[karan561]

Originally Posted by Couper72

My fellow 328i'ers... I know this is a specific question, and have read a few articles on this topic in other forums in the site, but here goes-

Over the last 1-2 months, the roads have gone from bad to worse in Hyderabad (more pot holes than ever) and as a result i have two blown tires (started off with a small bubble on the side wall and within a span of 2-3 days a long tear on the sidewall) so am having them replaced under insurance.

Several BHPians suggest that it is better to stick to RFTs as they are a safer option but my recent experience is that there is heavy pulling towards the side with the damaged tire (esp during breaking) and a steady rumbling noise even at speeds beyond 30 Kmph.

I am now in a dilemma weather to stick to the RFTs or change to regular tubeless (I also have a BMW secure package and the vehicle is less than 6 months old). Pl. help!!

Couper sorry to hear about your bad experiences with the tires.

I would suggest you may want to switch to tubeless type for a better experience as the softer sidewalls will improve the ride quality and the rebound resilience to avoid tire pinching to form side wall bubbles or cuts.

But to be honest you will still have to drive VERY carefully over;

1) Pot holes (big or small maintain crawling speed)
2) Pavered blocks
3) Uneven tamac
4) Steep inclines (@ flyover approach sections)
5) Flyover expansion joints
6) & most importantly keep a very alret eye when traveling on an unknown patch of road.

^ these are just a few pointers which will help you avoid trouble with the tires.

Regarding the heavy pulling towards the left while braking you will have to take up this matter with BMW Service department and they should be able to solve the issue.

Let me know if any other help is required

[sandeep108]

But then our roads are like that only. So why does BMW not change their engineering for Indian conditions.

[karan561]

Motivation: 2014 New year special

Earlier captioned : LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL;



Or is this really the light at the end of the tunnel lined up for me ? They say Dreams have to be scary so why not, DREAM ON



^ Image Source

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by sandeep108

But then our roads are like that only. So why does BMW not change their engineering for Indian conditions.

They have already did. The new F30s comes with 3rd generation run flats which has softer side walls... Guess this was developed keeping the rough roads in mind. The Indian F30s also have a different suspension setup with a raised ground clearance in comparison to the F30s of international markets. Even the shocks are different for that matter as the Indian F30s are equipped with 'poor road package'. The result is ugly looking stance (sorry, it's my personal opinion. Karan's 328i looks perfect as his car belongs to the very first lot which has the same ground clearance and suspension that the international F30s have). A BMW is a desirable motor. The more practical they tend to make the more desirability is lost (high GC, smaller alloys, softer suspension setup)

PS: The tunnel pic looks fabulous!! Gotta be one of the best snaps of the F30!

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by karan561

I would suggest you may want to switch to tubeless type for a better experience as the softer sidewalls will improve the ride quality and the rebound resilience to avoid tire pinching to form side wall bubbles or cuts.

Are you sure? As far as I know softer sidewalls will increase the chances of bubbles or cuts compared to harder sidewalls. You better be more careful with your PSSs.

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

Karan's 328i looks perfect as his car belongs to the very first lot which has the same ground clearance and suspension that the international F30s have).

Is it the same as international cars? I thought even the first lots were raised a slight bit compared to Euro cars? Only the CBUs which were imported for show cars, and a few TD cars were Euro spec.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Are you sure? As far as I know softer sidewalls will increase the chances of bubbles or cuts compared to harder sidewalls. You better be more careful with your PSSs.

If so then why most of these problems (side wall bubbles, cuts) are common mostly in RFTs ?

SIDE WALL FLEX is less in RFTs & more in the tubeless type which allows better flexibility over bad / rough roads compared to the RFT type which act almost brittle in nature.

Yes as i said in tubeless it wont be magical & one has to be careful too, so i am with the PSS so far no problems been aproxx 7k kms with them in about 12 months have been trouble free, Thank God

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

PS: The tunnel pic looks fabulous!! Gotta be one of the best snaps of the F30!

Thanks & congrats for booking your F30

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by karan561

If so then why most of these problems (side wall bubbles, cuts) are common mostly in RFTs ?

I don't think they are. Maybe more reports come in of RFT bubbles. Most RFTs are low profile anyway. Untill the F series most of the BMW cars in India had 50 or 45 profile, and on that profile even the hard wall of an RFT cant save it from a bubble if a pothole is hit at a high speed.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

I don't think they are. Maybe more reports come in of RFT bubbles. Most RFTs are low profile anyway. Untill the F series most of the BMW cars in India had 50 or 45 profile, and on that profile even the hard wall of an RFT cant save it from a bubble if a pothole is hit at a high speed.

True, but the main reason for stiff sidewalls in the RFT technology is so that the tires' sidewalls should be stiff enough to support the entire weight of the car (when punctured / no air) to allow you to safely drive short distance & get professional assistance, & hence the tires are not designed to avoid damage when hitting a pothole or bad road sections.

Well this is my practical opinion about RFTs & their sidewall behavior, but im sure there would be many counter theories available over the net

[Couper72]

Originally Posted by karan561

Couper sorry to hear about your bad experiences with the tires.

