[NVHoo]

Given that the OP's failures are sidewall tears, another possibility is that he is running too low a tire pressure. That is, it sounds like they are running in/near the run flat state. True, low profile and big pot holes will eat tires (and too high a pressure will make it worse) but low tire pressure will eat sidewalls too. I wonder how diligent he is in checking pressure and how he does it. There is also the possibility that his TPMS is faulty. The fact that he had all 4 tires go in one instance leads me to suspect pressure is either too low or too high. You should never rely solely on the TPMS for tire pressure.

His experience is far beyond the norm I've ever seen posted on any forum. He either drive very aggressively on poor roads or his tire pressure is way wrong.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by petegtsv10

Can you please expand upon your "indeed crap" comment. You have my curiosity perked.

It's just not a high quality wheel and it's a pain in the ass to clean. I bent all of mine when I ran them on my coupe. Others have had lots of similar problems. I run a BBS 17" rim now with all season tires and yes there's a minor performance compromise but the durability is night and day better and they are much easier to keep looking nice.

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

It's just not a high quality wheel and it's a pain in the ass to clean. I bent all of mine when I ran them on my coupe. Others have had lots of similar problems. I run a BBS 17" rim now with all season tires and yes there's a minor performance compromise but the durability is night and day better and they are much easier to keep looking nice.

Which style wheels are you talking about? The 436Ms?

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

Which style wheels are you talking about? The 436Ms?

Yep, made by Ronal I believe. Who also manufacture teddy bear wheels.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

It's just not a high quality wheel and it's a pain in the ass to clean. I bent all of mine when I ran them on my coupe. Others have had lots of similar problems. I run a BBS 17" rim now with all season tires and yes there's a minor performance compromise but the durability is night and day better and they are much easier to keep looking nice.

I am also running 17" BBS rims (SR design) and have never bent one of them in Michigan...and that's saying something! And, no one has ever taken a tape measure to my wheels and said, "Tsk, tsk, an inch too small!"

[wdc330i]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

Yep, made by Ronal I believe. Who also manufacture teddy bear wheels.

LOL. They are knuckle scrapers, for sure. Roads in ATL don't go through as many freeze-thaw cycles as up north, so fewer potholes. Not to say the roads a great, but they are a little less horrible.

When I had my E46 M3C and lived in DC/Maryland, I downsized to 17s (from the stock 19s) and all seasons, just to deal with the bad roads. It was a much more civilized ride.

I will swap the Michelin summers for all seasons on the 2 this fall. Although I work from home I don't have the option of leaving my kid at school if the weather gets bad here in the winter....

I will also likely add the M Performance LSD at the same time. It should help a bit in bad weather (light snow and other nastiness). We don't get a lot of yucky stuff here, but the terrain is very hilly as we are in the piedmont of the Appalachians.

Also I miss the more confident handling of my M3. It powered through corners with aplomb. The 2 isn't as surefooted, or at least doesn't seem that way to me. It detracts somewhat from the fun factor as well.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I am also running 17" BBS rims (SR design) and have never bent one of them in Michigan...and that's saying something! And, no one has ever taken a tape measure to my wheels and said, "Tsk, tsk, an inch too small!"

Back when I had the coupe I ran those in the winter. I hit a giant fucking crater in the road that was covered in snow hard enough that the tire ripped apart. No damage to the wheel whatsoever, not even a scratch.

Run them year round now.

[WolfGTI]

I run the factory wheels with winter tires as my winter wheels. I run VMR 18' wheels in the summer. Knock on wood no issues - I took off the Michelin PSS for the summers and I am now running Conti Extreme Sports non runflat and have no issues. I actually like them better than the PSS.

95% of my drive is South NJ highway over into PA highway. I do not venture into Philadelphia downtown very often. My wife's X1 has runflats and the MINI did for the first two years of it's life and we've never had problems with those cars.

[Viffermike]

All pre-LCI 2 Series wheels except those for the M2 are made for BMW by Ronal. BMW's other two third-party manufacturers are BBS and Koenig, both of which have a far, far better reputation for quality than Ronal does.

That said -- and to back up NVHoo -- I feel one of the only possible explanations for this kind of failure volume is low pressures combined with bad roads. What I'm confused about is why the OP hasn't bent more rims. This could be a case of the Pirellis' specific RFT construction compared to other RFTs, both in terms of failure and mitigating impact stresses -- i.e., the Pirellis fail easier, but the way they fail saves the rims from being bent in most cases.

If the latter's the case, OP, I have two pieces of advice:
- Be glad you haven't had to replace your wheels as often as your tires, and
- Buy the damn Bridgestones already!

[pz619]

I really have to think it's the wheel. I would take it to a third party to see if perhaps it's bent.

[JohnnyCanuck]

There's something suspicious in the OP's whole story. It's not believable.

I had RFT's on my 328i for 9 years (both summer and winter) and had one flat. I have switched to non-RFT for my 235 which I prefer simply from a cost/availability perspective (if I have a flat it is marginally more likely repairable with non-RFT and if not, the tires are less expensive and more readily available). But that's not why I don't believe the story ... I don't believe it because it just doesn't ring true.

