We bought our Mini as a used CPO from a Mini dealership with 3,000 miles on it and have just got around to reading (300 miles later) the dealership warranty manual on the tires.
They are Contenintal run flats.
Both the Mini Cooper site and the link to the Continintal site state that if the tire is damaged by a road hazzard (i.e. nail) that the tire should be replaced.
I've never owned a run flat tire before, never felt the need to purchase road hazzard insurance and have never had a problem patching/pluging a flat caused by a nail before (and that incompass's many,many years).
To think that if I get a nail in one of my tires and call the 24/7 roadside assistance for help, I'll have to throw an otherwise (nail in tire) perfectly good tire away and purchase a new tire before I can proceed on my way is to say the least, absurd.
Has anyone ever been in this situation when calling for the roadside assistance? Did you have to replace the flat tire with new rather than just have them patch/plug to old tire?
I would say ( knowing what I now know) this is one time I would have opted to purchase the road hazzard insurance on the tires, but having bought the car with 3,000 miles on it I don't think that's an option any longer.
How do other Mini owners out there deal with this when they get a flat tire?

 

The basic rules for fixing a runflats are the same as std tire...
Some places may refuse to patch+plug one due to unfamiliarity.... The big thing is...stress the flat tire was not driven on for further than to a parking lot to park....the issue with patching a runflats is they do make heat when run flat...and CAN BE DRIVEN MUCH LONGER THAN recommended without air....possibly leaving an unsafe tire when patched......

 

Certainly, if you drive a run flat any distance when flat you would run the very real risk of damaging the sidewalls and any distance beyond a block would most likely trash the tire.
But according to Mini Cooper and Continental tire, even if not driven on, if you get a nail in the tire it is trash.
The problem is if your tire goes flat on the highway, it's probably trashed the sidewalls by the time you realize it and get the car stoped.
The only real recourse I can see is to be prepared to buy a new tire or have road hazzard insurance.
I would never, ever buy another run flat tire again knowing what I do now.

 

Nope....mini has stated in the past a runflats can be repaired when driven up to 50 miles at up to 50 mph at max loading.....but the place repairing it does not KNOW, just like the dealer WHEN it when flat....so some folks just say...it just happened...tire blows up. The purpose of a runflats is you can keep on driving....go to a safe spot...and fix it....not fixing them is more from the lawyers....the "rules" on fixing them has changed as folks get more suehappy....that and selling you new tires st 180$+ each is a big $$ IMO...
Many folks carry a Dyna plug kit and a 12 volt pump....
General rule is plug and patch...and no auto-x or track on a repaired tire....so patch in the flat area...no closer than an inch from the sidewall....and it is reccomened...plug from the outside AND PATCH FROM THE INSIDE....doing one without the other can result in failure later.
Fact is...IMO runflats do suck....most mini's use normal tires in regular use.....

 

I know that they advertise that one can drive a "flat" run flat up to 50 miles at up to 5O miles an hour and from that one could draw the conclusion that as long as you stayed within those parameters no damge to the tire would be done and you could patch it and be on your way, but everything I've read from Mini Cooper and Contenental Tires tells you that the tire would have to be replaced.
Can you please post a link to Mini's site that says you can drive a flat run flat 50 miles @ 50 mph and it would be alright to just patch it and keep on truckin?

 

I live by this simple rule with RFTs. IF you get a puncture that is repairable (not too close ot the sidewall), do not continue to drive while losing air. Driving the RFT with reduced or zero pressure will require it to be replaced. Driving it with a slow enough leek to make it to a tire shop and have it repaired is ok. I have plugged a few RFTs in my time and even had roadside tow my car from where it was (20-25 miles form the dealer and home). Once the car was dropped off with me beside it with keys in hand, my wife was waiting with the plug kit and the air compressor. I fixed the car and was on my way.

I now carry oboard air (4gal tank at 150psi, with compressor to refill) and my plug kit as I run Michelin PSS and no RFTs.

If you do need to drive on a flat RFT, you can go further than 50 miles IIRC, it all depends on the weight in the car. But know this, when you get to where you are going at a reduced and safe speed, be ready to buy a replacement.

 

Very good synopsis of the situation, run flats should only be driven on as a last resort and tire replacement will be the price you pay.
If you get a repairable flat, don't drive on it untill after it is repaired.
It appears that BMW/Mini and the tire manufacture's are only covering themselfs from liability by claiming the tires need to be replaced in all punture situations and cannot be repaired.
The best solution is to carry a pluging kit and a means of inflation after pluging.