[Orleans VWr]

Just brought home a CPO 2007 BMW 328i w/sport package (manual transmission)... the sharp handling was fun on the test drive, but after a few days driving 35 miles round trip on I90, I'm feeling a little beat up because of the harsh ride.

A couple of posts I've read suggest that switching out the Bridgestone Run Flat tires for conventional tires could improve the ride. Anyone experience this? Ideas?

Thanks!

[Dos Jotas]

I don't know if it will improve ride, but it will greatly reduce road noise and increase longevity of tread life. I know a number of people who have had bad experiences with run-flats. I wouldn't be surprised if this is another issue with them.

[Jeller]

I have non-RFT's on my 335i now. I will say the ride is improved, but you will miss the immediate turn in/stiff sidewall that the rft's have. Those rft's are better than people make them out to be. I have tracked on them too.

I have 2 sets of stock 18's one set with falken FK452's and the other with dunlop direzza-star specs on them, both are for sure a softer ride than the rft's.

You will not miss the price of the RFT's (about 300-350/tire)

Also, I have Bilstein PSS10's with the non-RFT's and the ride is pretty good, no wife complaints to date.

[Orleans VWr]

The run-flats are definitely noisey. They all have substantial tread remaining, but the car sounds like a freight train - especially at slower speeds.

I think I'll make the switch to non-run flats. At this point I would trade some handling sharpness for some ride comfort and noise reduction.

Thanks!

[DBR007]

Originally Posted by Orleans VWr

The run-flats are definitely noisey. They all have substantial tread remaining, but the car sounds like a freight train - especially at slower speeds.

I think I'll make the switch to non-run flats. At this point I would trade some handling sharpness for some ride comfort and noise reduction.

Thanks!

Are the tires cupped at all? My sisters A4 had some severely cupped tires
out back and it created some serious road noise, so bad that it
was hard to believe it was the tires alone. New tread and all was well.

[Orleans VWr]

The fronts are visibly cupped while the rears appear to be ok. (I'm sure this is where the noise comes from) But the wierd thing is the fronts (and rears) both have significant remaining tread. I wouldn't think tires with good tread and 180 treadwear ratings should be that old...

[DBR007]

Originally Posted by Orleans VWr

The fronts are visibly cupped while the rears appear to be ok. (I'm sure this is where the noise comes from) But the wierd thing is the fronts (and rears) both have significant remaining tread. I wouldn't think tires with good tread and 180 treadwear ratings should be that old...

My sisters tires were the same way, over 2/3's tread left but the cupped
tires created tons of noise.

[Orleans VWr]

My plan is to run the existing tires until I put on the winter tires/rims and then replace the run-flats in the spring. But I'm not sure I can last that long. As loud as the tires are inside the car, I can't image how load they sound outside. It's embarrassing...

[Orleans VWr]

From this article:



BMW Group is leading promoter of run-flat tires


"AutoWeek points out that these systems don’t perform like “normal” radial tires, delivering a harsher ride than conventional tires, and adding unsprung weight to the vehicle. Price is also an important element since run-flats are approximately 20 to 30 percent more expensive than a conventional tire.
,,,
In the meantime it seems that radial tires are still preferred by a lot of consumers whose main concern remain the poor ride of the car with run-flats.
However, in the future it is expected that the technology will be improved at a level where the differences between the two systems would be less noticeable."