The Pirelli technical service representative is the one who researched the issue for me and told me that no repair was possible. He also said that supplies of the tire were not at many Pirelli dealers, and that dealers also needed to have special equipment to mount and dismount the tires. The rep offered that he had formerly worked for the company which supplied the Corvette run-flats (Goodyear?). They told customers they could fix flats, but he said the fixes rarely worked. I'm thinking of buying a temp spare from Mini and carrying it on long trips. If I do get a flat, I can change the tire right away, perhaps saving it if it can be patched....that is, if the S even comes with a jack! I think I can put the spare in the "trunk" behind the seatback. May need to develop some sort of stand or bracket for it. Any ideas or feedback?

 

>>The Pirelli technical service representative is the one who researched the issue for me and told me that no repair was possible. He also said that supplies of the tire were not at many Pirelli dealers, and that dealers also needed to have special equipment to mount and dismount the tires. The rep offered that he had formerly worked for the company which supplied the Corvette run-flats (Goodyear?). They told customers they could fix flats, but he said the fixes rarely worked. I'm thinking of buying a temp spare from Mini and carrying it on long trips. If I do get a flat, I can change the tire right away, perhaps saving it if it can be patched....that is, if the S even comes with a jack! I think I can put the spare in the "trunk" behind the seatback. May need to develop some sort of stand or bracket for it. Any ideas or feedback?

I am an engineer from Goodyear who replaced the 17" runflats from Pirelli with the Goodyear 17" runflats (NCT 5's) on my Silver Mini. Fist of all, allow me to clarify about flat tires. 80% of all punctures occur in the rear tires (the front tires typically run over the puncturing object and sets the nail or object up so that the rear tire actually picks it up. In addition, the Right Rear tire has 50 % of the punctures vs 20 % for the Left Rear. This is because the Right Rear tire is also the "curb" tire and there are lots of nails along the side of the road.
Most people never ever even had a flat tire. It is actually not that common unless you are driving every day in a construction zone or in the inner city.

The reason the mini has no spare is because there is no room for it and that is why the runflat tires.
I took my mini on the Goodyear test track, first with the Pirelli's and then the Goodyear's. Goodyear's were more responsive than the Pirelli's.

If you did get a flat, not recommended to repair a runflat tire, because you have no idea how long the tire was actually running with little or no air. Heat is a tire's worst enemy and if you run low air pressure, you have all kinds of potential problems.

good luck

 

mini....

That above post is the best I have read here....very informative....Doesn't mini make a spare saver tire that fits under the mini that lowers from under the back carpet area for the cooper....I know my S didn't have it since it had runflats......and you are right, with all the sports cars I have owned over the years, I have never had a flat...the only flats I have had have been on SUV's I've owned, usually because of all the off roading I occassionally do.....but if you have a flat driving cross country with the runflats, you are screwed trying to get a replacement runflat....murphy's law rears it's ugly head when you least expect it, laugh!

 

You are correct about the Cooper spare under the back trunk. There is also a jack and small tool kit.

 

Have a friend in Phoenix that had a flat on the runflats...the sensor worked fine, he drove it to the dealer...runflat can not be repaired, had to be replaced...it took 4 days to get a runflat replacement to match his 3 other runflats.....they are in very short supply.....he wasn't too thrilled and was considering a drive to San Diego, but after this experience is going to drive his other car.....bummer..

 

I'm getting a cooper w/runflats and though I didn't order a spare(a spare doesn't come with the car if you order runflats in Canada) I wish I had, for the exact point you made about it being hard or timely to get a replacement runflat. I can get the spare after the fact from the dealer which I think I will do, just to beat Murphy to the punch

 

Well the only time I've had a flat was on a BMW motorcycle, which I plugged myself in the middle of I95 (joy). But I think that when it comes time to replace the tires, I'll get standard tires, and toss a fifth full size matching wheel/tire on the roof rack a la rally cross. Of course, then I'll have to add a bank of rally lights.

 

I can only relate from experience.
I had my runflat fixed and it's lasted over 3.000 miles (from SF bay area to L.A. twice and up and back to Reno).
I've been driving it on all types of roads without a problem.
Just my $0.02

 

I was amused that someone wrote in "had to learn how to change there tire "about blowing out on the road.
The second thing I will do with my Mini is to take out the tools and change a tire. I will make sure I know the SOP. Because when it happens and it will I have an idea of the the mixed mines of the German and English sensibilty.

Remeber that this car is a confluence of German world domination and English dental habits.

What could ever go wrong.

beestinger

 

I have Dunlop DSSC runflats on my S. Got a nail in the passenger rear. Took it to a Dunlop dealer/service center. They pulled the nail and as far as I know patched the hole.

Total cost: $30

 

Has anyone driven in snow w/ the run-flats and if so how did they handle it?
I'm debating on going to BMW and buying winter tires from them or trying to find aftermarket steel wheels to put on. who knows maybe another wheel off a different car would work. Any inputs would be welcomed.

 

>>The Run Flats have a VERY stiff sidewall and thus the ride can be harsh over rough roads. Standard tires will improve the ride, but then you're screwed if you get a flat.


Uhh, don't 99.9% of the tires in the world go flat when the air escapes? I have to chuckle - a new (expensive) gadget comes along and suddenly "you're screwed" if you don't have it. God bless America!

 

Oh yeah, I forgot - you guys with MCS, no spare, I guess you are screwed. One more perk for the MC - it actually comes with a spare. And my MC with run-flats is redundant, but I could put the spare on immediately upon losing air, rather than drive & destroy the offending tire. ops:

 

I have the 17" run flats because they came with the car. Have had two flats that were detected by the sensor. Both caused by nails and both slow leaks. Instead of using the spare, I filled them with a small compressor that runs off the cigarette lighter. That was enough to get me where I was going and then to the Pirelli dealer who plugged them for free. One still leaks slowly, so I am going to ask to have it patched. I keep a small compressor in each of my cars. Most flats are slow leaks, if the nail stays in, and its easier (and safer) than changing the tire by the side of the road. A quick shot of air can usually get you to the next gas station or tire store.

 

Tmack, what kind of compressor do you have?

thanks!

 

The brand name of mine is MVP, but there are some made by Campbell Hausfeld and other brands (most made in China or Taiwan). I recommend getting the smallest one (to save storage space). They're usually called"mini" compressors and cost around $15-$20. Try Wal or K Mart or your local car parts place. J.C. Whitney has a mini compressor also. They usually are rated at 250 PSI and have a pressure gauge (not usually accurate). Because they are small, it takes a few minutes to put in a few pounds but they have saved me a lot of headaches over the years. :smile:

 

I can't believe all the post on the wheels and tires topic.

I have a question here that might have been answer many times but I stil haven't found the answer.

The Mini dealer told me that I couldn't use a stock run flat wheel for a regular winter tire but my tire shop said he never heard of that one before.

I wanted to buy aftermarket wheel and use them with my run flats and mount winter tires on the stock wheels but the dealer says I can't do that, anyone here has done this yet?

I have the 17" mini lite wheels.

Thanks
Al

 

You can run non runflats on ALL OE wheel selections.

Alex