The cost of Laziness, and the demise of the practical human - ya gotta laugh.

[Aaron Sice]

Errr yeah sorry but it is a load of w##k why not buy an Aussie built car that has a 5 star safety rating and gives Aussies jobs.

because last time i checked, aussie cars barely provided ANY aussie jobs and the profit goes back to detroit.

and they're poorly built, excessively heavy, are more polluting per dollar than even chinese cars.

and ugly.

oh, and crash saftey isn't everything. things like run-flat tyres actually save lives in high speed blowouts. things like blade-IRS stop lift-off positive camber at high speed - the stuff that killed James Dean in his 356. soft pads and rotors in euro cars mean someone can actually brake from speed should their engine fail and they lose vacuum.

w a n k? call it what you want, but i know which car i'd rather be driving in an emergency.

 

[The Y-man]

because last time i checked, aussie cars barely provided ANY aussie jobs and the profit goes back to detroit.

I was going to post something similar.... but then I knew someone would came back with an Aurion argument, so was just trying to formulate a response for that too

Cheers,

The Y-man

 

[Sunfish]

Aren't BMWs designed to be safe at high speeds on the autobahns? If I were in the fast lane of an autobahn and had a tyre failure @ 160 klicks (I like speed!) I would think a "run flat" was a good investment.

Have any knockers thought to check if standard tyres are an option on the car? Somehow, I doubt it.

 

[craigb]

some mates of mine just had the 100km service on there new X5 bemer, it was a mear 7k, i craped myself and thought we would have to sell our calias , to pay for it, i wanted one untill i heard that!

I think the run flats are only used when you get a puncture AND the private helicopter is in for a service, lol

 

[lizzie]

no good for me - with all the renovating and building i tend to end up with a flat, on average, once a year. hmmm, hubby told me tonight that i have another nail in the tyre (i noticed it was a little down). timing is about spot on.

in regards to outsourcing for lazy people - i suppose it's down to the individual. i am unskilled so my earning rate would be around $30-40/hr and i'd much rather spend my time mowing my lawns, putting down decking, painting, doing the washing and walking the dog - all of which i did today. my neighbour prefers not to do all this, so goes to work so that she can afford to pay someone (her money is the outsourcing money, her hubby is a doctor). difference being is that this afternoon she was still at work while i flaked on the couch and ate icecream before the school pickup.

i know what i'd rather do.

 

[JamesGG]

I'd probably laugh just a little more if I didn't need new tires for my car

Least they're not run-flats though

 

[aussierogue]

I must admit to thinking that the guy probably earns 2k per day so his time is maybe more precious than changing a tyre.

Its all about perspective. We might think this guy is lazy because we cant fathom the cost. What about the people who think you are lazy because you eat takeaway when you could be cooking at home!

All about degrees....

 

[HiEquity]

Bayview I'm with others here - I suspect the presence or lack thereof of run-flats on this car and the associated cost was likely to be an insignificant part of the purchasing decision for this customer.

I find most 4wdrivers I've met are driving something out of their skill range, ignorant of the environmental impact of their chosen form of transport, discourteous road users who have no understanding of the real reasons for driving what is essentially a truck around the suburbs. Pretty much the perfect symbol of the foolish, selfish, status conscious consumer.

Gee, really? MOST people driving 4WDs are all of that? Not IME - they may be one or two of those things but you are describing a pretty specific individual here being all those things at once! Not too sure there are that many of those!

The reason I'm down on the 4wd brigade because I consider their common use around the suburbs as a very anti-social act. Tradesmen and people with real reasons for owning a vehicle with the capabilites of 4wd I understand, but I do judge those who selfishly affect me and others with ill thought selfish actions as fools in preference to something meaner and harsher.

You haven't defined how exactly others driving 4WDs actually effects you in your everyday life...

If you are concerned about their impact on global warming then give me a break - there are millions of more important things to be worried about first.

If you think they are dangerous to you, have you actually been hit by one? Otherwise, if driven at the speed limit, they are plenty safe enough when compared with other vehicles.

Is it the 4WDs that effect you or the actions of their drivers? Coz I've found drivers generally to be pretty bad - 4WD drivers just represent the average IME.

You may not understand the reasons others have for choosing a 4WD but that's no reason for slandering them on a public forum...

 

[jaycee]

Aussies are getting a job Pablo - relax

BMW & Lexus dealerships are owned by Aussies, cars are serviced by Aussies (last time I checked), the LCT I pay goes straight back into Aussie system (so technically I put more in taxes into the system than the ones that buy Aussie made cars) and the tyre shop I went to had Aussies working in them that sold me run flats...

Harris

exactly right.

Pablo, what was that about ? are you suggesting we ban importing goods into Australia ? or just luxury imports ? how do you define luxury ? when you personally can't afford it ?

 

[redwing]

I heard this the other day, a commodore with no spare tyre, just a "run-flat"?

Something to do with wanting to reduce weight?

