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[NYF32DRIVER]

(Sorry in advance for the profanity)
My 335i coupe is 6 months old. I love the car, But...
I HATE HATE HATE the Motherf*cking Potenzas !

I hit an unavoidable "lip" that was carved into the road in April. That cost me 2 drivers side tires and a alignment. A few weeks later I noticed a "bubble" in the sidewall of the PASSENGER side front tire. I have been traveling a lot with the car so I replaced it.
Today I am driving down i95 in New Jersey (trying to avoid ANYTHING that doesn't look smooth while people in Hyundai's are zooming past me at 90) when I notice what looks like a little "wave" in the road. others just sped over it, I tried to slow a bit before hitting it. It then made the terrible dreaded "thump-crash" sound that now screams "new tire" to me. Sure enough, at the next rest stop I got out only to find the 3 week old front passenger tire with a "bulge" in the sidewall.
What IS IT with these goddamn tires ? You can't even enjoy a ride on the interstate without being constantly paranoid about hitting something that ANY cheap tire could withstand.
Isn't "DRIVING" what our cars are made for ? Now I am imagining that the alignment is off a bit again and that I may have damaged the suspension.
I have read all of the threads concerning these tires but none of them answer my question: Has anyone had luck collecting from Bridgestone ? I feel that these tires are WAY too fussy for normal every day road use.
I simply refuse to pay for ANOTHER a new tire. And I DO NOT want a spare in the trunk. My car is a lease so I am limited in my options if I decide to return the car.
Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh !!!!!

Joseph

[jgalaxy]

I feel your pain. My tires have stood up interestingly enough, but my rims (19") are toast from the tire compression and impact on cement, curbs, cracks, bumps, railroad crossings and breathing too hard on them.

[mid-corner fun]

yep, unfortunately that's the story with the Potenzas although it could be a general RFT thing...These are the first RFTs I've had so I'm not sure. I've had my car for less than a year and I've already replaced both front tires due to bubbles. (Both on I-280 towards NYC to be exact, separate incidents). All covered by insurance (Paragon) but still a nuisance, no one stocks these tires.

I'm putting on snows in a few months, and then I'll replace the Potenzas with non-RFTs in the spring.

GL!

[NYF32DRIVER]

Originally Posted by jgalaxy

I feel your pain. My tires have stood up interestingly enough, but my rims (19") are toast from the tire compression and impact on cement, curbs, cracks, bumps, railroad crossings and breathing too hard on them.

Have any of you had any other damage to the car ? The sound alone is bone-chilling.

J

[Red335i]

I hate these tires I travel to ct alot and the roads are a mess on 95!
I just ordered 4 goodyear all season tires I am hoping this will solve my problems

[brokemywallet]

what is it about NJ roads that we see most of tire & wheel damage occuring? i swear, that most cracked & bent wheels, tire bubbles & the like all come from people posting from or been to NJ area..........

[purplewidow]

yeah they are meant for driving... that's why the weight you save by not having a spare helps performance.. but damn the rft's have way too many bubbles. and potenza's aren't just rft's so i would change your thread title if you can.

[Orient330iNYC]

Originally Posted by purplewidow

yeah they are meant for driving... that's why the weight you save by not having a spare helps performance.. but damn the rft's have way too many bubbles. and potenza's aren't just rft's so i would change your thread title if you can.

what weight savings? the OE temp spare tire kit weighs 40lbs.
my 19" non runflats and wheels weigh 10lbs less per corner than the OEM potenzas and 18" rims. and thats 10lbs of ROTATIONAL unsprung weight X 4

1 pound of rotating mass = ~5 static mass...

op: what tire pressure are you running up front? in NYC i was running 38psi in the fronts. my only bubble came when my front tires were at 34. the year since, no more bubbles running higher pressure.

[NYF32DRIVER]

Originally Posted by Orient330iNYC

what weight savings? the OE temp spare tire kit weighs 40lbs.
my 19" non runflats and wheels weigh 10lbs less per corner than the OEM potenzas and 18" rims. and thats 10lbs of ROTATIONAL unsprung weight X 4

1 pound of rotating mass = ~5 static mass...

op: what tire pressure are you running up front? in NYC i was running 38psi in the fronts. my only bubble came when my front tires were at 34. the year since, no more bubbles running higher pressure.

NOW you tell me : )

J

[Orient330iNYC]

Originally Posted by NYCE90DRIVER

NOW you tell me : )

J

i learned the hard way with my S60R. i chewed through about 4 or 5 tires running the recommended pressures for the first year. i switched to higher pressure and only lost 1 tire the next two years.

the only bubble on the E90, despite having some really hard hits, was from when i first got the car and hadnt thought to up the pressure. replaced the tire and upped the front pressure to 38psi. no bubbles for the next year then i got my breyton race GTS 19"s with goodyear go flats.
I'm running those at 41psi up front and 37 in the rear. so far so good.

[NYF32DRIVER]

My very excellent Shop Foreman took mercy on me (after I replaced three of these tires at the dealership) and replaced this one FREE OF CHARGE !

I could not be happier... UNTIL it happens again ???


J

[jgalaxy]

Originally Posted by NYCE90DRIVER

Have any of you had any other damage to the car ? The sound alone is bone-chilling.

J

The sound is deafening scary. Makes me think that there will be structural damage in no time. For the time being, just seriously banged up rims.