If you currently use a BMW, then you own one of the classiest brands. And if you just love BMW, then we must say that you have great taste.
Although, I hope you know that BMW tires wear out super fast?
Why?
Why do BMW tires wear out fast? What causes it to wear out faster than normal tires? These are just some of the numerous ways to ask this question.
The major causes of the wear and tear on your BMW tires are improper air pressure, lack of rotation, improper wheel alignment, worn-out suspension parts, and even your own bad driving habits.
Table of Contents
Major reasons why BMW tires wear easily?
Now that we know the main reasons for the wear on your tires, let us walk through each and every one of them so you know exactly how they affect your tires and, therefore, begin to take precautions.
Improper Air Pressure
Improper inflation of air pressure will cause your BMW tires to wear out prematurely.
If you under-inflate your BMW tires, they will start to wear out on the outside edges of the tread. If you over-inflate your BMW tires, they will suffer wear and tear in the middle of the tread.
You have made it a point of duty to ensure that your BMW tires are inflated with the right amount of pressure because that is the only way you can save them from wearing out way too fast.
Lack of Tyre Rotation
As a BMW user, you have to always remember to rotate your tires as often as possible because a lack of rotation will make a pair; either the front pair or the rear to wear faster than the other pair.
If your BMW is a front-wheel drive, then you should know that the front end of your car is heavier than the rear end.
Also, the front wheels are the driving wheels and this means that they are the ones that pull the car along the road. In a front-wheel drive, the rear tires are called “free-rolling tires”.
The rear tires will not wear out as fast as the front ones but they also suffer from what is called “free rolling wears”.
The reverse is the case for a rear-wheel-drive BMW.
Failure to rotate the tires on your BMW will make sure they do not last very long.
However, regularly rotating your tires will ensure that the damage done to each tire is evened out and the treads are properly managed from wearing out faster than others.
Improper wheel alignment
Failure to pay attention to the wheel alignment of your BMW will ensure that your tires end up in the trash can as fast as possible.
A bad wheel alignment on your BMW will ensure that your tires face different levels of stress as you drive on them.
Wheel alignment is the process where your wheels are adjusted at angles making them parallel to one another and perpendicular to the floor.
This could just be the major reason behind that rapid tire wear. Get your wheel alignment checked so that your tires can last longer and serve you better.
Worn out suspension parts
What the suspension system in your BMW does is maximize the overall performance of the BMW as you drive it down the road.
The suspension system is also responsible for the absorption of the bumps on the road and for providing a safe and comfortable ride.
If any part of the suspension system is worn out then your tires will also wear out unevenly and in fact, very fast.
Worn out parts of the suspension system like the shocks and struts can cause your car to bounce on the road as you drive and this will result in a rough ride and most, unfortunately, wearing out of your tires.
A weak and improperly calibrated suspension would make you feel every bump on the road.
This is because the tires are taking the hard blows and are getting damaged because your suspension system is doing a poor job or not doing its job at all.
Driving Habits
Many BMW drivers are seeking solutions for their wearing tires but they forget that they have terrible driving habits that negatively affect their tires and cause them to wear very fast.
Habits like peeling out when you accelerate from a stop, jamming on the brakes too frequently or it could be pushing your car too hard around tight corners, all contribute to the gradual wearing out of your tires.
We must also mention that not taking your car for regular maintenance checks is a bad habit that also adds to the demise of your tires. Stop it!
How long are BMW tires good for?
Knowing that the tires on your beloved BMW wear fast and having read the causes from this article, we believe that you are curious to know how long the tires can last.
So, how long do I get with the tires I currently have and use?
According to BMW, your tires should last between 25,000 to 30,000 miles. That is roughly about one to four years of BMW’s tire life.
Although, this boils down to if you follow the tire rotation and wheel alignment schedule as recommended by BMW itself, and if you keep your tire pressure at the appropriate PSI.
In the owner’s manual of your BMW, it is recommended that you should rotate your tires every 5000 – 7500 miles.
This is like the general rule to rotate the tires on any kind of vehicle but you have to take it really seriously if you use a BMW because BMW uses premium, high standard tires that cost more than the average, normal highway tires.
BMW as a brand is very intentional about its production that is why it sources out the best tires ever made.
BMW does not produce its tires but rather uses different brands for its tires. Be rest assured that the tires, although costly, are 100 percent quality.
How do I know if I have a BMW tire Warranty?
A warranty is a written guarantee issued by the manufacturer of a product or item to the purchaser of the item or product, promising to repair or replace the said product, if necessary, within a particular timeframe.
For BMW, to know if you have a tire warranty then all you have to do is check if your tires are star-marked.
According to BMW’s website, every tire you purchase from a BMW authorized dealer comes with a star-shaped mark on it. That is how BMW identifies tires that are bought through the right channels and, hence, deserve a warranty.
