To RunFlat or not to RunFlat, that is the question!
Discussion
Hi folks mead gain with yet another quandary. This time a mate of mines husband (who works in tyres) has noticed that the lovely garage (see scoundrels) that I bought this Cooper from, have fitted the thing with winter tyres on the passenger side and summer on the drivers side with not a tread pattern matching! He has, since seeing this, put the fear of god into me and stated that this is mindlessly dangerous and that I MUST have them changed or I face my dear Emma coming home on a gurney! So I've been quoted a price of £360 for some RunFlat Kumho tyres , which when scouting around seems ok. The problem is this car has now cost me towards a grand in bits and hasn't even done a 1k miles! Pricey little thing, it's a Mini Mortgage! (See what I did there 
)
However, when looking. At none RunFlat Kumho's they are about £120 cheaper for the set. Now I know the mini doesn't have a spare, but I am wondering if AA membership and my tried and tested 'slime and air pump' that I've used on bikes and cars for 11 years would serve the same purpose? It's all I'm afraid down to money here. But I am noticing a lot of folks that change from RunFlats to normal as a general port of call. However when I said about using non RunFlats, he said that the suspension wouldn't work correctly as it is designed for the stiff side walls and that it may be dangerous in corners.
Again over to you lot for some help please.
Also, I know cheeky, but help me ASAP as I have until the 11th to get this sorted out, as on the 12th the car is going back up to Emma. I have a bloody OU exam on Friday
boooo hisssss
) However, when looking. At none RunFlat Kumho's they are about £120 cheaper for the set. Now I know the mini doesn't have a spare, but I am wondering if AA membership and my tried and tested 'slime and air pump' that I've used on bikes and cars for 11 years would serve the same purpose? It's all I'm afraid down to money here. But I am noticing a lot of folks that change from RunFlats to normal as a general port of call. However when I said about using non RunFlats, he said that the suspension wouldn't work correctly as it is designed for the stiff side walls and that it may be dangerous in corners.
Again over to you lot for some help please.
Also, I know cheeky, but help me ASAP as I have until the 11th to get this sorted out, as on the 12th the car is going back up to Emma. I have a bloody OU exam on Friday
boooo hisssssA little can of worms opened
Here is my personal experience with an R56 Cooper S and R53 Cooper S.
Changing from run flats (RF) to non run flats (NRF) is not dangerous. NRFs are the preference on PH primarily becuase the ride comfort improves, grip increases and cost is lower. I have recently changed from RFs and NRFs and the good points are definitely there....
However, i was a little disappointed that the handling finesse and feedback is slightly muted now.
For your purposes, I would say NRF would be fine, but someone will probably disagree.
HTH
Mike
Here is my personal experience with an R56 Cooper S and R53 Cooper S.
Changing from run flats (RF) to non run flats (NRF) is not dangerous. NRFs are the preference on PH primarily becuase the ride comfort improves, grip increases and cost is lower. I have recently changed from RFs and NRFs and the good points are definitely there....
However, i was a little disappointed that the handling finesse and feedback is slightly muted now.
For your purposes, I would say NRF would be fine, but someone will probably disagree.
HTH
Mike
Couldn't you swap the wheels around (you may have to have a tyre turned on the rim to get the correct directional rotation) so that you have 2 summer tyres on one axle and two winter tyres on the other axle, then you'd only need to buy 1 pair of tyres to make a full set of summer or winter tyres.
I changed from Dunlop SP Sport RFs to Yokohama S Drive NRFs and the difference it has made to the car is fantastic. The car always felt nervous and uncompliant previously but now as well as an improved ride it feels so much better in the twisties.
As long as you get an extra load rated tyre (stiffer sidewall) you shouldn't notice much detriment due to the tyre being less stiff.
As long as you get an extra load rated tyre (stiffer sidewall) you shouldn't notice much detriment due to the tyre being less stiff.
Fantastic guys thank you all for your input, ok so I think I shall be going down the NRF route.
