Freaking out now! How can my car and BMW possibly know what brand/moldel tires that I just installed?

[BavarianPretzel]

Freaking out now!

My original tires and factory bmw wheels were 18” in size.

Today, I had a new set and f bigger tires installed on a new set of OZ wheels that I ordered from Tire Rack. The 20” new tires were bought at my local Costco.

I
At the Costco parking lot, I went into the tire menu in iDrive and selected summer tires and the size. After driving for about a mile, the system showed the new pressure values.

When I got home, I opened up the BMW app on my iPhone.

How can my car and BMW possibly know what brand/moldel tires that I just installed? It showed the new tire size because I selected it, but there was definitely no option to select tire breaks/model.

[Phillies8008]

It can't. In order to have the type of tire show up it has to be a BMW * tire and installed by the dealer. They scan the tire and tell the car what tire it has.

If you put a * tire on you might be able to go to the dealership to have them add it, but I've never tried so I don't know for sure. If it's not a * tire it's not going to show the tire type.

[TimmyTurbos]

ONLY use * tires on the car..Costco is not the way..

If baffles my mind that people drive performance machines with 400+ HP and "budget" tires and brakes..Like the 2 most important part of keeping the car on the road is where they decide corners can be cut..

Engineers have spent years and millions of dollars on R&D on these cars developing tires designed SPECIFICALLY for the car. Why nullify all of that time, effort and safety to save a couple hundred bucks?

[DanG]

Originally Posted by TimmyTurbos

ONLY use * tires on the car..Costco is not the way..

If baffles my mind that people drive performance machines with 400+ HP and "budget" tires and brakes..Like the 2 most important part of keeping the car on the road is where they decide corners can be cut..

Engineers have spent years and millions of dollars on R&D on these cars developing tires designed SPECIFICALLY for the car. Why nullify all of that time, effort and safety to save a couple hundred bucks?

This is BS. Many non star tires are equal or better than star tires especially on older BMWs. I am running Pirelli tires which are far superior to the Continental star tires that came on my M2.

[BavarianPretzel]

Originally Posted by TimmyTurbos

ONLY use * tires on the car..Costco is not the way..

Yes, Costco does sell tires with BMW Star on them. At least the Pirelli P-Zero one I bought had it.

https://tires.costco.com/Product?Ite...pect=40&rim=20


Just have to look at the tire spec listed on Costo’s website.

[TimmyTurbos]

Oh nice! Didn't realize that! I stand corrected.

[smokinjoe64]

Originally Posted by TimmyTurbos

Engineers have spent years and millions of dollars on R&D on these cars developing tires designed SPECIFICALLY for the car. Why nullify all of that time, effort and safety to save a couple hundred bucks?

Although not advocating 'cheap' tires, sentiment above doesn't support actual BMW practice as of late.

To-date, there's no tellin' what tire brand may be seen on any BMW M [racing or OE].

Years past, Michelin was primarily, consistently found on most all factory and racing cars.
Recent years, observed BMW racing, M cars, along with their 'sponsored events' running a wide range of tire brands promoted - - Michelin, Continental, Hancock, Yokohama, Pirelli...likely others?
For instance, M4 GT4 tire brand variants:

• Hankook: Primary supplier for the M4 GT4, and generally for customer cars.
• Michelin: Commonly used as a high-performance racing slick alternative for GT4 cars.
• Pirelli: Official tire supplier for various GT4 America series.
• Continental: BMW Performance Driving School GT4 fleet

Appears BMW & tire manufacturer 'partnerships' to collaborate, develop, optimize vehicle/tire models have gone by the wayside.

Now seemingly best $$$ royalties, pricing deals are more important than a performance oriented, vehicle specific pairings especially for actual customers

[W2k]

Good points raised here, but these things can all be true at the same time:

- Premium tires from well-known manufacturers are, in fact, measurably superior to cheap tires
- Tires are generally not developed specifically for one brand or model of car
- BMW recommends tires that they know will work well, so there is a level of assurance there
- There are certainly non-BMW-recommended tires that will also perform perfectly well

I always go with brand name tires that are recommended at BMW but I'm also perfectly happy to get them at Costco

[BavarianPretzel]

Originally Posted by smokinjoe64

Although not advocating 'cheap' tires, sentiment above doesn't support actual BMW practice as of late

My late father never liked it. 1 star in the tire was a big demotion for him. (Retired with 3 stars).

