DJT75

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Hi

I've got a 1 Series BMW that's just had it's MOT
The report has come back stating the rear tyres are 1.8mm and 2.2mm, so pretty close to the 1.6mm limit. I'm going to change these this week. (They're Bridgestone run flats).

The front tyres are both 2.9mm. Would you bother changes those now too or leave them until sometime next year? (I only do 5,000-6,000 miles a year).
And I think one of those front tyres had a nail/slow puncture - would you repair a run-flat or just replace the tyre?

thanks
 
Stopping distances start to rapidly increase below 3mm tread
Tyre Tread Depth & Wet Weather Stopping Distances - RoSPA

I'd replace the rears for sure and probably the fronts at the same time and get a deal on them all.
You are only buying a little time by holding off on the fronts and you should be able to get enough off a set of 4 to make it work sacrificing the tread you have left.

I had real trouble getting a runflat repair. Most tyre places flatly refused. Running them fully deflated for any time/distance damages the side walls so fitters say no so they don't have to take the risk. One place told me only the BMW main dealer would do it, guess what? They wouldn't.
I had to replace a very good tyre which had it be a standard tyre would have been a quick repair - a reason I'm considering non-runflats next time.
Run flat tyres | AA
 
Thanks.

I suppose I don't actually need run flats do I? It came with them on and there's no spare wheel so I assumed that was the norm, but if I had another method to inflate them I could get normal tyres.
 
The ride will be better if you swap over to non runflats too, all you need is one of those gunk kits that are £20 odd from amazon if you do change, for what its worth, i swapped from Bridgestone RunFlats to Michelin standard tyres when they were on an offer at Costco.
 
Thanks.

I suppose I don't actually need run flats do I? It came with them on and there's no spare wheel so I assumed that was the norm, but if I had another method to inflate them I could get normal tyres.

You can happily get rid of the runflats.
I did on my Mini.
Just bought a tin of tyre foam for emergencies.
 
Does that foam stuff ruin the tyres or can they be repaired after a puncture?
 
But doesn't that make the tyre un-repairable if you have a repairable puncture, meaning you have to scrap a potentially good tyre (in terms of tread depth)?
 
Does that foam stuff ruin the tyres or can they be repaired after a puncture?

No idea.
Didn't have any room for a spare wheel in a Mini, so no choice.
And it was worth the risk to have the improved ride/handling of normal tyres.
 
I'm looking at £71 per tyre for run flats, £51 per tyre for normal.
A repair would probably be £25, so I suppose in the long run just buying a replacement tyre isn't going to break the bank and might be more economical.

Plus my local place said they wouldn't repair a run flat, whereas ATS said they would
 
Also just noticed my car leans to the right(offside). Just measured wheel arch to floor and there's about an inch difference at the front and 1/2 inch difference at the back.

Hoping that's got something to do with the run-flat slow puncture offside front.
 
£71 for a runflat, is that an oem Bridgestone as that's very cheap. Last time I replaced 17" runflats (RE050 RFT) they were £150 each. I now run non runflat tyres on the 3 series and have the BMW puncture kit.
The new runflats are a massive improvement over the old, you cant tell much difference with the F30/F11 on runflats, in fact there more comfortable then my E90 on non runflats.
 
Also just noticed my car leans to the right(offside). Just measured wheel arch to floor and there's about an inch difference at the front and 1/2 inch difference at the back.

Hoping that's got something to do with the run-flat slow puncture offside front.

Unless your on a flat surface this can vary, sometimes mine looks like its sank at the rear one side more than the other.
I'd still check your springs though as these are made of chocolate on some BMW's with runflats and snap a lot.
 
Also just noticed my car leans to the right(offside). Just measured wheel arch to floor and there's about an inch difference at the front and 1/2 inch difference at the back.

Hoping that's got something to do with the run-flat slow puncture offside front.

