Should I buy the Wheel & Tire Insurance???

wjbender · 07-28-2021, 11:06 AM

I am torn about buying the wheel and tire insurance. I'm getting the M Sport with standard 20" wheels. Never had a problem in 70K miles with my F15 and 19" wheels, so it seems like with careful driving I will not need it here in suburban New Jersey. I had two nail holes and since my can had Pirelli tires it was OK to plug them. So what is your experience and how much should I expect to pay?

skyliner10004 · 07-28-2021, 11:32 AM

i never have. I'm a gambler myself, and believe that insurance is designed to profit the company, not the consumer. I've always driven in a large metro city and have only gotten 1 blow out where i've needed to change a tire on the side of the road in the 15 years i've been driving. I get the occasional nail, once every 2-3 years and 80% of the time i've been able to plug it for $8.

cmyx6go · 07-28-2021, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wjbender

I am torn about buying the wheel and tire insurance. I'm getting the M Sport with standard 20" wheels. Never had a problem in 70K miles with my F15 and 19" wheels, so it seems like with careful driving I will not need it here in suburban New Jersey. I had two nail holes and since my can had Pirelli tires it was OK to plug them. So what is your experience and how much should I expect to pay?

I think you'll be fine with the 20s, they have plenty of sidewall. I've blasted some pretty bad potholes during my daily NY/NJ commute. I think I only got one blowout all the years I ran 20s and I didn't damage the wheel.

austinb1212 · 07-29-2021, 06:58 AM

I always get the wheel and tire package. The roads are bad where I live (Michigan). I always have to replace at least one tire on every car I've owned becuase of potholes.

I've had my X5 two years and had to replace the tire a few months ago. Fortunately I had the wheel and tire package.

jphcbpa · 07-29-2021, 07:07 AM

If you are a high mileage driver then maybe
I drive approximately 650 miles per month so I never buy it. Also it doesn't include normal wear and tear and you still pay for tires when they need to be replaced.

john1200c · 07-29-2021, 07:10 AM

Got some curb rash on my black 22 inch rims within the first couple of months of ownership. I have not brought it in yet to be repaired but will report back the savings from having the wheel and tire (cosmetic included) insurance.

Timmer-Bimmer · 07-29-2021, 07:29 AM

I have never bought W&T and never needed it. My brother has bought it on two cars and has used it on both.

The argument for it is: 1) Wheels are expensive, and 2) If one run-flat goes flat, you probably have to replace them all.

My strategy is to not buy the insurance but switch to non-runflats at the first tire change.

Buck14 · 07-29-2021, 08:21 AM

I purchased it think it was around $2k for 5 years. I have a 22" Summer Wheels Tires set and a 22" Winter Wheels Tires set so made sense for me. I live in Chicago and our streets are loaded with huge potholes.

I had all season tires on my last ride and had 5 tire punctures in 6 years - worth it for me

LogicalApex · 07-29-2021, 09:03 AM

It is all depends on the coverage limitations and cost.

I skipped it on my car because the limitations and cost made it highly unlikely in my estimation to go topside on it. So I’d suggest you review this very carefully before you pick it up. I had it on my previous car and I did go topside, but that was an atypical situation that I don’t ever want to repeat again.

For my car they wanted $2300 for 5Y of coverage. It had a $50 deductible per instance, a limitation that you use OEM tires, and limited the number of claims for stuff like curb rash over the policy lifetime. Far too expensive and limiting…

Keep in mind… If you buy a replacement tire BMW will give you 1 year of free “Road Hazard Protection” and most tire shops (like Costco, BJs, etc) include 2 years of “Road Hazard Protection” for free. Additionally, some tire brands include it for free as well. This means if you’re in a situation where you do have a pothole ruin your tire you’re paying for the first one and if it happens again in a reasonable timeframe the next one is free…

I was able to go topside on my previous car, as I said, but it was a Mercedes. The W&T was $800 for 5Y w/ unlimited claims, unlimited cosmetic repairs, $0 deductible, and covered any tire as long as it was above the legal tread min. I had something like 10 bubbles and blowouts in a year on the OEM Mercedes tire before I let the W&T heavily fund my swap to a non-OEM tire that lasted 4 years without issues. Even though I had a ton of tire replacements it was the curb rash coverage that allowed me to take the policy top side. As the tire replacements would have been just as free under Road Hazard Protection from the retailer I purchased from…

Nitrium · 07-29-2021, 09:08 AM

I did, and for my X3, I used it twice. Once for a flat on my RFTs, once for a slightly bent rim after hitting a very, very bad pothole (suspension was fine after inspection).

