Runflats.... yes or no?...and if no. Not without a spare in the boot..

Discussion in 'General chat' started by a.s.uk, May 22, 2019.

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  1. a.s.uk
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    a.s.uk WARLORD

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    Had this on the way to work....
    The wheels have had it anyway... need a full review..so chose to do 40 miles on the way home on a totally flat tyre..!! Maybe mad... but thought I’d do some research of my own...
    at work it was clear there was no way it was gonna hold pressure despite many offers from colleagues of the squirty stuff... some of which guys had had for 10 years or more...
    So I just thought... you know what... the roads home are ok ish... let’s see what happens... stuck to around 45 mph max... was slight knocking by the time I got home and the side walls were almost untouchable due heat... but it did it... I had an old Dunlop runflat in the garage and the next afternoon £10 later we were back up to full speed[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG] again...
    Madness .? Maybe... if all had gone belly up... I have 4 knackered winter wheels and tyre combos at home... so maybe not such a risk ... but if the tyre had let go trans Pennines... it could have been more awkward.. but it was 5 in the morning..
    Now there is 1 x winter wheel in the boot with everything I need to change it... or an rac man in my wife’s case...
    Just thought you guys may appreciate the info...
    Regds
    Al
    IMG_0015.jpg


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    a.s.uk, May 22, 2019
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  2. a.s.uk
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    a.s.uk WARLORD

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    Just re-read my post... the hole is in a runflat btw...... I want to get rid of them... but they’ve saved my wife once before.... with a nail in the tyre... not totally flat that time...
    So it’s a contentious issue.. between me and my wife...


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    a.s.uk, May 22, 2019
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  3. bishbosh
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    bishbosh WARLORD

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    Was this on the 640 Al?

    When I bought my car it had Bridgestone RFTs on the rear - one tyre needing to be replaced, the other at 4mm. The fronts had non RFT Hankooks on with about 6-6.5mm tread.
    In the end I bought some new Hankook non RFTs for the rears in the same type in order not to ditch two perfectly fine front tyres. Overall difference front to back being about 1mm.

    When the time comes to change all 4 then I'll decide if I go back to RFTs or continue on more pliant non RFTs.

    Obviously you don't need to worry about xdrive.

    I know when I had a blow out a couple of summers ago a can of squirty goo wouldn't have got me back on the road as the blow out was in the sidewall.
    So, I suppose it comes down to a spare and/or breakdown cover. Plus a can of squirty goo for punctures.
     
    bishbosh, May 22, 2019
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  4. a.s.uk
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    a.s.uk WARLORD

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    Yes Dave... on the 640d
    Occasionally I get to go to work in it...


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    a.s.uk, May 22, 2019
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  5. snrbrtsn
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    snrbrtsn WARLORD Site Supporter

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    wow!

    Fortunate ride home!

    I’m in the Yes camp
    Currently on MO rated Pirreli Scorpion Verde all seasons and they provide a silky smooth ride
    However I do miss the reassurance of carrying a spare!
     
    snrbrtsn, May 22, 2019
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  6. Kev2005
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    Kev2005 WARLORD Site Supporter Good Egg

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    if you stay runflat, maybe have a look at Goodyear runflats? I had some on my 320D ED and i only had 1 repair done and the tyres were the original tyres which i sold on at approx 30k miles and still have probably another year or two to go before due to be replaced, they were above the BMW 3mm all over. Current bridgestones i have now i'm not keen on, at times steering wheel goes very very light almost as if no contact to the ground, so if i still have the car when these are due replacing, i'm definitely going to switch but remain with run flats as i like the comfort/knowledge that if i do get a puncture, i can keep driving and stop at a garage to repair rather than get out & change etc.

    Kev
     
    Kev2005, May 22, 2019
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  7. edthefed
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    edthefed

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    Both my 5 series and the wife's X1 are on run flats.

    I also have a space saver in the boot, she just has an inflation kit.

