[LuvMyE92]

My car is not that old, has 3600 miles on it, and I feel like I need to get the tires balanced because the ride is so bad.

Then it occurred to me this morning that it may just be the tires, the OE Continental ProContact SSR. The ride isn't horrible, they're not noisy, but they are runflats and we all know that they're heavy, they're stiff and they can self-destruct on potholes.

So I'm trying to rationalize spending another $1200 on a nearly new car so that I can get Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 which are probably the best all season tires out there and hopefully get a better and quieter ride out of this thing.

I feel like spending 2 hours and $100 to get these things balanced is probably a waste of time and money. On a smooth road they're fine, but on the bad roads that make up most of my commute, they just seem to hop around and it's freakin' lousy for a fine $90K automobile.

I was never particularly happy with the ride on the predecessor to the M550, a 540i with standard suspension, which had vibration issues as well. These cars are very sensitive to out of balance tires. And the Michelins do have a bad rep (from my installer) of sometimes being difficult to balance.

Thoughts?

[Volasko]

Are you sure you didn't bend a rim? A hard pothole hit with RFT tend to send the forced the rim lip causing the deformation. I doubt its a balance issue, especially from factory balanced wheels. Have you checked to see if you lost any weights? If RWD you can typically jack up the front corner and free spin the wheel yourself and easily see the issue.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by Volasko

Are you sure you didn't bend a rim? A hard pothole hit with RFT tend to send the forced the rim lip causing the deformation. I doubt its a balance issue, especially from factory balanced wheels. Have you checked to see if you lost any weights? If RWD you can typically jack up the front corner and free spin the wheel yourself and easily see the issue.

I didn't hit potholes, and it's an M550ix - AWD.

[Bsm550]

What is your tire setup atm

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by Bsm550

What is your tire setup atm

In my original post. 19".

I'm more convinced that it is the tires, not a balancing issue. Driving home today at slow speeds...

[cna90]

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

My car is not that old, has 3600 miles on it, and I feel like I need to get the tires balanced because the ride is so bad.

Then it occurred to me this morning that it may just be the tires, the OE Continental ProContact SSR. The ride isn't horrible, they're not noisy, but they are runflats and we all know that they're heavy, they're stiff and they can self-destruct on potholes.

So I'm trying to rationalize spending another $1200 on a nearly new car so that I can get Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 which are probably the best all season tires out there and hopefully get a better and quieter ride out of this thing.

I feel like spending 2 hours and $100 to get these things balanced is probably a waste of time and money. On a smooth road they're fine, but on the bad roads that make up most of my commute, they just seem to hop around and it's freakin' lousy for a fine $90K automobile.

I was never particularly happy with the ride on the predecessor to the M550, a 540i with standard suspension, which had vibration issues as well. These cars are very sensitive to out of balance tires. And the Michelins do have a bad rep (from my installer) of sometimes being difficult to balance.

Thoughts?

I went through 3 tires last year and I finally went with wider rims and PS4S. I actually did 7 series tire so I added 5% more on the side wall.
Ride quality is night and day from runflats.
Problem is the narrow rims for the tire size and the runflats both.
I had hard time rationalizing the cost over and over again for two years. Granted I was able to get them used for a reasonable price but if I go back the second I picked up the car CPO I would have done it.
Contis are probably the best runflat you can get and on 19” you probably have the most comfortable it can be. Next best thing is none RFT.
Look at it this way, if you’re leasing, probably to return you need to change them. Get the nonRFTs use and enjoy them and return the car with your RFTs.
If you’re like me owning the car, I finally said, all money could do is to make me more comfortable in life. Spent the money and now I can’t be happier.