TonySCV · 07-29-2021, 06:37 PM

In 30 years of driving I've had to replace a tire twice, and a bent rim once. Mild curb rash costs ~$100 for someone to take care of. I've done that 4-5 times. Patching a repairable tire costs ~$20. I've had to do that a dozen or so times.

(I don't purchase it.)

aceman · 07-29-2021, 07:38 PM

In the first year of driving my 550ix M-Sport, 20,000 miles, i replaced about 4 tires and a rim.

In the first year of driving my X45e M-Sport, 16,000 miles, not one issue (knock on wood!).

IMO - you're fine w/o W&T on the 20's - plenty of sidewall

Aceman

iceRN09 · 07-29-2021, 11:12 PM

You dont need insurance for 20's. 0lenty of tire options for that size. You need that for the 22 where its 400 bucks per tire. Also dont pay more than 1.6k

imyb · 07-30-2021, 05:22 AM

I purchased both the tire and alloy cover with my car and it was well worth it, about 6 months into having the car, I went over a nasty pot hole which caused side wall to rupture needing a replacement 22". The replacement tire would have cost me more than both the insurances combined, I paid no excess and BMW collected my car, gave me a courtesy car as the 22 was not in stock, next day I got my car back.

Buck14 · 07-30-2021, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceRN09

You dont need insurance for 20's. 0lenty of tire options for that size. You need that for the 22 where its 400 bucks per tire. Also dont pay more than 1.6k

And for the 22" on the M50i you are talking $2000+ for a set of tires…because I have a full wheel / tire set of winter and summer you are talking about $2k insurance on almost $14K of wheels and tires for 5 years. No brainer for me at $400 per year. I can't even buy a shitty tire for that

skyliner10004 · 07-30-2021, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buck14

I purchased it think it was around $2k for 5 years. I have a 22" Summer Wheels Tires set and a 22" Winter Wheels Tires set so made sense for me. I live in Chicago and our streets are loaded with huge potholes.

I had all season tires on my last ride and had 5 tire punctures in 6 years - worth it for me

with the tire insurance, if you have a puncture, do you have to bring the car back to the dealership (where you bought the W&T insurance) to repair this?

I live 30-45 minutes away and would much much rather have a patch/plug done locally for $10-$15. A nail in the tire is what happens 90% of the time. I've only had 1 blowout in the 15 years i've been driving where I needed to get out and change the tire on the side of the road.

LogicalApex · 07-30-2021, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buck14

And for the 22" on the M50i you are talking $2000+ for a set of tires…because I have a full wheel / tire set of winter and summer you are talking about $2k insurance on almost $14K of wheels and tires for 5 years. No brainer for me at $400 per year. I can't even buy a shitty tire for that

Your math is very much off here…

Wheel & Tire Insurance won’t pay for a full set of new tires nor will it pay for a bent wheel unless that wheel fails to hold air and wheels are very durable on that front.

So if you had a tire get damaged the protection would pay for a replacement tire for the 1 tire impacted…

-Vanguard- · 07-30-2021, 01:35 PM

If you have a sidewall lower than 40, 100% buy the insurance.

GREENPUS · 07-30-2021, 07:57 PM

I ordered my 2021 X6 with staggered 22's. I bought the insurance and today at 2000 miles I blew out the rear tire sidewall on driver side. BMW replaced it for free. Well kind of free, insurance wasn't free lol

Buck14 · 07-30-2021, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buck14

And for the 22" on the M50i you are talking $2000+ for a set of tires…because I have a full wheel / tire set of winter and summer you are talking about $2k insurance on almost $14K of wheels and tires for 5 years. No brainer for me at $400 per year. I can't even buy a shitty tire for that

Your math is very much off here…

Wheel & Tire Insurance won’t pay for a full set of new tires nor will it pay for a bent wheel unless that wheel fails to hold air and wheels are very durable on that front.

So if you had a tire get damaged the protection would pay for a replacement tire for the 1 tire impacted…

Nothing you stated refutes my math. Perhaps you need a remedial Mathematics lesson or maybe you use Al Gore Math?

rmorin1249 · 07-31-2021, 07:44 AM

I have the 20" wheels and bought it at delivery along with a dent and glass protection package. Only added a few dollars to my lease payment. Had the vehicle 29 months and haven't had any claims. YMMV

Frenetic · 07-31-2021, 07:58 AM

I think the wheel and tire insurance is not a particularly good deal in my opinion.

Typically, your auto collision insurance should cover wheel damage, but of course it’s behind a deductible, which is still likely less than the cost of any policy.

