[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by jaskiratarora15

Its either going to be a X1 X Line Petrol or a 330i M Sport. There is no preference of a SUV or Sedan.

Hi Jaskirat, I might be biased (), but it would depend squarely upon his usage profile. If he goes regularly on bad/rough roads either in city or outstation or needs the extra visibility or easier ingress/egress (elders etc.), I would recommend the X1 xLine.

For all other circumstances, the 330i M Sport is significantly superior. My rationale:

1. Much more powerful
2. RWD (compared to FWD for the X1)
3. Superbly muscular looks (X1 current gen is more crossover than SUV),
4. 330i still fresh, facelift likely to be very similar externally
5. X1 due to be replaced with a much more muscular new gen in 2023. https://www.motorauthority.com/news/...py-shots-video

My take is that a sedan can do 90% of what a FWD crossover can at all times. For the balance 10%, hire a cab or SUV.

In summary, the 330i M Sport is much more of a 'keeper' than a 'jack-of-all-trades' X1 xLine 20i.

[itwasntme]

Posting after a long time with FY end keeping us very busy.

Second service now over with Shadowfax reaching 20K km. Did a quick & dirty trip to Goa with a flawless experience. More on that in later posts (hopefully).

I'll let the pictures speak for now :

[itwasntme]

The stock Bridgestone Turanza T005 225/50/R17 Run Flat Tyres (RFT) are totally shot at 20K km. Tread depth is ~ 2.2 mm which is just about legal.

The conundrum faced by all BMW owners is what to go for? RFT or non-RFT, i.e. normal tubeless? BMW globally strongly recommends RFTs for the G20 3 Series.

In India, RFT ideally is Michelin Pilot Sport 3 Zero Pressure (P3ZP). Tubeless is Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Silence Tuned (PS4ST).

PS5 tubeless has been launched as well but not in India yet. https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post5289485 (Michelin Pilot Sport 5 launched internationally)

Ideally, I would have loved the Pilot Sport 4S (https://www.michelin.in/auto/tyres/m...port-4-s#sizes) or the Pilot Super Sport (https://www.michelin.in/auto/tyres/m...ot-super-sport) but neither are available in 17".

RFTs are harsher, noisier & with lesser life BUT offer a significantly safer experience during tyre burst (catastrophic deflation) situations + allows some emergency driving even when fully deflated. RFTs are expensive at ~ INR 19K and tubeless is 13K.

Tubeless is cheaper & offers a far more supple ride + handling. But BMW routinely threatens to invalidate warranty should anything happen to the suspension etc.

Confused!

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

The stock Bridgestone Turanza T005 Run Flat Tyres (RFT) are totally shot at 20K km. Tread depth is ~ 2.2 mm which is just about legal.

The conundrum faced by all BMW owners is what to go for? RFT or non-RFT, i.e. normal tubeless? BMW globally strongly recommends RFTs for the G20 3 Series.

Go for the tubeless, eyes shut. It's not a contest, IMO. The tubeless tyres are not cheaper, they're more comfortable, can offer better outright grip, and longevity, not to mention the ability to be repaired to an extent if needed. Contrast that with the potential for RFTs to commit seppuku and leave you with a narrow window to replace them, even if you can drag it along in its damaged state.

If I were you, I'd get tubeless tyres (Yokohama, Continental, or Michelins) and buy a space saver for whenever you step out for a long drive (say, to Goa!). You might not really need it more than 2-3 times over its lifetime, but you will be really, really thankful for it if and when you need it and it's handily available.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

BMW routinely threatens to invalidate warranty should anything happen to the suspension etc.

Ask them to give this in writing, and watch them chicken out and backtrack. They can't/won't invalidate a suspension claim if you switch over. Just have a good relationship with your service advisor, and you'll be fine. Nothing untoward here, and nothing to be alarmed about at all. Don't let anyone cow you down.

[Dr.AD]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

The conundrum faced by all BMW owners is what to go for? RFT or non-RFT, i.e. normal tubeless? BMW globally strongly recommends RFTs for the G20 3 Series.

In India, RFT ideally is Michelin Pilot Sport 3 Zero Pressure (P3ZP). Tubeless is Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Silence Tuned (PS4ST).

I think you know my opinion since we have discussed this a few times, but I will say it here again anyways: I would recommend sticking to RFTs. The benefits are far more compelling than the drawbacks of RFTs, especially with the more modern RFTs such as the Michelin ZP series.

RFTs are harsher, noisier & with lesser life BUT offer a significantly safer experience during tyre burst (catastrophic deflation) situations + allows some emergency driving even when fully deflated. RFTs are expensive at ~ INR 19K and tubeless is 13K.

Significantly safer experience (as you emphasized it yourself) is the key point. I do not see any reason to compromise on that.

The earlier (should I say initial generations) RFTs were harsher. Especially the Bridgestone RFTs were quite harsher and also noisy. But the Michelin ZPs are much quieter and by no means harsh. With Michelin RFTs, you get the best of the both worlds - quite comfortable ride and low noise, and all the safety benefits of RFTs.

