#Service tire mobility kit full size
#Service tire mobility kit plus

As LedZep may attest to, plugging a tire the first time, especially if it's still on the car can be difficult. I don't think many BMW owners fall into that category though.

#Service tire mobility kit full size

That's the hidden penalty of RFTs.Īnother reason not to go with RFTs would be off-roading - you'll want a proper full size spare for that. So we had to order a new tire and wait for it to ship on Monday, arrive here on Tuesday, and then get mounted on Wednesday.

The flat was caused by a cut right where the tread and sidewall meet, and wasn't something that could be repaired. My wife got a flat last Friday afternoon, and her car was out of commission until Wednesday. That can be a real PITA, especially if you're on vacation or it's the weekend. RFTs can be a hassle since it often takes 1-2 days to get them in stock at any tire dealer. In cases where I find a nail/screw before the tire is flat, I can generally pull the nail, prep the hole, and shove in a plug without losing very much air. I carry a plug kit and 12V compressor in my Acura (which doesn't have RFTs, but you get the idea). I am a big fan of plugging tires in situ when possible. Others may disagree, and that's fine - as I said it is a very subjective topic. With a non-RFT you don't have the choice of driving a few miles to the next exit or safe pull-off.

#Service tire mobility kit plus

Plus you have to carry a jack and do the repair where and when the tire dictates. sound familiar? Then what? You still need a tire. A donut spare is good for maybe up to 100 miles at 50 MPH. Some say the would rather have non-RFTs and a space saver spare. So, if you're able to plug it right away there is no reason you can't run that tire for the remainder of its normal life. If you catch the problem right away and don't drive long or fast on the deflated tire, you will not do much damage to the reinforced sidewalls. 'They' will tell you that RFT's should not be repaird or plugged, and that can be true - but it can also be misleading. To me this is the best of both worlds (though certainly not ideal or convient by any means). Since most tire damage is a tread area puncture, I can pull off the road ASAP to a level and safe work area, find the hole, and plug it. I run the run flats, but I also carry a kit that contains a 12 volt compressor and a plug kit. I have adopted a new solution since then. The problem was - at 4:30 PM on a Friday on a turnpike (luckily I was only a couple miles from a service plaza and was able to pull of to a safe comfortable location) there is no way you're going to find a replacemet for the RFT. So, I'm a believer in the safety factor for sure. I was doing about 75 MPH, and if the chime and warning light hadn't told me I had a tire problem I never would have known. hundreds of miles from home and hundreds of miles from our destination. In our E92, we had a flat tire during a vacation trip. The debate on run flats is ongoing and very subjective, but I have stuck with them. I feel like it was a semi-miracle that I was able get the tire replaced less than 24-hours after the incident.I've had BMWs with run flats since 2005, and have faced this question for myself a few times over the years. I also called two other local shops who laughed at me when I told them the tire size I needed. PS: Aside from this local tire shop, I called my local Ford dealer (The Ford Store San Leandro) and the service shop told me that while they could get a tire for a bit less ($230), it would take ONE WEEK to get the tire in. When I drove back the to have the replacement done the next day, the tire had lost 1-2psi.īased on this experience, I think this system kicks ass. The tire held the air perfectly over the next 24 hours. So we ordered a replacement ($280!) and planned for me to return the following day. While looking at the tire with him, I saw that where the gash was, a white gooey substance was lining/exiting the puncture. I drove the car to the tire shop 2 miles from home and the guy told me no way was it fixable. I pulled out the tire inflation/repair kit and after about 5-10 minutes it was back up to ~40psi. I followed the sound and found a 3/4-inch gash. I pulled into my garage a couple minutes later and could hear the psssssst of the air exiting the tire. I could see the PSI dropping - 26, 25, 24. As I exited the freeway ramp I got a huge warning notice on the dash alerting me to low tire pressure from the right-rear. I did me errand and headed home (a 3-mile drive). I arrived at my destination a few minutes later and could see no damage.

I thought maybe some detritus on the road had gotten kicked up and hit the fender. While driving on the freeway I heard a huge THWACK from the right rear of the car.