I wanted to share my recent experience with Tire Rack and Pep Boys in replacing the OEM runflats on my R56. I read all the complaints about the RFs but was determined to get 30k out of them before moving on.

I've only bought tires from Discount Tire for the last 20 years. I've always been satisfied with their service, but not so much on selection. It was fairly common that the tires I wanted weren't in stock in my area (Houston), let alone the store. Every time that happened they would move me up to a more expensive tire, but offer it to me at the price of the one I wanted. I would check the reviews and would go ahead, as they always reviewed at least as well as what I came in to buy. Even when DT started taking appointments, an appointment made a week or so advance didn't always get me the tires I wanted. This time, however, I was not going to accept just any replacement for the brand/model of tires I was buying.

When researching replacements for my RFs on NAM, I made the Conti ExtremeContact DW my first choice. They don't come in a 195/55-16 (at least that I could find), so I posted a message here and Alex of Tire Rack helpfully suggested I try 205/50s instead. After discovering I couldnt get those at DT, I found them at Tire Rack on sale for $85. I was comfortable buying them, but leery of which installer to use. I have several Firestone car centers near my home, but none (at least per the web site) would replace RFs with non-RFs. I avoid NTB but found a Pep Boys on the southwest freeway that seemed to offer a reasonable charge for the service.

It took one day for the tires to get from Tire Rack's Shreveport warehouse to my installer. I did not get a phone call from the day they were delivered, so I set up an appointment online that night and called the next morning to confirm they had the tires and my appointment was on the schedule. Ryan at Pep Boys said yes to both.

I arrived at the time for my appointment and but for a small delay helping them find the wheel lock they were installed in about an hour. I wandered the aisles looking for a stop-flat or slime kit, but JB and Ryan both recommended against it as it would ruin the TPMS. They even recommended against the plugging kit as they said it rarely worked with tires like mine. It's refreshing to get that kind of advice.

All told it was a great experience and I recommend both companies for any other Houston MINI drivers looking for new tires.

Thanks!

 

A plug will get you to a tire store who can place a patch inside the tire. What did they tell you do if you get a flat?

 

I have roadside assistance on my auto policy (and another year or two from MINI). The few flats I've had have always been slow ones, usually discovered the next morning. If that happens again I'll just take off the wheel, throw it in my other car and drop it off to be patched.