Just read Tom and Ray's column over at Car Talk. I have non-runflats on my MCS. That doesn't mean I've lost the tire pressure monitoring system, correct?. How is the Odyssey's system different so that you need all new rims and tires and still lose the tire pressure monitoring system? Is this just a designer asleep at the wheel or did Tom and Ray slip up?

 

Everything they said is correct for the questions posed

MINI does not use the TPMS system where there is a radio transmitter in each wheel. Rather, it uses the cheaper way out ... it measures differences in wheel rotation.

 

I like listening to these guys on NPR but their recent newspaper col' on runflats really pissed me off.

Their info might be right for a Honda but they did not make that clear and as it would apply to a MINI is is very very wrong. I base this on experience repairing and replacing runflats on my 02 S with 17" Pirelli RF's

Their failure to at least mention that there are vastly different systems for monitoring PSI then the Honda system was a gross faliure in my opinion. Saying you'd need to pay a $100 premium per wheel for mounting was flat out way wrong (that's the way I read their BS anyway, even $100 for a set is $25 per and WAY wrong). My tire guy (does tires for all the local BMW racers) charges a $5 per wheel premium for RF's and that after I was going to him for 2 years WITH RF's. I think he added the charge just cuz he learned he COULD. My backup tire store (a GREAT local shop adds ZERO....)

They blew this one in my opinion and have been tempted to write them but didn't find the time....and am not really sure they'd care as their business is show business not automobiles.....

 

I'm not sure what the car talk guys said about runflats but I can tell you that runflats Honda put on the Odyssey Touring were a debacle.I have a 2005 Odyssey and the thing that kept me from getting the touring was the problems they were having with them. I don't know if they have since corrected the problem, but I believe it's (or at least hope) that it's a honda/michelin issue only.

 

As I Said ... everything they wrote for the questions posed were CORRECT. They never mentioned MINIs.

Further, $25/wheel for mounting RFs with a radio TPMS is about right Again, MINI uses the cheap way out.

I dont see how you can talk about MINIs in relationship to what the article was discussing