There is simply no way to get four flats at once without punctures. That would clearly not be a BMW/Pirelli failure. Second, if you were experiencing all these failures, would any marginally intelligent person be putting the same product back on their wheels? By the 4th Pirelli flat, wouldn't you just have switched to Conti or Michelin? What idiot keeps putting the same failing product back on their wheels? Who waits for the 14th failure before getting upset? Lastly, who says that they "... simply cannot take it anymore, both financially and practically", but is willing to hire a class action lawyer at an hourly rate equal to or higher than the cost of a tire?

My guess is that we're being trolled by an ambulance chasing class action lawyer who had a couple of flats and thought maybe there's a cohort of "victims" that he build a billable case out of. IMO, the whole story is a scam.

[wdc330i]

I'm inclined to agree with you. But the discussion has been interesting nonetheless. I didn't know, for instance, that our wheels were made by Ronal.

[mcwinterr]

I had a similar issue with the OEM Pirelli runflats that came with my 2017 M240i. The only other tire option were Michelin Super Sport summer tires, so I went with the all-season runflats.

I live in Hoboken and drive through NYC every day to and from work in CT. Tons of potholes and, in general, the roads are shit. In the first two months of car ownership, I went through three runflat tires, experiencing sidewall rips even if I hit the smallest pothole or raised manhole cover.

I switched to Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 all-season tires and a sealant kit for emergencies and haven't looked back. No issues for the past 6 months, and outside a rare blowout or a freak occurrence (which has occurred only once or maybe twice in the 20 years I've been driving), I don't anticipate one.

I also sent a scathing letter to BMW corporate telling them that their Pirelli runflats were terrible, and shouldn't even be an option on new cars sold in or around urban areas. Based on some back and forth with then after they called me, I was able to get reimbursed to the tune of $1,000.

I would continue to press with BMW. I sent the above mentioned e-mail to both Jess Cusumano (jess.cusumano@bmwna.com), ‎Customer Relations and Services Operations Manager at BMWNA, as well as copying the CEO, Ludwig Willisch (Ludwig.Willisch@bmwna.com) and Peter Witt, EVP of Operations (Petter.Witt@bmwna.com).

Originally Posted by jpg92515

Hello all:

New to the forum. I have a 2016 m235xi. When it's driveable, I absolutely love the car.

Long story short: I drive in Long Island and NYC (sometimes), and I've had 14 flats in the 18 months since I have had the car. I've had one flat in the 10 years I was driving prior to that. I have tried to resolve the issues with BMW NA but they have officially told me they will not be assisting me.

I am not trying to get into too many issues here, but somewhere between Pirelli, BMW NA, and my dealership's sale to me of the car, I truly believe I (we) was (were) wronged as a customer (customers).

I am going to pursue legal action, because I simply cannot take it anymore, both financially and practically, since my car is always in need of some kind of repair, or I am too nervous to drive it anywhere. To the extent my action could be brought as a class, I believe there is strength in numbers.

I understand people may have differing opinions on lawsuits, and I would hope this thread does not turn political, or spin off in to something else.

Simply, this is a very serious post. I am a person who is simply at a loss for where else to turn.

I tried to search on here for similar experiences as mine, but did not find anything I believed to be truly on point. If you are as serious as I am, please send me a private message or an email. I look forward to hearing your thoughts/experiences.

Thanks

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by wdc330i

I'm inclined to agree with you. But the discussion has been interesting nonetheless. I didn't know, for instance, that our wheels were made by Ronal.

I agree this has taken an interesting turn, even if the seed of the discussion was started by someone with more money than brains or driving skill (possibly both).

Was it Ben Franklin who said stated insanity to be doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?

[JohnnyCanuck]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

I agree this has taken an interesting turn, even if the seed of the discussion was started by someone with more money than brains or driving skill (possibly both).

Was it Ben Franklin who said stated insanity to be doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?

Einstein.

[ianp622]

What PSI are you inflating them to?

[NISFAN]

Maybe the OP has watched the M3 cars and coffee video, and thinks jumping dividers is 'normal'.......

[eray]

if it's the same tyre all the time then it could be some suspension related issue. have you observed uneven wear on tyres that are on the same axle?

[XutvJet]

To think that any ultra low profile tire (i.e., 35 and 40 series height) will survive the NY and NJ metro streets, especially NYC, is rather bonkers to me. Take note of the cars driving through these areas and the tires they run. Maybe 1% of them are running sports car type low profile tires. Everything else has a rather tall sidewall. It should not be surprising in the least that a 3,600lb car with a 2.25" tall sidewall is not going to live behind striking a 1+" tall sharp manhole cover, chunky 2+" deep potholes, sharp heaved pavement breaks, etc. that liter the roadways in that metro area. IMO, you're crazy to DD a car like a M235 in this area given the well known road conditions. You'd be far better off financially to buy a $1,000 beater car for metro driving and/or take mass transit like the majority. The problem here is here the OP lives and drives, not the quality of BMW's product or tire supplier.

[jpg92515]

Hi guys, OP here, the one with "more money than brains" and the story that's "not believable."

