NEW M3 Question!! SPARE TIRE?? how stupid could bmw be

rawedge2 · 12-22-2007, 11:27 AM

i found out today that current 3 series and 5 series bmw's do not have spare tires.. they have run flats w/ no spare!!!.. my cousin(328xi 4dr) BLEW up a tire in staten island and called bmw assistance and they are telling her to drive an hour and a half home on her rim!!!

her bare rim is touching the pavement, and now her mother's at the dealership taking a wheel to her so she dont ruin the car... REDICULOUS

PLEASE tell me that the 08 m3 has a spare and i might not run into the same situation, possibly ruining the suspension of the car and a expensive wheel... i'm a little in shock, talk to me

southlight · 12-22-2007, 11:42 AM

First of all welcome to the board.

A

had answered your question.
In short: No, the M3 doesn't have a spare tire, either. But M cars also don't have RFT, BMW is using conventional tires and the socalled M Mobility System, which contains a sealant and a compressor.

Best regards, south

Keto · 12-22-2007, 12:07 PM

If you blow out a tire (at least on the M) BMW assist will come get you for the lifetime of the car iirc.

So your cousin's problem will not be yours.

Champagne · 12-22-2007, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawedge2

PLEASE tell me that the 08 m3 has a spare and i might not run into the same situation, possibly ruining the suspension of the car and a expensive wheel... i'm a little in shock, talk to me

And thank god that it doesn't have a spare tire, I would rip it out if it did. No need for that extra weight.

I wouldn't mind hearing a little more about those "BMW is using conventional tires and the socalled M Mobility System, which contains a sealant and a compressor.", south! You really teach my a lot about my own car :P

rawedge2 · 12-22-2007, 12:41 PM

i have a 05 sti and never kept the spare tire in it either but its nice knowing its in the garage if i need it... i guess ill be callin assistance to bring me a spare if something that sealant cant take care of.. the whole thing just dont sit right with me...

southlight · 12-22-2007, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Champagne

And thank god that it doesn't have a spare tire, I would rip it out if it did. No need for that extra weight.

I wouldn't mind hearing a little more about those "BMW is using conventional tires and the socalled M Mobility System, which contains a sealant and a compressor.", south! You really teach my a lot about my own car :P

If a pressure drop is occuring you can use it that way: Connect the compressor to the 12v socket and the tire valve. With the compressor you can pump the sealant into the tire, then you have to drive some distance. Stop again and pump up to the correct pressure (compressor again). Now you can drive for some time with a top speed of 80kph.
For complete instruction you should read the manual (where you can see the detailed numbers/allowed distance and speed also). The manual in general contains really useful information, so

...

Best regards, south

Epacy · 12-22-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southlight

The manual in general contains really useful information, so

...

Best regards, south

+1, People, in general, don't seem to read the manual.

skierman64 · 01-27-2008, 11:27 PM

AAA is very cheap insurance. They won't leave you stranded.

badfish · 03-02-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keto

If you blow out a tire (at least on the M) BMW assist will come get you for the lifetime of the car iirc.

So your cousin's problem will not be yours.

I just read that this will only cover $100 of towing charges which will barely cover a short tow. Looks like I'll be counting on AAA Premier for any of my tows.

drvai · 03-02-2008, 08:05 PM

The assist feature can be tricky in the sense that some people think that it's "completely free".

The brochure says that they will help you with a flat tire or even supply with fuel (at your cost) with a max. of $100 per incident and the client is responsible for parts, materials or fuel.

I wonder what they would do in case you get a flat tire and can't use the M system. Town you to the nearest dealer? Supply you with a spare?

Sometimes this things are really annoying because in paper they picture you the thing as a great service, but in the moment you need it, it's crap. You can be waiting hours for a towing service, and then receive a large bill.

The only thing that they will completely cover is problems covered by the warranty.

drvai · 03-02-2008, 08:23 PM

Here are both brochures. Assist and road assistance.

skierman64 · 03-02-2008, 09:44 PM

AAA will change your tire anywhere in the US for free, plus a million other services. I think yearly dues are like $30 a year. Very good insurance indeed.

GregW / Oregon · 03-02-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawedge2

i found out today that current 3 series and 5 series bmw's do not have spare tires.. they have run flats w/ no spare!!!.. my cousin(328xi 4dr) BLEW up a tire in staten island and called bmw assistance and they are telling her to drive an hour and a half home on her rim!!!

her bare rim is touching the pavement, and now her mother's at the dealership taking a wheel to her so she dont ruin the car... REDICULOUS

PLEASE tell me that the 08 m3 has a spare and i might not run into the same situation, possibly ruining the suspension of the car and a expensive wheel... i'm a little in shock, talk to me

The E46 M3 has the same setup. Performance tires and MMobility kit. I have a space saver spare I use on trips, and carry a plug kit. Aside from an unlikely blowout, that pretty much covers it. No issues other than slow leak nail puntures in 58k mi.

sayemthree · 03-03-2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

The E46 M3 has the same setup. Performance tires and MMobility kit. I have a space saver spare I use on trips, and carry a plug kit. Aside from an unlikely blowout, that pretty much covers it. No issues other than slow leak nail puntures in 58k mi.

