My MC will be coming in sometime in the next two weeks.
I just asked my dealer for a quote on transferring the
16" runflats that will come with the car to some wheels
that I purchased before I take posession. The price.....$680!!!
I can purchase an entire new set of tires for that price.
I will certainly figure out something to do other than this.

 

yes, labor charges are usually out-of-control at a BMW or other "premium" dealership. I'd recommend a Discount Tire, Belle Tire, or the like. You'll pay about $60 to mount balance a new set, but expect a bit more for a transfer, since they have to dismount w/out killing 'em first.

good luck

 

Russiaville, something doesn't sound right, you said you asked your dealer for a quote on 'transfering' the 16" runflats that come with the car to some wheels that you purchased elswhere?
Do you mean you want him to take the runflats tires that come with the car and put them on another set of wheels you purchased elsewhere? Or does the second set of wheels have tires on them and you just want them to switch the OEM's with the aftermarket stuff you purchased?
Something just doesn't sound kosher, even at BMW the shop time couldn';t be more than $100 to $110 per hour and it can't take more than two hours tops to do the job, including balancing. Why don't you just ask him to justify the cost, it certainly sounds so way out of wack that you guys aren't communicating clearly.If in fact he wants to charge you that much just go to some local tire house that can do the job for a whole lot less. What town do you live in?

 

Man you can do a set of wheels and tires in less than 30min. Esp when you have more than one person. Where I used to work we'd have 3 guys, one guy would take the wheels off run them to the machine, another guy would take the tires off mount the new ones, then the last guy would balance them. That price is outragous, you should just go to a discount tire or somthing simalar.

 

Hello Russiaville
I think that are mad to think that we are going to pay $680 for the labor charges.
This is Ourtrageous price. Why don't you just do it yourself because it will only
take about 1/2 hrs to do and save that $680 for some MOD for your MINI.

 

Sorry Russiaville
My bad because I didn't know that you need to mount and balance the new tires. I was thinking about replace the new set of wheel and tires. :???:

Yes I agree with RmacMini about going to a
>Discount Tire, Belle Tire, or the like. You'll pay about $60 to mount balance a new set, but expect a bit more for a transfer, since they have to dismount w/out killing 'em first.

 

OK BMW is expensive but I have a hard time believing that is the cost for labor to do this. I bet the person you talked to didn't understand what you want. It happens often no matter how clear you spell it out for them. Bring in a storyboard with lots of pictures, they may understand after that.

I had tires shipped from TireRack and had them installed at Big O for $60. They worked their ***** off because of the low profiles; it took 3 guys at the machine to get them one. Sixty was a steel when I saw how hard they worked. If BMW doesn’t come down contact Big O or Discount Tires etc.

 

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I ended up contacting
Discount Tire and purchasing Yokohama ES100s and they
will mount them on my wheels. (I am getting the tires
installed for a total of about $400.) When my car comes in I
will just drive it there and they will make the trade. I will
then have new 16" R83s with performance runflats on them for sale. This
may be a better situation all the way around (better ride
etc.) and I can deal with the no-spare situation. With the
money I save I can purchase winter tires for my 15" wheels.
I don't want to get into it with my dealer. I didn't really want
runflats anyway and was just going to do it to save money.

 

Contact TireRack and confirm but I believe you can have winter tires placed on the 16" rims. Better yet, keep your 16's and have winter tires placed on your 15's.

I wouldn't worry about having a spare with run flats. I did well with my runflats when others hit this piece of concrete in the road, I didn't see it in time either. They were changing tires on the side of the road, I drove home and then ordered new tires (was time anyway).