I'm afraid I can't swap the two summer and two winters due to none being the same brand or even the same tread, I get the feeling that doing so would still leave me in the same predicament I am already in. I may keep the two winters and stick on if Em fancies driving in the snow, but really I've put my 10p in and said to give it a miss till she has more years driving under her belt.
I thought the ride was ridiculous due to serious suspension, but by the sounds of things it's the tyres. Ok, so next question, as NRF, what would you recommend as brand and tyre??
The price I already had for RF was £360 so if any one can suggest a good tyre that will perform well and be cheaper I will add you to my Christmas card list!
Cheers guys
Olly
I'm afraid I can't swap the two summer and two winters due to none being the same brand or even the same tread, I get the feeling that doing so would still leave me in the same predicament I am already in. I may keep the two winters and stick on if Em fancies driving in the snow, but really I've put my 10p in and said to give it a miss till she has more years driving under her belt.
I thought the ride was ridiculous due to serious suspension, but by the sounds of things it's the tyres. Ok, so next question, as NRF, what would you recommend as brand and tyre??
The price I already had for RF was £360 so if any one can suggest a good tyre that will perform well and be cheaper I will add you to my Christmas card list!
Cheers guys
Olly
I've been keeping a look out for another set of wheels with. View to these as winter ones (add extra winter tyres) but I've not seen anything and again, the main issue is I've not got the funds now to really go that far, if honest I'm draining the barrel to look at any tyres but I'd prefer to be broke than the thought of Em having an accident because I couldn't afford a safety item.
I love you rebelliousness
I love you rebelliousness
Hi Olly,
I don't know if this is correct or not, but i suspect that if the garage sold you the car with tyres or different brands/treads/winter/summer mixture, that they are selling you a car that is not road worthy or safe, and that it would maybe be an MOT failure...therefore unsafe......that to do so knowingly would be a breach under the sales of goods act. it might be a good idea to ask this on the "legal" section, and to contact your CAB office locally, but in the first instance go back to the garage and aks them if they would like to put the car "right", and write down the exact reply should they refuse or be offensive. But, also tell them resonably what outcome you think is fair! and see where you go......if your mate had not spotted this, and you have obviously missed this then the potential for a seroius accident could have been there should an emergency stop situation developed, and some one was hurt/killed....one of the first things plod would do would be checking the tyres and pressures of the vehicles concerned......and the result would be brown and not smelling too good for your better half!
I don't think folk care too much about tyres, but the best bet is to buy the best you can afford, if one gets low, I always change both on same axle....I want best grip both sides of car, it's no use having 2mm one side and 7-8mm the other side in an emergency. you only have 4 bits of rubber between you and the road the size of a large envelope, they have to right and decent quality, especially at this time of the year when the leaves fall, turn to a mush, and can help cause skidding if you don't get it right!
good luck
I don't know if this is correct or not, but i suspect that if the garage sold you the car with tyres or different brands/treads/winter/summer mixture, that they are selling you a car that is not road worthy or safe, and that it would maybe be an MOT failure...therefore unsafe......that to do so knowingly would be a breach under the sales of goods act. it might be a good idea to ask this on the "legal" section, and to contact your CAB office locally, but in the first instance go back to the garage and aks them if they would like to put the car "right", and write down the exact reply should they refuse or be offensive. But, also tell them resonably what outcome you think is fair! and see where you go......if your mate had not spotted this, and you have obviously missed this then the potential for a seroius accident could have been there should an emergency stop situation developed, and some one was hurt/killed....one of the first things plod would do would be checking the tyres and pressures of the vehicles concerned......and the result would be brown and not smelling too good for your better half!
I don't think folk care too much about tyres, but the best bet is to buy the best you can afford, if one gets low, I always change both on same axle....I want best grip both sides of car, it's no use having 2mm one side and 7-8mm the other side in an emergency. you only have 4 bits of rubber between you and the road the size of a large envelope, they have to right and decent quality, especially at this time of the year when the leaves fall, turn to a mush, and can help cause skidding if you don't get it right!
good luck
watchnut said:
I don't know if this is correct or not, but i suspect that if the garage sold you the car with tyres or different brands/treads/winter/summer mixture, that they are selling you a car that is not road worthy or safe, and that it would maybe be an MOT failure...therefore unsafe......that to do so knowingly would be a breach under the sales of goods act.
