How Much is a BMW Tire Rotation?

BMW deems their cars to be the “ultimate driving machines” which in itself requires a car to be perfectly set up for dynamic driving in all environments. As tires are the only components that separate a car from the road, they are the ones tasked with translating all of the driver’s inputs onto the road and thus making the car capable of being an “ultimate driving machine”.

As such, those tires need to be maintained and healthy enough, otherwise, a BMW will be the “ultimate sliding machine”. Rotating your tires on a pre-scheduled basis is part of regular tire maintenance, but how much does a BMW tire rotation cost?
BMW Tire Rotation Cost
A regular BMW tire rotation cost is no different than with most other automakers which means that it costs somewhere between $30-$60 depending on where you do it, and how you do it. If you take the time to learn how to rotate tires yourself, you will save quite a bit of money over the years while also keeping your tires in great shape for as long as possible.
The best thing you can do is follow a prescheduled tire rotation pattern which minimizes the risks of damage associated with lack of tire maintenance. If you fail to rotate your tires on a regular basis, your tires will not be able to last as long can and your BMW will not be as capable as it can be.
What Happens If I Don’t Rotate My Tires?
- Your tires will not last as long as they can
- Your fuel efficiency will suffer
- Your handling is going to be compromised
- Your safety is going to be compromised
- Your comfort will deteriorate
- You will void your warranty
How Long Do Tires Last Without Rotation?
It’s difficult to predict how long tires last without proper rotation schedules, but most experts state that you can lose up to 20% of the useful tire life. The whole point of rotating your tires consistently is to use all of the available treads which means that your tires will not only last shorter but their performance will also be hampered significantly.
By failing to rotate your tires consistently, your tire costs will add up over the years and it is going to make a huge difference. BMWs are bought by drivers who enjoy spirited driving which wears out tires at an even quicker rate.
How Does Tire Rotation Affect Fuel Efficiency?
The rolling resistance of a tire is the energy needed to turn a tire and thus propel your car. Without timely tire rotations, your tires will wear unevenly which will increase the rolling resistance of your tires and consequently decrease your fuel efficiency. This will result in more concurrent fuel stops, and we all know that BMWs are not necessarily the most efficient cars out there.
If you compare the increased fuel costs caused by lack of tire maintenance and the costs of regular tire rotations, you will immediately realize it makes more sense to rotate than to fill your car up more often.
How Does Tire Rotation Affect A Car’s Handling?
The differences between well-maintained and unevenly worn-out tires are massive, and that is especially the case on a car such as a BMW that prides itself in being the sporty one. Maneuvering the car is going to become twice as hard as the tires are unable to provide consistent communication with the road.
Lack of tire rotation affects the car’s ability to handle rain even more. This means that unevenly worn-out tires have an increased chance of hydroplaning which can cause complete loss of control and make the car extremely unsafe.
How Does Tire Rotation Affect A Car’s Safety?
Safety is the number one reason why one should maintain tires regularly. It is extremely unsafe when your tires are unevenly worn as all four of the tires are not experiencing similar levels of traction. This is even more dangerous while driving through snow, rain, and ice as these differences are even more exaggerated.
Your ability to brake, steer, and come to a complete stop is significantly hampered which also means that you can never be 100% that you will be able to stop at a distance you are used to. All of these issues are typically caused by uneven tire wear and can usually be solved with proper tire maintenance.
How Does Tire Rotation Affect Comfort?
BMW is a German executive luxury brand that prides itself in comfort and luxury as much as they do in on-road dynamics. We have already mentioned that vehicle dynamics are almost entirely dependent on tires, but you’d be surprised as to how much properly maintained tires improve comfort and on-road sound levels.
This is because inconsistent thread levels make the ride bouncer and they also emit a lot more noise, especially at higher speeds. If your thread levels are consistent across all four tires, the friction created when a tire hits the road will be much less intense and thus the ride will be more comfortable and the noise will be less intrusive.
How Does Tire Rotation Affect Tire Warranty?
A tire warranty is a promise made by the manufacturer that a tire is going to last a certain amount of time. However, if you don’t do everything you can and everything you need to do, those tires are not going to last, and that warranty deal isn’t going to last either.
If your tires are defective in a way that isn’t necessarily associated with lack of maintenance, it is much easier for that manufacturer to not honor that deal if they can prove that you didn’t maintain your tires.
How Does BMW Want Me To Maintain My Tires?
Virtually all modern-day BMW dealers have a few tips on how you can make your BMW tires last longer. We have searched the depths of the internet and asked a few BMW dealers for all of the tips they give to their customers, and this is what we came up with:
- Monthly tire pressure checks – According to a BMW technician, a tire can lose up to 1 PSI of air each month during normal conditions and even more than that during winter. The easiest way to check your eye pressure is to go to a tire center, but be sure to read the pressure while your tires are still cold. If you want to know how you can check tire pressures without a gauge, click here.
- Rotate your tires – BMW says that you should rotate your tires every 5,000-8,000 miles depending on the type of BMW you own and how often you tend to drive it. Most BMWs are RWD cars which means that only two tires are the ones doing the driving which further reiterates the importance of timely tire rotations.
- Balance your wheels – Wheel balancing ensures that the weight distribution across all four tires is as even as it can be and is just as important as tire rotations are. Driving with improperly balanced tires affects the car’s suspension, bearings, and wheel assemblies and therefore should never be ignored.
- Biannual wheel alignment inspections – BMW says that you should check your tires for misalignment signs at least two times per year. Misaligned wheels are typically caused by a sudden impact on the wheel assembly. If you are not sure where to do your wheel alignment, click here.
- Visually inspect your tires – Visually inspecting your tires from time to time is an easy way how you can spot various imperfections and defects before they cause any serious issues. The best thing you can do is to glance at your tires each time you get into the car and do a more thorough inspection while going on longer journeys or when you want to have some fun in your BMW.
How Much Does It Cost To Service A BMW?
Repair/Service | Cost |
Tire rotation | $30 to $60 |
Tire balancing | $90 to $125 |
Oil change | $149 to $174 |
Engine filter | $88 to $116 |
Spark plugs | $144 to $295 |
Wheel hub assembly replacement | $235 to $595 |
Windshield wiper motor replacement | $612 to $679 |
Turbocharger assembly replacement | $2,328 to $2,481 |
Brake rotor replacement | $300 to $750 |
Wheel alignment | $60 to $100 |
Coolant drain and refill | $160 to $200 |
Can I Buy Tires At BMW?
You can buy your tires directly at a BMW Tire Center and there are a few reasons why that is a good idea. First of all, if you want tires recommended by BMW, the best place to look for them is through the BMW Tire Center. Secondly, BMW takes great pride in offering competitive pricing which means you will not pay more because it’s BMW directly.
All of their tire centers are packed with extremely knowledgeable and experienced staff that can also install your tires. BMW Tire Center carries all of the world’s most prominent tire brands and they also offer a year-long BMW road hazard coverage for most of the tires they offer.
Conclusion
A BMW tire rotation cost is no different than in any other comparable car which means that it should cost you around $30 to $60. However, these prices are affected by a bunch of factors and thus the price you pay can be twice the amount or a lot cheaper than the advertised $30 to $60.
Either way, make sure to properly maintain tires on your BMW as BMWs truly are ultimate driving machines. If you fail to do so you are increasing the chances of crashing your BMW at worst or losing a bunch of money at best.