Run flat tires are one of the newest trends in tire technology. With the ability to stay inflated and stable, even after a puncture, they are a major advancement in tire safety and dependability. They can also help with keeping your high-performance BMW lightweight by eliminating the need for a spare tire. While this improvement in reliability is exciting, it can be difficult to sort through all the new tires on the market with this feature. Luckily, today’s post will help you sort through the fad and find the best run flat tires for a BMW.
Figure 1: Run flat tires use proprietary technologies to prevent complete flats if they are punctured. Source: Edmunds.com.
If you want the convenience and safety of a run flat tire, but do not want to sacrifice performance, it can be a tough search. That’s why we have combed the market to put together our short list of the best run flat tires for a BMW. Any one of these will give you the handling and braking performance you are used to, with the added benefit of the run flat technology.
It should be noted that run flat tires should only be used if your BMW has a tire pressure monitoring system. Because you can often get a flat tire and not even notice a ride difference, you want to know when your tire needs to be replaced. Fortunately, most newer BMWs are equipped with this feature and can help you identify a flat when it happens.
Source: Edmunds.com.
What Makes a Great Run Flat Tire for a BMW?
The best run flat tires for a BMW will have a few features that will enhance their ability to stay safe, even with a complete loss of air pressure. This will include reinforcement on the sidewalls as well as in other areas of the tire. By looking for a tire with these structural features, you can be sure that you will not be left stranded, even with a large puncture.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO ON A TRACK TEST FOR RUN FLAT TIRES
One of the things to look for in the best run flat tires for a BMW is a self-supporting system. This system uses reinforced sidewalls to keep the tire up off the ground and support the weight of the vehicle. This allows you to run the car at a safe speed until you can get it home or to a shop. The other type of run flat tire uses a support ring made up of hardened rubber or another reinforced material around the edge. This will also keep the vehicle in a stable enough condition to drive for a small amount of time until you can get it somewhere safe.
Figure 2: Self-supported tires are a more high-performance option for run flat tires due to their lighter weight. Source: AutoGuides.com.
We spoke to a tire specialist at Wheel Works who told us that “the self-supported one is the best. The support ring on the ring system can add a lot of extra weight and can kind of take away from its handling when it’s fully pumped up. They’re a little bit stiffer and not really reinforced much more than the self-supported tire.”
The best run flat tires for a BMW will also have superior performance when they are fully functional and unpunctured. For most of your tire’s life, it will be running in a perfectly normal fashion. This means that even though it has the ability to run with a puncture or a complete loss of pressure, you will usually be driving on it like it’s a normal tire. There’s no reason to sacrifice performance just because a tire uses run flat technology in the event of an emergency.
Sources: TireReviewsAndMore.com; TireDeets.com; AutoGuide.com; Interview with Wheel Works tire specialist conducted 12/9/2020.
How Did We Pick the Best Run Flat Tires for a BMW?
To help you sort through the available options, we have put together our short list of the best run flat tires for a BMW. With this list, you can pick a tire that will give your BMW the safety and protection you are looking for, without giving up any comfort or handling as a trade off.
Figure 3: The best run flat tires for a BMW will be high-quality option outside of their puncture resistance. Source: Edmunds.com.
All of the options on our list of the best run flat tires for a BMW use a self-supported system to stay usable after a puncture. This ensures that they will handle just like a traditional tire, even though they use run flat technology. It also means that they will not add as much extra weight as a tire that uses the support ring system. Since one of the benefits of using a run flat tire is the ability to ditch the spare in favor of less weight, this is an important characteristic to look for.
The tires on our list are also perfectly suitable for any high-performance BMW outside of their run flat technology. They are all low noise, comfortable tires that will give you a high quality ride as well as a safe backup in the event of a puncture on the road.
Sources: AutoTrader.ca; TireReviewsAndMore.com.
1. Bridgestone DriveGuard
Figure 4: The DriveGuard by Bridgestone is a good combination of anti-puncture technology and good street performance. Source: TireRack.com.
The DriveGuard by Bridgestone is a run flat tire that is designed to wear evenly and help prevent bald spots that can lead to punctures. They use a self-supporting system to hold the weight of your BMW, even in the event of a complete loss of pressure. By combining these two technologies, they can be a perfect addition to the other safety features, making them the best run flat tires for a BMW.
The DriveGuards are all-season, grand touring type tires that can give you a ride that is just as comfortable as a traditional tire. They are rated for wet conditions as well as some light snow by using a silica-enhanced compound. This reacts to the weather and the temperature of the road to give you superior handling on all kinds of terrain. They also use an asymmetrical tread pattern to help prevent road noise and cancel out any frequencies that may become irritants at high speeds.
The twin belts that make up the structure are enhanced by the reinforced sidewalls that can help support your BMW in the event that you get a puncture on the road. Combined with a reinforced compound on the tread, these are incredibly resistant to flats and could save you a lot of headaches on the road.
Source: TireRack.com.
2. Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie II
Figure 5: The Winter Sottozero Serie II by Pirelli offers good performance on snow, ice and other winter conditions. Source: TireRack.com.
The Winter Sottozero Serie II by Pirelli is a winter tire for harsher climates that also utilizes run flat technology. For up to 50 miles, they can be run at up to 50 miles per hour in the event that you get a puncture. In the winter time, this is incredibly convenient since no one wants to be left out in the cold and snow with a flat tire.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO COMPARING PIRELLI AND MICHELIN RUN FLAT TIRES
They are also enhanced for use in snow and ice by Pirelli’s Temperature Dynamic Compound. This compound uses polymers to improve traction in freezing temperatures as well as wet surfaces. With this technology, it is a perfect combination of performance and safety.
They also use Pirelli’s Interactive Brickwork Siping that increases stability and locks together to create responsive handling in any conditions. By giving the tires more biting edges, they are able to increase handling on ice and snow as well as give you the puncture protection you are looking for. This combination of performance and safety makes them some of the best run flat tires for a BMW.
Source: TireRack.com.
3. Goodyear Eagle LS-2 RunOnFlat
Figure 6: The Eagle LS-2 has water wicking technology and a symmetrical tread design on top of the anti-puncture technology. Source: TireRack.com.
This self-supported, all season tire was developed specifically for European cars like the BMW. Even in light snow, they are able to give you superior traction and stability as well as the puncture protection of a run flat tire. If you are looking for a high performance tire that will also keep you off the side of the road with a flat, this could be a great option.
The Eagle LS-2 uses a symmetric tread design that is optimized to decrease road noise at higher speeds. Although most quiet tires use an asymmetrical design, these are specifically developed with low noise in mind, so you can still get the benefit of the symmetrical biting edges without a whine at high speeds.
It has wide channels that allow water to wick away from the bottom of the car and maintain a solid contact patch, which can help prevent hydroplaning in extreme wet conditions. They also feature two internal steel belts for even more puncture protection alongside the reinforced sidewalls. This run flat technology and traditional performance is perfect for commuters and daily drivers who have to drive in all kinds of weather and less than ideal road conditions.
Source: TireRack.com.