Not a good idea to mix winter/summer and different tyres on each wheel, no. Behaviour in extreme conditions will be affected, but unsafe? Dangerous? MOT failure? No.For the MOT they only have to be the same size (ratio, diameter etc) on each axle and type (i.e. Radial, cross-ply or bias-belted - not relevant here).
Hey folks,
Sorry for late reply I have been studying for an OU exam, now that's out the way I am going to do a full write up on the Coop' with some pics, so keep an eye out.
With regards the tyres and the garage, I had a major fall out with them at the beginning of my ownership and would not have it back to them now that the car is sorted and I've tinkered with it. As such, paying the £280 for 4 brand new Hankook tyres was worth it as I knew they were new and not some part worns (which is what the garage had done in the first place) that were just thrown on.
Anyway, I've paid and I got what I wanted, so I'm happy and I know Em will be safe, which is the main thing.
So, a wee Olly review, WOW! I love these tyres, they've transformed the ride, it's so much quieter and comfier. The car now feel stable and less erratic, she always felt nervous, as described in an above reposne. But now she feels planted and very smooth, also hitting a pothole or undulation or worse a feather laying on the road, I don't feel like my teeth are about to fall out and my spine shatters into a million pieces. The ride before was awful, however, I was running 4 tyres of differing tread depth and pattern, so I am unsure if 4 matching RF's would have been better. The Hankooks are fab though and give a vry positive ride, I also always had the car pegged as needing to be tracked again, because she kept hauling left, now the tyres a on she is straight as a die, so that's a nice side effect. All in all, I am very pleased I went new, I have to hold my hands up and say this is the first time I've ever bought new tyres as I normally bought new alloys or part worns etc, but this actually feels like a Sensible purchase and given it is for Em I am less inclined to scrimp on the needed parts.
Which leads on to my next thread on changing discs and pads.....
Sorry for late reply I have been studying for an OU exam, now that's out the way I am going to do a full write up on the Coop' with some pics, so keep an eye out.
With regards the tyres and the garage, I had a major fall out with them at the beginning of my ownership and would not have it back to them now that the car is sorted and I've tinkered with it. As such, paying the £280 for 4 brand new Hankook tyres was worth it as I knew they were new and not some part worns (which is what the garage had done in the first place) that were just thrown on.
Anyway, I've paid and I got what I wanted, so I'm happy and I know Em will be safe, which is the main thing.
So, a wee Olly review, WOW! I love these tyres, they've transformed the ride, it's so much quieter and comfier. The car now feel stable and less erratic, she always felt nervous, as described in an above reposne. But now she feels planted and very smooth, also hitting a pothole or undulation or worse a feather laying on the road, I don't feel like my teeth are about to fall out and my spine shatters into a million pieces. The ride before was awful, however, I was running 4 tyres of differing tread depth and pattern, so I am unsure if 4 matching RF's would have been better. The Hankooks are fab though and give a vry positive ride, I also always had the car pegged as needing to be tracked again, because she kept hauling left, now the tyres a on she is straight as a die, so that's a nice side effect. All in all, I am very pleased I went new, I have to hold my hands up and say this is the first time I've ever bought new tyres as I normally bought new alloys or part worns etc, but this actually feels like a Sensible purchase and given it is for Em I am less inclined to scrimp on the needed parts.
Which leads on to my next thread on changing discs and pads.....
rev-erend said:
Is it possible to fit non run flat tyres to mini run flat rims ?
Yes and the runflats were/are an option.The missus just picked up a Cooper S for the winter. There was only 11k on the car and the original run flats were starting to crack on the side walls after 7 years.
So she fitted a set of Marangoni tyres for around £250.
The difference in ride and handling is very much improved.
Some tyre places will tell you the car is set up for runflats it isn't. It was an option just like the way runflats are an option on a M135i.
Tyre pressures however may be different.
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