If your tires are star-marked, congratulations! This is because you are entitled to a 24-month warranty. This means that every BMW vehicle purchased within 24 months enjoys a warranty on their tires.
However, you have to note that should you ever want to claim a warranty, there are standards that BMW will subject your tires to in order to determine if the claim is worth it or not.
Tires that have clocked over 40,000km in mileage are not getting any warranty compensation or benefit. However, tires with less than 8,000km will enjoy full 100 percent warranty compensation and benefits.
This tire warranty term simply means that even if you have only used the BMW vehicle for less than 24 months, as long as you have completed over 40,000km then you will no longer enjoy the warranty benefit.
But, if you can keep the mileage below the 40,000km mark, then you might get compensation, no matter how little.
Why do BMW rear tires wear on the inside?
Many BMW users have noticed that the rear tires on their car wear on the inside and not outside. What could be the cause of this?
Wearing tires on the inside can be caused by a lot of things but the ones we have identified as leading causes are; Camber problem, bad ball joints, improper toe settings.
Camber Problem
The camber is that part of a vehicle that determines how straight up or straight down the tire is with the full weight of the vehicle on it. A camber can either have a positive angle or a negative angle.
If the top of your tires leaning out, then you have a positive camber angle but if the bottom of your tires leaning out, then you have a negative camber angle.
With the insides of your BMW tires wearing out, then you most likely have negative camber.
Bad Ball Joints
Another factor that makes your rear tires wear on the inside is a bad or worn-out ball joint.
Ball joints are responsible for securing a vehicle’s control arm to its steering knuckles, so when they age and begin to wear out, the ball and socket will become loose and display a certain degree of free play.
This free play will cause an outward movement of the steering knuckle and therefore also have an effect on the tires.
A bad ball joint can alter a vehicle’s camber angle negatively and this will cause serious inner tire wear.
Improper Toe Settings
This is almost similar to the camber angle but with a little distinction. Toe settings simply help to balance your tires and keep them facing straight.
When the toe settings of your BMW are not correctly aligned, your tires will either point inward or outward.
If the tire points inward, then your tires will wear out more on the insides.
Why do BMWs have wide tires?
By now, you must have noticed that the tires on your BMW are of different sizes. Your rear tires are particularly wider than the front ones. Do you know why?
Firstly, it looks good aesthetically. The wider tires on the rear of your BMW make your car look more balanced and comfortable.
Secondly, your BMW has wide rear tires because most BMWs are rear-wheel drives. The wide tires help to get power to the ground with large contact patches so the wheels grip the ground and they do not spin too much.
The front wheels are just used for steering and a wide tire would make steering really difficult so the front tires are just as wide as they need to be so they do not have a negative effect on the handling of the car.
Another reason BMW uses very wide tires is that wide tires provide more friction. Although, they are said to consume more fuel because they are heavier and require more effort and resistance to get them to roll.
If we take a look at it from a safety angle, wider tires will give your BMW more grip on a dry road than a narrower tire would.
Why do BMW have run-flat tires?
A run-flat tire is a kind of vehicle tire that is specially designed to defy the effects of deflation when they are punctured so the vehicle can continue to be driven, although at reduced speed and for limited distances.
According to BMW, they promote the run-flat technology because of its advantages for driver comfort and safety.
You will find run-flat tires fitted in many BMW models because of the numerous advantages it has. Some of them are;
- Safety: A punctured tire can lead to serious accidents if poorly handled by the driver, but with run-flat tires, your BMW will continue on its course without any hassles.
- More luggage space: Having run-flat tires fitted in your BMW takes away the need to carry an extra tire, a car jack, or tools in general.
- Weight Reduction: Do you know that if you do not carry an emergency spare tire, you will be saving up to 20kg? This ultimately helps in reducing the amount of fuel consumed. I guess we can agree that BMW introducing run-flat tires has helped us to reduce the fuel we consume, thus saving us money.
- Driving On: The primary benefit of run-flat tires is that it permits you to keep driving on them for up to 100 miles. You do not have to get out of the car to fix the punctured tire.
Can you replace BMW run-flat tires with regular tires?
To keep it simple, Yes.
Yes, you can replace your BMW’s four run-flat tires with four conventional or regular tires, but ensure that they meet the recommendations set by BMW – the manufacturer.
Qualities like size, speed rating, load capacity, inflation pressure, and others are what you have to look out for when replacing your run-flat tires. You can check your owner’s manual for more information on this.
Another thing to consider about this is that BMW vehicles are originally designed with run-flats so they do not come with spares.
Once you replace the run-flat tires with regular tires, remember to get a spare because you never can tell when the regular tires will meet with a puncture.
In general, it is perfectly okay to replace your run-flat tires with regular tires, however, if you will be doing that, it is recommended that you replace all four tires.
Mixing run-flat tires with regular tires can have a massive effect on the functionality of your vehicle and the stability of its handling.
That is it from us. We hope that you continue to enjoy your BMW.