Sounds nice unless you live in the country or drive long distances between watering holes

That spacing saving spare tyre was another PITA for me with a previous vehicle

bmw_moves_away_from_run_flat_tyres

 

[topcropper]

I find most 4wdrivers I've met are driving something out of their skill range, ignorant of the environmental impact of their chosen form of transport, discourteous road users who have no understanding of the real reasons for driving what is essentially a truck around the suburbs. Pretty much the perfect symbol of the foolish, selfish, status conscious consumer.

The reason I'm down on the 4wd brigade because I consider their common use around the suburbs as a very anti-social act. Tradesmen and people with real reasons for owning a vehicle with the capabilites of 4wd I understand, but I do judge those who selfishly affect me and others with ill thought selfish actions as fools in preference to something meaner and harsher.

Your assuming most 4 wheel drivers just drive around the city streets? How do you know that they don't head bush a few times a year? How do you know they don't need to put a boat into the water from a steep boat ramp? Try doing that with a small front wheel drive car?

My diesel Prado uses a lot less fuel than a falcon or commodore. It doesn't handle like a sports car, but who cares, I'm over that crap.

I think your just jealous that there are people out there getting away from it all and having fun in the bush.


See ya's.

 

[Strannik]

Errr yeah sorry but it is a load of w##k why not buy an Aussie built car that has a 5 star safety rating and gives Aussies jobs.

there is no such thing as good aussie car

 

[BayView]

I'm not sure if you can option non runflats on BMW's these days.

You can, but the car manufacturers are really loath to recommend it.

You also have to inform the customer of the situation with the use of normal tyres.

We did some non-flats on another X5 about a week or so ago.

 

[shuggy]

Your assuming most 4 wheel drivers just drive around the city streets?

I think that's a very safe assumption.

 

[shuggy]

Something to do with wanting to reduce weight?

Yes, runflats were designed so that a spare tyre doesn't need to be carried.

 

[Strannik]

So, for the convenience of not having to change a flat tyre, or the time inconvenience of having to do it, or not knowing how to do it, it'll cost you well over $550 (cheapest option) for a puncture. And; they pay it. ROTFLMAO.

let me tell you something about tyres son...

if you get a puncture on the road, it will be either so severe that your tyre will be rooted straight away anyway (albeit cheaper to replace than run flats), or you'll notice it in the morning (if at all), in which case run flats will serve their purpose by prolonging that period between the actual puncture and the time tyre goes flat.

now 500 bucks a corner is not that much for a good performance tyre
i have 17" bridgestone RE-01's on my supra, and they are about that retail.

i'd be curious to see how much extra is he really paying, as good 20" tyre for X5 will still set you back about 500 even if they are not run flats, AFAIK.

 

[natmarie73]

Your assuming most 4 wheel drivers just drive around the city streets? See ya's.

You'd never take the X5 bush topcropper - it would **** itself in an instant.
Well, maybe on a nicely graded gravel driveway to some "country house", but not out here.

If he had a proper 4WD he could pay $300ish each for Cooper STs all round and never get a puncture in the first place.

 

[Rolf Latham]

bridgestone 604 vs on splitties

Those that know this set up will be aware this is the ultimate run flat set up.............as long as you have the gear and the know how to change them on the road.

As to safety and 4wds ( I mean cruisers and patrols and the like, not woosy SUV things) etc...........im a big believer in statisics. You can beat the toss of the coin some of the time, but eventually the basics of statistics will get you.

The insurance premium ratings on a toorak tractor are usually on the lowest point scale there is, like a rating one or so. Thats simply because they are statistically less likely to be involved in a claim.

ta
rolf

 

[JulieW]

http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp?pageid=1101

Certainly the possibility of escape has long been identified as the reason people buy such vehicles, even though more than 90 per cent will never leave the bitumen.​

and

Car companies love 4WDs not only because they have allowed them to command premium prices despite not always being dearer to make (some have solid rear axles and other primitive features rarely found on passenger cars), but because the people who buy them love to open their chequebooks.

The locally made Ford Territory combines the height and brutish looks of a 4WD but is also available in 2WD. Buyers tend to opt for the 2WD version (no one need ever know) and spend the money they have saved on accessories - many of them designed to enhance the rugged 4WD look.​

I repeat. Anti-social.

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

He's probably too busy making lots of money elsewhere to waste time on that crap.

Its called 'most efficient use of time'. Why mow your own lawn when you can pay some dumbo $30 and you can make hundreds or thousands of dollars in that same time. There's tons of other examples but i'm sure you get the point.

It's the way the rich think but the working class generally don't understand it. They mostly want to do everything them self (mostly very low value tasks) to save money. Its a false economy and a terribly inefficient use of time..

I'm a bit of a car nut (and owned Beemers previously) and BMW did not introduce run flat tyres for that reason. It's considered a technological breakthrough and has taken them a few years to get the tyres right. They are still improving them.

Plenty of people don't want to change their tyres in any make of vehicle.

Hey Evan, wanted to pos rep you, but must spread. I think you hit the nail on the head. It's not about 'paying other people to do what we could ourselves' but rather utilising our time in the best way possible.

Mark