Greg - will the space-saver fit the e92?

GregW / Oregon · 03-03-2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sayemthree

Greg - will the space-saver fit the e92?

No, not the E46 3-series one I have. It was already 1" smaller than the stock E46 M3 tire diameter. The E9X M3 has a larger diameter still. It also was 17", but will clear the brakes with a 5mm spacer. There must me one out there that would work better, though.

apw2607 · 03-03-2008, 06:37 PM

I once had to wait 9 hours for a flat bed truck to come and get my E46 M3 after calling BMW Assist due to a flat tire. This was in downtown Seattle ... and even after the Sat Nav system transmitted my exact location ... the flat bed truck still got lost and wasn't able to find the car.

Oh ... and prior to that, we tried the BMW M mobility system. What a piece of crap that thing is. The only thing it did was get sticky sealant all over the alloy wheel.

In the end, I got so tired of waiting, just left the keys for the car behind one of the tires ...

Bad experience all around ..... hopefully it won't happen too soon in the new car !!

Yonkers · 03-12-2008, 11:20 AM

In Houston if you break down on certain freeways, city approved wreckers will tow you off the freeway to somewhere nearby for safety reasons. Will BMW cover this (up to $100)? The city wreckers cruise up and down and will likely find us sooner than anyone BMW Assist might call out.

JEllis · 03-12-2008, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawedge2

i found out today that current 3 series and 5 series bmw's do not have spare tires.. they have run flats w/ no spare!!!.. my cousin(328xi 4dr) BLEW up a tire in staten island and called bmw assistance and they are telling her to drive an hour and a half home on her rim!!!

her bare rim is touching the pavement, and now her mother's at the dealership taking a wheel to her so she dont ruin the car... REDICULOUS

PLEASE tell me that the 08 m3 has a spare and i might not run into the same situation, possibly ruining the suspension of the car and a expensive wheel... i'm a little in shock, talk to me

So they told her to drive home on a flat tire? Tires that are designed to be driven on while flat...strange

Jason

TomTarzian · 04-02-2008, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

No, not the E46 3-series one I have. It was already 1" smaller than the stock E46 M3 tire diameter. The E9X M3 has a larger diameter still. It also was 17", but will clear the brakes with a 5mm spacer. There must me one out there that would work better, though.

My dealer tried the LeatherZ space saver with 15mm spacer on the front of an E90 M3. It doesn't fit--the brakes are too big.

God bless,
Tom

GregW / Oregon · 04-02-2008, 05:59 PM

Okay, a challenge. Big props to the person who comes up with a space saver spare that fits!! I alreday checked the X5 one--too large.

TomTarzian · 04-03-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Okay, a challenge. Big props to the person who comes up with a space saver spare that fits!! I alreday checked the X5 one--too large.

Dear Greg,

Is it the front brakes of the M3 that are too large?

God bless,
Tom

GregW / Oregon · 04-03-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomTarzian

Dear Greg,

Is it the front brakes of the M3 that are too large?

God bless,
Tom

A 17" will definitely require a spacer on the front, but that's fine for temporary use. The 135/80-17 (?) space saver for the 3-series is about 1 1/2" smaller OD than the M3 tires. That's quite a bit. I'm guessing there is one of larger diameter available. Don't know if anyone makes an 18" space saver. Finding one with BMW hub & bolt specs may be tough. You could always get one custom made out of 3-piece wheel outer segments, I suppose.

Here's the above-mentioned wheel on my E46 before I put the ZCP brakes on:

12-22-2007, 11:27 AM	#1
rawedge2 First Lieutenant Drives: 05 STI - 08 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: long island Posts: 311 iTrader: (0)	NEW M3 Question!! SPARE TIRE?? how stupid could bmw be i found out today that current 3 series and 5 series bmw's do not have spare tires.. they have run flats w/ no spare!!!.. my cousin(328xi 4dr) BLEW up a tire in staten island and called bmw assistance and they are telling her to drive an hour and a half home on her rim!!! her bare rim is touching the pavement, and now her mother's at the dealership taking a wheel to her so she dont ruin the car... REDICULOUS PLEASE tell me that the 08 m3 has a spare and i might not run into the same situation, possibly ruining the suspension of the car and a expensive wheel... i'm a little in shock, talk to me
	Tweet

