BMW Run Flat tires - things you learn 'too late.'

I had 'one of those days' this past weekend - which, in a positive manner, I will call a -  "learning experience."

I have a great car - a BMW Z4 Roadster. 

It's a tremendous machine, finely crafted, sheer power when you need it, corners like a dream, and has several wonderful 'safety' features that provide you with a great deal of comfort...and it looks good too!

This past weekend I decided to drive the car back from Arizona - which I can safely tell you is a long and boring drive.

There are a few scenic areas but few and far between and when you hit the Salt Lake City corridor where the only major road goes in 'one direction' due to mountains on one side and the lake on the other can really be trying on you especially if you hit rush hour OR are behind a minor fender bender.

The highway ranges from 6 to 8 lanes and you move along for a very long period of time at around 10 mph (US) so you just hunker down and let the car crawl along until you clear the back-up.

Then the 'long trek' through nowhere land begins - and - 'my problem.'

The BMW Z4 has what are called 'run flat tires' which means you can continue to drive the car for a select period of time (approx. 200 km's) and at a specific speed (80 km's), which means that every other car and truck will be sailing past you at about 40 km's per hour faster than you are so you end up looking like an 80 year old driver that hasn't got a clue about how fast you can go on a major highway.

The Canadian plates don't help.

In the middle of Montana the warning light goes on.

Oh Oh!

Tire problems.

I get out, check the pressure (for some reason the warning system doesn't tell you exactly which tire it is - and you can't directly tell just be looking) and find out it is my right rear tire and indeed it has 'Zero' pressure.

This was in a 'no cell phone zone' so the stress was literally doubled.

Thank goodness I had the BMW 'safety' package and I hit the yellow emergency button (wondering how it works with no cell coverage) and was pleasantly surprized to hear a nice lady responding to the call.

"It's a 'satellite' phone so you are covered wherever you go."

Whew!

Our first request was 'not good.'

The BMW Road Side Assistance lady recommended we get a tow BACK to the nearest dealership - in Idaho Falls - a full FIVE HOURS back from where we came.   As well these are very hard to find tires so we would likely be sitting in beautiful Idaho Falls (no offence!) for a good while as they were ordered/delivered/installed.

As we (Bryn Griffiths - my co-pilot) pondered the situation after assessing our options we called back and asked if we could get towed to the Canadian border instead - 'drive' the car across the line - and arrange for a Canadian tow truck to take us to the nearest BMW dealer, which turned out to be in Calgary, Alberta.

"Let me check and I'll get back to you!"

About ten minutes later the happy response is "yes - we've arranged it."

A very nice Tow Truck driver, and his lady friend, showed up and took us to the Coutts border where we unloaded the car and got into the (thank goodness) short line at customs.

We were met with a very nice Canadian Customs lady and asked the usual questions.

She finished up with "any repairs to the car while it was in the States?" where I pointed out the Canadian tow truck waiting just up off to the right and said "see that truck - it's to take this to Calgary" - whereas she grinned and quickly said "rough day - go ahead!"

On the Coutts to Calgary route our Tow Truck driver was a riot - from London, England with a very thick accent and a very fun guy....however this truck didn't quite qualify for the 'creature comfort' award and we 'bounced' most of the way to Calgary but not without a little 'incident.'

As he 'slowly' drove thru the Truck Weigh Scales believing we didn't have to stop - the reality that you DO have to stop when the Alberta Sheriffs Officer chased us down on the highway for a scolding.  Thankfully it was just that and we avoided the drive back and subsequent wait again for the truck to be properly weighed.

The car was dropped off at Calgary BMW on Saturday evening with a call placed to their Service Department chronicling my problem.

A nice lady called back and said they would jump on it on Monday morning and as promised my call back was pleasant and efficient and the cars tires have been replaced - at a brisk $2500 by noon that day.

Now a good deal of the blame is mine, to be totally honest. 

I was 'hoping' to get back to Edmonton to get the tires replaced and risked the run so 'my bad.'

But the lesson is this....there is no BMW dealership from Calgary to Idaho Falls, a distance of approx. 1100 kilometers - and you are in full risk mode for 'any' problems that may occur when you're in the Bermuda Triangle of nowhere-ville Montana/Idaho so - fair warning!

I likely will now sell or trade in my dream car simply because I do this run twice a year and as the car gets older 'who knows' what little problems I will encounter on the road.

I'm going back to a good old GM product who likely has a dealership 'not that far away' in case I run into trouble.

ON STAR will be in the car and every safety device that I can possibly get will be included.

So 'thank you' Calgary BMW - and 'thank you' BMW Road Service - for saving my butt on this trip but I really don't understand the RUN FLAT TIRE system and the fact that there is no other way than to go through this scenario on the road when you have a problem with them.

*PS:  My good pal Brian Norrie loaned us Mrs. N's car for the ride back to Edmonton - and guess what - we got stranded in Red Deer during a massive scary snow storm.  Road Trip from Hell!

**Thank you Bryn for 'non stop' conversation on the road trip - I can't believe anybody can talk for 15 hrs without repeating himself!