NHTSA Complaint #10292418 — 2007 BMW 328XI

I DISCOVERED FEW WEEKS AGO THAT THE CAR I LEASE SINCE 2008 DOES NOT HAVE A SPARE TIRE. WHEN I INQUIRE THE REASON WHY, THE MANUFACTURER EXPLAINED THAT THE CAR USES ESPECIAL TIRES CALLED RUN FLAT WHICH IN THE EVENT OF A TIRE PROBLEM WOULD ALLOW ME TO GO TO THE NEXT TIRE SHOP. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS ARGUMENT. FIRST, THE RATIONALE FOR ELIMINATING A SPARE TIRE IS FLAWED AND UNSAFE: A SPARE PROVIDES DRIVERS WITH AN EXTRA WHEEL ' INCLUDING BOTH TIRE AND RIM, IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH EITHER COMPONENT. ELIMINATING THE SPARE BECAUSE A CAR HAS RFTS (RUN FLAT TIRES) FAILS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE WHEELS OF THE CAR CAN ALSO SUFFER DAMAGE TO THE POINT OF IMMOBILIZING THE VEHICLE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY HAZARD THAT WOULD BE EASILY SOLVED WITH A SPARE TIRE. SECOND, AFTER RESEARCHING ABOUT RFTS I FOUND OUT THAT MOST TIRE SHOPS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA WHERE I LIVE DON'T CARRY THESE TIRES (ONE NEEDS TO PRE-ORDER THEM) AND CANNOT EVEN REPAIR THEM. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT WOULD BE THE AVAILABILITY OUTSIDE METROPOLITAN AREAS. THIRD, THESE TIRES ARE TWICE OR THREE TIMES AS EXPENSIVE AS A REGULAR TIRE ' THE CHEAPEST RFT FOR MY CAR ARE $200 PER TIRE; AND ACCORDING TO TIRE SHOP EMPLOYEES THEY TYPICALLY LAST HALF THE MILEAGE OF A REGULAR TIRE. FOURTH, AND PERHAPS THE MOST CONCERNING ISSUE, WHEN I WAS BUYING THE CAR NOBODY AT THE DEALERSHIP DISCLOSED THE TYPE OF TIRES THE CAR HAD OR THE LACK OF SPARE TIRE. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS INFORMATION I SIMPLY WOULD NOT HAVE LEASED THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY SUGGEST THEIR DEALERS DISCLOSE THIS INFORMATION, THEY CANNOT MONITOR NOR CAN THEY DO ANYTHING TO MAKE THE DEALERS COMPLY. I THINK BOTH MANUFACTURER AND DEALERS ARE TO BLAME FOR PUTTING PEOPLE AT RISK BY ELIMINATING THE SPARE TIRE, AND FOR NOT BEING FORTHCOMING AND EXPLICIT ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT MAY AFFECT THE PURCHASE DECISION. *TR