Hello, I am in need of replacing my tires. I have been told that I should stick with the run flats, but they are quite the pretty penny to replace. I was told this because of the fact that I have no spare tire. What do you guys think about this? Run Flats or Not? If your answer is no to run flats, then do you think that the BF Goodrich gForce T/A KDW(NT), or the Toyo Proxes 4 tires are a good choice?

Also, if anyone can find good prices on these please let me know.

Thanks alot.

 

i've heard a lot of people say to just use the run flats till they're gone and buy regular good tires. rf's slip a lot in the snow..i know that by experience cause i popped a curve while driving in the snow.
im gonna buy non rf's once mine get bald. but i have no spare tire..that's wat makes me EH about it. but then again.. the dealer gave me a number to call for roadside assistance and wat not.

 

There's a ton of different opinions on the run flats. Do a search for run flats. You'll be up all night reading what everyone has to say. I like mine because they hold the road so well, and I don't have to worry about stopping to fix a flat during rush hour or at night in the dark. From what I read here on NAM the run flats need to be rotated on a regular basis, however, if we are to get a little longer wear.

 

When i purchased my car it did not have RF but I had a couple bent rims(all 4) from the !@#$%%^&* NY winter roads. I am one of the few that likes the S-Lites so I picked up a new set which had new RF included.

Based on price alone I will not buy a new set of RF but if I find them for cheap I would pick them up just for the fact that my commute is 100 miles a day and it is nice to not have to worry about a flat.

I did not see much of a difference between the rf and regular tires but it is all based on personal choice.

 

Depends on your local roads and driving conditions. I replaced my run flats with Avons for winter driving and could not be happier. Of course and if you're in an area where you get lots of flats, then run flats might be better. The ride in my Mini is quiter and better since ditching the run flats. I couldn't justify the costs to replace the tires with run flats and couldn't be happier with my Avons.

 

I need tires too while my Cooper is in the shop, and was debating wether or not to get RF of not. most likely since I'm an idiot and f'd up my clutch I'm gonna get just regular Goodyears or Dunlop tires save about $300 or 4.

 

I like my runflats because the sidewall is very stiff which is great for turn-in. I don't like them because they aren't great in snow, and when it gets cold they get quite hard and stop sticking to the road. I currently don't plan on running runflats again when these go away, but maybe by then they will be somewhat improved.

 

I have NEVER heard that about the runflats. and the EXACT opposite is what I always delt with. stock runflats are great if you couldnt care less about wieght, or traction. If you do, carry that "jesus in a can" and you'll get home just the same.

 

I'll ditch the runflats. I think it will be harder to get a matching runflat quickly than to get a tow and a tire with a non-runflat. You can only put 50 miles or so on a runflat without air so if you're traveling out here in the West you are likely to be laid up a day or two waiting for a replacement tire.

My winter tires aren't runflats. It is odd to get quiet comfort from your winter tires and your bones rattled with the summer tires.

 

Hey guys, thanks for all of the responses. I love getting this much feedback. Do you have any suggestions for tires that are not run flats. Thanks.

 

I think the 50 miles are the (very conservative) limit if you intend to repair the tire. If you're just going to replace the tire anyway then you could drive on it flat for a looong time before it disintegrates.

That said, it is extremely easy to damage a wheel if you drive on a flat runflat...

 

not to intentionally change the subject but does anyone know if a run flat can be patched if a nail goes in the sidewall??????

Thanks,
Steve

 

Definitely not, and not even if it's in the tread but less than 1" from the sidewall. Regular tires are the same way.

I mean I've plugged sidewalls just to get home, but it's certainly not a safe or permanent repair.

 

Really? I've read quite a few posts and articles talking about the sidewall stiffness. It has to be very stiff, in order to keep the rim off the pavement in a zero-PSI situation. A lot of people attribute the harsher ride to this as well.

I'm really not sold on the RF tech at this point. Given that many tire places can't or won't work on them, the high cost of replacement, and the general non-performance, I think running four choice tires and a can of fix-a-flat is a better option. Lots of potential for improvement, though, so it wouldn't be prudent to write them off forever.

 

I would not get runflats. They are expensive to replace. The stiff sidewalls give them a hard ride. The have lousy snow/wet weather grip. They can almost never be repaired. We do have roadside assistance. If you feel unsafe being trapped somewhere without a spare, would you feel safe changing the tire there? Plus, for the money you save by not buying run flats you could buy another tire and cheap wheel and take it with you when you are going to scary locations.

 

Hey guys I think that I am sold on buying non runflats for a while. I just would like to hear some of your tire suggestions. That would help me tremendously with making a tire selction.

I would love to get information on some ALL-SEASON High performance or Ultra high performance tires. I need ALL SEASONS because I live in Northern Ohio. Thanks Alot everyone for the info thus far.

 

I'm planning on General UHP for summer and Michilen Ice X for winter.

Check out Tirerack.com, it's a great source!

 

If you get significant snow in winter (which I assume OH does), I recommend getting two sets of tires/wheels. I bought winter snows this past fall and mounted them on my S-Lites. I'm glad I did (bunch of snow this winter).