    If we are going long distance , or overnight or time critical eg airport etc we normally use my car owing to the added security that even if a runfoat blows we can keep going on the space saver.

    Otherwise we use the X1
     
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    edthefed, May 22, 2019
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  8. a.s.uk
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    a.s.uk WARLORD

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    Good plan
    My spare is now also in the boot...
    I just wanted to put some folks minds to rest.... plus my own....
    I’ve tested it out and it does work.... even with a sidewall that’s virtually none existent in size...


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    a.s.uk, May 22, 2019
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  9. Mieke
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    Mieke WARLORD Site Supporter

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    I've never had runflats before, but have been really impressed with the Pirelli P Zero's on my F30. They have excellent grip in wet and dry and look to give good mileage (estimate 30k). Last Easter I got an instant deflation when the tyre was gashed on the edge of a pothole. We were on a narrow twisty coast road in SW Scotland. It would have been dangerous to stop where it happened - narrow and lots of blind bends. The runflats allowed us to carry on for another half mile where it was safe to park, and I called out BMW ES who arrived in 20 minutes to transport the car to the local dealer.

    There's insufficient space in the boot for a spare, and I would not want to rely on a repair kit, for reasons above.
     
    Mieke, May 22, 2019
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  10. mach one
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    mach one WARLORD

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    if you can spare five minutes of your life then have a look at that video, it might be a few years old now but for me it is a no brainer and i will be sticking with run-flats, Tiff took that car up to 100 mph with four flat tyres and the car was still manageable, you would never be able to drive a car with four fully flat normal tyres 10mph for very long let alone get t up to 100 mph
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2019
    mach one, May 22, 2019
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  11. mach one
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    mach one WARLORD

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    I am sure we had a member on the old land that drove a car on a fully flat run flat for well over 100 miles at 50 mph

    they were away the weekend and suffered a puncture on a Sunday afternoon and had to get home that night, with no chance of getting a new tyre fitted they took a chance and headed for home with the BMW recovery card to hand just in case it all went horribly wrong he stopped on a regular basis to see how the tyre was holding up and whilst the tyre and he was amazed that the tyre was still on the rim and it got him home

    run flats may not be the perfect tyre but will be keeping them on my car for the safety and convenience alone
     
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    mach one, May 22, 2019
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  12. mach one
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    mach one WARLORD

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    another video that just makes me want to stay with run-flats
     
    mach one, May 22, 2019
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  13. a.s.uk
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    a.s.uk WARLORD

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    Great video which I haven’t seen....
    Makes my test look a bit ‘weak willed’.....


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    a.s.uk, May 22, 2019
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  14. mach one
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    mach one WARLORD

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    as it is your wife that seems to be the man driver of the car i would say stay with run-flats, your 40 miles on a run-flat was a good test and it is great to read peoples first hand experience of how well a run-flat will hold up in the real world

    the sidewall of your tyre looks looks bad on the inside when you removed it but it did the job and got you home
     
    mach one, May 22, 2019
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  15. Singvogel
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    Singvogel Staff Member Moderator WARLORD Site Supporter

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    Having weighed up the pros and cons and having experienced five or six punctures in the last 10 years/200K miles or so, I'm another who has absolutely no plans to give up the runflats.

    As well as the peace of mind it gives us if/when Mrs S is alone in the car, the extra safety they give if one suffers a puncture on the motorway is very important to us.

    We have had both situations and without runflats we would have been in a high risk situation.

    Mrs S just simply cannot lift or manoeuvre a front wheel, never mind the heavier rear one - so even if the tyre is destroyed by driving on I'd rather have that than any unsafe attempt at changing it by the roadside, with the help of a passer-by.

    Waiting for roadside assistance services can mean waiting hours in some places.

    I also wouldn't like to change an offside wheel at the side of a motorway - although it's certainly not illegal to do so, despite what some folks say.

