The great run flat tyre debate.

[smashy]

ExVantagemech.. said:

As for the blowout issue, my 17's have Bridgestone RFTs and Ive lost count the number of punctures Ive picked up and ran on before the warning came up on the dash.
The RFTs are crashy, harsh and tramline so badly when 75% worn that the car is almost dangerous on some overbanded repairs.
So much so my wife will only drive the car if its in the 16" winters ( Uniroyal m&s non rft)
I have to say the ride truly is night and day - but not all of it good. The tyres on it now roll and squirm when pushed, yet the RFTs felt planted on high speed corners. Ive just got a set of staggered 18's which again have RFTs but im undecided as to run them as is or fit some rainsports.
Id rather risk a high speed blowout than suffer the constant fidgeting and go-kart style correction required from the Bridgestones. Any day.

I now have goodyear eagle F1 asymetric runflats after 3 years of michelin sports normal. went back to Runflats as I may hand car back this year,.These are night and day better than any runflat ive had ,so much so I personally wouldnt bother changing back.

[soupdragon1]

Bumping a slightly old thread here but it was very useful for me as I needed to change tyres and this thread was very useful in helping make that decision.

Its a 2013 BMW X6 and its always been on Bridgestone Duellers RFT's with a staggered set up (315/35/20) rear an (275/40/20) on the front. So quite low profile as well as bloody expensive - £1.2k to replace all 4. The car is getting changed in April next year so was reluctant to fork out that money when I knew the non RFT's would be a lot cheaper. I've got a puncture kit in the boot just in case, as there is no spare wheel.

As mentioned in this thread, night and day difference - its like a different car - almost as if its had a an air suspension fitted (ok, maybe not THAT comfortable but in comparison to before, such a difference)

The X6 has always been a harsh ride due to the way its set up in both tyres and suspension. The non run flats have made the car SOOOO much more comfortable, miles better over poor road surfaces, pot holes, bumps etc and much quieter too.

Of course, there is the offset to that softer feel. Turn in seems a little less sharp, almost like a small hint of lag in the steering response. Only got the tyres on Wed so haven't really pushed them yet as I'm going to try and get a couple of hundred miles on them first. I'm not even sure if thats a 'thing' anyway, giving the tyres time to 'run in'?

The X6 has torque vectoring and on the RFT's, it would corner like its on rails to the extend it always felt it was defying the lays of physics when you consider its considerable bulk. Will test it out in due course to see how it compares to the non RFT's. Even though the sidewalls aren't re-inforced like a run flat, due to their low profile anyway, I'm hoping I won't have lost too much handling.

The gain on comfort and less noise is incredible though, really large difference. I was expecting a difference, but didn't think it would be so pronounced. Indeed, IMO, night and day difference. Not to say non RFT's are better - all depends on what sort of comfort/noise/performance balance you want from the tyre I suppose.

[soupdragon1]

Just thinking out loud - if you go from run flats to non run flat, do you still go for the same PSI inflation or should you adjust?

[Monty Python]

soupdragon1 said:

Just thinking out loud - if you go from run flats to non run flat, do you still go for the same PSI inflation or should you adjust?

I'd start with the recommended pressures and increase/decrease a few psi if necessary.

[jonfisheruk]

I'm going to move to non run-flat on my X3 2017 as the difference is massive in price. Sticking with the same tyre just the NRF version so I'll report back.

[hilly10]

hilly10 said:

I had F1s on my Z4 so had never ridden on RF I have since bought a 3 year old workhorse F11 with 17" RF, the ride is so hard and noisy I to an debating weather I go non RF.

I did change to Continental’s and was very pleased with them. This week I part exchanged the F11 and now have a G30 July 17 which is sublime, even the ride on the RF is better Pirelli P7’s Going to do a few sprinted drives before deciding it’s RF from now on

Paul

[michaelahealy]

I have had 2 test drives in a 2016 118i Auto M Sport. I love the car except for the ride which for me is hard and uncomfortable. As I am driving it I am tense and concentrating on imperfections in the road surface. It is on Contisportcontact runflats which are down to 3mm. I have also tried 118is in Sport and SE trim which had progressively softer rides but aesthetically I didn't like them

I am considering buying the M Sport car and changing to non runflats in the hope that it will transform the ride. Possibly going to non XL tyres as the XL presumably retains some of the stiffness and thus a firmer ride.

