Hey all,

Sorry for asking this... I am sure it has been discussed to death, but I can't seem to fully understand why people are switching from run flat tires to non-run flat tires. What I understand so far:

• Run flats are convenient (never being stranded) but are heavier, more expensive and give a harsher ride.
• Regular tires require a spare tire, are less expensive and have a nicer ride.

What I am curious about is is it REALLY worth it to remove that convenience of not having to be stranded on the road to have a nicer ride? Is the ride that much nicer? Is there something that I am missing beside the fact that the ride is nicer?

Thanks for taking the time to help with this!
Chris

 

It has been kicked to death. Even my short life here it has been kicked to death.

The MINI I drove for a few hours before I ordered mine ROAD VERY VERY Harsh. Sister had RF and she hated them too.

So to answer your question, YES! I ride in the car all the time, in fact, it is one of the main reasons why I am getting the car, to take me places... at the same time, I get a flat every once in a while (I AVG 1 every 3 years).

So am I willing trade having a nicer ride 99.996% of the time I am in the car than the .004% of the time the tire will be flat... Ummm YES! Add this to the fact that the run-flats have crap tread-life, so you have to replace the tire that costs 3 times as much twice as often. That alone should make you want to get rid of them.

And to make sure that the .004% is as painless as possible, I have already ordered me a http://www.slime.com/shop/safety-spair-70005/

 

^ What he said. (He? She? I always put my foot in my mouth in these situations.)

Slime kit and compressor: $20 considering the compressor came with the car. Also, I have tow coverage both with my cars extended warranty AND with my insurance. I also will probably not have a flat tire. Why sacrifice the ride, handling, and shell out all that extra cash, considering how little I'm out of pocket in the unlikely event of a flat?

 

^ What they said! A better ride a majority of the time vs. convenience once in a blue moon.

 

Just because you have run flats doesn't mean you won't be stranded.

You still have no spare tire. If the damage to the tire is anything more than a puncture from a nail you won't be able to drive on it. Also when you drive on it for more than 20 miles or so, it should not be repaired but instead needs to be replaced due to the sidewall stress damage.

Replacing a run flat can be very inconvenient because most tire stores don't carry them in stock.

On the other hand, using regular tires and carrying a compressor w/ can of tire flat repair goo, is just as good. If the tire damage is a puncture you can temporarily fix the flat and then drive to a tire dealer for a quick cheap repair.

I don't know about you but I have been driving for 37 years and I have only had about 3 flats in that entire time frame.

 

jmo, but I did not find the harshness of the ride to be much different between the RFTs that came on my MINI and the non-RFTs I've been running since burning off the initial set of tires.

 

Dump the rock-flats!! got a set of wheels and tires from another member and inside of 2000 miles on these things, my car rattles like crazy!! I ran over a dime yesterday and could tell the date was 1972 on it!! If you want to turn your car into a rattle trap, and feel like youre riding on the bump stops, keepem. If you want a nice smoothe quiet ride and your fillings still in your teeth, get regular tires!!

 

I like my run flats, I don't think the ride is any different from any other cars I've owned that had regular tires. The only reason I'd change to non run flats is because they are more expensive than standard tires, but I'll probably be able to buy them cheap from someone who wants to sell a perfectly good new set of run flats.

Dave

 

I had my wife's replaced with Continental ExtremeContact DW's. We chose performance/cost over ability to have the tires last until she can get somewhere to help. I'd rather not have to shell out a grand every other year for tires that (as Bubble said) you're only going to rely on such a small percent of time -- the original run-flats had to be replaced the first year, the Continentals are lasting 2 years now and not looking to be anytime soon. The only reason I'd go with run-flats is if my wife drove it more often and/or drove it longer distances where I couldn't get to her quickly enough.

 

This is very useful information. Thanks for those who have contributed!

So for those who have switched over to regular tires, did you just end up purchasing a steel spare wheel to put under the car? Mine did not come with a spare... I guess I could just switch to regular tires after I wear out the current ones...

 

No spares for us. Just a charged up cell phone.

 

So what is everyone putting on their car that are not using RFT's?
I contacted Alex at Tirerack and he pointed me to Michelin Pilot Super Sport for summer aggressive driving tires. Any feedback on them?

 

Does anybody else feel like someone who cannot tell the difference between run flats and regular tires is not a good reference on which kind to buy? Kinda like someone who is colorblind picking out your wardrobe?

(Sorry, "I can't tell the difference"-kinda guys, just could not resist).

