Runflats Binned!! + another problem to sort....

[davros]

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I think it's true on a lot of modern cars, combination of cheap steel and increasingly bad UK roads. I had a front spring snap in a Mondeo when I sat in it...scared the sh1t out of me :lol: and before you say anything, I weigh about 70KG! At least BMW were kind enough to make the rears easy to change :worshipbmw:
[/quote]

The front spring snapped on my Zed just after pulling off a motorway. Thankfully, we were just stopping at a roundabout when there was an almighty screech from the front wheel arch. I stopped and got out only to find 1/2 the spring had dropped and got wedged between the brake disc and car body.
I dread to think if it had happened while we were still doing 70mph on the motorway

Needless to say I replaced all 4 springs on the car and check them regularly now :wink:

 

[MattZCars]

The front spring snapped on my Zed just after pulling off a motorway. Thankfully, we were just stopping at a roundabout when there was an almighty screech from the front wheel arch. I stopped and got out only to find 1/2 the spring had dropped and got wedged between the brake disc and car body.
I dread to think if it had happened while we were still doing 70mph on the motorway

Needless to say I replaced all 4 springs on the car and check them regularly now :wink:

Yikes...that's not funny good thinking to change them all for peace of mind Cars getting a general check over by Brystone on Monday so it'll be interesting to see what they say and how much (although I've already decided to change the rears myself) and indeed what springs they recommend.....

 

[Scooba_Steve]

although I've already decided to change the rears myself

Eibachs are good and have not snapped on me, while they look great and I don't often have problems with clearance, with the roads getting worse I'd opt for standard height form someone like Suplex. Or coilovers if you want the option of track use too.

 

[MattZCars]

although I've already decided to change the rears myself

Eibachs are good and have not snapped on me, while they look great and I don't often have problems with clearance, with the roads getting worse I'd opt for standard height form someone like Suplex. Or coilovers if you want the option of track use too.

Hi Steve, thanks for the advice. I definitely want to keep standard ride height for now at least. In the past I would always "uprate" rather than replace but not so keen these days ldman: . I would have to change all 4 if I went for Eibachs and while I'm happy to do the rears, I don't have the tools or the time to do the fronts too. I've had an offer for a set of rears from a forum member. If that doesn't work out looks like Suplex are the best option.

 

[Traktion1]

Switched my aging run flats to Goodyear asymmetric 5s a week ago and it is like night and day! Soooo much better on anything other than smooth A roads and motorways.

Steering feel is better, ride is better, dry grip is better, wet grip is better. Vastly improves the car to the point I wonder how on earth they sold the car with run flats on - it is genuinely transformed! Loving it!

 

[MattZCars]

Switched my aging run flats to Goodyear asymmetric 5s a week ago and it is like night and day! Soooo much better on anything other than smooth A roads and motorways.

Steering feel is better, ride is better, dry grip is better, wet grip is better. Vastly improves the car to the point I wonder how on earth they sold the car with run flats on - it is genuinely transformed! Loving it!

Do you know what, that was my first thought on the whole thing...how the heck did they sell any with runflats on!! Customers must have been so bowled over by the looks they didn't even bother with a test drive.....or else the salesmen took them on a very carefully selected route!

It really does feel like driving a different car doesn't it? :trampoline:

 

[Traktion1]

It's crazy isn't it? I also think about all the reviews, all the group tests, etc, where those awful tyres were dragging a great car down. I can only assume the marketing department is more persuasive than the engineering team!

It also feels like the car was designed to run with regular tyres. The ride, steering, tram lining, etc, all suggest that it doesn't really like run flats at all. No wonder the M cars ditched them too!

 

[MattZCars]

It's crazy isn't it? I also think about all the reviews, all the group tests, etc, where those awful tyres were dragging a great car down. I can only assume the marketing department is more persuasive than the engineering team!

It also feels like the car was designed to run with regular tyres. The ride, steering, tram lining, etc, all suggest that it doesn't really like run flats at all. No wonder the M cars ditched them too!