Moreover, if the pothole has been there a while, you can also make a claim against the municipality, albeit it’s a sometimes long and arduous process, but you usually will eventually get reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., your deductible).

But for some people, peace of mind is worth the cost, so it’s all a matter of your appetite for risk and what makes you comfortable.

07-28-2021, 11:06 AM	#1
wjbender Captain 346 Rep 781 Posts Drives: 2022 X5 40i M Sport Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: NJ - Jersey Shore iTrader: (0)	Should I buy the Wheel & Tire Insurance??? I am torn about buying the wheel and tire insurance. I'm getting the M Sport with standard 20" wheels. Never had a problem in 70K miles with my F15 and 19" wheels, so it seems like with careful driving I will not need it here in suburban New Jersey. I had two nail holes and since my can had Pirelli tires it was OK to plug them. So what is your experience and how much should I expect to pay?
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07-28-2021, 11:32 AM	#2
skyliner10004 Private First Class 46 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2020 x5 Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	i never have. I'm a gambler myself, and believe that insurance is designed to profit the company, not the consumer. I've always driven in a large metro city and have only gotten 1 blow out where i've needed to change a tire on the side of the road in the 15 years i've been driving. I get the occasional nail, once every 2-3 years and 80% of the time i've been able to plug it for $8.
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07-29-2021, 06:58 AM	#4
austinb1212 Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: 2019 X5 40i M Sport Join Date: May 2019 Location: Detroit iTrader: (0)	I always get the wheel and tire package. The roads are bad where I live (Michigan). I always have to replace at least one tire on every car I've owned becuase of potholes. I've had my X5 two years and had to replace the tire a few months ago. Fortunately I had the wheel and tire package.
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07-29-2021, 07:07 AM	#5
jphcbpa Lieutenant 316 Rep 558 Posts Drives: 2022 M550i & 2023 X7 40i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	If you are a high mileage driver then maybe I drive approximately 650 miles per month so I never buy it. Also it doesn't include normal wear and tear and you still pay for tires when they need to be replaced.
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07-29-2021, 07:10 AM	#6
john1200c Lieutenant 239 Rep 528 Posts Drives: 21 X5 M50i Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: MA iTrader: (0)	Got some curb rash on my black 22 inch rims within the first couple of months of ownership. I have not brought it in yet to be repaired but will report back the savings from having the wheel and tire (cosmetic included) insurance.
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07-29-2021, 07:29 AM	#7
Timmer-Bimmer Second Lieutenant 179 Rep 202 Posts Drives: BMW X5 Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Charlotte NC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW X5 [0.00]	I have never bought W&T and never needed it. My brother has bought it on two cars and has used it on both. The argument for it is: 1) Wheels are expensive, and 2) If one run-flat goes flat, you probably have to replace them all. My strategy is to not buy the insurance but switch to non-runflats at the first tire change.
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07-29-2021, 08:21 AM	#8
Buck14 Enlisted Member 78 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2021 BMW X5 M50i Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: The People's Republic of Chicago iTrader: (0)	I purchased it think it was around $2k for 5 years. I have a 22" Summer Wheels Tires set and a 22" Winter Wheels Tires set so made sense for me. I live in Chicago and our streets are loaded with huge potholes. I had all season tires on my last ride and had 5 tire punctures in 6 years - worth it for me
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07-29-2021, 09:03 AM	#9
LogicalApex Colonel 2027 Rep 2,951 Posts Drives: 2020 BMW 530xe Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Farmington, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW 530xe [0.00]	It is all depends on the coverage limitations and cost. I skipped it on my car because the limitations and cost made it highly unlikely in my estimation to go topside on it. So I’d suggest you review this very carefully before you pick it up. I had it on my previous car and I did go topside, but that was an atypical situation that I don’t ever want to repeat again. For my car they wanted $2300 for 5Y of coverage. It had a $50 deductible per instance, a limitation that you use OEM tires, and limited the number of claims for stuff like curb rash over the policy lifetime. Far too expensive and limiting… Keep in mind… If you buy a replacement tire BMW will give you 1 year of free “Road Hazard Protection” and most tire shops (like Costco, BJs, etc) include 2 years of “Road Hazard Protection” for free. Additionally, some tire brands include it for free as well. This means if you’re in a situation where you do have a pothole ruin your tire you’re paying for the first one and if it happens again in a reasonable timeframe the next one is free… I was able to go topside on my previous car, as I said, but it was a Mercedes. The W&T was $800 for 5Y w/ unlimited claims, unlimited cosmetic repairs, $0 deductible, and covered any tire as long as it was above the legal tread min. I had something like 10 bubbles and blowouts in a year on the OEM Mercedes tire before I let the W&T heavily fund my swap to a non-OEM tire that lasted 4 years without issues. Even though I had a ton of tire replacements it was the curb rash coverage that allowed me to take the policy top side. As the tire replacements would have been just as free under Road Hazard Protection from the retailer I purchased from…