I once told him “well, there are 4 tires, so 4 stars total, so a promotion?” But being a stickler for military regulations, he said I should drive on only three 1-star tires to correctly reflect his rank.

[smokinjoe64]

Originally Posted by BavarianPretzel

My late father never liked it. 1 star in the tire was a big demotion for him. (Retired with 3 stars).

I was told him “well, there are 4 tires, so 4 stars total, so a promotion?” But being a stickler for military regulations, he said I should drive on only three 1-star tires to correctly reflect his rank.

[MTDriver]

Just took delivery, and while these stock tires feel really planted, they are loud. Not an issue top down, but had to drive home on freeway top up and wind noise zero, tires, wow. May be thinking All season when wear out. My style is more cruising with modest speeds, so don't need summer tires.

So how are the 20" ? They fit OK on the 18s? no issues with fenders? Do the raise the car? what else can you add?

[jaffles]

Reckon its also foolish for a car manufacturer to go exclusively with one tyre manufacturer, and vice versa. I know I spread my sales and deliveries across 5 manufacturers, and they do the same with my fellow competitors. No one knows what tomorrow brings in the supply chain.

[jaffles]

Originally Posted by DanG

This is BS. Many non star tires are equal or better than star tires especially on older BMWs. I am running Pirelli tires which are far superior to the Continental star tires that came on my M2.

Or even RFT to standard. I'll take standard every day.

[Equilibrandt]

A bit of a detour, but a large group on this forum (including myself) have only considered one summer/performance tire for many of our cars: Michelin's PS4S (BMW Star and otherwise).

Had Super Sports on my F80 Comp, loved every minute of the PS4Ss after that. Have runflats on my '25 G20 M340i, and will put PS4Ss (or PS5Ss, I guess?) when they die or I get new wheels. PS4Ss on our Miata.

Maybe I need a PS4S tattoo on my forearm.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by TimmyTurbos

ONLY use * tires on the car..Costco is not the way..

If baffles my mind that people drive performance machines with 400+ HP and "budget" tires and brakes..Like the 2 most important part of keeping the car on the road is where they decide corners can be cut..

Engineers have spent years and millions of dollars on R&D on these cars developing tires designed SPECIFICALLY for the car. Why nullify all of that time, effort and safety to save a couple hundred bucks?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=COA630Juf_U

So what do you when the tires "specifically designed" for your model car are no longer produced - just put the car on jackstands in the yard & stare at it?

This is one of the stupidest arguments that propagates car forums.

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

So what do you when the tires "specifically designed" for your model car are no longer produced - just put the car on jackstands in the yard & stare at it?

This is one of the stupidest arguments that propagates car forums.

I'm not really sure I'd buy that they were designed for a specific car rather than to BMW's standards and/or preferences in a more general sense. Are they really? If so, does it actually make a difference? I dunno. I did read a thing on Tire Rack (as I recall) and they seemed to think that there was definitely a difference between the * version of a given tire and the non-*, FWIW. So I guess I'm inclined to believe that there's something there.

I'd guess that you'll be able to get * tires in most sizes for quite a while to come. I know, for instance, that I can still get them for my 2006 Z4.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

I'm not really sure I'd buy that they were designed for a specific car rather than to BMW's standards and/or preferences in a more general sense. Are they really? If so, does it actually make a difference? I dunno. I did read a thing on Tire Rack (as I recall) and they seemed to think that there was definitely a difference between the * version of a given tire and the non-*, FWIW. So I guess I'm inclined to believe that there's something there.

I'd guess that you'll be able to get * tires in most sizes for quite a while to come. I know, for instance, that I can still get them for my 2006 Z4.

The argument I quoted was that BMW engineers spend $millions & years to develop a specific tire for a specific vehicle (they don't btw). And that not using that tire equates to using "budget" tires.

