Tire pressures for non-run flats?

[Opie55]

I finally ditched my rock-hard Goodyear run flats for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 tires. The recommended pressures in the manual or the door jamb are for run flats. In my case 35 and 39psi for non-staggered 19s. Is it different for regular tires?

[Opie55]

I think I answered my own question. Others who have researched the question say the recommendations are the same regardless of tire type.

[DaveS86]

You are going to love the non run flats, so much more comfortable and compliant on the road.

[Wanwansuii]

Originally Posted by DaveS86

You are going to love the non run flats, so much more comfortable and compliant on the road.

Yes, I can attest to this! I've had my Gran Coupe for about 10 months now, and it rode on the stock 19 inch run-flats. To be completely honest, I absolutely HATED the ride and handling of the car.....almost to the point of trading it in.

Yesterday, I replaced the 19-inch run-flats with standard 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4, and the car behaves like a totally different animal. I can't believe how quiet and compliant my car is now. The steering is so much better, and no more bottoming out on small potholes. It feels closer to the traditional BMW we all know and love.

THIS IS HOW THE CAR SHOULD HAVE CAME FROM THE FACTORY!! I don't know why after all these years BMW still uses run-flats; they are absolutely garbage.

Air pressure wise, I highly recommend 38 psi front and 40 psi rear for a good balance of ride comfort, compliance, and firmness.

[DaveS86]

Originally Posted by Wanwansuii

Yes, I can attest to this! I've had my Gran Coupe for about 10 months now, and it rode on the stock 19 inch run-flats. To be completely honest, I absolutely HATED the ride and handling of the car.....almost to the point of trading it in.

Yesterday, I replaced the 19-inch run-flats with standard 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4, and the car behaves like a totally different animal. I can't believe how quiet and compliant my car is now. The steering is so much better, and no more bottoming out on small potholes. it feels closer to a traditional BMW that we all know and love.

THIS IS HOW THE CAR SHOULD HAVE CAME FROM THE FACTORY!! I don't know why after all these years BMW still uses run-flats; they are absolutely garbage.

Air pressure wise, I highly recommend 38 psi front and 40 psi rear for a good balance of ride comfort, compliance, and firmness.

100% agree! BMW must have been in the pocket of the tyre manufacturers when it was released. It takes the 6 from being quite an uncomfortable luxury car to an actually comfortable luxury car! Plus...most shops will repair normal tyres if it's not anywhere dangerous, most shops near me wouldn't touch runflats!

[gjohnsen]

I use 43 psi front and rear. It seems to be the sweetspot for my Pilot S4S tires..

Hot climate use less pressure, cold climate use more pressure.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by DaveS86

100% agree! BMW must have been in the pocket of the tyre manufacturers when it was released. It takes the 6 from being quite an uncomfortable luxury car to an actually comfortable luxury car! Plus...most shops will repair normal tyres if it's not anywhere dangerous, most shops near me wouldn't touch runflats!

I have an unproven theory that run flats actually puncture more easily. In the three years I have had two vehicles with run flats I have had many more flats than in my prior 45 years of driving, including one from a small pebble. But yes, the A/S 4s are a world of difference.

[Qsilver7]

I run the recommended pressure on the door jamb that was for the run flats...and it works great for me. And yes, the regular (non-runflat) tires are way more appealing as a tire choice than the run flats were....and I'm running 2nd tier name brand tires...Toyo Extensa HP II tires.

[Wanwansuii]

Originally Posted by Opie55

I have an unproven theory that run flats actually puncture more easily. In the three years I have had two vehicles with run flats I have had many more flats than in my prior 45 years of driving, including one from a small pebble. But yes, the A/S 4s are a world of difference.

That's really interesting and I hold very similar sentiments. When I owned my e92 M-Sport coupe for four years, which had standard tires, I only caught one nail (supposedly intentional) in my tire and was able to repair with without replacement.

However, last week, the sidewall on the run flat on the 6 randomly burst and would hold no air. This is the second time it has happened in less than a year.

[iamvanja]

Originally Posted by Wanwansuii

THIS IS HOW THE CAR SHOULD HAVE CAME FROM THE FACTORY!! I don't know why after all these years BMW still uses run-flats; they are absolutely garbage.

No need for including a spare out of the factory. That's basically the reason.

[AccordTR]

Originally Posted by iamvanja

No need for including a spare out of the factory. That's basically the reason.

Bmw's are meant for high speed aka autobahn. They choose run flats because a blow out at 200+ km/hr sucks on regular tires in an almost 5000 lbs car. It also provides weight savings with no spare as you noted.

[Wanwansuii]

I wonder why the other German marques (Audi, Mercedes) don’t come with run-flats? Aren’t they meant for high speed on the German Autobahn?

