[Jimmy12]

Hi,
I currently have Falken Azenis FK510s all round and i need to replace both front tyres.

Sticking with Runflats, are these a good option:
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 (225/40 R19 93Y) ROF XL *BMW [F]

and is there any downsides to running 2 different brands? The back don't need changing yet

car is a 335d xDrive

Thanks for any info

[Alscoob]

As it's x-drive think you would need to be careful with mixing brands front to rear, as they are not a matched set it may cause issues with the x -drive system. Also are the Falkens run flat as you can't mix rft with non rft?

Different manufacturers have different tollerances within the given parameters of tyre sizes (bit like clothes really), so a matched set of Falkens will likely be fine and within the front rear % allowable for the car, the same for Goodyear but, if you mix them the allowable o/all diameter % may well be out and cause issues. Falken for example may produce tyres to the smallest allowable size for the given tyre size, whereas Goodyear may be at the other end of the scale, hence a possible issue for the x-drive system with the rear rotating more than the front or the other way round, basically winding up the system in the middle.

When you consider that BMW have a 2 / 3mm allowable difference between front and rear tyres for x drive or 2mm for tyres on the same axle, it shows how critical it can be.

Handling is another factor with differing tread patterns and compounds, more relevent in the wet, where the front tyres may grip more than the rear or the other way around, not a predictable situation you would want to be in.

Only my opinion but maybe food for thought

[sensible]

They are good runflat tyres. I have them on my 4 series and they are much better than the Bridgestone Potenza run flats that I had on my 3 series. As mine wear out Ic will replace them with the same.
As mine is RWD, I don't have the X-drive issue that's mentioned above.

[Kermit]

No one has the Xdrive issues mentioned above because they only exist in the sales patter of tyre manufacturers and resalers... BMW have said so themselves. BUT for reasons of grip and predictability as rightly discussed already then you might wish to have a matching set all round.

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by Kermit

No one has the Xdrive issues mentioned above because they only exist in the sales patter of tyre manufacturers and resalers... BMW have said so themselves.

Can you point me in the direction of where BMW have said that please as it seems to contradict what I have been told, be good to know.

[Kermit]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Can you point me in the direction of where BMW have said that please as it seems to contradict what I have been told, be good to know.

I can, it's on here somewhere so when I find it again I'll link. Basically someone went and spoke to a BMW tech about it and they said more than 2mm was fine.

[Jimmy12]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

As it's x-drive think you would need to be careful with mixing brands front to rear, as they are not a matched set it may cause issues with the x -drive system. Also are the Falkens run flat as you can't mix rft with non rft?

Different manufacturers have different tollerances within the given parameters of tyre sizes (bit like clothes really), so a matched set of Falkens will likely be fine and within the front rear % allowable for the car, the same for Goodyear but, if you mix them the allowable o/all diameter % may well be out and cause issues. Falken for example may produce tyres to the smallest allowable size for the given tyre size, whereas Goodyear may be at the other end of the scale, hence a possible issue for the x-drive system with the rear rotating more than the front or the other way round, basically winding up the system in the middle.

When you consider that BMW have a 2 / 3mm allowable difference between front and rear tyres for x drive or 2mm for tyres on the same axle, it shows how critical it can be.

Handling is another factor with differing tread patterns and compounds, more relevent in the wet, where the front tyres may grip more than the rear or the other way around, not a predictable situation you would want to be in.

Only my opinion but maybe food for thought

Thank you
The Falkens are runflats, and i plan to get F1s on the rear also.
But my current real tyres still have plenty of tread so hoped to replace those later

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by Kermit

I can, it's on here somewhere so when I find it again I'll link. Basically someone went and spoke to a BMW tech about it and they said more than 2mm was fine.

This is where I got the info from just for interest

[Kermit]

Yeah that one single email has become legend hasn't it, it's everywhere.

I'm taking my girl in for the recall soon so I'll ask the tech while I'm there

[M80]

Originally Posted by Jimmy12

Thank you
The Falkens are runflats, and i plan to get F1s on the rear also.
But my current real tyres still have plenty of tread so hoped to replace those later

Slight thread hijack -sorry - just interested on what you think of the Falken Runflats. Any good?

[Cilonen]

I've been running the Goodyear F1 Asy 3 RFTs (different size) on the family F11 for nearly 3 years (swapped with Pirelli Sottozero 3s for winter), and they are great in both wet & dry conditions. Would def get another set when these need replacing.

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by Kermit

Yeah that one single email has become legend hasn't it, it's everywhere.

I'm taking my girl in for the recall soon so I'll ask the tech while I'm there

I'd trust the BMW documentation over any of the fitters I've met who are in the employ of the dealers. They're all instruction followers with barely a brain cell between them. BMW TIS says in bold 'must not exceed 2mm' front to back wear. Which is fine with standard square tyres as you can rotate etc. But 225/40 is a bigger tyre than 255/35, and the BMW system is most succeptible to damage from rear tyres being smaller than vice versa, so if you're not running star marked tyres you're starting out with the rear tyres smaller. Throw in that even on X-drive the rear tyres wear faster (c50% for me) compared to the fronts and you can quickly arrive at the front tyres being 4.5-5mm and the rears at the wear markers, which is a 3-3.5mm difference. Except the rears started smaller in the first place. Was that a contributing factor in my fucked TC? I don't know, I suspect that given the gearbox now feels unhappy that it may just not be up to hard driving, or the fluid in it is cooked (70k miles) but there's a chance that the TC definitely wasn't helped by the tyres not being within spec. Or BMW just can't design a proper AWD system, I wouldn't be ruling that out too quickly...

[Pentland]

I can confirm that a difference of a couple mm on the same axel causes a significant pull to one side.

[steb9780]

Can't fault the Goodyears been using them for years. Got a set of the assym 2's on the rear nearly 2 years ago still got a few mm of tread left above the markers, good performance in all weather types I find. Will have covered around 25k in that time. So good wear for good performance IMO.

I have just got a set of assym 3's on the front this week, and I am pretty sure they replaced to same Falkens you have...definitely quieter tyres, and they seem to soak up the bumps and holes of our lovely roads a bit better too (though that might just be the extra rubber cushioning a little more).

Ran them for years on my old supra too. I rate them highly. Always seem to be able to get an offer too on a pair being changed (got 10% off mine).

[Jimmy12]

I got these fitted at the weekend and can't fault them so far.

Paid £387 fitted

[OneLowban]

Originally Posted by Jimmy12

I got these fitted at the weekend and can't fault them so far.

Paid £387 fitted

Good to know. Next time I need new ones will be looking to move away from the Bridgestones while keeping RFT.