BMW Seasonal Tire Storage Program

[CanadianGatorBacon]

Anyone use BMW's seasonal tire storage program? My dealer in Maryland offered it to me. I've looked online for details, and all I've found is a couple of dealer pages with this image:


The price is right for me (about $100 a year), a storage unit would definitely cost more and I don't have space in my condo. But after reading a great post: "PSA - Off Season Wheel Storage" (http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1061239), I wonder if the the tires are stored right. Anyone have any insight on this?

[BeEmVe]

I was about ask what the prevailing wisdom was on tire storage. For instance:

http://www.hankooktire.com/global/ti...e/storage.html

http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Store...7404749/g.html

I was thinking about a rack but since my tires will have wheels on them going with a post seems correct: http://www.carguygarage.com/redpowdercoated.html

The issue is that they would be in my garage which in the summer gets hot.

[Schulz]

Ever since I started using the seasonal tire program I have experienced improved braking on ice. I used to spend a lot of money whenever I had to replace an OE aluminum wheel but now I it has become very convenient for me to manage it. Last but not the least, no more lugging off season tires back and forth!

[David70]

Originally Posted by CanadianGatorBacon

. But after reading a great post: "PSA - Off Season Wheel Storage" (http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1061239), I wonder if the the tires are stored right. Anyone have any insight on this?

From that post -

Never knew there was a wrong way to store tires/rims as I'd never given it any thought. Buddy set me straight as follows:

1. Make sure wheels are clean / dry - brake dust left on for months at a time is no bueno
2. Insert into lawn and leaf bag, vacuum out air
3. Twist bag shut and seal with duct tape - make sure to tape down knot on tread, not sidewall so no pressure point when stacking
4. Optional - insert in BMW wheel totes (or whatever brand you like)
5. Stack in a dry place (for just tires stand up, mounted must lay flat)

To me this is really overkill. No matter what you do with them it isn't close to what happens to wheels and tires when you use them as designed. I clean mine and put them in the basement. I don't worry about them being dry as they dry on their own and have all been in the rain in the past. I have been laying them flat but will bought a rack and they are soon to stand up (to clean things up in the basement not to help the tires). I don't keep them in sealed bags and not sure why I would. They spend half of their life outside in the sun/rain/cold and everything else and now they are in a dark 60 degree room that is dry (as any unfinished basement can be).

"Vacuuming the air out of the sealed plastic bag" - I wear out my tires before they dry rot/crack and don't see the purpose of this.

"mounted tires must lay flat" - I can't see any reason they can't stand up. The weight on a mounted tire stored is minuscule compared to when it is on a car and I don't see what this is accomplishing. Tire and wheel combination stored in my basement weighs about 50 lbs. total. Weight on same tire when it is on my car is about 800 lbs.

For my car I store over the Winter - I don't take the wheels/tires off, put them in bags, etc. I do clean them and if I think about it I will push the car forward or back a foot to help prevent flat spots. Even if I don't the issue goes away after about 10 miles of driving in the Spring.

[Twixboy]

I can understand not having any extra space if you live in the city, but it's not that hard to find a 2ft x 2ft spot to stack your wheels in the suburbs. Don't you have friends or parents with a garage or basement? You'll just need to spend an hour on their driveway to swap the wheels twice a year.

[CanadianGatorBacon]

To me this is really overkill.

I agree, steps 2-4 may be a bit much, but 1 and 2 make sense to me and are aligned with the general consensus on tire storage.

I can understand not having any extra space if you live in the city, but it's not that hard to find a 2ft x 2ft spot to stack your wheels in the suburbs. Don't you have friends or parents with a garage or basement?

Live in the city, friends live in the city and even the ones in the sort of suburbs live in apartments. Parents live 1,000 miles away (that's not hyperbole).

[halfmoonclip]

All seems a bit anal-retentive. My all seasons are sitting on edge next to the Bimmer, and my bride's winters are on edge next to the Audi. Been doing it for years; no problemo.
One suggestion; mark them with stick-on labels; chalking tire position on the sidewall gets hosed off too easily.
Moon

[metrickid]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

I can understand not having any extra space if you live in the city, but it's not that hard to find a 2ft x 2ft spot to stack your wheels in the suburbs. Don't you have friends or parents with a garage or basement? You'll just need to spend an hour on their driveway to swap the wheels twice a year.

I have the space at home but still think it is worth 100 USD to just drive in and let someone else do the work and then drive out again, switched and ready.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by Rossifumi

I have the space at home but still think it is worth 100 USD to just drive in and let someone else do the work and then drive out again, switched and ready.

Your dealer only charges $100 to store the tires and swap them over? Holy crap, that's cheap. My dealer charges $100 just to do the swap, so it'd be $300/year to store/swap the wheels every winter/spring. I'd totally let them do it if it was only $100/year all-in, especially since the dealer is right down the road from me in the same town.

Originally Posted by CanadianGatorBacon

Live in the city, friends live in the city and even the ones in the sort of suburbs live in apartments. Parents live 1,000 miles away (that's not hyperbole).

Sounds like you have no choice then. I'd physically go to the dealer and take a look at their storage room to see how they store the wheels.

[JonoSS]

I now store mine now at my mechanic (also $100). I used to store in my garage but my back is not what it used to be and pulled it this year loading the tires into my car. So for me worth every penny! But for 2 cars in the family it is $200 for storage.

[IEDEI]

i wish they had this here in NYC....they don't! i've asked.

we ended up renting a storage space in our building to keep other stuff so it's ok...but i'd rather keep the tires at a dealer or repair shop so it would free up more room......

[Dackelone]

Wow... a $100 bucks! Tire places overhere in Germany offer this for something like 4 euros per wheel! lol

[Violator]

Originally Posted by CanadianGatorBacon

Anyone use BMW's seasonal tire storage program? My dealer in Maryland offered it to me. I've looked online for details, and all I've found is a couple of dealer pages with this image:


The price is right for me (about $100 a year), a storage unit would definitely cost more and I don't have space in my condo. But after reading a great post: "PSA - Off Season Wheel Storage" (http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1061239), I wonder if the the tires are stored right. Anyone have any insight on this?

I use this service here in Germany. The cost is about the same, maybe a little more. But I've been happy with it so far.

[canukgtp]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Wow... a $100 bucks! Tire places overhere in Germany offer this for something like 4 euros per wheel! lol

Yeah I was thinking $100 for just tires seems steep...I was storing my M3 for $400 on a trickle charger in a climate controlled warehouse.

I clean them and have a rack in the back of the garage...wheels and tires and exactly delicate equipment, made to handle a lot worse than sitting on a rack for a few months.

[Wing Co]

Left mine outside stacked one on another in the garden and all fine.