I was always under the impression that there was no need to rotate the tires on your BMW, due to statements from the dealership and things I've read on this site. Therefore, I never rotated the tires on my 330xi for the duration of my 3yr lease.

Now I'm driving a 545i and received a pamphlet from BMW called "Inside Track, May 2006" (I think it was enclosed with my monthly statement). The pamphlet is not targeted towards any specific model and the back page reads:

Rotating Your Tires
To enjoy balanced handling and traction, all tires should wear evenly. However, each wheel position can cause different wear rates and types of tire wear. Rotating your tires is the best way to ensure that they all perform their best.

-- How should you rotate them? Every all-season(1) tire, including the spare(2), should serve in each of the vehicles wheel positions. In this way, each will receive the same amount of overall wear.

-- When should you rotate your tires? Once every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

Rotating all your tires will also help you get the most life out of them. And when it's time to replace them, you'll enjoy the comparable feel of all-new tires.


(1) Performance tires stay on the same side of the vehicle when rotated.
(2) Only if your BMW is equipped with a full-size spare tire.

So, is this a change in direction from BMW or has it always been this way and I've been getting misinformation at the dealership? Are they not recommending it because it's not covered by BMW maintenance?