[mbd23]

I'm getting my MY2016 228ix in about a month. It was too late in production to request non run flats. Are run flat tires as awful as I've read? I have PSS's on my Volvo and Toyo summer tires on the old Miata. I'd love to get the Pilot SS a/s. I hate spending $ on new tires but will do it if it's the better option.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by mbd23

I'm getting my MY2016 228ix in about a month. It was too late in production to request non run flats. Are run flat tires as awful as I've read? I have PSS's on my Volvo and Toyo summer tires on the old Miata. I'd love to get the Pilot SS a/s. I hate spending $ on new tires but will do it if it's the better option.

Lease or buy?

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by mbd23

I'm getting my MY2016 228ix in about a month. It was too late in production to request non run flats. Are run flat tires as awful as I've read? I have PSS's on my Volvo and Toyo summer tires on the old Miata. I'd love to get the Pilot SS a/s. I hate spending $ on new tires but will do it if it's the better option.

I had the same dilemma. I even priced out tires and a spare. In the end I chose to have as much trunk space as possible. I also bought the tire and wheel insurance they offered. It included interior and exterior protection. I was never one to polish the car myself. So in the long run the insurance will be cheaper then me having the car polished every year. That's if it lasts as long is it supposed to.

[pazzo]

If you get the Bridgestone S0001 RFT with your 228, keep em'
I've been pleasantly surprised by them with good wear, great traction and they don't seem as stiff as the other RFT I've used. I'd get them again

[mbd23]

Buy

[DRitch]

The PSS's - all season or summer - are a better option, certainly this time of year. However, do you have the option to trade in the unused run-flats? If not, try them out. See how you like them. The PSS's will give you a better ride and better traction (at least in warm weather), but there's no need to throw away the run-flats without giving them a try. Among other things - using them will increase your appreciation of the PSS's.

[bimmerfile]

Originally Posted by mbd23

I'm getting my MY2016 228ix in about a month. It was too late in production to request non run flats. Are run flat tires as awful as I've read? I have PSS's on my Volvo and Toyo summer tires on the old Miata. I'd love to get the Pilot SS a/s. I hate spending $ on new tires but will do it if it's the better option.

OEM A/S RFTs are perfectly fine.
Maybe if you track your car or have extra shitty roads where you live PSS's may have a benefit over the RFTs, otherwise OEM RFTs are more than adequate.

[pz619]

If you bought, just wear them down and replace once they are used up.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by mbd23

I'm getting my MY2016 228ix in about a month. It was too late in production to request non run flats. Are run flat tires as awful as I've read? I have PSS's on my Volvo and Toyo summer tires on the old Miata. I'd love to get the Pilot SS a/s. I hate spending $ on new tires but will do it if it's the better option.

As you state you bought the car, and therefore will likely keep it a while, I cannot imagine being constrained to the mediocrity of the OE RFT tires. Do you play tennis in bedroom slippers? The tires are among the most critical aspects of a vehicle's overall performance...the only contact the car has (or is supposed to have!) with the outside world. This is a component where you don't skimp...you get the very best you can!

We may have some nomenclature issues here, but there is no such thing as an all season PSS tire. You may be thinking of the Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+, which was designed to provide as much of the PSS performance as possible in a tire you don't have to take off the car when the temps drop below 45 degrees F. Those tires are transformative for the 2 Series!

Take off the RFTs and let your dealer/salespeople know they're available for sale. When they get a lease turn-in prospect who needs legal tread depth, you could offer them a deal. Or, try the classifieds on this forum, but shipping costs can hurt a bit.

Originally Posted by DRitch

The PSS's - all season or summer - are a better option, certainly this time of year. However, do you have the option to trade in the unused run-flats? If not, try them out. See how you like them. The PSS's will give you a better ride and better traction (at least in warm weather), but there's no need to throw away the run-flats without giving them a try. Among other things - using them will increase your appreciation of the PSS's.

If you mean PSS, as noted above, those are summer only...temps above 45 degrees. Below that, Michelin warns about compound cracking and major loss of traction. That can leave quite a gap in the Spring and Autumn when winters are not yet called for, but it's too cold for PSS. Pilot Sport AS3+ are a perfect alternative, with just the slightest loss of the high end of performance. They can go the entire time when there is no snow on the ground, when winter tires are needed in the northern areas.

Originally Posted by bimmerfile

OEM A/S RFTs are perfectly fine.
Maybe if you track your car or have extra shitty roads where you live PSS's may have a benefit over the RFTs, otherwise OEM RFTs are more than adequate.

"Adequate" and "perfectly fine" sound like a great argument to drive a Honda. That's not why most folks buy a BMW. If the roads are poor, PSS aren't the solution for that anyway....taller sidewall, such as going to a 17 from an 18 will help with that to absorb impact. But, don't pay the salary to hire LeBron and tell him he has to play in hiking boots because they are "adequate"!

[jeremicium]

Since you're buying it seems like a no brainer. Since you already have them, keep em until they wear out, they'll be just fine for a few years. RFTs have improved vastly, and i don't believe there is any merit to the argument that RFTs are not high performance enough for even very spirited street driving. On a track is another story.

When they wear out replace them with Pilot Super Sports.

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

"Adequate" and "perfectly fine" sound like a great argument to drive a Honda. That's not why most folks buy a BMW. If the roads are poor, PSS aren't the solution for that anyway....taller sidewall, such as going to a 17 from an 18 will help with that to absorb impact. But, don't pay the salary to hire LeBron and tell him he has to play in hiking boots because they are "adequate"!

