Just ditched my run flats - Happy
Discussion
We have a 2006 330i with 225/45/17 and 255/40/17 at the rear. It was running on Pirelli Eurforia (I think thats what they are called). It was tramling and very noisy and skipped around on bumps etc. Some of this could be down to two things
1) rear tyres were worn to near limits
2) one front tyre was found to have a damaged bead (looked like someone had really struggled to fit it and damaged the tyre)
I have replaced all four with a new Brigdestone Adrenalin Potenza RE001. Not sure if this is available in EU but commonly available in the Middle East.
Observations so far.
1) They were half the price of run flats!
2) At speed, the ride feels similar to run flats but at low speed town driving its less jolty (but not as much as I I expected).
3) They are much much quieter
4) No more tramlining!
5) The steering is lighter and turn in is the same in terms of feel
6) Over in the middle east, instead of having white lines between lanes, they use a row of metal relflect rumble strips. Crossing these lines would upset the car massively, with it skipping and shaking its way across the lanes and tramlining in the process. Not with the new tryes! Its massivly improved and feels like any normal car
Add to this that the tyres do not need to be scrapped if they have a puncture (no one will repair runflats here). This really causes problems when a tyre is half worn as you invariably need to replace both on the same axle.
It feels to me like replacing the runflats to normal tyres is a no brainer. And as the cars get older, owners will not be able to afford run flats and so this will happen anyway.
The only real issue is what happens when I do eventually get a puncture...working through the options on this...
1) rear tyres were worn to near limits
2) one front tyre was found to have a damaged bead (looked like someone had really struggled to fit it and damaged the tyre)
I have replaced all four with a new Brigdestone Adrenalin Potenza RE001. Not sure if this is available in EU but commonly available in the Middle East.
Observations so far.
1) They were half the price of run flats!
2) At speed, the ride feels similar to run flats but at low speed town driving its less jolty (but not as much as I I expected).
3) They are much much quieter
4) No more tramlining!
5) The steering is lighter and turn in is the same in terms of feel
6) Over in the middle east, instead of having white lines between lanes, they use a row of metal relflect rumble strips. Crossing these lines would upset the car massively, with it skipping and shaking its way across the lanes and tramlining in the process. Not with the new tryes! Its massivly improved and feels like any normal car
Add to this that the tyres do not need to be scrapped if they have a puncture (no one will repair runflats here). This really causes problems when a tyre is half worn as you invariably need to replace both on the same axle.
It feels to me like replacing the runflats to normal tyres is a no brainer. And as the cars get older, owners will not be able to afford run flats and so this will happen anyway.
The only real issue is what happens when I do eventually get a puncture...working through the options on this...
bazking69 said:
They would help, ie tow you to the nearest tyre centre, but you would receive a few choice words if you explained that you had done away with the run flats but not bothered to get some sort of puncture contingency plan in place.
It doesn't happen that often. I think the risk is worth it. "Choice words from the AA or similar" are the least of your worries when you get a puncture. If they are daft enough to give "choice words" to a paying customer, then they will be risking future business. They won't like it, but they'll just have to lump it.stew69 said:
lets see what happens when you get a flat,you should'nt put none run flat on run flat wheels the design of the rim is different.
Because they are square. The E87 comes with optional run-flat tyres on the lower variants....i.e. the same wheels are fitted with either ordinary or run-flat tyres.stew69 said:
lets see what happens when you get a flat,you should'nt put none run flat on run flat wheels the design of the rim is different.
Stew, you are absolutely wrong.The rim has an extended safety hump but so do many others. As long as you are aware of this when fitting it isn't a problem. In any case it is less of an issue than the asymetric humps that BMW have used for years.
After 3 sets of Conti and Mich RFTs I recently fitted a set of Avon non RFTs to my 3 series. The ride is of course better and the handling certainly no worse. Just remember to advise your insurer if you make the change. they probably won't be too interested but they need to be advised, just in case.
I now carry a 12V compressor and an externally applied repair plug kit , so given that the TPMS should give me early warning, I can probably get home with any injury that an RFT would have allowed.
I used be an advocate of the RFT, but as time has gone on I have failed to be convinced about their merits.
Watch for BMW making them optional across the range in the next few years.
Edited by DSM2 on Monday 27th July 11:42
Dave^ said:
i think it's only an issue if you try fitting runflats to 'normal' rims....
Not really. the tyre will fit but there is less of a safety margin, once the tyre starts to break up, because of the narrower hump on a 'normal' rim. Within the recognised limits of using an RFT, i.e. 50 miles at 50mph, or thereabouts, there is no problem. and there is certainly no problem whilst they are still fully inflated.
The issue with fitting RFTs to a car not designed for them is that you will probably not have TPMS and may well be unaware when you have a puncture.
Edited by DSM2 on Monday 27th July 11:42
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