Baby BMW Forum banner

Ditch the rfts - what tyre size 130i LCI?

3K views 30 replies 8 participants last post by  paddyboy 
#1 ·
Lots on here about tyres so I'm just starting to do the research as I've just about had enough of my rfts

Wondering what is the best set up for an 09 reg 130i

I'm not looking for anything dramatic in terms of handling - just to get off bouncy bunny hopping rfts will be good enough

Let me know your thoughts / experiences
 
#4 ·
stevesurrey said:
What size wheels have you got ?
Ummm good question - how do I tell? Not done this before!

I am pretty sure it will be what came with the car from new

If it helps its currently on these rfts (Bridgestone Potenza Reosoa)....

Front - 215 / 40 R18 85Y

Rear - 245 / 35 R18 88Y
 
#5 ·
marco_polo said:
Imo, the best neutral set-up for an FL 130i is

Front - 225/40/18 92
Rear - 235/40/18 95

Other rear options include 225/40/18 92 (oversteery), 245/35/18 92 ('safe'/fairly neutral) and 255/35/18 94 (very 'safe'/understeery).
Many thanks that's an excellent summary of the options - I'll start looking into some prices for some of the brands that people seem to recommend on here
 
#7 ·
Twenny said:
Goodyear Assym 3 would be the best middle ground for cost and performance.

PS4 are too expensive IMO

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sounds like a good choice :thumbs:

Going to look up some prices later this evening now that I know the sizes

Decided yesterday whilst out on the Yorkshire meet that I'd had enough of bunny hopping around those moor roads everybody else was going in a straight line I was all over the place or it definitely felt like that lol!
 
#9 ·
Twenny said:
You'll love it. The difference is night and day.

Although the LE suspension doesn't help at all with the bouncing lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So is this a good price for the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asym - cheapest I can find is on Tyre Leader + delivery is included

225 / 40 R18 92 Y ...... £81

235 / 40 R18 95Y ....... £105

Total £372 (delivered)

I like the ratings on these tyres - C (fuel) A (wet grip) A (noise) - am not fussed on fuel but would prefer A or B on wet grip + A on noise
 
#12 ·
AndyBish135i said:
You sure you got room for 265's on your arse end Con?
"Does my bum look big in this?" :wink:
Yeah should think so mate yeah I've got 5mm to play with before I get near your offsets so should be good. Plenty of room on the inside too.

Got me thinking now, am I missing something bro?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#14 ·
Ha ha yes mate always love a tickle!!

Ah yes I see what you mean, VMR do actually recommend 255/35 so maybe I'll just stick with that. Save me a few sheckles too.

Just not loving the 245/35 on 9.5J, too stretched for my liking.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#15 ·
Ok folks .... just another couple of questions .....

I'm thinking of buying a very cheap steel or alloy wheel to keep in the shed

In 32 years of motoring I've yet to have a puncture out on the road - the times it has happened its always been at home when I've got a nail in the tyre + its deflated over night + I find it the next morning when I jump in the car

So yes I accept it could happen out on the road - so I need to get a bottle of gunk + compressor? Do these have to be from BMW?

Also will any 17" BMW steel wheel from the 5th (E series) generation fit my 130i? I realise it needs to be the same bolt pattern / bolt sizes

What about this sort of thing?


Many thanks :thumbs:
 
#17 ·
marco_polo said:
That one would fit. Most people by an E46 Space Saver, although those tyres are usually very old by now.

Any gunk kit would do, even the larger Tyre Weld can. Loads on eBay, all tyre valves are the same size.
Many thanks for the info :thumbs:

Do I need to pay any attention to what size tyre is on the 17" steel wheel / alloy? Would it mess up the sensor or does it not matter for just a temporary journey to get home? That's the bit I'm struggling with

Some of the odd 17" BMW wheels on ebay have a knackered tyre on them anyway - they are cheap - so I could put a cheapo new one on it anyway - just depends what I find on ebay + for what price as don't want to pay a lot
 
#19 ·
marco_polo said:
If you reset the TPMS system with an incorrect tyre or tiny wee space saver fitted, and it will automatically compensate.

Drive home without resetting and you will get the beeps and bongs.
Ah ok I see - so I could drive home without resetting the TPMS with the beeps + bongs going but there's no real harm done? Just a bit annoying!
 
