[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by NKR

I am not happy with the ride that my X1 offers. She presently is shod with Good Year eagle NCT5, RFT's. Would converting to non Runflats improve the ride?. Non RFTs such as Michelins are available for around 14K per piece. Pirellis/ Hankook/ Yokohama/Continental around 10-11.5 K. Is it worth shelling out 50K.

I have read a number of comments, that indicate changing to RFT offers a better ride. What are your personal experiences.

Comments please

You have the pre facelift I'm assuming? The suspension was softened up with the facelift to make the ride acceptable with RFTs.

I would suggest you change to non RFTs since it will give you a good improvement in the ride and comfort. Remember to get either a tyre inflator or a space saver tyre in case of emergencies.

[NKR]

Thanks for the comments. A fellow Bhpian remarked going for lower Tyre pressure. I am wary of that, as I have read in numerous occasions, that it is dangerous to inflate tyres at lower pressure. It would lead to higher temperature and hence tyre damage. If the recommended PSI is 36, going for 35 or even 34 may not be as issue (I think) but going way down is not good.

Is it safe to obtain a regular 225/17 inch wheel and tyre that fits, and store it as the spare.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by NKR

Thanks for the comments. A fellow Bhpian remarked going for lower Tyre pressure. I am wary of that, as I have read in numerous occasions, that it is dangerous to inflate tyres at lower pressure. It would lead to higher temperature and hence tyre damage. If the recommended PSI is 36, going for 35 or even 34 may not be as issue (I think) but going way down is not good.

Is it safe to obtain a regular 225/17 inch wheel and tyre that fits, and store it as the spare.

Keeping the pressure at 30 is not going to be an issue. Yes, if you have highway or expressway runs planned which involved high speeds then do raise the pressure by 3-4 psi, but in the interest of ride 30psi is completely fine for daily driving.

[Sunilrj]

Originally Posted by NKR

Thanks for the comments. A fellow Bhpian remarked going for lower Tyre pressure. I am wary of that, as I have read in numerous occasions, that it is dangerous to inflate tyres at lower pressure. It would lead to higher temperature and hence tyre damage. If the recommended PSI is 36, going for 35 or even 34 may not be as issue (I think) but going way down is not good.

Is it safe to obtain a regular 225/17 inch wheel and tyre that fits, and store it as the spare.

It is a common practice in all car manufactures to over-inflate the tyres right out of the factory. This is because they want to avoid creating flat spots in the tyre during the "holding" period. The car can be sitting in the factory warehouse for a while, then on a ship for a few weeks, and on the dealer lot (ready stock) for a while before a customer takes it home. In extreme cases, we could be talking about 1-2 years!

The Tyre Pressure Placard on the Door of the X1 recommends the Tyre pressure in terms that are not commonly used in India. If i recall well 2.2 kPa (front) and 2.8 kPa(rear). its a pity that no one knows to convert it accurately into PSI the term that is used in India. I will try to click a picture of the same and post it here later.

my friend who has been in the tyre business for about 15 years now (official Dealer for Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental) and has about 3 branches in my city did some calculations and arrived at the figure 32 PSI. I believe the recommended pressure is 32 for front and 36 for the rear. however filling in 36 makes the ride very bouncy in our pot holed roads

in the mean time i just did a quick search and found this result:

Originally Posted by akshay1234

Keeping the pressure at 30 is not going to be an issue. Yes, if you have highway or expressway runs planned which involved high speeds then do raise the pressure by 3-4 psi, but in the interest of ride 30psi is completely fine for daily driving.

I have maintained all 4 Tyres at 32. the Ride is quite comfortable. Not overly bumpy

[Sunilrj]

Originally Posted by NKR

Thanks for the comments. A fellow Bhpian remarked going for lower Tyre pressure. I am wary of that, as I have read in numerous occasions, that it is dangerous to inflate tyres at lower pressure. It would lead to higher temperature and hence tyre damage. If the recommended PSI is 36, going for 35 or even 34 may not be as issue (I think) but going way down is not good.

Is it safe to obtain a regular 225/17 inch wheel and tyre that fits, and store it as the spare.

Here is the Tyre Pressure Chart





a quick google search tells me that 1 Bar = 14.5037738007 PSI

and 1 kilopascal (KPa) = 0.145037738 pounds per square inch (PSI)

so based on this calculation i guess my friend has arrived thus:

220 KPa = 31.908302300646028 PSI = 32 PSI for the front wheels. Since the Ride was extremely bouncy at the rear with full tank of diesel and without rear passengers, he reduced the rear pressure also to 32PSI from 37 PSI recommended Pressure. and yes i found a chit wherein initially when i had gone to re-fill the air, the air pressure in the tyres was 39

am not sure whether it is safe to obtain any 225/17 inch wheel, as the PCD may not be the correct one. the wheel specifications are: 71/2JX17 ET:34

[sandeep108]

I would advise against reducing tyre pressure more than a point or two from the recommended. On the contrary on bad roads, adequate tyre pressure is required to maintain the structural integrity of the tyre amongst other stuff. Running 32 or 30 psi on recommended 36-38, will result in premature failure of the tyre - e.g. sidewall bulges (due to cord fracture), uneven steel belting, etc. as well as bring more load on the rims.

