Wow, $1427 bucks later and I have a new right, rear tire. BMW Assist came through with shining colors for sure!
I will do my best to make this a short story; was on a business trip calling on the state of Montana and decided scrap the plane ride and take the M3 for the ride cause the weather forcast called for nothing cold mornings and late September sun! (Not to mention the miles and miles of twisty roads and long, deserted straight-aways
) When it happened....along came the quiet, relaxed chime and the indication that my tire was getting low. Crap, I thought...as I was a million miles from no-where, deep in the clenches of the high desserts of the vast state of Montana. I had one gas station within the next 80 miles and it was just a few exits ahead. Made it! Filled the tire (it was only at 25psi--figured it was just low from the drastic change of altitude and cold mornings--I was off and running again!
) 15 miles later---ding....then the smell of burning rubber as my side walls were beginning to burn through. I stopped at the side of the road to find it completey flat. Found the 'emergency-tire-kit' in the trunk and went to work. Lets see, attach compressor to weird plastic bottle, turn compressor on, drive 2 miles at 30mph to spread white goo eveningly, pump 2 bar of pressure in and PRESTO! White glue began to spew out of the 1/4 hold in top of tire!
. Now what???? Get the cell out, walk 100 yards to find some sort of signal, call EVERY TIRE SHOP in all of Montana to find out "We don't carry no tire that wide round here--waz it for er tractor or sumpin???". Geez! What now, I thought as I began to panic. Oh yeah...the SOS button! (I should have paid more attention at my orientation--guess I was too busy admiring the sexy lines of my new M3...)
Within a few moments, a calm, cool voice came over the air-waves "BMW Assist, how may I be of service?" I spent the next ten minutes telling her my sob story, and the next thing I new she was ready to dispatch the nearest tow truck. "TOW TRUCK!?!" -- I gasped..."no sir, we will send a flat bed that will gently ease your car onto it's platform". "Then we will tow it to the nearest BMW dealer..." But there are no dealers in Montana, I pondered...."Looks like the nearest dealer is in Spokane Washington, is that alright Mr. Yougottaflat???" Ummm.... (I was wondering how many millions this was going to cost me...) And before I could embarrass myself and ask, she said "This is of course part of your emergency road side assistance program provided to you by BMW..." And with a smile on my face, I said I was ready when she was! 45 minutes later a tow truck arrived and the driver carefully lifted my M3 onto the deck and.....drove....250 miles.....and five hours to Spokane. 250 MILES!!! At $2.75 per mile! + the lift truck! FOR A FLAT!!!! Awesome dealer (CAMP BMW) special ordered my tire and had it next day aired in (for free, by the way) mounted and balanced, and I was on my way. Tire had 60% life left, so the wheel and tire insurance I bought at the time of my purchase paid for most of the tire and labor, BMW picked up the tab for the tow. My only loss was a day and half of time and most of my sanity trying to make small talk with the Montana tow-truck driver for 5 hours. (Oh, and I can now scratch off visiting a truck stop weigh station off of my bucket-list, three of them....kinda scary...)
Quite the labor invested by so many people just to change a flat--amazing. (by the way--just tinted the windows and these are the first pics!)