I’m my opinion, the cost to benefit of run flats aren’t worth it. Especially since you can only drive up to 50 mph and up to 12-15 miles on the flat. So you definitely won’t be going Autobahn speed once the TPMS notifies you of a flat tire. They’re heavier than standard tires, noisier, they seriously take away from comfort, ride, and handling of the vehicle, and once punctured typically cannot be repaired. Not to mention the expense.

Plus, we have TPMS….

[iamvanja]

Originally Posted by AccordTR

Bmw's are meant for high speed aka autobahn. They choose run flats because a blow out at 200+ km/hr sucks on regular tires in an almost 5000 lbs car. It also provides weight savings with no spare as you noted.

Blow out at 200+ km/h sucks on any type of tires. There, fixed it for you

Those RFTs are better in only one thing compared to the regular ones - they run flat.

[Walt White Coupe]

Originally Posted by Wanwansuii

I’m my opinion, the cost to benefit of run flats aren’t worth it. Especially since you can only drive up to 50 mph and up to 12-15 miles on the flat.

While I'm not a big fan of run flats, it's more like 50 miles published and probably much more than that.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe

While I'm not a big fan of run flats, it's more like 50 miles published and probably much more than that.

The time I got a flat from a pebble I drove close to 50 miles. The tire was patched but I replaced it as soon as I got home.

[Wanwansuii]

Oh my apologies on the misinformation, for some reason I thought the iDrive told me 15 miles. Thank you for the correction

[JBF650]

Opie 55 i run the same pressures in my Michelins Pilots 4S as I did in the god awful RFT.

Front : 38psi Back : 40psi

its been said so many times before but ill add it again.... night and day compared with non RFT... i loath RFT, hard crashy dreadful tyres they are, and terrible in the wet...
I'm sure you will appreciate the Michelins, they are like silk and stick to the road very well ! I carry a can of inflate foam in the boot well just in case...

cheers

[Walt White Coupe]

Since the vast majority of flat tires are caused by slow leaks from nails, screws, etc., all that you should have is a small cheap air compressor to keep the tire inflated until it can be repaired.

Also, leave the nail, screw, etc. in place to serve as a temporary plug.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe

Since the vast majority of flat tires are caused by slow leaks from nails, screws, etc., all that you should have is a small cheap air compressor to keep the tire inflated until it can be repaired.

Also, leave the nail, screw, etc. in place to serve as a temporary plug.

I have a small compressor that is a flat box that fits easily in the little place under the trunk floor where the tool kit is. But it is often not quite that simple. The flat I got last week that finally made me ditch the run flats was from a standard pneumatic roofing nail and was in the center of the tread. But I was about 60 miles from home and the nail did not seal the hole well. So I had to stop every 15 minutes to add more air. What is really needed is an air pump and one of the those kits to insert a plug. That is what I plan to carry from now on.

[Walt White Coupe]

If you ever tried to "insert" one of the plugs in a tire that is still on the car, I think you would have a different opinion. Heck, it's not even easy with the tire off the car. And to make matters worse, if you pull the nail and fail to get the plug installed then you are really screwed (no pun intended). Almost all tires can be safely inflated to 50 psi which could get you further. I'd rather stop every 15 minutes to refill the tire than take a chance of not being able to plug the tire. And I'd suggest that your experience was not typical. I've had two tires with nails in my Corvette (one that took two nails at the same time) and they held air more like an hour before needing to refill.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by Walt White Coupe

If you ever tried to "insert" one of the plugs in a tire that is still on the car, I think you would have a different opinion. Heck, it's not even easy with the tire off the car. And to make matters worse, if you pull the nail and fail to get the plug installed then you are really screwed (no pun intended). Almost all tires can be safely inflated to 50 psi which could get you further. I'd rather stop every 15 minutes to refill the tire than take a chance of not being able to plug the tire. And I'd suggest that your experience was not typical. I've had two tires with nails in my Corvette (one that took two nails at the same time) and they held air more like an hour before needing to refill.

I've inserted the plugs numerous times, including on the car. Rear tire can be a pain, front is as easy as having it off if you can turn the wheels. The key is a quality plug kit. The ones they sell at O'Reilly's, for example, are utterly useless w/o modification.

[TGG]

Originally Posted by Opie55

I finally ditched my rock-hard Goodyear run flats for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 tires. The recommended pressures in the manual or the door jamb are for run flats. In my case 35 and 39psi for non-staggered 19s. Is it different for regular tires?

Originally Posted by Opie55

I finally ditched my rock-hard Goodyear run flats for Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 tires. The recommended pressures in the manual or the door jamb are for run flats. In my case 35 and 39psi for non-staggered 19s. Is it different for regular tires?

I love them, too. So glad I replaced the RFs with the Michelin Sport 4S— love them. I didn't get all-season. Michelin said that they are comparable to the RF all-seasons.