RFT Query:Please Participtate :-)

F

fire-n-ice

Senior member
 GA
With much of recent discussion revolving around tires, I wondered how many here are still running on RFT's? And if so, what are your feelings about them and will you change?
I still run on RFT's and love the harsh, tight ride. I have driven/ridden in plenty of sports cars w/ and w/out them and can appreciate the smoother ride. Still, there's something about the RFT's that puts a smile on my face :D . Am I the only one?
 
When I first got my 2003 Z4 I drove it on the stock RF's from May 2003 until Nov 2003 and I did not think it was possible for anything to be better. Then I changed to winter tire going down to a 17" rim and smaller/narrower tires. I was in shock at how improved the ride and handling was on WINTER tires. Shortly after that I joined the old Zforum and read every thread I could fine on tires and made the switch in the spring of 2004 to F1's. I really hated the tramlining with RF's.
 
Yes, the tram lining..it can get pretty bad in the right conditions. And that would be my only gripe. I've ridden in other Z's and M's w/out RFT's and I def. could tell a difference, I just like the bumpiness - but not the tram lining. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that it's just a play toy and not a daily driver? It's fun and different from all the other toys I get to play with :play:
 
Have GSD3's and wouldn't go back because even I can tell there is a huge difference. As I said before, it seemed like I didn't know where the car would go after hitting a pot hole, i was the rider rather then the driver.
 
I'm actually kinda neutral on the subject. I purchased my '05 525i new but had the dealer fit it with Michelin Pilot Alpin winter tires and pitch the runflats, and when the warmer months came around I bought a set of M5 wheels and put regular tires on (General Exclaim UHP tires). On the Z4 I'm still running the RFT's, but since the rears are in DESPERATE need of replacement I'll likely order the M6 replicas from modbargains along with tires (General Exclaim tires again likely).
7
The ride on my 525i is very good with both the winter and summer set-ups, but I'd give a slight advantage to the 17" winter Michelin tires.
 
RFTs. Haven't been impressed by 'em from the first day I drove the car. Too cheap to replace them before I get my money's worth from them, though.

EAGLE F1s will be my next tire.

P.S. Yea, I love the harsh, tight ride too.
 
flyboyaj said:
RFTs. Haven't been impressed by 'em from the first day I drove the car. Too cheap to replace them before I get my money's worth from them, though.

EAGLE F1s will be my next tire.

P.S. Yea, I love the harsh, tight ride too.
Click to expand...

Harsh, yes, tight no. I definitely didn't feel it as a tight ride at all with the RFT's. But maybe we describe things differently here in the west.
 
Purchased mine with brand new RFT's so need to get money from them. I find them hard and harsh, however I actually like the twitchy response and feedback I get on various surfaces. I'll ditch them when replacements are needed

Then again as a serious Jeep driver/competitor running around on 15" rims with 35" tyres (Simex Jungle Trekkers, BFG MT's and ProComp' X terrains) at 25psi on and 8psi off road, how can I ever know what the right feel is, when the Z on just rims would seem to be handling well.... :rofl:
 
One thing to note (s'pose this is aimed at AJ mainly) is over in the UK (not sure if the US is the same) they have changed the GSD3's. I had a screw in the side wall and had to get 1 tyre replaced... was REALLY hard to find a GSD3 at all in the UK. They are bringing out (or my have brought out) a new tread pattern, so beware of that when you are shopping for tyres. I just hope my GSD3's last, or I'm gonna end up with an odd tyre :?

As for the runflats, I didnt like them one bit.... ended up changing them when they were practically new, based on the fact that I doubt I'll need to change the tyres again due to the low mileage I do. The GSD3's are not the most grippy I've ever seen, but they do "talk" to me so there are no surprises... anyway, ya gotta love going sideways ;)
 
I too bought my Zed with new run-flats and so will have to put up with them until can afford / justify replacing them. I don't particularly mind the ride (I haven't tried any Zed without RFT), but the tramlining is a pain, particularly under braking. They are also quiet noisey, especially on concrete roads vs tarmac. :)
 
hi i am now on my third z4 had 03 04 and now a 07 all have been 3ltrs . i did find tramlining to be apain on the two first ones but put up with it ..how ever the latest one 3ltr si seems to be much beter suited to the rfts so generaly i am happy to leave them on and enjoy the improvement happy days .. :thumbsup:
 
ok guys.... ive only driven my zed with run flats so i cannot comment on one without but i will say i dont like them that much,its not my daily driver but it is my wife's daily driver and to her its just a car...... abet a good looking one but the fact its a 3.0 zed means nothing to her
but i did hear somewhere that its a b*tch to get the run flats off the rims and only certain garages can do it.. is this right or can any garage with a tyre fitting service remove the run flats,i prolly will ditch them when the time comes but they still have 7mm of tread on them all

advice from uk run flat ditchers would be great thanks
 
I've often wondered if run flat tires suck so much why do more and more premium autos come with them as standard. The cost of these tires can't off set the price of a spare, unless the space is so important. But then again, how much space do you need for Slime and a compressor ilo a spare?
 
rc'Z said:
I've often wondered if run flat tires suck so much why do more and more premium autos come with them as standard. The cost of these tires can't off set the price of a spare, unless the space is so important. But then again, how much space do you need for Slime and a compressor ilo a spare?
Click to expand...

Saving on space
Saving on weight = perfomance/fuel economy
Ability to be more creative with design not having to fit a spare in, etc

I believe in 10 years they'll be standard on pretty much everything assuming that some new non air Michelin style wheel tyre combo has not taken over.
 
I just treated the RFTs as being one feature of the car to get used to, like being able to corner pulling 2G, out-dragging just about anything and generally having a hoot. The only Z4 feature that annoyed me to start with was the brakes, they work fine but feel soft & unresponsive compared to other cars I've driven until you stomp on them (they have been checked and the brake fluid replaced, so I'm sure they're OK).
When it comes time to change I'll go non-RFT (Eagle F1s probly), but that is for cost reasons.
 
Actually, things are moving on. I was speaking to my indy the other day, and he said that the current 3-series does not benefit from using normal tyres, they've managed to make the suspension work better with RFTs than normal tyres. Plus, RFTs are getting better.

So I guess the next Z will not need normal tyres.
 
As far as I know, the engineers designed the suspensions assuming the tires would be runflats. Being an engineer myself, they must have had enough reasons to use them, and adjust the other parameters of the suspension around them to compensate for the stiffer sidewalls. seems to me the suspensions would have been even stiffer all around if they assumed normal tires were used...

Yes, tramlining is not fun....not sure what to say about that....

I'd rather not be on the side of a busy highway with a flat tire with my fancy car, hoping to not get smacked by a car trying to change a flat tire. The "goo" thats in the M cars is pretty silly, if you ask me....doesn't do more than temporarily plug the hole, allowing you to put more air in, but then you've got a patched tire full of goo. The air compressor is good thinking though...

I've got an 12volt air compressor with me all the time, and if i had a flat tire i've always figured i could just stop every so often an fill it back up again until i got to a shop that could professionally patch the leak.


-------------------
ScottyD
07 3.0si Coupe 22,500mi
 
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