I had asked at the beginning that people keep their opinions to themselves of lawyers and the legal process I am exploring.

It is true, I am a lawyer, but I am posting this because this is what is happening to me.
As to why this "idiot keeps putting the same failing product back on their wheels?" that is because I followed BMW's advice, in that it was not recommended to have 3 tires of one type/make and one of another. Pirelli is the tire that BMW chose to sell with the car. My whole issue here is that I'm following BMW all along the way for what's best for the car, because I've been equally concerned with going against what is factory-recommended. As this is all unfolding, I'm adding one tire here and another there. Some very close to one another, sometimes it's the same tire. In retrospect, yes, I wish I had taken all 4 Pirelli's off the car and thrown another brand all around, but, contrary to belief here, I do not have that kind of money. Now I'm forced to do it.

As for whether "there is simply no way to get four flats at once without punctures," there is, because it happened to me. The two front tires had each bubbled/torn on the sidewall. One had torn, which needed replacement. The other had bubbled, but was not flat. In the time since I'd dropped the car off, the second tire had gone flat. I then received another email that the two rear tires were flat.

So no, I am not a professional driver, but I have been driving as carefully as I possibly can to avoid the repeated flat tires.

And for those continuing to offer helpful commentary, I have stock space gray 18" rims. I have been relying on the BMW suggested PSI on the driver's side door, and BMW's TPMS. Again, if I'm a fool for relying upon and trusting BMW's supplied PSI limits and TPMS technology, then that is exactly why I think there is a cause of action against BMW and Pirelli.

[mcwinterr]

It costs less than $1k to put a new set of all-seasons on your car. I did it after my third Pirelli runflat failure and you should do so as well. You should have not waited so long, but I digress. And then follow up with BMW. As I stated above, I did in a professional and cordial manner, and was reimbursed the cost of my new Continental tires.

I'm a lawyer too, and heading a class action is an interesting proposition, but I wouldn't take that road unless you've exhausted all other possibilities. The more people complain to BMW and demand they reimburse them for new non-runflat tires, the more they will realize that selling these shitty Pirelli's doesn't make much business sense.

And to the chap that said "you're crazy to DD a car like a M235 in this area given the well known road conditions," I respond by saying that we're driving in Manhattan, not Fallujah (the streets are bad, but even I exaggerate how bad they are; probably on par with any urban area), and we do it because we want to, we can, and we don't want to drive a shitty beater car. This isn't Kansas City, man, it's the city of cities, and we have to look good...That, and many people that live in NYC need to drive to work. I live across the river and drive 80 miles a day, through 3 states to get to work. It happens more than you think...

Simple fact is, the Pirelli runflats that come with a $60k car are absolute shit, and they are the only realistic all season option BMW offers when you purchase a car new. This is unacceptable, and the fact that many others have had the same or similar issue is quite telling...

Originally Posted by jpg92515

Hi guys, OP here, the one with "more money than brains" and the story that's "not believable."

I had asked at the beginning that people keep their opinions to themselves of lawyers and the legal process I am exploring.

It is true, I am a lawyer, but I am posting this because this is what is happening to me.
As to why this "idiot keeps putting the same failing product back on their wheels?" that is because I followed BMW's advice, in that it was not recommended to have 3 tires of one type/make and one of another. Pirelli is the tire that BMW chose to sell with the car. My whole issue here is that I'm following BMW all along the way for what's best for the car, because I've been equally concerned with going against what is factory-recommended. As this is all unfolding, I'm adding one tire here and another there. Some very close to one another, sometimes it's the same tire. In retrospect, yes, I wish I had taken all 4 Pirelli's off the car and thrown another brand all around, but, contrary to belief here, I do not have that kind of money. Now I'm forced to do it.

As for whether "there is simply no way to get four flats at once without punctures," there is, because it happened to me. The two front tires had each bubbled/torn on the sidewall. One had torn, which needed replacement. The other had bubbled, but was not flat. In the time since I'd dropped the car off, the second tire had gone flat. I then received another email that the two rear tires were flat.

So no, I am not a professional driver, but I have been driving as carefully as I possibly can to avoid the repeated flat tires.

And for those continuing to offer helpful commentary, I have stock space gray 18" rims. I have been relying on the BMW suggested PSI on the driver's side door, and BMW's TPMS. Again, if I'm a fool for relying upon and trusting BMW's supplied PSI limits and TPMS technology, then that is exactly why I think there is a cause of action against BMW and Pirelli.

[BEM-S4]

OP - here's your problem. You are not making a wise decision for the road conditions in your area. You can argue all you want but it's plain to see. What the car came with is immaterial to what would serve you best. Feel free to keep throwing good money after bad - it's your dime.

I didn't stack brand new wheels and tires in my garage and go to 17" setup just because I wanted to waste my money. Sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

You should definitely not mix and match tires. But sticking with a setup that's plainly not working for you isn't helping you enjoy the car nor is it "better for the car" as you seem to believe. As long as you stick to a reasonably close diameter as stock you won't fuck anything up. So if you reduce the wheel size by an inch you increase your sidewall by half an inch and all is right in the world.