If you're worried about some sort of suspension/alignment issue, then I got a couple of BMW KDS alignments done.
I think I was around £200 each, but I heard/read they were doing offers on it latterly.
 
ps. I change tyres around 3mm if its winter and sometimes later if the weather is good as long as I don't notice a drop off in performance.
 
£71 for a runflat, is that an oem Bridgestone as that's very cheap. Last time I replaced 17" runflats (RE050 RFT) they were £150 each. I now run non runflat tyres on the 3 series and have the BMW puncture kit.
The new runflats are a massive improvement over the old, you cant tell much difference with the F30/F11 on runflats, in fact there more comfortable then my E90 on non runflats.

Bridgestone Turanza
Bridgestone ER300-1* 91H RFT 205/55HR16

Buy Tyres Online | Car Tyres | Formula One Autocentres
 
ps. I change tyres around 3mm if its winter and sometimes later if the weather is good as long as I don't notice a drop off in performance.

This is a good point and probably why I should change them all now. It if was March I could get away with those, but December I should probably change them all
 
Few months ago I needed two tyres for the front, they were both 2.1mm, the rears were 2.8mm. Decided to change the lot as there was a buy 4 pay for 3 with free fitting, balancing and valves at my local Kwik Fit. Happy with that.
 
I'm looking at £71 per tyre for run flats, £51 per tyre for normal.
A repair would probably be £25, so I suppose in the long run just buying a replacement tyre isn't going to break the bank and might be more economical.
Assuming your tyre prices are for comparable quality.
£71 x 4 = £284 for run flats
or
£51 x 4 = £204 for standard tyres.
Assuming you can deal with the inconvenience of perhaps being stuck at the side of the road because you have breakdown cover then you've got £80 to cover a whole new tyre in the event of an unrepairable puncture.

Assuming you've got runflats you probably have a tyre pressure warning system so you should know about a slow puncture before it becomes a real problem.
If you can hobble to the garage or use the foam you're still ahead as far as I can see?

Given I paid >£100 for a run flat for our Mini when it had a (normally) repairable puncture I wouldn't hesitate to fit standard tyres in future.

This is a good point and probably why I should change them all now. It if was March I could get away with those, but December I should probably change them all
Yup! ;)
 
I think the fact I need to change all 4 now then leans me towards standard tyres, on price alone.
 
I had a front wheel blow out at 70mph (ish) and the car never budged, was able to pull over safely and continue to a garage for a replacement. For me personally it's runlets every time
 
I had runflats on my 2009 1 series, got a puncture in the first week from new £200 quoted but bmw replaced it for £150, that was a flipping expensive first month what with the finance arrangement fee etc on first finance payment olus the tyre!!!!!
It was a 116 ies with the dodgy cylinders problem on the engine!! Total dog of a car cs was useless and I will never shop at bmw again
 
As well as tyreweld etc, I bought some dynaplugs and a jack to help mitigate against a puncture. Not had to use one yet, thankfully.
 
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I had a front wheel blow out at 70mph (ish) and the car never budged, was able to pull over safely and continue to a garage for a replacement. For me personally it's runlets every time

No offence, but this is the same sort of logic people use when buying a (insert car name), because they survived an accident in one like that before.
When there's actually zero evidence they wouldn't also have survived the accident in another make, so it's all a bit irrational.
In your scenario, the only definite advantage to your runflat was being able to keep driving where the rest of us would have to change the wheel or plug in some foam first.
Then you have to work out the likelihood of it happening at all.
In 31 years of driving, I've never suffered a "blowout" and any punctures have been slow and easily fixed.
Do I want to spend extra on runflats and suffer their disadvantages, 'just in case'?
I'd spent £180 on a 4-wheel alignment on my Mini, only to find everything was fine and it was normal runflat behaviour.
Putting non-runflat tyres on it transformed it from a nervous mess my wife refused to drive because of severe tramlining, to a car that behaved normally and was fun.
 

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