http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/...power/2043469/

 

Just reaffirms the general consensus of how most feel about run flats!

 

Poor excuse for an article. Has some survey results but the new RTFs are just as good and just as repairable as a conventional tires and have a better turn-in response from the stiffer sidewalls.

 

I plugged a rear run flat 2 weeks ago with a hole in the dead center , holding air just fine right now, still a stiff ride tho.

 

It depends on the regular tires that you comparing to. You can get regular sport tires with stiff side walls that have incredible turn in and grip. Just don't expect a 600 TW M+S to have the feel and grip of a 140 TW Extreme performance tire. Then compare the slip angle of Run Flats with a real 140 TW Extreme performance tire. I will see you drive into the ditch in my rear view mirror as you try to keep up and fail. Run flats are not nearly as good as good tires.

Comparison done with side by side testing using Mini Coopers that were identically prepared with only tire differences. Testing done in controlled environment using clocks and cones. Run flats proved to be fun when spinning and shedding but slower and have less grip that induced under steer. Please drive responsibly and if you intend to enjoy driving consider good tires for your application.

 

Well, it seems many oems are just using regular tires, and giving you a "tire repair kit", basicly slime, and an airpump....have had a couple rentals in the past year or so....and they all had a foam holder where the spare SHOULD have been, and the repair kit in the holder....
I kinda question the weight savings...look at the weight of a runflat vs a regular tire..i guessing they average about 5 lbs more EACH....times 4, that is about 20 pounds...and a compact spare weighs about that much!
it seems MOST runflat equipped cars STILL include a jack (mine did), so no weight savings there....
I think the automakers were pushing runflats more for liability reasons....ever look at all the warnings on the jack or almost kill a tirechanger on the sholder of the road when they pick a terrible spot to change a tire?

 

Don't forget that extra weight on the tires and wheels is worse for acceleration and braking. Any extra weight in the wheels requires more energy to accelerate and due to angular acceleration (un-sprung weight) that translates to worse fuel mileage. Run flats help prevent surprised drivers from hitting things (like cars) when the tires run low. Changing tires on the side of the road can be dangerous too. Run flats have advantages and disadvantages.
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...-buy-them.html

 

It took me three tire shops last month to get a small dead center hole patched. First 2 claimed they cannot under any circumstance repair a run flat and since the car is designed for run flats will not mount a non run flat. Third store pulled out a guide from tire manufacturer check hole and said it wasin criteria to repair. Thye siad they would have no issue mounting 4 non runflats if I wanted them.

 

I can understand if they did not want to install just one non run flat on your car.

I have found several tire shops that don't know that much about tires. Most of the installers don't know how to properly install a tire. As an example do you know what the dots are for that new tires have printed on them? Well if you don't you are not alone. The dots tell the installer where to place the tire in relation to the stem for the best balance. I have found few installers that know this.

When you install a tire you need to use a soapy like lube (it is not soap) to aid the tool and prevent the bead from damage. Some shops use WD40 and others use soap to save money.

One installer did not know the difference between a tire and a wheel. He argued that the wheel was a "rim" and the tire was the "wheel."

Another installer separated the tire from wheel and busted a TPS in the processes on a customer's car as I was talking to manager.

Jacking up a car is a challenge for some tire shops, well they get the wheels off the ground but do damage to the car.

The point is, don't trust just any tire shop to know anything. Interview the shop first and watch the workers. When you find a good shop you will be better off. It is possible that the shops you went to did not want to repair your run flat because they did not know how to do it or they did not want to deal with the stiff side wall. Repairing tires is not much fun and it takes time that is better spent selling 4 new tires. I am sure they would replace the one tire if they had it in stock. If you ever replace one tire you should replace two. I know they will (should) put the new tires on the back because it is safer but you should talk to them about the location of the new tires.

 

Unfortunately it is not very difficult to find a technician who has no business working on cars.

A few weeks ago I was at the local Sears auto Center having a battery replaced on my friend's truck. A young girl was having the oil changed on her Camaro, and when the guy who had supposedly changed her oil started the car the entire auto center filled up with smoke.

Turns out he forgot to drain the old oil before adding five more quarts. They quickly re- did the oil change and sent her on her way, and I don't think she realized how much damage they likely did to her car.

 

Got a flat on OEM run flat tire coming back from picking my new MINI up from dealer. Took two days to find a tire shop willing to repair it even though it was punctured in center of the tread. Ask me if I still have run flats?

 

those that love RFs and those that don't will never meet in the middle and need not anyway: it's all a matter of choice.
As a one car family, with my wife working late, taking night classes, and driving late at night or with the kids, we'd just as soon be equipped with the means to KEEP EFFING GOING if the environment surrounding the flat is not safe. Which, depending on where you drive and where you live, could be common enough. As it has been for us.
RF for the WIN in my family, ride comfort be damned.