01-27-2008, 11:27 PM	#8
skierman64 Brigadier General Drives: 2008 E92 Space Gray M3 & E36M3 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Greater St Louis Metro area Posts: 3,080 iTrader: (1) Garage List 1998 M3 Coupe [0.00] 2008 M3 Coupe [0.00]	AAA is very cheap insurance. They won't leave you stranded. __________________ Get a professional motorsports full featured stopwatch app for your Blackberry here: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/19464 Invest Wisely...The best mod for your money?? BMWCCA high performance driver's school. The mod that lasts a lifetime and improves the performance of any car you drive

03-02-2008, 08:05 PM	#10
drvai Major Drives: E92 M3 AW Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: FL Posts: 1,158 iTrader: (0)	The assist feature can be tricky in the sense that some people think that it's "completely free". The brochure says that they will help you with a flat tire or even supply with fuel (at your cost) with a max. of $100 per incident and the client is responsible for parts, materials or fuel. I wonder what they would do in case you get a flat tire and can't use the M system. Town you to the nearest dealer? Supply you with a spare? Sometimes this things are really annoying because in paper they picture you the thing as a great service, but in the moment you need it, it's crap. You can be waiting hours for a towing service, and then receive a large bill. The only thing that they will completely cover is problems covered by the warranty. Last edited by drvai; 03-02-2008 at 08:20 PM.

03-02-2008, 09:44 PM	#12
skierman64 Brigadier General Drives: 2008 E92 Space Gray M3 & E36M3 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Greater St Louis Metro area Posts: 3,080 iTrader: (1) Garage List 1998 M3 Coupe [0.00] 2008 M3 Coupe [0.00]	AAA will change your tire anywhere in the US for free, plus a million other services. I think yearly dues are like $30 a year. Very good insurance indeed. __________________ Get a professional motorsports full featured stopwatch app for your Blackberry here: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/19464 Invest Wisely...The best mod for your money?? BMWCCA high performance driver's school. The mod that lasts a lifetime and improves the performance of any car you drive

04-02-2008, 05:59 PM	#20
GregW / Oregon Commander-In-Chief Drives: 2008 M3 Coupe, 2006 ML350 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lake Oswego, OR Posts: 6,051 iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 M-B ML350 [0.00] 2008 E92 M3 Coupe [4.75]	Space saver spare Okay, a challenge. Big props to the person who comes up with a space saver spare that fits!! I alreday checked the X5 one--too large. __________________ Greg Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA 2008 M3 Coupe - Alpine/Fox Red/Carbon 2001 M3 Coupe - SOLD 3/08 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 (2012 ML350 BlueTEC on order)

12-22-2007, 11:42 AM	#2
southlight Moderator / European Editor Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 6,332 iTrader: (0)	First of all welcome to the board. A had answered your question. In short: No, the M3 doesn't have a spare tire, either. But M cars also don't have RFT, BMW is using conventional tires and the socalled M Mobility System, which contains a sealant and a compressor. Best regards, south

12-22-2007, 12:07 PM	#3
Keto Major Drives: 550i M-sport AW Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: N'awlins Posts: 1,088 iTrader: (1)	If you blow out a tire (at least on the M) BMW assist will come get you for the lifetime of the car iirc. So your cousin's problem will not be yours.

12-22-2007, 12:41 PM	#5
rawedge2 First Lieutenant Drives: 05 STI - 08 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: long island Posts: 311 iTrader: (0)	i have a 05 sti and never kept the spare tire in it either but its nice knowing its in the garage if i need it... i guess ill be callin assistance to bring me a spare if something that sealant cant take care of.. the whole thing just dont sit right with me...

03-03-2008, 06:37 PM	#16
apw2607 Major Drives: 2009 X5 35d Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 1,240 iTrader: (0)	I once had to wait 9 hours for a flat bed truck to come and get my E46 M3 after calling BMW Assist due to a flat tire. This was in downtown Seattle ... and even after the Sat Nav system transmitted my exact location ... the flat bed truck still got lost and wasn't able to find the car. Oh ... and prior to that, we tried the BMW M mobility system. What a piece of crap that thing is. The only thing it did was get sticky sealant all over the alloy wheel. In the end, I got so tired of waiting, just left the keys for the car behind one of the tires ... Bad experience all around ..... hopefully it won't happen too soon in the new car !!

03-12-2008, 11:20 AM	#17
Yonkers Second Lieutenant Drives: 2006 BMW M5 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 218 iTrader: (0)	In Houston if you break down on certain freeways, city approved wreckers will tow you off the freeway to somewhere nearby for safety reasons. Will BMW cover this (up to $100)? The city wreckers cruise up and down and will likely find us sooner than anyone BMW Assist might call out.