If you do touring outside cities (which I know you do), RFTs are priceless. It is materially a superior technology. At least from my personal experience of using RFTs on my 320d for last 50,000+ km, on all sorts of rural roads, bad roads, sometimes mild off-roads, as well as smooth long national highways, I consider RFTs as indispensable.

Yes, non-RFT tubeless are cheaper. But in the grand scheme of the total ownership costs of the 330i, do you really think that even makes a difference? Especially when it comes to the most crucial aspect of driving, which is safety?

I would wholeheartedly recommend sticking to the RFTs. Especially on G20 with 17" wheels, which is not a harsh riding setup anyways. There could be arguments about non-RFTs in the context of 18" and 19" wheels on some other stiffly set up BMWs, but certainly not for a G20 riding on 17" wheels.

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

The stock Bridgestone Turanza T005 225/50/R17 Run Flat Tyres (RFT) are totally shot at 20K km. Tread depth is ~ 2.2 mm which is just about legal.

Bridgestone Turanza RFT are made to be lose tread depth as soon as possible which is why BMW cars come with them. So customers keep buying them frequently.

Pirelli Cinturato P7 RFT last much longer to it. Saying from experience on X1.

Go for tubeless. RFT aren't worth it.

If touring is an aspect, go for Yokohama Earth1.

Originally Posted by Dr.AD

But in the grand scheme of the total ownership costs of the 330i, do you really think that even makes a difference? Especially when it comes to the most crucial aspect of driving, which is safety?

Why do BMW //M cars come with tubeless tyres if safety is so crucial?

In India majority of cars run on tubeless and before BMW we were all fine with tubeless tyres.

[androdev]

My vote is for top tier tubeless performance tires. I was once taking a curve over a flyover and I got really scared when the RFTs lost traction. It's possible RFTs have improved since BMW F10 days but I consider tubeless performance tires + spare tire is the safer bet for Indian roads. Better traction, can handle potholes better than RFTs, etc.

Ability to drive with a completely flat tire is hardly a benefit that I value. I can manage with a tire inflator in 99% of the cases if I see loss of pressure. Spare tire is always an option if things get worse. As such RFT can only get you to the next tire shop which could be very far off.

Catastrophic tire blow out. This is where RFTs can offer an advantage in safety. However RFTs blow out more often than tubeless tires when they hit potholes which is the most common cause for a sudden blow out. In fact, most BMW owners switch to tubeless tires after getting tired of replacing damaged RFTs. If you maintain recommended tire pressure and change tires within 5-6 years, I would say the risk is very minimal with tubeless tires. I am not talking about low profile tires of sports car but regular touring cars.

In the end, I consider the constant need for traction to be of a higher safety concern than an improbable tire blowout.

[itwasntme]

Thank you all. Personally, I have benefited from my RFTs. This happened in April 2021:

My 330i Sport with 225/50/17 Bridgestone Turanza T005 RFTs ran over a massive metal spike barely 1.5 km from my house. Was doing good speeds, and the spike destroyed my rear LHS tyre and deflated it within 500 metres.

Damaged tread:







Hilariously thin SST



Original April 2021 post:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-...ml#post5046382 (Run-Flat Tyres : All you need to know)

[itwasntme]

Took the long road home :



Near my workplace:

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Personally, I have benefited from my RFTs.

Hi, just out of curiosity - is the conundrum solved, to RFT or not to RFT?

[Yeshwant]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

In summary, the 330i M Sport is much more of a 'keeper' than a 'jack-of-all-trades' X1 xLine 20i.

Would suggest going for stock tyres as the vehicle suspension is tuned for a particular tyre, safety-wise RFT is the ultimate choice. But if you want to go for normal tyres I would not recommend switching tyres from stock ones as even the handling might be affected with aftermarket tyres. Also do consider a spare tyre or tyre repair kit (pump and sealant) if you are going for normal tubeless tyres as BMW does not offer spare wheels in many cars.

Finally, if you have decided to go for an aftermarket tyre then check if you can get self-seal tyres, currently continental and Pirelli are supplying in India. That can help you in event of a puncture as you will 3ven not notice any puncture if it's in the tread area.


Mod Note - Please quote only relevant portions and proofread.

[kartikv1]

I’m in the same boat. Tyres are worn completely at 21k for my 330i sport. Want to go ahead with pilot sport 4 but the warranty risk weighs this option down. The turanzas are available for ~16k a piece here in delhi but still not made up my mind yet.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by kartikv1

I’m in the same boat. Tyres are worn completely at 21k for my 330i sport. Want to go ahead with pilot sport 4 but the warranty risk weighs this option down. The turanzas are available for ~16k a piece here in delhi but still not made up my mind yet.

Go for Michelin 3ZP for ~18K each. Reputedly miles better (pun intended) than the rubbish Turanzas.

[itwasntme]

My chemist is convinced Saar is mad because he takes at least one picture while returning to his car.

[itwasntme]

Monsoons hit BLR!