#22 ·
I'd like to recommend this type of puncture kit for a temporary repair:


My wife's Subaru got a flat (Fecking horsehoe nails...2nd of the day, so no spare!) when I had a long run ahead, at night. I'd seen an AA or RAC chap use one of these, so I'd bought a kit. 10 minutes later I was rolling again and it hadn't lost any pressure when I checked the next day.

I was surprised to see how badly damaged the was - quite a few plies had been snapped and the area around the puncture site was slightly bulged - so the tyre was history, but it did 150 miles of towing and got me home.
 
#23 ·
Toed64 said:
I'd like to recommend this type of puncture kit for a temporary repair:


My wife's Subaru got a flat (Fecking horsehoe nails...2nd of the day, so no spare!) when I had a long run ahead, at night. I'd seen an AA or RAC chap use one of these, so I'd bought a kit. 10 minutes later I was rolling again and it hadn't lost any pressure when I checked the next day.

I was surprised to see how badly damaged the was - quite a few plies had been snapped and the area around the puncture site was slightly bulged - so the tyre was history, but it did 150 miles of towing and got me home.
Yes I've got both, 2 cans of tyre weld and something very similar to this piece of kit above. Pretty sure they are not allowed in this country but they definitely work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
Many thanks for the posts + suggestions folks

Good news I've just bagged an e46 17" space saver on ebay for cheap money so plan to carry that in the car so won't be bothering with gunk or puncture repair kits

I travel in my 130i with the back seats permanently down (It's my 2nd car not daily driver) as I have a large dog who doesn't fit in the boot so needs the whole of the rear area but there's plenty of space for a spare wheel as well as him

Next purchase is some retaining straps to secure the space saver probably to the rear of 1 of the back seats as it's folded flat + whatever else I can find to fasten to securely

On the lookout for offers on tyres most likely a full set of Goodyear Eagle f1 asyms as they well recommended on here :thumbs:
 
#25 ·
If it helps, I've recently switched to non run flats. Went for the Goodyear eagle asym 3 myself. Was looking at those or PS4.

The Goodyear got my money as they were cheaper.

Nice tyres, good feedback. They do seem to suffer in cold temps and if the roads are greasy, the back end is all over the place! I drive round with DTC activated usually, and it's very smooth if they do let go. The traction generally is lost early on and doesn't catch you out. A lot of fun too. As soon as the temp warms up they hook up no issues in 1st and 2nd.

The run flats I had on before were lethal! They would hook up at low revs in 2nd then when you got to about 4000 would just break and you'd be snaking down the road and the next time they wouldn't break at all!

Marco is right with his size guide, I've got 225 all round on mine and the front is very planted with the M3 LCA's too. Understeer is all gone and you steer from the rear now! Nicely balanced car actually and it's all controllable. I think you'd get the understeer back from going to 245 at the rear so 235 seems a good compromise.

However I'm used to the car as it is now and will be replacing with a other set of 225s when these are gone.
 
#26 ·
0l0dom0l0 said:
If it helps, I've recently switched to non run flats. Went for the Goodyear eagle asym 3 myself. Was looking at those or PS4.

The Goodyear got my money as they were cheaper.

Nice tyres, good feedback. They do seem to suffer in cold temps and if the roads are greasy, the back end is all over the place! I drive round with DTC activated usually, and it's very smooth if they do let go. The traction generally is lost early on and doesn't catch you out. A lot of fun too. As soon as the temp warms up they hook up no issues in 1st and 2nd.

The run flats I had on before were lethal! They would hook up at low revs in 2nd then when you got to about 4000 would just break and you'd be snaking down the road and the next time they wouldn't break at all!

Marco is right with his size guide, I've got 225 all round on mine and the front is very planted with the M3 LCA's too. Understeer is all gone and you steer from the rear now! Nicely balanced car actually and it's all controllable. I think you'd get the understeer back from going to 245 at the rear so 235 seems a good compromise.

However I'm used to the car as it is now and will be replacing with a other set of 225s when these are gone.
Many thanks for the comments - very helpful

Just been looking at an equivalency table showing tyre width against rim width

Been an LCI my 130i should have 8.5" on the rear I think from reading on here? If so then ideal tyre width is given as 235 or 245

I think with 225 on the front 235 on the rear would be a good balance as you say

So if that's the unanimous decision on tyre size and I've got the space saver to collect on Monday then the last thing to sort out is to discuss with the insurance - the best bit there is if they say we won't insure you with non rfts then I can walk away + find somebody who will as my policy runs out towards the end of March - what excellent timing :spotman:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top