[NCRider]

I'm looking at buying '13, 535i M, but the history has me a little concerned. The original owner hit "pot holes" which knocked out tires at 3K, 22K and 30K.

Really? Who does this?

The work was done at the selling/servicing/reselling dealer, so they have access to the work orders, etc.

Anything to be concerned about with this history? I've NEVER blown a tire with a pot hole. This person did THREE times?

What could be latent/hidden problems from this? I don't see any alignments or other suspension work on the CarFax.

Anyone?

TIA

[SonicEndeavor]

Welcome!
Unfortunately the blowouts are completely normal due to the combination of low profile tires and the rock hard factory installed runflat tires on a big heavy car like the F10. The Goodyear LS2's are especially vulnerable to forming bubbles when hitting potholes.
I've never had an issue here in Southern California but thousands of owners who live in cold climates where the roads aren't in the best shape have gotten bubbles. Many, including myself have ditched the runflats for conventional tires and find the ride quality significantly improved with much better grip.
As far as issues, have and Indy shop inspect for cracked wheels and any suspension anomalies.

[Gilgorm]

Sonic's post is spot on. Low profile tires+rock hard runflats=tire bubbles and blowouts. During my entire driving career I have never had a flat or bubble of any kind (up to 2012).
However, my F10 has had 2 nail flats (one in winter set and one in summer set that are not the tires fault) and two bubbles (same tire from different hits). I don't even remember when the pot hole hits happened. You may never have a flat but just be aware that with the LS2s, bubbles are possible.
Don't worry about the car history you are looking at.

[lsturbointeg]

I have bubbles on both my front tires and the dealer said it's because of potholes. Well I don't recall hitting potholes so they're assuming I did without proof. They want $500 per tire installed! I told them to $%*&%!

[Bbb34]

Originally Posted by NCRider

Really? Who does this?

(almost) Everybody.
Heavy car + slightly softer rims + stiff side wall of run flats = bubbles and bent rims.

[spuntyb]

I wouldn't sweat it. This is pretty standard for the 5er and 7er with stock wheels and run flats.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by NCRider

I'm looking at buying '13, 535i M, but the history has me a little concerned. The original owner hit "pot holes" which knocked out tires at 3K, 22K and 30K.
Really? Who does this?
The work was done at the selling/servicing/reselling dealer, so they have access to the work orders, etc.
Anything to be concerned about with this history? I've NEVER blown a tire with a pot hole. This person did THREE times?
What could be latent/hidden problems from this? I don't see any alignments or other suspension work on the CarFax.
Anyone?
TIA

If the used car is driven in NC where the roads are in decent condition, I would say 3 instance of blown tires is excessive. I read this as either the original owner was a very aggressive driver or he/she just did not care about the car. Is this a leased car? Try to get a BMW vehicle maintenance history from the dealer, carfax does provide a lot details as far as repair jobs. Last but not least, get a mechanic to inspect the suspension.

[493263]

I wouldn't have too much concerns with that. The only real indicator that it may be abused is from repair services, wear/tear, and banged up body.

I've already replaced 3 tires from potholes in the past year alone. It doesn't take much to make these things bubble up.

[The Beast]

Yeah it's common, just make sure the wheels aren't buckled or cracked and you'll be fine.

[cipher5]

Echoing everyone else, those Goodyear Eagle LS2 RFTs are terrible tires. I have blown 3 of them on potholes, these tires don't hold up well. No need for concern with buying the car, just use better tires.

[Hella-Buggin']

So what's the solution? I'm a big fan of Michelin tires, can we just throw some pilot super sports on the OE rims?

[493263]

Originally Posted by Hella-Buggin'

So what's the solution? I'm a big fan of Michelin tires, can we just throw some pilot super sports on the OE rims?

Yes

[SonicEndeavor]

Originally Posted by Hella-Buggin'

So what's the solution? I'm a big fan of Michelin tires, can we just throw some pilot super sports on the OE rims?

Yep. That's what many of us do. You'll get a much better performing tire with excellent wet & dry grip, and even though it's a max performance summer tire the ride quality will be much improved over the all-season grand touring runflats.
The downside is that the suspension is tuned for those rock hard runflats so depending on your needs you might find yourself wanting to install aftermarket springs or coilovers to firm up the ride and improve the handling.

[Errowen]

Is your candidate MSport riding on 19 inch wheels? If so, 3 ruined tires is outside my experience. On 20's or 21's, maybe.

[Pimpsy]

I blew three in one month in NJ on a 2013 550xi m-sport with stock run flats and 351 19" rims! The potholes around here are beyond terrible. It's almost criminal that they aren't properly repaired, and I'm talking highways, not just local roads.

One hit will bubble the tire, and a second hit in the same spot will rip it open. Nothing to fault the previous driver for, and not an indication that the car was misused.

[Keyser Soze]

Yeah once you throw Michelin Pilot Super Sports on it, it will feel a bit softer for sure.

[ClubBMW]

Can I get more experiences from others here? And maybe start a dialog about a solution that still involves run-flat tires but in such a way that ownership can proceed in a worry-free way?

I've owned a '13 i550 xDrive with the M package (non-staggard) for 3, maybe 4 years now. When I test drove it I hit a sharp bump in the road within a minute of leaving the dealership. I just passed it on as a bump I should have seen but didn't. I purchased it because everything else, and the rest of the trip, was great.

Within 6 months I had two flats and replaced them with the same stock LS2s. Never having had a blowout ever in 30+ years it didn't take a lot of brain waves to sense there was a problem. I reduced my driving of this car to almost nothing. I then grew a set last year and took it on vacation up and down the east coast of the USA. On the 1st day I had a blowout. Delay of 1 day and two Bridstone Driveguards so that the tires matched on each side while trying a different tire, that trip completed with no further episodes. Since then I've probably driven it another 400 miles and last week - another blowout - one of the Bridgestones.

