Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Run Flat Reviews - Page 3

Given 33% while driving a BMW 320d msport coupe (255/30 R19) on a combination of roads for 12,000 average miles
These tyres are absolutely pathetic.

BMW fitted them when I bought my pre-owned 2012 320d coupe in January 2016. I tried to specify none runflats but they insisted that these are standard fitment, they had to go on or I wouldn't get any new tyres.

As many other people have mentioned the ride quality is just woeful. I have the 19" sport plus wheels and cringe whenever I drive over a pothole, grid, manhole cover, broken tarmac etc. It feels like an alloy is going to crack or dent but I have been lucky so far. Parts of the interior trim rattle or creak as there is no forgiveness in the tyre whatsoever.

In terms of grip levels and handling, the tyres are OK. Wet performance is quite bad, dry is quite good. They do not inspire me with confidence in any condition however. I am a highly trained driver due to my career and feel the Hyundai's, Peugeot's, Focus's and even vans on mid-range tyres have much better feel and predictability.

After around 12000 miles the rears are nearing the wear indicators. I intend to replace all 4 this week and have been researching Goodyear Eagle F1 assymetric 3 and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. As for the Bridgestones they have about 6mm of tread on the front and 2.5mm on the rear. If this review hasn't put you off enough then they'll be on EBay very soon.
Helpful 16 - tyre reviewed on May 7, 2017
Given 26% while driving a BMW 1 series (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 24,000 spirited miles
These tyres came factory fitted to my new BMW m135i. I've struggled with them for two and a half years, and am so sorry that I didn't bin them at least two years ago. They were my first experience with runflats, so I assumed that the awful hard 'stone wheels' effect of the car, and the even more awful handling and grip was a combination of runflats, and the car's hard suspension. It got to the stage where I almost got rid of the car and went back to a golf Gti. How wrong I was. I've just changed to Michelin PS3 runflats and the car feels fantastic, like a completely new vehicle. Now I'm having my honeymoon again with the m135i and it feels and handles like I expected it to when I first bought it. It doesn't feel so hard over the tiniest road bumps, it grips like stink in the dry or wet, and I get great feedback. I can't understand in hindsight how BMW ever fitted these awful things to such a wonderful, and well designed driver's car. This should be a scandal on the scale of VW's emission fiddling. Who knows there may be some dirt there?
Helpful 21 - tyre reviewed on January 13, 2017
Given 76% while driving a BMW 320D M Sport (225/45 R17 V) on mostly motorways for 19,000 average miles
I had 2 of these tyres fitted on rear axle in my 320d. Tyres last for 19000miles. Very good grip on dry and good on wet.
Helpful 17 - tyre reviewed on January 3, 2017
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Given 21% while driving a BMW 335i (255/30 R19) on a combination of roads for 60,000 average miles
So I have had my 335i M Sport with 19" alloys running on the run flats for the past 4 years and have cracked the alloys on all 4 corners. Welded some and cracked them again. I have had to buy a full set of used wheels as replacements. I put the harshness of the ride due to the RFTs but never changed to regular tyres in this time as I heard you needed all 4 doing and they wore in pairs and was also concerned about possible insurance issues. So anyway I needed all four tyres doing together and looked into the RFT issue properly and contacted my existing insurer Tesco and the one that I am changing to Axa and asked them about RFTs. They both said the same thing - it does not count as a modification if you use the same tyre size so that killed that myth.

I changed all 4 for the mid range Falkens and all I can say is wow what a difference! It is so much better in every aspect, most importantly the ride. The handling is also better - it turns in better and traction control less likely to kick in as it doesnt "bounce" off imperfections in the road like it used to. Time will tell will if it will stop the cracking of the wheels but it certainly feels like it should help. My advise to anyone else in the same boat is just ditch them asap. Got a set of 4 Falkens for not much more that the 2 Bridgestone RFT rears and they are so much better. Just wish I'd done it sooner as really the RFTs spoiled my enjoyment of what is otherwise a cracking car. I cant believe BMW still fit RFTs to their cars. Disgraceful.
Helpful 20 - tyre reviewed on November 5, 2016
Given 37% while driving a BMW 520D M Sport Touring (225/45 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 50,000 average miles
When buying from previous owner 3 of 4 tyres needed changing due to the sidewalls collapsing and bulging. I put this down to potholes and spirited driving from the previous owner. I wrongly assumed that BMW supply cars with these tyres because they're good quality and work well on the car!

In my experience ( a few very long motorway journeys and many short ones on country roads) they wear well, but are prone to damage. 1 x Side wall rupture and 2 x side walls bulging on tyres with at least a year's life left in them. So an expensive tyre becomes even more expensive. I've had no punctures though.

The driving experience is abysmal. Driving on new tyres is scary. Once bedded in, the tyres are noisy, harsh, crashy, and tramline in the dry. In the wet there is very little grip. Feedback is poor, going from grip to slide and grip again in an instant. In a big heavy car, this seriously sucks away your confidence when turning into a corner, especially in the wet.