I just switched back to my OEM all season run flats and mounted them on new wheels a week ago. When these wear out, I'm definitely going the summer performance route (probably not run flat).

I've had decent luck with all seasons on non-performance cars for all but the worst snow storms. But those tires are typically more narrow and tall than the performance tires on an MCS. One snow last fall was enough to convince me to call Alex at TireRack...

 

Really you're better off getting two sets of wheels if you get a real winter up there. I have the Toyo Proxies 4's and I'm a bit dissapointed with the grip. That being said they are All Seasons, so I didn't expect them to have grip like R Compounds, but still, I don't notice a huge improvement over the stock runflats. I'll probably be replacing them with the Toyo T1R's whenever I need new tires.

 

There was a report a while back of someone driving HUNDREDS of miles on a completely flat runflat with no issues at all. I think he even said you could have driven another couple thousand miles without any issues. The recommendation to get the tire replaced or repaired after 50 miles is a bit over reactive I think

 

Paraphrased from the owner's Manual:

'If there is a total loss of inflation pressure . . . With a light load: Approximately 155 miles; with a medium load, approximately 90 miles; with a full load, approximately 30 miles.'

Also do not exceed a speed of 50 mph. . . expect changes in vehicle handling such as lower track stability during braking, longer braking distances and changes in self-steering properties. "For safety reasons, the manufacturer of your MINI recommends not having damaged run flat tires repaired. In this case, consult your MINI dealer."

That said, now that I'm about to replace my runflats . . . I'm awfully tempted to let the air out of all four and see how far I can get, photos and accident report to be provided with the results! Actually, they can be bolted on to my son's 87 Honda . . . I'm sure he wouldn't mind a vehicle fire . . .

 

I had the same dilema 6 months ago. I've been dying to tell my story, so bear with me. My 2005 original run flats were BALD at only 9K (after 15 months!). So the only Mini dealership in Dallas offered their tires (not sure brand and type) at $500 EACH. I had heard that regular tires offered a smoother ride, but like you--what do you do when you get a flat. Especially on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere in Texas! So, I opted for the run flats again and purchased them at Discount tire for $198 each. So now with new tires, I need an alignment. The problem there after was to go to the dealership for a $160 alignment? or to the Kwik Kar oil change place for a $50 alignment. I talked with the dealership in Dallas and they said NOT to take it anywhere but to them due to previous nightmares other customers had experienced-and to make sure that if anyone else did it--to be sure to do all 4 wheels at the same time. So then I spoke with the Mini dealership in Arlington, Tx and they suggested that there shouldn't be a problem with that. Yea, right! Kwik Kar had no freakin' idea what they were doing. The 1st alignment, the kid swore there was no adjustments that could be made in the rear. The 2nd time I went back in to have it redone--another guy printed something off of Mini.com, and couldn't even figure out how to hold the paper to compare photos of where to adjust the rear. 2 more times at that place and I swore I'd always pay the price Mini required just to have the peace of mind. And during all my trips to Kwik Kar they always wanted to blame the tires and a "Radial Pull." So then I went way out of my way to the Arlington dealership and 3 alignments and 10 DAYS LATER--it still pulled. I had had to replace my right front strut just prior to purchasing new tires so I thought MAYBE there was something to do with that as no one seemed to figure out why the dang car still pulled.So, back to the Dallas dealership, 1 full day at the shop and $160 later it was just an alignment! 4 months I dealt with everyone involved and Discount tire was the best as they flipped the tires several times during this whole fiasco and said they'd replace anything that the dealership felt might be faulty. All is well in run flat land. GOOD LUCK!

 

were you guys ever offered the warranty for the runflats?
i was offered it..but seeing that it was around 400-500 (was it?) for warranty..
it was a straight up 'no'..
that was way too much for warranty on the RF's
im thinkin about buyin another set of rims for cheap during the winter and using wat i have now for summer. it sounds good to me.

 

Yes I was offered the warranty. It seemed absurd until after I understood that basically a flat tire with run flats costs $250 instead of the $10 I was used to.

I bought a set of "rejected" wheels and tires from the dealer for $300. That is the price of the tires alone retail. I use stock all-season tires for a Cooper on my Cooper S in the winter. I'll replace them with winter tires when they are worn out but they do fine in my climate since in really bad weather we get by with the Dunlop M3s on my wife's car (and the MINI does'nt have the ground clearance to get out of our street anyway). I just put the Dumb-Flats back on so I will be able to give the City Council an exact rundown on the qualty of pothole repair because I'm able to detect every flaw in the street. One run to Las Vegas this weekend and the Run-Drats will be finished and I'll order some Goodyears. I've got the compressor, I've got the slime, and last weekend I plugged one of my sons tires so I understand that roadside repair. I'm feeling much better about not having a spare than I would be waiting for two days for a $200 run-flat to be flown in from New Jersey in my $150 dollar a day hotel room.

What ever happened to the basics? "Are you a nark?" "Oh, good, me neither."