[zazzau]

Bumped into a terrible pothole the other day and it affected the sidewall of my left side front tire. Luckily the steering drives normal but I'm not totally sure it's safe to keep driving with this tire. My car was grounded from November through December due to a flat on one of the rear tires; I'm now having to confront the fact that I may have to park the car again until I can get a replacement since the PS4S are generally on back order. Is it safe to keep driving with this tire - first time experiencing a bump on my tire. Thoughts?

[RigaTony1982]

I don’t have an expert opinion on this by any means, but I wouldn’t drive on that. I’d be afraid it’d blow out.

[Merami fan]

Dangerous at highway speeds and should be replaced ASAP. Given how small the bulge (bubble) is, driving a few miles to a tire shop at low speeds wouldn't be crazy.

[jg4c]

IMO, unsafe. Needs replacing.

[paulb15480]

Don't risk it. I think you will find availability better now than it was several months ago. Plus front tire size has had much better availability than the rear.

[zazzau]

I drove around 140 miles with the tire. Certainly not encouraging anyone to risk it.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to ask dealer tomorrow if they have any in stock.

[Seanhfx]

It's amazing to me people with these cars ask such questions. My question is what happens if that tire blows out on an interstate going 70MPH??? All over a few hundred bucks. Replace the damn tire, I wouldn't even think about it.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by Seanhfx

It's amazing to me people with these cars ask such questions. My question is what happens if that tire blows out on an interstate going 70MPH??? All over a few hundred bucks. Replace the damn tire, I wouldn't even think about it.

It's not about the money - what part of my post suggests it is? Further it's covered by wheel & tire insurance. I haven't had this issue before so just figured I hear from the community.

Also what makes you think I was going 70mph?

But like I already said: I'm planning on getting it replaced based on feedback to this thread.

Thanks for the input though.

[EXE46]

Originally Posted by zazzau

It's not about the money - what part of my post suggests it is? Further it's covered by wheel & tire insurance. I haven't had this issue before so just figured I hear from the community.

Also what makes you think I was going 70mph?

But like I already said: I'm planning on getting it replaced based on feedback to this thread.

Thanks for the input though.

70MPH is nothing in this car, anyhow it shouldn't even be a question. Get another tire even if it's not Michelin. It's dangerous to drive on this tire at any speed.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by EXE46

70MPH is nothing in this car, anyhow it shouldn't even be a question. Get another tire even if it's not Michelin. It's dangerous to drive on this tire at any speed.

I'll be sticking with Michelin. But I get your point.

[zazzau]

Someone here did mention that tire shortage should've been resolved by now. Well, it doesn't appear to be so (at least for the BMW star tires.) Just FYI.

I was lucky to get the last front tire at my dealer and insurance is covering for that. The rears are still on back order. After my rear tire was replaced earlier, I managed to get another rare at the dealership (purchased out-of-pocket) - that I'll keep in storage. My second tire damage within the span of 2 months.

Don't bump or damage your tire!!!

[TiMSport]

I assume you're referencing the OEM "*" version of the PS4s, right? I can't help but think they're probably still hard to get a hold of but the normal PS4s tires might be more readily available nowadays. Not sure since I haven't shopped for new tires lately.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

I assume you're referencing the OEM "*" version of the PS4s, right? I can't help but think they're probably still hard to get a hold of but the normal PS4s tires might be more readily available nowadays. Not sure since I haven't shopped for new tires lately.

Yeah OEM star. The after-market is widely available last I checked.

[jlapicki]

Just checked TireRack.....they have Pilot Sport 4s Star front and rears in stock....$297 and 292 each...

[TiMSport]

Has anyone ever used Tire Rack's mobile installation service?

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by jlapicki

Just checked TireRack.....they have Pilot Sport 4s Star front and rears in stock....$297 and 292 each...

That's good to know. They weren't available on TireRack back in November when I had my first flat.

Dealer charged $340 for them.

I wonder why dealer has this on back order but available through 3rd party. My guess is they don't stock as much as tire shops - but it's wild that they still can't get their hands on these tires right now.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by zazzau

That's good to know. They weren't available on TireRack back in November when I had my first flat.

Dealer charged $340 for them.

I wonder why dealer has this on back order but available through 3rd party. My guess is they don't stock as much as tire shops - but it's wild that they still can't get their hands on these tires right now.

Does the $340 include installation?
I think we discussed this before but with your optional coverage for the wheels(?) and tires, will they reimburse you if you purchase through Tire Rack?

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

Does the $340 include installation?
I think we discussed this before but with your optional coverage for the wheels(?) and tires, will they reimburse you if you purchase through Tire Rack?

No that is the price BEFORE the tax. Does not include labor. Labor was $50.

I'm also interested in knowing if insurance will reimburse TireRack purchase. But if they can reimburse purchase from dealer (which I'm sure they do,) then I'm not sure why they would be against reimbursing purchase from non-dealer.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by zazzau

No that is the price BEFORE the tax. Does not include labor. Labor was $50.

I'm also interested in knowing if insurance will reimburse TireRack purchase. But if they can reimburse purchase from dealer (which I'm sure they do,) then I'm not sure why they would be against reimbursing purchase from non-dealer.

Yeah I'd be curious about that. I don't see why they wouldn't cover you. I don't know who the 3rd party is that provides your insurance for the wheels/tires but I'm pretty sure it's not BMW Tire Insurance Co., Ltd.
But seriously, I wouldn't think it matters where you buy them as long as it's a legit company which of course it is. As was noted, sure seems like a no-brainer considering TR has them in stock now.

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

Yeah I'd be curious about that. I don't see why they wouldn't cover you. I don't know who the 3rd party is that provides your insurance for the wheels/tires but I'm pretty sure it's not BMW Tire Insurance Co., Ltd.
But seriously, I wouldn't think it matters where you buy them as long as it's a legit company which of course it is. As was noted, sure seems like a no-brainer considering TR has them in stock now.

Yeah I filed a claim for the rear tire I purchased from BMW this morning out-of-pocket - by late afternoon I got an email from insurance saying they will mail me a check. No questions asked other than furnishing them with receipt/invoice. I'm certain it would've been no different had it been a purchase from TR.

Yup insurance isn't with BMW; they helped me find the "best" wheel&tire coverage when signing paperwork for my new car.

My current front tire with the bump has also been cleared with insurance so I don't quite have an incentive to purchase from TR right now. Maybe in the future if I can't find available stock at my local dealer.

For those coming across this thread in the future - highly recommend wheel and tire insurance especially for 19" or 20". It's just a no-brainer

[jpowers36]

When I purchased my car back in May, I got the wheel and tire insurance (along with several others). It even covers aftermarket wheels.

[Assassin]

Just remember that the tread depth on xDrive models has to be within 2mm across all the tyres so that the rolling circumference is the same on all wheels. Otherwise it can cause issues with the transfer box as it has to compensate for the difference all the time, incl when going straight, rather than only when cornering.

So if you are replacing only 1 tyre, and the others are significantly worn, you could be creating a problem for yourself further down the line. There are several threads on this forum highlighting transfer box issues..... always worth keeping an eye on.

You also need to be very careful with tyre brands, pressurs and size changes / staggered wheel combinations to ensure that the rolling circumference is within the relevant tolerance.

Shame BMW never mention any of this in their sales blurb or owners documentation!

This is not an old maids tale, it is an official BMW recommendation. See entry #37 here:

https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=26170985