| If anyone is thinking about buying a late | | | | that worked from the lighter plug, the only |
| used BMW car then pay attention to the | | | | way home was to use the back roads with |
| following information as it may save you a | | | | regular stops to re-inflate the tyre each |
| serious amount of money. | | | | time the low pressure warning came on, the |
| | | | warning had to be re-set each time the tyre |
| A close friend purchased an 18 month old BMW | | | | was re-inflated. |
| 325i M Sport recently from a private seller | | | | |
| and did not pay close attention to the tyres | | | | Some 11 hours later with many stops and |
| which were quite worn. After a couple of | | | | diversions the car was on the drive back at |
| months further wear he realised they were | | | | his house and the next morning a call to the |
| looking a little low although still quite | | | | local BMW dealership was made to arrange the |
| legal so he took the car into a leading tyre | | | | replacement. It still took a day to get the |
| companies garage over Christmas to get a new | | | | tyres in and the stop and pump procedure was |
| set put on. | | | | used to get the car to the dealership. |
| | | | Another 350 pounds later and the car was back |
| After half an hour he was told that the | | | | on the road again. |
| company could not get the tyre's, this was | | | | |
| because only one manufacturer made the | | | | I guess there are a number of lessons to |
| approved tyres which were a certain type of | | | | learn here, one of course is the issue and |
| run flat sports tyre. Though run flat tyres | | | | sensibility of run flat tyres which are being |
| are common in many other BMW models these | | | | rolled out across many types of car now, |
| tyre's were extremely hard to source without | | | | secondly of course is whether it is wise for |
| going to the nearest BMW dealership. | | | | the everyday person to purchase cars |
| | | | privately anymore. |
| Now the second problem was the cost, a | | | | |
| complete set of tyres fitted was going to | | | | Of course the puncture could not be foreseen |
| cost 1,300 pounds inclusive and so what | | | | but then being stranded at a motorway service |
| seemed like a bargain at the time of purchase | | | | station and then stopping to re-inflate a |
| very quickly turned out to be no bargain at | | | | tyre for 11 hours is not a very sensible and |
| all. With the new tyre's fitted the car was | | | | fulfilling experience either. |
| merrily on its way back from Bristol when the | | | | |
| low air pressure warning light flashed. | | | | But what if the car had been purchased from |
| | | | an approved BMW dealer, first of all the |
| After pulling off the motorway, a quick check | | | | tyres would have been in top condition, the |
| revealed that the new rear nearside tyre | | | | downside is that the price would be more to |
| indeed had a puncture, the fact that the car | | | | start with but then this can be offset by the |
| had run flat tyre's means of course that | | | | potential for reduced depreciation due to the |
| there is no spare. After ringing a number of | | | | cars approved dealer status. |
| emergency callout tyre companies and using | | | | |
| the very limited run flat ability to reach a | | | | Furthermore, at the service station the owner |
| tyre fitting company after leaving the next | | | | could invoke the BMW emergency recovery |
| junction a certain reality dawned. | | | | service and driven home in a replacement car, |
| | | | safer and far more convenient. Looking |
| Not only could the companies not get a | | | | further, what about the complexity of |
| replacement tyre (soonest was 5 days) it | | | | electronics and components, most people would |
| became apparent that a run flat tyre cannot | | | | not have a clue as to whether these are in |
| be repaired, in fact one national distributer | | | | good order or about to malfunction |
| said it was against the law to repair a run | | | | (frighteningly expensive). |
| flat tyre. | | | | |
| | | | Therefore as cars become ever more complex |
| At this point what are the options, the car | | | | can everyday motorists put themselves at risk |
| is still 4 hours from home, it has a puncture | | | | like this, is it not a false economy and a |
| that cannot be fixed and a tyre that cannot | | | | flawed outlook on personal safety to purchase |
| be replaced. A trip to a nearby Halfords and | | | | privately rather than through a dealership. |
| 25 pounds later an electric pump was deployed | | | | |