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07-29-2021, 09:08 AM	#10
Nitrium Private First Class 55 Rep 101 Posts Drives: BMW X5 2021 M50i Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Toronto, ON iTrader: (0)	I did, and for my X3, I used it twice. Once for a flat on my RFTs, once for a slightly bent rim after hitting a very, very bad pothole (suspension was fine after inspection).
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07-29-2021, 06:37 PM	#11
TonySCV Captain 510 Rep 709 Posts Drives: '18 M2; '21 X6 M50i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Las Vegas, NV iTrader: (0)	In 30 years of driving I've had to replace a tire twice, and a bent rim once. Mild curb rash costs ~$100 for someone to take care of. I've done that 4-5 times. Patching a repairable tire costs ~$20. I've had to do that a dozen or so times. (I don't purchase it.)
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07-29-2021, 07:38 PM	#12
aceman Second Lieutenant 110 Rep 209 Posts Drives: 2012 BMW 550ix, 2008 Corvette Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	In the first year of driving my 550ix M-Sport, 20,000 miles, i replaced about 4 tires and a rim. In the first year of driving my X45e M-Sport, 16,000 miles, not one issue (knock on wood!). IMO - you're fine w/o W&T on the 20's - plenty of sidewall Aceman
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07-29-2021, 11:12 PM	#13
iceRN09 Lieutenant 241 Rep 578 Posts Drives: M340i Xdrive, X5 M50i Join Date: May 2020 Location: North East USA iTrader: (0)	You dont need insurance for 20's. 0lenty of tire options for that size. You need that for the 22 where its 400 bucks per tire. Also dont pay more than 1.6k
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07-30-2021, 05:22 AM	#14
imyb Private First Class 53 Rep 195 Posts Drives: BMW X5 M50D Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: 127.0.0.1 iTrader: (0)	I purchased both the tire and alloy cover with my car and it was well worth it, about 6 months into having the car, I went over a nasty pot hole which caused side wall to rupture needing a replacement 22". The replacement tire would have cost me more than both the insurances combined, I paid no excess and BMW collected my car, gave me a courtesy car as the 22 was not in stock, next day I got my car back. __________________ G05 X5 M50D - Carbon Black - Tech Pack - Comfort Pack - Sky Lounge - Individual Merino Leather
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07-30-2021, 01:35 PM	#18
-Vanguard- Lieutenant Colonel 1179 Rep 1,502 Posts Drives: 2021 X6M Competition Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	If you have a sidewall lower than 40, 100% buy the insurance.
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07-30-2021, 07:57 PM	#19
GREENPUS Second Lieutenant 136 Rep 266 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW M5C Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: St. Louis, Missouri iTrader: (0)	I ordered my 2021 X6 with staggered 22's. I bought the insurance and today at 2000 miles I blew out the rear tire sidewall on driver side. BMW replaced it for free. Well kind of free, insurance wasn't free lol __________________ 2019 M5 Competition 2021 X6 xDrive40i M Sport 2018 Toyota RAV4 AWD
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07-31-2021, 07:44 AM	#21
rmorin1249 Lieutenant Colonel 821 Rep 1,793 Posts Drives: 2019 X5 MSport 40i Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Hagerstown MD iTrader: (0)	I have the 20" wheels and bought it at delivery along with a dent and glass protection package. Only added a few dollars to my lease payment. Had the vehicle 29 months and haven't had any claims. YMMV __________________ COL(Ret), US Army Hagerstown MD 2019 X5 40i MSport Alpine White/Coffee (my 13th BMW) 2015 Mercedes SL400; 2009 Lexus RX350
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07-31-2021, 07:58 AM	#22
Frenetic PANIC! 485 Rep 823 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 M50i Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Costco iTrader: (0)	I think the wheel and tire insurance is not a particularly good deal in my opinion. Typically, your auto collision insurance should cover wheel damage, but of course it’s behind a deductible, which is still likely less than the cost of any policy. Moreover, if the pothole has been there a while, you can also make a claim against the municipality, albeit it’s a sometimes long and arduous process, but you usually will eventually get reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., your deductible). But for some people, peace of mind is worth the cost, so it’s all a matter of your appetite for risk and what makes you comfortable.
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