Running on empty

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Running on empty

I have a BMW 320D Coupe M Sport – 255 tyres rear and 225 front on 18 in rims. Very satisfied with car, BUT ride / handling is awful, if I hit a bump at speed car ‘jumps’ off course, which does not instil confidence – often the traction light comes on. Car has 15k miles on clock now. It is was registered in September 2008.The car currently runs on Bridgestone runflat tyres. Have you heard of similar problems and do you have any suggestions?

Asked on 19 September 2009 by

Answered by Honest John

Yes, I know. Blame BMW’s policy of fitting big wheels with wide, low profile tyres, and usually 2nd generation Runflats. The light on the horizon is Runflat 3s, coming in the autumn, and tested by me as 18” 40 section. These have softer sidewalls, so ride no worse than conventional 40 section tyres and use different technology to run with no air in.

Tags: wheels and tyres technical issues runflat tyres owning

Similar questions

Jacks ‘n five

Whether or not Car manufacturers are supplying runflat tyres now, they are still issuing spare wheel equipment that cannot entirely fulfil its function. How are they getting away with this? I have reported...

Loather Doom

I own a BMW 320D, just coming up to 4 years old and due for a new set of tyres. I loathe and detest the runflat tyres my car came on. In all the cars I have had I have never experienced such a hard ride,...

Re-tyring gentleman

Are there any issues changing from runflats to standard tyres on a 2005 BMW 520d