It is unlikely I will be bothered about a loss in high performance handling as I am more interested in comfort.

The alternative at the moment is an extremely good but extremely boring Golf - which I am not going to love.

I need some help here, please.

Edited by michaelahealy on Friday 22 November 09:12

[RobM77]

michaelahealy said:

I have had 2 test drives in a 2016 118i Auto M Sport. I love the car except for the ride which for me is hard and uncomfortable. As I am driving it I am tense and concentrating on imperfections in the road surface. It is on Contisportcontact runflats which are down to 3mm. I have also tried 118is in Sport and SE trim which had progressively softer rides but aesthetically I didn't like them

I am considering buying the M Sport car and changing to non runflats in the hope that it will transform the ride. Possibly going to non XL tyres as the XL presumably retains some of the stiffness and thus a firmer ride.

It is unlikely I will be bothered about a loss in high performance handling as I am more interested in comfort.

The alternative at the moment is an extremely good but extremely boring Golf - which I am not going to love.

I need some help here, please.

Edited by michaelahealy on Friday 22 November 09:12

A few years ago I compared a 120 SE to a 116 M Sport and loved the M Sport, but my wife and I both thought the SE's ride and handling was horrible. I'm mainly interested in handling, yes, but I do worry that after a few weeks of getting used to an SE car that you may feel the same way. Nevertheless, the reason for me posting is that it's not that uncommon for people to spec M Sport with SE suspension. When I was looking for my last car I found quite a few. You could look for one of those? BMW always list a car as such on their website ("M Sport suspension deletion" or words to that effect).

The other thing to look for is wheel size: M Sport usually comes with a couple of wheel size options; the key thing being that the rolling circumference stays the same, so the larger wheels have thinner sidewalls which give a worse ride.

My final suggestion is quite expensive (£1500-£2000), but should be mentioned: Birds do aftermarket suspension that delivers the handling of M Sport, but with a smoother ride. This is what I had on my last car. If you're not too bothered about handling though and on a budget then I'd suggest the money's better put into getting a newer or better spec of car.

[Swervin_Mervin]

michaelahealy said:

I have had 2 test drives in a 2016 118i Auto M Sport. I love the car except for the ride which for me is hard and uncomfortable. As I am driving it I am tense and concentrating on imperfections in the road surface. It is on Contisportcontact runflats which are down to 3mm. I have also tried 118is in Sport and SE trim which had progressively softer rides but aesthetically I didn't like them

I am considering buying the M Sport car and changing to non runflats in the hope that it will transform the ride. Possibly going to non XL tyres as the XL presumably retains some of the stiffness and thus a firmer ride.

It is unlikely I will be bothered about a loss in high performance handling as I am more interested in comfort.

The alternative at the moment is an extremely good but extremely boring Golf - which I am not going to love.

I need some help here, please.

Edited by michaelahealy on Friday 22 November 09:12

On RFTs with a fairly low tread the ride will be awful. You'd notice a big difference even just getting new RFTs, but they're less useful in the sense that once the treat gets below a certain level the ride becomes awful again. I'd just swap out to XL rated non-RFTs. It's what we did on our F20 125i - swapped all 4 tyres to XL rated Eagle F1 GSD3s. My wife was at the point of getting rid of the car she hated the ride that much, but utterly loved it once we'd swapped to non-RFT. Quieter, less crashy, less tramlining.

[michaelahealy]

Thanks Rob, The 118i that I have my eye on is on 18" alloys, and they are a part of the allure.

Your post is very encouraging Mervin, it would be great to get some more similar responses .