Hey now Sportstick. You're hurting my feelings. I love my Honda at least as much as my BMW...I've had PSS on three different cars, but I wouldn't dare put PSS on the Honda...not a high enough performance tire. You should have used KIA or Hyundai or Dodge as the comparison. VTEC YO

Agree about the rest of your comments. PSS is about about the best "most weather" street tire, but if the OP lives in Boston, they'll need an all season back up tire.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

Since you're buying it seems like a no brainer. Since you already have them, keep em until they wear out, they'll be just fine for a few years. RFTs have improved vastly, and i don't believe there is any merit to the argument that RFTs are not high performance enough for even very spirited street driving. On a track is another story.

When they wear out replace them with Pilot Super Sports.

Do you know of a comparison test with the OE RFT? The 2 Series are not coming with Michelin Pilot Sport AS ZP....the OE tires are just not up to the top of the class, and were not intended to be. OE tires emphasize cost and low rolling resistance to assist the manufacturer with their corporate CAFE number, neither attribute contributing to performance.

Note he lives in Boston. PSS will leave him with quite a gap before/after each winter when he can't run the PSS because it's still too cold, but won't want to still be on Blizzaks or such with no snow in sight.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

Hey now Sportstick. You're hurting my feelings. I love my Honda at least as much as my BMW...I've had PSS on three different cars, but I wouldn't dare put PSS on the Honda...not a high enough performance tire. You should have used KIA or Hyundai or Dodge as the comparison. VTEC YO

Agree about the rest of your comments. PSS is about about the best "most weather" street tire, but if the OP lives in Boston, they'll need an all season back up tire.

Our posts crossed in the ether....sorry about Honda...Hyundai works! But, Honda too high performance for PSS?!?!? Tell me more!!

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Do you know of a comparison test with the OE RFT? The 2 Series are not coming with Michelin Pilot Sport AS ZP....the OE tires are just not up to the top of the class, and were not intended to be. OE tires emphasize cost and low rolling resistance to assist the manufacturer with their corporate CAFE number, neither attribute contributing to performance.

Note he lives in Boston. PSS will leave him with quite a gap before/after each winter when he can't run the PSS because it's still too cold, but won't want to still be on Blizzaks or such with no snow in sight.

The question the OP asked that I wanted to address was if RFTs are as bad as people say. I've had experience with the Bridgestone RE-050 and Pirelli Pzero. While i wouldn't choose them over non RFTs, they were absolutely fine for DD duties and were perfectly up to the task for spirited mountain/canyon type driving. You can't drive on the street in a way that exceeds the limits of either of those tires.

I didn't see that he posted what tire he'll have. I guess thats a factor. My point is, there are some summer performance RFTs that are perfectly fine for street use, but i'd agree that if they come with any all season tire I would swap out as soon as possible.

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Our posts crossed in the ether....sorry about Honda...Hyundai works! But, Honda too high performance for PSS?!?!? Tell me more!!

Like I said, PSS is the best street tire i've ever had. Great wear, fantastic traction, not too noisy. But, they are not up to serious track use, for that you need the extreme performance summer tire (or R compound non street). I had PSS on my S2000 for about 6,000 miles and maybe 6 track days. As I stopped sucking so much the PSS would overheat and become useless about 15 minutes into a track session. I'm on the Bridgestone RE71A, that tire is like glue.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

You can't drive on the street in a way that exceeds the limits of either of those tires.

We agree, but I'm coming from a position of how it feels, not whether the limits may be exceeded. Driving a BMW is "auto-sensuality", and the feel of how the tires connect to the road are a major factor in the experience for me. A set of all-season Pilot Sport AS3+ will feel very different from the OE RFTs and, to me, 1) worth the price and 2) part of the reason I bought a BMW, and not a (hmmmm, let's see here....) a Hyundai!

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

Like I said, PSS is the best street tire i've ever had. Great wear, fantastic traction, not too noisy. But, they are not up to serious track use, for that you need the extreme performance summer tire (or R compound non street). I had PSS on my S2000 for about 6,000 miles and maybe 6 track days. As I stopped sucking so much the PSS would overheat and become useless about 15 minutes into a track session. I'm on the Bridgestone RE71A, that tire is like glue.

Ah, you are serious! Respect!

[jeremicium]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Ah, you are serious! Respect!

It's too late to apologize for hijacking the thread, I did try to answer the OPs question before taking it in a different direction...Do you plan to track your 228? Looks like you've got the right setup, MT, track package! Car should be a blast on the track.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by jeremicium

It's too late to apologize for hijacking the thread, I did try to answer the OPs question before taking it in a different direction...Do you plan to track your 228? Looks like you've got the right setup, MT, track package! Car should be a blast on the track.

Well, I hope it wasn't a hijack as I definitely came down on the side of OP dumping the OE RFTs and getting much better rubber ASAP. Haven't tracked the car yet but if the rest of my life allows the time, maybe!

[BentZero]

I would flat out run to the nearest tire shop and swap them. See what I did there?

[mbd23]

I meant to say Pilot Sport a/s 3+. Not PSS. I don't know which run flats I'll be getting. Thanks for your responses.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by pz619

If you bought, just wear them down and replace once they are used up.

This. If you leased I'd get non RFT now then put the RFT back on for turn in. Just did that for my dad's new sport wagon.