 

Sounds like somone didn't get a good breakfast this morning!

There is really no difference in ride between run flats and non run flats, perhaps you have an unusualy sensitive posterior.

My MINI has 17" wheels, the side wall is only a couple of inches tall. The whole point of low profile performance tires is stiff sidewalls. You are giong to get that with or without runflat tires. If you think that there is a difference in ride quality, between the two kinds of tires, you are fooling yourself.

Dave

 

Not planning on getting a spare, that is why I added the link.

http://www.slime.com/shop/safety-spair-70005/

If I get a flat, I will break the seal, plug it in, and follow the directions. Almost like having runflats, but without the whole runflats thing....

Great looking car BTW!

 

Dave, so many of the people on this forum disagree with you, and most of the internet I can search through Google disagrees with you too. But its okay, because you cannot tell the difference yourself then you must be correct and nobody else can either. Lucky you, you are the only one in the whole parade who is on step!

Simon

 

I keep a plug kit and compressor in the car and pay for AAA service in case things are really bad.

 

Yup! They are all wrong!

Dave

 

Is there some reason you felt compelled to make derogatory comments about those of us who have a different opinion about ride quality? Were you worried we might sway the OP even though the whole entire rest of the Interwebz disagrees with us?

Does anyone else feel like someone who has no better judgment than to do that is not a good reference on what to buy? Kinda like someone who is colorblind picking out your wardrobe?

If I add a bunch of these - - does it make it ok?

 

I have noticed that a couple of the guys who have complained about run flats have 06 Coopers...well...that just leads me to believe that the run flats for the 06's or around there models are bad. To be completely honest, I haven't ridden in a MINI without runflats, but I don't find the ride to be bad at all. I've taken trips and driven through DC on the stock run flats on a 2010 with no problems with ride quality at all. So perhaps the quality of run flats have vastly improved over the past couple years, considering they are a relatively new addition.

Also, ALL BMW's have run flats, and I don't know if any of you have driven a new 5 or 7. but I have. and I must say, they are the most comfortable and smoothest riding cars I have ever been in...and they have run flats.


With all that said I do not find the runflats worth it to replace when they lose tread life. I'd say keep your runflats until they get bad, and then replace them with non runflats since you can get a set of 4 tires for the price of 1 new run flat. But it's absolutely not worth replacing them right away when you already have 4 brand new tires on the car. that's certainly silly

 

I carry a spare in the boot, vertical and strapped in on a black rim, the same exact rim thats on the car... I'm ready and fear no flats
Plus there's a green slime kit (delux with worms and all) hiding behind the spare for those quick and easy fixes....

I've never had a car without a spare, and I've had plenty of flats and was able to get up and moving again in 10 minutes.... Priceless!!!!!

 

For the S I haven't bothered with a spare, just a can of fix-a-flat, a compressor, cell phone and AAA membership. The JustaCooper comes with a spare.

I've had 2 flats in 30 years of driving. The first one I called AAA and got taken to the tire store, a spare might have helped there, there was a hole the size of a quarter in the sidewall, I'm not sure runflats would have helped. The second one I used the spare, runflats wouldn't have helped as I'd managed to demolish the wheel.

 

Thank you!

Yeah, I would definitely keep them until they really need to be replaced. And I have never driven any non-run flat Coopers so I'm in the same boat... hmmmm...

I like hearing all sides and different opinions. I do understand your point that low-profile tires would always be more of a stiff ride even without run flats. Perhaps it would be more of a drastic difference in ride quality if I were driving on 15s or 16s and I got rid of my run flats. But you do have a point there: I don't have a lot of rubber to start out with since I am on 17s, so it may be a negligible difference.

I bet the chances of my finding another Camden wheel and being able to stuff it under my car are pretty slim if I did end up going with regulars.

And one other factor that I haven't considered yet is how much of a price difference there is between run flats and regulars. I definitely had to make a lifestyle change after buying this car so to save some dough next time I have to switch the rubber could always be a nice perk.

Thanks again to all who brought something to the table on this beat-to-death topic!

-Chris

 

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It's not a derogatory comment. It's called a joke.

Nope, I don't care if you sway the OP. But THANK YOU immensely for mentioning that the "Interwebz" disagree with you, I do appreciate that.

Feel free to completely ignore my opinion. Please. Really. Is there an ingore feature? Please feel free to ignore any post I make.

Actually if you add a bunch of then I know you are joking, and I can take a joke, so yes, actually, yes. It does make it okay. Cheers!