Can you imagine an "M" on runflats??…. a bit like Usain Bolt in Wellies.... ......

 

[skelters]

My first Z4 was a 2003 plate 2.5 SE. got the car at two years old and 10.000 on the clock.

It had the Bridgestone runflats on it and I can tell you it was awful even with the softer suspension on the SE you felt every bump on the road. In the wet it was hit or miss whether the car would go round corners as the grip in the wet was appalling. Tramlining was a feature and the car would find every rut in the road and get stuck in it. Truly awful and the reviews of the cars reflected this.

It was actually that bad a ride that you would feel as if your fillings were going to come out and forget driving further than an hour and a half without getting out as it was so uncomfortable with the tyres.

Changed to the original Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 and the car was transformed instantly. After those tyres lasted about 15,000 miles it had Falken FK452 tyres. Again this was a decent enough tyre and lots of owners on here had them too as it was a cheaper alternative to the Goodyear / Pirelli / Michelin tyres.

Current 3.0 SI Roadster had Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta that were almost dead. Another decent enough tyre and they were replaced with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 or 3 then those were replaced (after about 12,000 miles) with Michelin Pilot Sport 4.

You have to remember with the original Bridgestone Runflats that the technology from Bridgestone was still relatively new in 2002 and the Z4 was only the 2nd car ever to have them fitted as standard / exclusive factory fitted equipment. The first being the Porsche 959 in 1987.

As the technology for runflats has improved we've seen more and more cars with them fitted as standard. Whether the newest runflats offer the same bone shaking ride of the originals I have no idea.

With the age of the Z4's now there shouldn't be any on the road with the original factory fitted tyres on them as the tyres willno doubt be well past their best.

https://www.bridgestone.co.za/news-article/579/the-history-of-run-flat-tyres-and-bridgestone

 

[Jager66]

I’ll have to price up the Goodyear’s too it will certainly be worth the money to get rid of the tramlining

Good Year now do F1 Assym 5- there was some limitation on stock for the 18" rears in the UK. I got mine through 123tyres, UK based, but the tyres came, quite quickly, from Germany. They were the best priced for the fronts. Got them fitted by a local garage that I use, but they do have fitter partners who will accept delivery and fit- for a fee.

The F1 Assym 5's get very good reviews and for me, were a vast improvement on the stock RF tyres.

https://www.123tyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9unpoIn54gIVjZztCh2HjAxtEAAYASAAEgKv7_D_BwE&dsco=420&cart_id=&s_p=index&partner=1&Country=DUK&ID=sea_rdd_uk_Google_Search&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI9unpoIn54gIVjZztCh2HjAxtEAAYASAAEgKv7_D_BwE:G:s

 

[davros]

I’ll have to price up the Goodyear’s too it will certainly be worth the money to get rid of the tramlining

Good Year now do F1 Assym 5- there was some limitation on stock for the 18" rears in the UK. I got mine through 123tyres, UK based, but the tyres came, quite quickly, from Germany. They were the best priced for the fronts. Got them fitted by a local garage that I use, but they do have fitter partners who will accept delivery and fit- for a fee.

The F1 Assym 5's get very good reviews and for me, were a vast improvement on the stock RF tyres.

https://www.123tyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9unpoIn54gIVjZztCh2HjAxtEAAYASAAEgKv7_D_BwE&dsco=420&cart_id=&s_p=index&partner=1&Country=DUK&ID=sea_rdd_uk_Google_Search&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI9unpoIn54gIVjZztCh2HjAxtEAAYASAAEgKv7_D_BwE:G:s

Thanks for the info and glad you’ve found them a vast improvement over the RF tyres

I’ve read some good reviews for the Goodyear F1 5’s. I’ll have to check your link

 

[Jager66]

 

[Traktion1]

I got my f1 5s from Blackcircles. Seem to have plenty in stock as far as I can tell.