I would suggest you may want to switch to tubeless type for a better experience as the softer sidewalls will improve the ride quality and the rebound resilience to avoid tire pinching to form side wall bubbles or cuts.

But to be honest you will still have to drive VERY carefully over;

1) Pot holes (big or small maintain crawling speed)
2) Pavered blocks
3) Uneven tamac
4) Steep inclines (@ flyover approach sections)
5) Flyover expansion joints
6) & most importantly keep a very alret eye when traveling on an unknown patch of road.

^ these are just a few pointers which will help you avoid trouble with the tires.

Regarding the heavy pulling towards the left while braking you will have to take up this matter with BMW Service department and they should be able to solve the issue.

Let me know if any other help is required

Thanks for the feedback Karan, but both these "accidents" were on stretches that one would least expect to see a pot hole on, but what can i say, Hyderabad roads . The insurance has replaced my tyres and there were no out of pocket expenses. I have been advised to maintain the tyre pressure at 33 psi and check it at 1 week intervals instead of 4. I am also planning on getting the Mobility Kit (a compressor + repair fluid +++) for general use. I am thinking of retaining the tyres for now and hope to avoid such incidents in the future.

Thanks again for the advice guys.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by Couper72

Thanks for the feedback Karan, but both these "accidents" were on stretches that one would least expect to see a pot hole on, but what can i say, Hyderabad roads . The insurance has replaced my tyres and there were no out of pocket expenses. I have been advised to maintain the tyre pressure at 33 psi and check it at 1 week intervals instead of 4. I am also planning on getting the Mobility Kit (a compressor + repair fluid +++) for general use. I am thinking of retaining the tyres for now and hope to avoid such incidents in the future.

Thanks again for the advice guys.

33 psi ? What pressure were you previously running ?

[sandeep108]

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

The more practical they tend to make the more desirability is lost (high GC, smaller alloys, softer suspension setup)

True but then they are losing a large section of the car buying segment who go to Mercedes and Audi (see their success even with such underpowered engines and soppy lazy gearboxes). Never ending compromises... BMW were so heavily criticised for the previous 3's bumpy and unsettled ride, heavy steering, poor interior space, etc. and when they address that, they are criticised again - soft ride, poor feedback steering, big boat, etc.

But yes, I still feel that BMW is the best drivers' car of the lot generally as compared to the others, even with the increased practicality.

In the end that is why you went with BMW

[AdiSinghV12]

Originally Posted by karan561

Thanks & congrats for booking your F30

Thanks!! My first preference was Red but found that the Melbourne Red cars are sold out, all other colors were available but there was only one AW 320d left with saddle brown interiors. Reading the first post of this thread and considering the amount of hunt you had to do to get a white in particular kinda played a important role in convincing myself to go for the AW. Called the dealer the next morning and did the downpayment!

Originally Posted by sandeep108

True but then they are losing a large section of the car buying segment who go to Mercedes and Audi (see their success even with such underpowered engines and soppy lazy gearboxes). Never ending compromises... BMW were so heavily criticised for the previous 3's bumpy and unsettled ride, heavy steering, poor interior space, etc. and when they address that, they are criticised again - soft ride, poor feedback steering, big boat, etc.

But yes, I still feel that BMW is the best drivers' car of the lot generally as compared to the others, even with the increased practicality.

In the end that is why you went with BMW

I agree but practicality is not really THE reason why people move to Merc/Audi. For instance, I know few people who bought Audi just for aesthetic purposes and because they thought they will be Tony Stark if they drive an Audi while some people went with Mercedes because of the heritage and the status of the brand in 'India'. I was recently questioned by a Maruti showroom owner that why am I getting the 3-Series when I already own two bimmers...According to him I shouldn't 'waste' more on BMWs and get a Mercedes as it has 'a status'...

You see not everyone in this segment is looking for the ultimate driving experience and preferences such as looks, brand name plays an important role in the decision making. The real enthusiasts who loves driving will still buy a Bimmer irrespective of the practicality.

[sandeep108]

We Indians love bling which Audi and the new Merc models provide in spades.

IMO, BMW is still very understated and in a very good way. Their design and looks are still very good in my view. BMW is still holding themselves out as the better of the others and refusing to compromise on price / engineering and mechanical customisation is possible. Today if you want a 3L diesel torque monster, only choices are 530d or A6. The E350 is no longer sold. Same with the C250 - no longer available. But with BMW you get the 320d and with the MPK I am sure you will enjoy the car even more. But they are not getting the 335i. Internationally, the price difference between the 328i and 335i is about $4-5k, which could translate to a mere difference of Rs. 3-4 lakhs considering duties, taxes, etc. Now that would be a really smoking hot 3.

[karan561]

The other day i had to ferry 7 people (5 adults + 2 children) in the 328 over a short distance of about 2 kms.

In this short distance had to go over 3-4 speed breakers, & was definitely feeling this time the car may scrape,but to my astonishment it didn't

Obviously i went sideways, stopped, turned the steering & then moved ahead over the speedbreakers at no more than crawling speed.

With 140 mm GC its such a wow feeling i tell ya

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by karan561

The other day i had to ferry 7 people (5 adults + 2 children) in the 328 over a short distance of about 2 kms.

What happened to your Fortuner?