Owning Corvettes as well GM always claims the OE tires were "designed specifically for this model". They have the same "special" marked tires too, like Mercedes, Porsche, etc. It's all just marketing.

But let's say the argument I quoted was true - my Z06 is a 2011 and was delivered from the factory with ~600 whp on tires that were specifically designed for that car in 2010 - says so in my brochure.

1. Are we to believe that that tire specifically designed for my car back in 2010 is better than any high-performance tire manufactured today?

2. Where would I source that tire now 15 years later?

3. Are 99.99% of owners going to feel any difference between a PS4S with a star on it vs one without - no.

I have four vehicles & go through A LOT of tires. I drive my vehicles fairly hard, and there is no difference between star tires and non-star tires.

Someone else mentioned the fact that the M2 comes with 3 different brands of tires. BMW, and other manufacturers also change OE tire brands all the time.

My wife's '22 X3MC came with Pilot Super Sports. Some '24 X3MCs came with PS4S while others came with Pirelli tires.

BMW also doesn't provide an AS option, so does that mean I'm not supposed to drive my M2 in temps below 40*?

I'm surprised I haven't died yet having driven the last 22k mi on high-performance AS tires that don't have a star on the sidewall - what was I thinking.

[TimmyTurbos]

Dude. Watch the fucking video.

Probably should have also mentioned sooner and it seems I left it out..I was specifically speaking about the F8X M Cars. Not just random BMW models.

[No one]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

1. Are we to believe that that tire specifically designed for my car back in 2010 is better than any high-performance tire manufactured today?

Just as much as you believe a 2010 car is better than a modern one (my 2013 is). They are cutting costs. I bought a new set of my factory star-marked tires recently and I was surprised the tire model was still being produced throughout all the years: they didn't care or they did .

Originally Posted by JABCAT

2. Where would I source that tire now 15 years later?

Where would you source other spare parts? My staggered factory wheels have a rear size hardly/not available in any other tire make/model than the one I have. And it's going out of production (if not already). When the tires are gone I'll have to stare at my rear rims, probably.

Originally Posted by JABCAT

3. Are 99.99% of owners going to feel any difference between a PS4S with a star on it vs one without - no.

They must feel pleased you care being 0.01%.

Originally Posted by JABCAT

Someone else mentioned the fact that the M2 comes with 3 different brands of tires. BMW, and other manufacturers also change OE tire brands all the time.

I recall when M2 came out there was a discussion on the dedicated forum here. Some were happy they got the "correct" Michelin tires while others felt cheated with Continental(?).

Originally Posted by JABCAT

BMW also doesn't provide an AS option, so does that mean I'm not supposed to drive my M2 in temps below 40*?

I bought an "official" set of BMW winter wheels and the tires weren't star-marked. Nor are the new ones (an advanced generation of the same model) I bought two years ago. That must be why I struggle with plenty of winter wheel spin in my humble non-M car. It must be hard to make an M2 move in winter.

Originally Posted by JABCAT

I'm surprised I haven't died yet having driven the last 22k mi on high-performance AS tires that don't have a star on the sidewall - what was I thinking.

Weren't you jerking your phone? You wouldn't have noticed if you had died.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by TimmyTurbos

Dude. Watch the fucking video.

Probably should have also mentioned sooner and it seems I left it out..I was specifically speaking about the F8X M Cars. Not just random BMW models.

Dude every car manufacturer has "specifically designed" tires for their cars. BMW isn't unique here. If you're not tracking your car - it doesn't mean anything. And if you are tracking your car, you should have a separate set of track wheels & track tires.

[MJBO]

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by TimmyTurbos

ONLY use * tires on the car..Costco is not the way..

If baffles my mind that people drive performance machines with 400+ HP and "budget" tires and brakes..Like the 2 most important part of keeping the car on the road is where they decide corners can be cut..

Engineers have spent years and millions of dollars on R&D on these cars developing tires designed SPECIFICALLY for the car. Why nullify all of that time, effort and safety to save a couple hundred bucks?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=COA630Juf_U

It's not all about safety. It's about performance and many people won't mind trading off some performance on a car which will never be driven at 9/10 for better tread life, ride, wet performance, etc.