Edited by michaelahealy on Friday 22 November 14:35

[Pica-Pica]

michaelahealy said:

Thanks Rob, The 118i that I have my eye on is on 18" alloys, and they are a part of the allure.

Your post is very encouraging Mervin, it would be great to get some more similar responses .

Edited by michaelahealy on Friday 22 November 14:35

If the car you tested was down to 3mm, get them to put what tyres you want on. Don’t buy it and change the tyres yourself!

[michaelahealy]

BMW will not change the tyres unless they are below 3mm. And they would put runflats on again.

[Pica-Pica]

michaelahealy said:

BMW will not change the tyres unless they are below 3mm. And they would put runflats on again.

Do they want the sale? If they are selling cars with 3mm, discount the cost of four tyres.

[michaelahealy]

Can I please get some more opinions on the improvement I will see by changing to non runflats ?

And what tyres would people on here recommend ?

[hilly10]

hilly10 said:

I did change to Continental’s and was very pleased with them. This week I part exchanged the F11 and now have a G30 July 17 which is sublime, even the ride on the RF is better Pirelli P7’s Going to do a few sprinted drives before deciding it’s RF from now on

Paul

Took the runflats off last week, changed to Dunlop Sport Max RT2 very pleased ride is so much more supple

[RandomTask]

I've recently inherited a 2016 BMW 520d SE. The front tyres need changing badly and I thought I'd make the transition to non run flats and get Goodyear vector 4 seasons. It's on the standard Bridgestone Potenzas.

When I ordered them from blackcircles.com I received an email saying they highly recommended changing all 4 from run flat at once due to handling changes.

Anyone have any experience of just changing 2 initially before the back tyres wear out?

[VerySideways]

I always found runflats very poor on cold, wet, and/or bumpy surfaces.
I can't imagine having decent all seasons on one axle and crappy runflats on another axle, especially at this time of year, will do your handling any favours...

[mekondelta]

I went for a ride in a cooking spec Jag XF in non RFTs yesterday and I have to say the ride was worse than my X3 on 18s. I think if you’re on msport suspension then ditching rfts makes sense but if you’re on the SE suspension then RFTs are just fine. I used to have RFTs on my 118 with MSport suspension and that was horrible even on the 17s.

[anonymous-user]

mekondelta said:

I went for a ride in a cooking spec Jag XF in non RFTs yesterday and I have to say the ride was worse than my X3 on 18s. I think if you’re on msport suspension then ditching rfts makes sense but if you’re on the SE suspension then RFTs are just fine. I used to have RFTs on my 118 with MSport suspension and that was horrible even on the 17s.

I changed my 2014 530D Luxury with full comfort pack, 18” rims and adaptive drive for a 2018 XF Portfolio with adaptive suspension and 19” rims. The Jaguar is in a different league in steering, handling and ride, it’s so much better.

I was motivated to try the XF by what one of the motoring mags said about it:

“The XF has the 5 Series totally beaten for ride and handling. It’s more supple, compliant and quiet riding, both on the motorway and at B-road speeds, more progressively and deftly controlled in its vertical and lateral body movements, more agile and responsive through corners and much more tactile and communicative through its steering wheel.”

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 31st December 16:12

[mekondelta]

REALIST123 said:

I changed my 2014 530D Luxury with full comfort pack, 18” rims and adaptive drive for a 2018 XF Portfolio with adaptive suspension and 19” rims. The Jaguar is in a different league in steering, handling and ride, it’s so much better.

I was motivated to try the XF by what one of the motoring mags said about it:

“The XF has the 5 Series totally beaten for ride and handling. It’s more supple, compliant and quiet riding, both on the motorway and at B-road speeds, more progressively and deftly controlled in its vertical and lateral body movements, more agile and responsive through corners and much more tactile and communicative through its steering wheel.”

Edited by REALIST123 on Tuesday 31st December 16:12

Don’t doubt you, my ride was 15 mins through town so based purely on handling of low speed bumps and to me my X3 was better, I’m not sure what the spec was but am curious now!