I just have to say that I finally got rid of my runflats and I'm SOOOOOO glad that I did. The car feels so much faster, lighter, and no more droaning!!! Yes, I do have a spare that sits in the back seat behind me. Nobody can sit there anyway as my seat is all the way back. No runflats FTW!!!

 

What tires did you buy?

 

welcome to the club of non run flat

 

I have not met a single person that likes the run flats, couple that with the fact that normal tires are cheaper and there is space to put a spare underneath and I have no idea why the hell mini puts runflats on the car.

Does anyone know why they put these crappy expensive tires on the car?

 

I still have the run flats, and I suppose I don't mind them because I don't know any better. (Ignorance is bliss.) They are the only tires I have ever had on my Mini and this is the only Mini I have ever had. Also, they are in good shape and it costs $$$ to replace them of course.

But, I am interested to know where this space for the spare is? I have an 07 MCS and I see no space specifically for a spare - inside or out. Is this a Justa thing?

 

underneath the back of the car there is a huge circular indentation, the only thing to run through it is the exhaust. There are people who buy the European mounting hardware and run a spare there. You have to reroute the exhaust but you can fit a spare underneath.

 

If you get non-run-flat tires with the car in the first place, there is a spare mounted in that place as well. I think it's a "donut" mini-spare, but still a spare. That's what my car has.

Of course, I only have 15" wheels on Fenimore.

 

Who needs a spare! A bike pump and a plug kit will take care of 90% of the trouble you may run into. You just need to take care of it right when you get the low pressure light to avoid tire damage (which you need to do with a run flat also by the way). I have been running this set up for 10 years of mini ownership and have used it over 10 times. I've never been stranded. Speaking of 10, 10 pumps = 1psi so it is a little workout but still faster than those mini electric pumps. The whole kit with a digital tire gage is under $20.00

 

If you get a Cooper you get a spare even if you got runflats. Runflats come with anything bigger than 15" wheels. We got 16" for Tristan (and runflats) and he's got a spare.

 

I might give that a try when I'm ready to replace my runflats. I just like the security of runflats knowing I can get a flat and keep going without having to pull over a busy highway or strange neighborhood.

 

Conti DW on mine....I keep two cans of fix a flat in the boot with a 12V pump kit.

 

Do you change the rims also when get rid of the run flats ?

 

I did...went to the Drag DR19 wheels. They weigh 16.75 lbs.

 

You don't HAVE to . . . you can put non-RF on the MINI rims

and in 99% cases I'm aware of you can put RF's on aftermarket rims. The difference in the tire is simply in the strength of the sidewall
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for what it is worth I'm not hard over anti runflat. There are times....

- I have 'regular tires' now and a can of slime and a pump. What do I expect my wife to do if driving the car or my daughter? Helloooo AAA?

- My wife DID have a flat on my MINI while I still had RF's, she easily exiting the highway and found a gas station where it was safe to stop; and after calling me, drove 30 miles home on the 'flat' tire. (and this is when for $$ reasons I replaced all the tires with 'regular' )

- A not very automotive savvy friend on mine drove well over 2000 miles on a flat - runflat. The light came on but nothing "looked flat" so he ignored the light for another week of a driving vacation. When he got home he took the car in for service and the dealer told him there was a big nail sticking in the inside sidewall of one tire . . .

- "ride" is very subjective. I had a very early 02-S with 17" (and runflats) I loved how it felt on the road. Almost immediately after the MINI was released in the US buyers complained about the hard ride. MINI immediately began softening the suspension (and some buyers countered by stiffening the suspension with after market parts - I never heard an early 02 person do that!!)

 

Here is my MINI with the Drag DR19 and Conti DW tires.....

 

A couple of more.....

 

I like your mud guards, where did you get them?

 

Dealer......part of a payback for a screwed up service.

 

Thanks for the info. I have the plug kit and a little pump, but I haven't had to use either of them yet. I suppose when it's time for new tires I'll go with the non run flats. Everybody seems to like them better and they are definitely cheaper!

 

The only reason I still have mine is because i dont want to waist the time trying to resale them,,, Im just gonna use them till they wear out then Im upgrading to 18"s and buying this kit Less then $20.00 at target This is all you need unless you get a full on blow out.........then theres always AAA for that..

 

Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere but, do you need to change the suspension when switching from run flats to regular tires? Or is there not too much of a difference so no need?

 

No, you don't need to change the suspension.
For those of you in states where Gateway Tire and Service does business, they have just adopted a policy of not fitting non-runflats on cars that are sold with runflats. They've been installing my non-runflats bought from Tire Rack for 8 years and just turned me down when I showed up with a new set. I went to a local shop and the manager said whether I run runflats or not is my business.
The Gateway policy makes no sense and could have been better handled with a liability waiver to sign if they seriously thought there was any risk.
I've been operating with sealant and a compressor for 8 years and have never used the sealant and have always gotten plenty of warning from the low pressure warning system to allow me to get to a tire shop for a patch.
I believe a list of companies that won't install non-runflats on cars sold with runflats should be started so all owners who have upgraded their tires can avoid them.

 

Just to take a step back here... and forgive the basic question, if you put normal (non RF) tires on MC what happens? Does the low pressure light come on or do you get a warning light on the dash? If you replace the RF tires on a MC what do you need to do (i mean besides put on the tires, are there any mods you need to do)?

 

As long as the pressure sensors stay mounted to the wheels, or get removed and re-installed, and as long as they're not damaged, the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) will work the same on standard tires as RFTs.

 

It's a straight forward change. TPMs still work fine, same as before. The only difference is if you lose normal air pressure (get a flat) with RF tires, the sidewall holds the tire up and you can still keep driving without the tire falling appart, whereas with the non RF tires the sidewall breaks down and you eventually do permanent damage to the tire and possibly the wheel if you keep driving on them.