With my latest two tyre replacement, I'm switching to Continental SSRs. Roughly the same price. Hopefully better performance.
Helpful 15 - tyre reviewed on September 22, 2016
Given 30% while driving a BMW 330 (225/40 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 15,000 average miles
Worst tyre, ever bought! Lots of noise, hard ride, medium grip, and too expensive. Never again!
Helpful 17 - tyre reviewed on August 15, 2016
Given 65% while driving a BMW 525d E61 Touring M Sport (245/40 R18 W) on mostly town for 40,000 average miles
These were on the car when I bought it and though they weren't brand new they were 'almost new'.

Set on the rear lasted around 25k miles and the front lasted ~40k (down to the legal limit). They're a fairly firm tyre, you will feel all the bumps in the road (though i believe this is a problem with all run flats) and they don't give a huge amount of confidence if driving quickly e.g. country lanes, roundabouts etc. However, no problems with them 'cruising' long distances on the motorway.

95% of my driving is motorway and if you're in a similar position i'd definitely recommend these for their longevity; i wouldn't recommend them for someone who likes to push their car (then again; i wouldn't recommend run flats altogether if that's your driving style).
Helpful 16 - tyre reviewed on June 8, 2016
Given 44% while driving a Mercedes Benz CLA200 (235/40 R18) on mostly town for 0 average miles
This was stock fitted into my CLA200.

I just could not believe how they have chosen this model and I notice the current CLA200 has changed to another model.

Experience: the best word to describe, really harsh drive.

Noisy feedback, very hard no matter what level of air.
Over the bump will crack your partner sometimes.
One word, just too hard.

For this price, i would try something else.
Helpful 16 - tyre reviewed on May 19, 2016
Given 41% while driving a BMW 323 Touring (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 5,000 average miles
Inherited them on the car with approx 70% tread still on the tyre.
I found them very noisy on the front at motorway speeds. Wet weather was 'ok'. Car at times 'tramlined' when doing slight steering adjustments at medium speeds (I understand that this is a run flat trait).
I lived, ultimately in denial, that they were ok for about 5000Km's until finding a set of 4 Conti Sport 2's on sale. The Conti's make the car feel how it should. Nice and quiet, and nice handling too.
Not going back to Potenza run flats. Have had Potenza non-runflats on another car (Volvo V50) & they were ok...
Helpful 16 - tyre reviewed on March 23, 2016
Given 46% while driving a BMW 120d M sport (215/40 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 16,000 average miles
BMW 120d M Sport Rear tyres 245/235/18 Fronts 215/40/18 Ride quality is horrendous as if the car had solid tyres. I had to replace one of the fronts due to a piece of steel being picked up off the road and destroying it. This replacement when less than 12 months old and 6000 miles was noted as an advisory by my MoT station "Front N/S tyre perished" upon examination I found that the root of every tread groove had cracks for the full circumference. (They were not new old stock as the tyre date stamp showed them to be freshly manufactured when fitted) The rears are now due for replacement (and showing a few cracks but nothing much) I will not be replacing with these inferior but very expensive tyres. I intend to replace all four tyres with Hankook non runflats or Goodyear's As a matter of interest I also run an MGF fitted with KUMO tyres that are now 8 years and 17000 miles old. They have loads of tread and not the slightest crack to be found.
Helpful 14 - tyre reviewed on January 6, 2016
Given 56% while driving a BMW 320D Coupe (255/30 R19 W) on mostly motorways for 20,000 easy going miles
These came fitted from factory and from the start I couldn't wait for them to wear out so I could replace them! I've never experienced a tyre that gave such an awful ride, yes I know they're run flats so are a lot stiffer but these rattle you and the car to the core on each journey. I found they had high grip levels in the dry and coped well with varied levels of power put down, they did take a while to heat up though. Wasn't so confident in the wet if I'm honest, often felt the rear slide even under normal driving styles. Grip lasted until about 3mm, fine in the dry but in the wet expect to have the back end stepping out without trying, most of the miles were on the motorway which contributed to the decent wear rate. I'm a HGV driver so don't thrash it around. Another negative is the price of these, simply outrageous really. I've had normal tyres on for the past 2k and I recommend this move to anyone debating it, the car feels so much better and has a vastly improved ride quality.
Helpful 14 - tyre reviewed on October 31, 2015
Given 57% while driving a BMW Z4 35i (225/30 R19) on a combination of roads for 10 average miles
No major opinions either way on the Bridgestones. The biggest issue was with them being low-profile runflats, meaning they were not particularly comfortable (especially with the pretty firm suspension on the Z4!) and caused a crack in one of the front alloys.

The rears are completely shot after 10,000 miles, but are dealing with over 300bhp, a fair bit of camber, and some ocassionally "boisterous" B-road driving, so haven't done too badly really. The fronts have still got a good few thousand miles left on them.

The dry grip was pretty good, but not especially progressive. They gripped well up to a point, then just seemed to let go, but did come back into line reasonably easily in fairness.

I wouldn't buy them again purely because I think there are better tyres out there for the money. I'm replacing the back 2 with a pair of Hankook k107's so we'll see how they compare...
Helpful 14 - tyre reviewed on September 8, 2015