[Sunilrj]

Originally Posted by sandeep108

I would advise against reducing tyre pressure more than a point or two from the recommended. On the contrary on bad roads, adequate tyre pressure is required to maintain the structural integrity of the tyre amongst other stuff. Running 32 or 30 psi on recommended 36-38, will result in premature failure of the tyre - e.g. sidewall bulges (due to cord fracture), uneven steel belting, etc. as well as bring more load on the rims.

the recommended Tyre pressure is 2.2 BAR, 220 KPa for the front wheels which is 32 PSI. at the time of delivery it was 39 PSI. for the rear it is 2.6 BAR, 260 KPa for a load factor of 3 passengers. at the time of delivery the pressure was 39 PSI. since most of the time i travel alone or with a front passenger, after consulting BMW and the tyre clinics, the pressure recommended by them is 32PSI or 2.2 BAR

[sandeep108]

Your call - you are already two passengers. I would maintain at 36 or at least 34, certainly not 32.

[NKR]

I have procured a digital tyre pressure monitor. It is pretty cheap and gives out accurate readings in Kpa/ Bar or Psi, so we need not break our heads on conversion. I got this because the sensor in the car only gives a warning only if the reduction in pressure is 10% or more. The hand held meter is quite helpful for constant monitoring at home, no need to rush to the nearest 'Tyre wallah'.

[abhi182]

Originally Posted by Sunilrj

while having extended warranty, always stick to the dealership; unless you want to void it, since the service records get updated in the key fob

So I did speak to the warranty in-charge at the dealership on the clauses regarding warranty (Extended or otherwise)
He confirmed that contrary to popular belief, BMW honors a warranty claim (or declines) purely on the basis of the error codes reported by the keyFOB
He mentioned that he would very strongly recommend keeping engine oil changes restricted to the company workshops (so that a drivetrain failure cannot be attributed to faulty/poor quality oil etc)
However for say a brakepad change, the warranty can be refused only for related parts (e.g. you cannot claim warranty on a warped disc if the pads were replaced DIY or otherwise

[NKR]

Another issue that I have been facing is the "steering pull" to one side while decelerating. This happens when the rate of deceleration is especially fast. I feel that the steering is getting pulled to one of the sides. I have read from other posts (bimmer forum) that this could be again a RFT/ Tyre issue. Any one else in the same boat as me.

I am planning to change my RFT to non RFT. I have used Bridgestones , Continental as well as Michelins in other cars that we have. I have observed that Michelins are pretty good, however I also found that Continentals are also very good. In fact I see some Mercs shod with them. Any suggestion for a cost effective comfortable tyre that is safe. What about Hankook/Kumho. I have also read in team BHP about tyres in respective forums, but I am seeking info from fellow X1 owners on your experience. Thanks

[abhi182]

Another issue that I have been facing is the "steering pull" to one side while decelerating. This happens when the rate of deceleration is especially fast. I feel that the steering is getting pulled to one of the sides. I have read from other posts (bimmer forum) that this could be again a RFT/ Tyre issue. Any one else in the same boat as me

Does this happen all the time while decelerating/braking or once in a while?
Reason I ask this is because the road to steering feedback coupling is quite marked on this car and while a steering pull would happen on other cars also, it is felt more strongly on this one
On uneven road patches, braking/declerating will give you a marked feel of the steering pulling to one side but that's on account of the tyres pulling in one direction on the uneven patch-- and while a steering pull would happen on other cars also, it is felt more strongly on this one
Try running a truth test on a straight even road to check if you face the issue there as well

[abhi182]

Also, just FYI - I just placed an order with a offline store in Delhi for Brake pads, sensors, air filter, diesel filter and cabin filter
The quoted prices were more than significantly lower vs the prices quoted by the dealership
I decided to take a chance and see how this works out
Will post back if the experience is a positive one

[abhi182]

Happy to report that the experience was a very positive one
Received the diesel, air and cabin filters + brake pad and sensors in a day after transferring money
all parts are genuine OE supplier brands (Mahler and Textar) and the quality is top notch
just finished replacing the cabin and air filter myself at a fraction of stealership costs
The brake and diesel filter work due for the weekend at a 3rd party workshop

[zombiedriver]

Originally Posted by NKR

Another issue that I have been facing is the "steering pull" to one side while decelerating. This happens when the rate of deceleration is especially fast. I feel that the steering is getting pulled to one of the sides. I have read from other posts (bimmer forum) that this could be again a RFT/ Tyre issue. Any one else in the same boat as me.

I am planning to change my RFT to non RFT. I have used Bridgestones , Continental as well as Michelins in other cars that we have. I have observed that Michelins are pretty good, however I also found that Continentals are also very good. In fact I see some Mercs shod with them.

Originally Posted by abhi182

Does this happen all the time while decelerating/braking or once in a while?
Reason I ask this is because the road to steering feedback coupling is quite marked on this car and while a steering pull would happen on other cars also, it is felt more strongly on this one
On uneven road patches, braking/declerating will give you a marked feel of the steering pulling to one side but that's on account of the tyres pulling in one direction on the uneven patch-- and while a steering pull would happen on other cars also, it is felt more strongly on this one
Try running a truth test on a straight even road to check if you face the issue there as well

Our X1 came with continental's as stock and they are quite comfortable and sticky on the curves.

I've done less than 3000 kms on our car in the one month since it came home and even i have experienced the pronounced feedback from the steering when i brake on a patchy stretch of road, Even at speeds as low at 60 kmph. I've seen this in our other cars but it's never as pronounced. Was thinking of checking with the service station in a few days but looks like as @Abhi182 pointed out it's probably how its been designed.