Sponsored by The Tire Rack

[LDitty]

I got the sports package with the rft's. should i get the insurance

[sinnet112]

No. That's how they get your money. Same thing with wheel insurance (if they split it). Even if you lease it, put on 19s with a set of stickier tires and you'll be a happier driver anyway.

[LDitty]

Ok thanks....any other tips?

[just4kickz]

if you plan on keeping your oem wheel/tire package and not going aftermarket i would say yes. insurance is like what? 500 bucks? replacing a pair of rfts after mount and balance, alignment, and other craps is like 1.1k. you get a total of 4k in claims over the 4 years or whatever its supposed to be. im an advocate if you plan on keeping stock wheels/tires but once again if your not... then why bother.

[jaaz]

I assume you're leasing.

If so, it depends on if you're going to keep the OEM wheels and run-flats or not. If you're not, and are going with aftermarket wheels and non-flats, then I agree with sinnet112, as your tire and wheel warranty will likely NOT cover any aftermarket wheels and tires. Just keep the stock OEM wheels and tires in a safe place and put them back on the car at Lease end.

If, however, you plan on keeping the OEM wheels and run-flats, or upgrading to better OEM wheels and flats later, then I think the warranty is one of the best things you can get for your car. The warranty is usually only around ~$600. One bad pothole that you hit and you're going to spend a whole lot more than that. Remember too that, in general, you have to replace a run-flat that gets a nail or screw stuck in it, and chances are that will happen to you sometime in the next 3 years. Depending on the wheel size, that could be as high as $300 to $400 for the tire alone. $600 is worth it just for the peace of mind.

Edit: justforkickz beat me too it!

[zamboni]

My plan did included tire & wheels replacement and I plan to keep the OEM rims for now.

[lawdude]

http://www.theautoclub.com/plans/tire_and_wheel.jsp

[sandyeggo325i]

Originally Posted by LDitty

Ok thanks....any other tips?

buy low, sell high

[choopy]

Well, i wish i did. Weve got the nastiest potholes ive ever seen in my life here in chicago. Nailed one, and paid 250 at discount tire for a pirelli rft all season. Bogus.

[a l l a n]

The tire/wheel insurance usually covers any wheels/tires installed on the car (or at least mine does). So if you're keeping the car for at least 4 years then I think it's worth getting the insurance.

[SkyTurtle]

When I got my first 325 it had RFTs and I scoffed at the tire insurance thinking it was a BestBuy-style warranty scam. But after I got one nail (and $475 bill) one month later, I went back and got it. Lucky thing, too. Over the next year I picked up TWO more nails!

Hate to use a cliche, but it is indeed cheap insurance.

[cbad335]

Originally Posted by sinnet112

No. That's how they get your money. Same thing with wheel insurance (if they split it). Even if you lease it, put on 19s with a set of stickier tires and you'll be a happier driver anyway.

Good advice! I used my tire insurance once on my last Bimmer, but probably paid full price for my one ruined tire considering the expense of the tire coverage over the lease term. I purchased my new Bimmer, but had I leased, I would have purchased aftermarket 19" wheels and non-RFTs, stored the stock wheels/tires for lease turn in time, then sold the 19" wheels here when I turned in the car.

[debtman7]

I bought the tire insurance, mostly because I plan to keep stock wheels and tires and those tires are expensive. Also, I've had 3 flats in the past couple of years...

They quoted me a little over $400 for it and I talked them down to $350. Not bad. It's insurance, so you may never use it, and if I have one flat during my 3 years then all I really did was prepay for the tire replacement. Maybe not the best investment but it's nice to know if I have a few flats over the years I don't have to worry about getting it taken care of.

[Couch]

I got it, because my dad was at the dealer with me and thought I should get it.

Of course, "father knows best", so I listened. I now am kicking myself because I want wheels. In a way it's better that I don't since I'm saving for a house.

Anyway, if you plan on keeping the wheels and tires stock, not a bad idea imo.

[roadkillrob]

Should be your decision - look at your history and the road condition in your area (and how much you drive in the winter, since that tends to be the worst time). OEM runflats for the 335 from Tire Rack are about $250 for fronts and $330 for rears + shipping + mounting and balancing. If you kill a rear on a pothole, probably loooking at $400 when your done and about $320 for a front. Do the math and assess the risk! I didn't go for it - my dealer actually didn't even offer it, so not even sure they resell it, but knock wood - never in my life killed a tire with a pothole or nail that needed full replacment, so if I had tire insurance all these years, it would have been a very large waste of money!

[ezatnova]

Absolutely get the insurance. This is one area, with sports pack and the runflats that you must get it unless you live and drive where there are only perfect roads, which probably isn't a reality for anyone.

I imagine the insurance is still around $500 which is what I paid for mine. Friends all told me to get it who have these cars, my friend who is the Bridgestone SUPPLIER to my BMW dealer told me to absolutely get it, and my SA and finance manager at my dealer genuinely told me to get it (not in a money making way). I bought it. TWO DAYS LATER I had my first puthole = bubbled tire. I broke even (well, $489 for the repair...so I'm still $11 short) in TWO DAYS. Listen to people with experience and get it.

Oh, and to Roadkill, above, your estimates are low. Mine was a front tire (so smaller, cheaper tire) and still $480+ installed at the dealer. Rears would be over $500.

[amulsp335i]

I just replaced 2 front tires because of bubbles. I have the RFT's. I paid 500 bucks for the insurance. The bill for the 2 tires plus install tax etc was over 600. I got a check within 2 weeks no questions asked from the insurance company. Great deal in my opinion.

[nissan]

Don't buy it from BMW. Buy it from Paragon as another posted linked to above. $27/year for upto $350 in coverage for each incident is dirt cheap!

[extmtnbkr]

It's definately worth it. I paid $500 for the insurance and yesterday (car is 4 months old) had 2 tires replaced free of charge (that alone would have cost $650).

[NJE93M3]

Hey guys quick question about this tire insurance.

Last time I went to get my tire replaced I was told that I had to front the money and then submit a claim to the insurance company who will then reimburse me. Is this right?????

I have heard that some dealers will replace it for you at the dealer and will not charge you (hence they deal with the insurance company).



P.S. Thankfully I got the tire insurance as i have 2 thousand miles on my car and already have a second bubble.

[VVA330]

it's worthit if you plan to keep you OEM wheels and tires. i had a bubble on one of my tires and without insurance i would had paid 400+.

[NJE93M3]

yea i know I'm glad I got it, but is it right that I have to pay the money up front when the tire is replaced and then get reimbursed by the insruance company or should the dealer be doing this??