    If you drop the speed immediately and leave at the next exit or stop at the next services, the run-flats is highly likely to be repairable - although you'll struggle to get a UK tyre fitter to accept that.

    I've had a run-flat successfully repaired in Germany where they are exceptionally picky about inspecting any tyre before repairing it - usually with a mushroom-headed plug, or a bigger patch heat vulcanised on the inside.

    My first experience of run-flats on BMWs was with Bridgestone Potenzas, but unlike many others I didn't replace them with ordinary/conventional tyres - I chose another brand of run-flats (Continental) and obtained an immediate improvement in less noise, better handling and feed-back, not to mention a lower wear rate.

    However I think almost any brand of run-flat other than Bridgestones would be barely discernible from conventional tyres - 3% stiffer sidewalls they say these days.

    I do also carry a spacesaver and an inflation kit, as well as an aerosol type can of latex-like stuff as well - 'old-school belt and braces' guy me.
     
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    Singvogel, May 23, 2019
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  16. Kev2005
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    Kev2005 WARLORD Site Supporter Good Egg

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    i have the Bridgestone Potenzas on my car currently and certainly not keen on them but as they were virtually new on the car when i got it, i just couldn't justify paying for 4 new tyres so I've lived with them. They had got a bit better since wearing in, not as much loose steering feel as if the front isn't touching the road. I believe my tyres are now around 4-5mm all round i think from my last health check so i suspect another year or two before they are at the 3mm and when BMW suggest changing them. I had Goodyear efficient-grip on my last 320D ED and those tyres were fine and lasted me till i changed the car at approx 30k (almost 5 years old) and i suspect would have got to around 40k miles, maybe a bit more before needing to change. Never had continental run flats, i'll have to compare nearer the time if i still have the car.

    Kev
     
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    Kev2005, May 23, 2019
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  17. Ers51
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    Ers51

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    Got to be runflats ,came all the way from Lancaster to Glasgow on a totally flat run flat....valve had almost totally sheared off.
     
    Ers51, May 23, 2019
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  18. Singvogel
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    Singvogel Staff Member Moderator WARLORD Site Supporter

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    My rear tyres - ContiSportContact 5s - have done 36500 miles to date and have just under 4mm on them - I'll be replacing them when they reach 2.5 to 3mm tread-depth - likely around 40K

    I'm very happy with that and will be replacing them with similar ones.

    My grandson on the other is about to replace the rear tyres on his M2 - they are worn to nearly the legal limit - after 8K miles.

    I never use kick-down to overtake, very rarely brake hard but do high speed longish journeys. :whistling:

    But my grandson ..................................???????? :eek:

    He's a young lad and I can remember when I was ........................ :D :LOL:
     
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    Singvogel, May 23, 2019
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  19. Mieke
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    Mieke WARLORD Site Supporter

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    Sounds as though he drives like my daughter. When I've been in the passenger seat, I've found myself pressing a non existent brake pedal when zooming up to roundabouts, junctions etc.

    I tried to explain the benefits of anticipation, and taking the right foot off the throttle a little sooner - but it fell on deaf ears. :whistle:
     
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    Mieke, May 23, 2019
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  20. Kev2005
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    Kev2005 WARLORD Site Supporter Good Egg

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    nice, my car has done just over 19k and is between 4-5mm i think all round. So Bridgestones not wearing as well as the Goodyear ones on my previous car and i'm doing the same type of journeys i.e mostly motorway. I also seldom kick down, only on a very very rare occasion, thin i've only done it twice since I've had the car. I don't brake hard either unless i'm forced to, hence the car has increased to 41k rear and 50k miles left on the brakes since i got it, and its basically not moved at all int he last year so i can only presume the previous owner was braking harder but the garages says still 8mm left on the pads all the way round. Will certainly consider the conti's if i still have the car in 2 years time when i suspect they will be needing to be replaced.

    Kev
     
    Kev2005, May 23, 2019
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