My driving style is normal, on the slow side anymore for NY NJ PA, and by that I mean I do 70/75 in a 65 while everybody passes me at 80/85, 40 in a 35, and frequently the speed limit when I have all day. In this car I keep a significant gap between me and the car in front just so I can see the insignificant when in any other car, but this inevitably invites others to pass me and it happens too much in the rat race of this area. It's just another thing that takes the enjoyment away from driving. In every other car I've ever driven, from a Cayenne Turbo S with litterally the same sidewall height, to a Ferrari 355, all the way back to my 1st car, an Oldmobile Delta 88 Royale, I've never had to change a tire on-the-spot. I have always been able to make it back and deal with it at home.

So, I guess it's obvious I should have sold it by now, but I haven't. Maybe I like challenges. I can definitely say my car is not an anomally - sooo many others have this problem.

Has anyone resolved the flat problem to the point that driving is worry free without carrying a spare? If you're carrying a spare, you're worried.

Maybe a switch to 17" or 18"? Can we have a talk about suspension programing or tuning?

Thanks all.

[cdmulders]

Your experience doesn't match mine with blow-outs, which of course doesn't help you per se, but I wonder if the number of flats you've had is above the norm. I have to ask - are you keeping your tires properly inflated?

I killed two of my LS2s on the same pothole (front and rear, in case you are wondering), after 2 years on them. I replaced them with LS2s, but 2 years later, I replaced all four with non run-flat Pilot Super Sports, which I am still using for summer driving. I've not had a flat or blow-out since the aforementioned two, some 7 years ago. I have now over 100K miles on the car, and as an aside, while driving it at all speeds in Canada and Europe.

I've been using run-flat winter tires (two types of Nokian over the past 8 winters on 18" wheels) which also have performed great, and were as comfortable as the Michelin PSSs (and more comfortable than the original LS2s).

I'm sure others will chime in with run-flat tires that are far superior to the LS2s and perhaps the Bridgestones. I've heard of great things on this forum about the Michelin all-season run-flats. Back to my first point, I think you have a worse-than-average rate of flats, so I would encourage you to not discount the F10 as a great and trust-worthy car, at least with respect to tires.

[Jacob_f10]

Originally Posted by ClubBMW

Can I get more experiences from others here? And maybe start a dialog about a solution that still involves run-flat tires but in such a way that ownership can proceed in a worry-free way?

I've owned a '13 i550 xDrive with the M package (non-staggard) for 3, maybe 4 years now. When I test drove it I hit a sharp bump in the road within a minute of leaving the dealership. I just passed it on as a bump I should have seen but didn't. I purchased it because everything else, and the rest of the trip, was great.

Within 6 months I had two flats and replaced them with the same stock LS2s. Never having had a blowout ever in 30+ years it didn't take a lot of brain waves to sense there was a problem. I reduced my driving of this car to almost nothing. I then grew a set last year and took it on vacation up and down the east coast of the USA. On the 1st day I had a blowout. Delay of 1 day and two Bridstone Driveguards so that the tires matched on each side while trying a different tire, that trip completed with no further episodes. Since then I've probably driven it another 400 miles and last week - another blowout - one of the Bridgestones.

My driving style is normal, on the slow side anymore for NY NJ PA, and by that I mean I do 70/75 in a 65 while everybody passes me at 80/85, 40 in a 35, and frequently the speed limit when I have all day. In this car I keep a significant gap between me and the car in front just so I can see the insignificant when in any other car, but this inevitably invites others to pass me and it happens too much in the rat race of this area. It's just another thing that takes the enjoyment away from driving. In every other car I've ever driven, from a Cayenne Turbo S with litterally the same sidewall height, to a Ferrari 355, all the way back to my 1st car, an Oldmobile Delta 88 Royale, I've never had to change a tire on-the-spot. I have always been able to make it back and deal with it at home.

So, I guess it's obvious I should have sold it by now, but I haven't. Maybe I like challenges. I can definitely say my car is not an anomally - sooo many others have this problem.

Has anyone resolved the flat problem to the point that driving is worry free without carrying a spare? If you're carrying a spare, you're worried.

Maybe a switch to 17" or 18"? Can we have a talk about suspension programing or tuning?

Thanks all.

I got my car (2014 550i M-Sport, staggered) with Pirelli p-zeros all around. Within FOUR DAYS I had a blowout on the passenger rear… The tire literally popped and I ran the run flat back home. I replaced the rears with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06. And I decided not to go with run flats… Since then I had one flat from a literall pipe getting embedded in my wheel. It was actually there for about 3 months before the tire gave way and Les Schwab (fantastic tire warranty btw) replaced it for free. I recently put two more Continentals, same type, on the front, and I have had zero issues since the pipe encounter.

I've heard good things about non run flat tires and I'm sticking with them. I do understand the importance of being able to get to where you need to go if you have a flat, but fortunately I am lucky enough to have a few back up beaters and a truck and trailer to tow the car if needed.

Regardless, I've put plenty on miles on these tires with this setup. The roads in my part of the city are not pretty, potholes, bumps, everything. And these tires have treated me wonderfully.

Furthermore, all of my friends run continentals, a 2014 435i, 2016 Audi s3, 2016 Audi s4, 2017 Audi A4. All of them don't have a spare, and run non run flats, and none of them have had problems! We also drive our cars A LOT. So plenty of rough, hard, bumpy miles and little to no tire problems!

[SonicEndeavor]

As you mentioned, changing to smaller rims providing more sidewall is likely the solution.
I can’t speak from experience because I’ve never had a flat tire either with the 19” run flats or non run flats. Potholes are rare here.