paulmw
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posted on 12/11/08 at 11:55 AM |
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Run Flats
I have a 5 series with run flats. I replaced the rears with normal tyres and have had no problems (and a can of foam)
This morning I got a puncture in the front (which are run flats). Option 1 was to get one new run flat (£250) or replace both fronts with good normal
ones for £180. Guess whats being fitted tomorrow.
The point is I hate run flats. Whats peoples opinion on safety, costs etc on both options
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Humbug
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posted on 12/11/08 at 11:58 AM |
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I can only talk for BMW runflats - SWMBO used to work as a service receptionist for a BMW dealer and people were always complaining about runflats -
noisy, harsh ride and expensive. Most people replaced them with "normals" as soon as they could.
Also, the woman who lives across the road has had a couple of BMWs. When she bought the last one she got them to change the tyres before she would buy
it!
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Mr Whippy
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posted on 12/11/08 at 12:01 PM |
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Don’t they keep spare wheels in cars these days?!
If I had to drive on a long journey in bad weather I know what I'd rather have. Space savers too, what a waste of time they are, can't
believe they are still legal
Then again going by the standard we’ve seen recently of modern car jacks you might stand more chance of staying alive with a weird flat tyre
last time I had a puncture it was off a cracked curb and there was a 2 inch chunk taken out the sidewall. Would runflat tyres still let me keep going?
[Edited on 12/11/08 by Mr Whippy]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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adithorp
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posted on 12/11/08 at 12:05 PM |
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Haven't met anybody who liked them. Did have customer who wouldn't do anything about a puncture because "Its got run
flats"!!!
adrian
"A witty saying proves nothing" Voltaire
http://jpsc.org.uk/forum/
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trogdor
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posted on 12/11/08 at 12:18 PM |
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I must admit If my wife was driving on her own and she had a puncture i deffo wouldn't let her change the tyre. Those jacks are dangerous!
Was once changing a tyre on the M6 Toll on my parents 405 and the jack collasped. Luckily i was holding a wheel over the brake drum at the time so the
drum hit the wheel and i quickly jacked it back up again. Would never trust one
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andyharding
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posted on 12/11/08 at 12:22 PM |
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I have run flats on my Z4. Contrary to what BMW will tell you it is possible to repair a puncture so long as the tyre hasn't been driven flat
which damages the side walls. I had a slow puncture and kept pumping it up until I could get to a garage and have a repair done. 1000s miles later and
no problems and it's been up to 155Mph (off road of course) since the puncture was done.
Are you a Mac user or a retard?
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flak monkey
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posted on 12/11/08 at 12:33 PM |
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My Cooper S has run flats, they arent too bad, but they do cause tramlining and they dont grip quite as well because they dont have any sidewall
flex.
Certainly wouldnt fit them by choice, but the minis got 4 nearly new ones on...
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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Jubal
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posted on 12/11/08 at 12:38 PM |
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I had run flats on my 5 series and ditched them for standard tyres. I did notice more sidewall flex when pressing on but the 5 is hardly a sports car
anyway. I have a spare so it was a no brainer for me.
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oldtimer
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posted on 12/11/08 at 03:17 PM |
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I thought most tyre puncture repairs were considered a weakness? 155 mph?... I could be wrong.
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andyharding
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posted on 12/11/08 at 05:05 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by oldtimer
I thought most tyre puncture repairs were considered a weakness? 155 mph?... I could be wrong.
The repair is vulcanised so the tyre loses no strength as long as none of the internal webbing is damaged. In my case it was a small screw
mid-tread.
When the limiter cuts in...
Are you a Mac user or a retard?
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johnston
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posted on 12/11/08 at 05:47 PM |
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I always thought it strange one of the biggest most hard pushed bits advice from ANY book or course dealing with working on cars is always to use an
axle stand and thats even when using a proper jack..
BUT the dealers get away with giving you a pishy wee thing that looks like an over grown tin opener, how do they get away with it.
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Richard Quinn
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posted on 12/11/08 at 07:11 PM |
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I find my run-flats to be ok. Must just be me?!?
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JUD
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posted on 12/11/08 at 09:26 PM |
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Auto Express car mag did a test on a 3 series and found changing to normal tyres from run flats increased the breaking distance. Something to do with
side wall flex confusing the ABS or something.
---------------------
MK Indy Blade
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bigbaz
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posted on 28/3/09 at 02:58 PM |
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run flat
hi mate i work for a tyer company and yes run flats are expensive but if you put gunge or that tyer fome in the tyers not meny pepole will fix a
puncher in them i no my place wont
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jlparsons
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posted on 30/3/09 at 04:06 PM |
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Nobody's mentioned the safety issue... i've heard they're safer as far as blow-outs are concerned as you're less likely to
suddenly have no tyre at all at 80mph. I have no proof of this but it sounds sensible...?
For this reason I've not changed them on my 320d, plus I'm happy with the ride and noise levels. I have noticed a bit of tramlining
though, particularly when the tyres are getting a bit old.
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hughpinder
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posted on 12/5/09 at 04:46 PM |
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Just been speaking to someone at work who has a 320 with run flats, which his wife usually drives. He used it to come in today, got 50 yards from the
house and thought the car was pulling to one side- got out and found one front tyre completely flat. When he asked his missus how long the cars been
pulling to one side she said a couple of weeks!! About 6 weeks ago, one of my wife friends came to visit us in her mini with runflats and said the car
had been making a thumping noise for a couple of days, so I was tasked to look at it. Again a front tyre completely shreaded - flaps of rubber
striking the body was the noise! She'd driven from lincoln to Coventry the day before with the noise and was 'meaning to get it looked
at'. Needless to say the tyre and wheel were both knackered and she was shocked that I wouldn't let her drive off get it fixed!
I wonder how it affects average safety with people driving around like this?
Hugh
[Edited on 12/5/09 by hughpinder]
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JUD
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posted on 12/5/09 at 05:41 PM |
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Sounds like Darwin potential to me...
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MK Indy Blade
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MikeRJ
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posted on 8/6/09 at 01:05 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by johnston
BUT the dealers get away with giving you a pishy wee thing that looks like an over grown tin opener, how do they get away with it.
Hehe, that's a great description
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iank
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posted on 8/6/09 at 02:43 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by Mr Whippy
If I had to drive on a long journey in bad weather I know what I'd rather have. Space savers too, what a waste of time they are, can't
believe they are still legal
I was overtaken a few months back by a punto (I think) with a space-saver on the front doing well over 90mph.
Utter madness, they're only supposed to do 50mph tops IIRC and then only to the nearest tyre dealer.
Don't get me started on the jacks made from coathangers and plastic nuts. Death traps for anyone stupid enough to get under a car supported by
one.
[Edited on 8/6/09 by iank]
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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jossey
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posted on 24/6/10 at 03:33 PM |
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i have a 525d without run flats.
i had runflats for alot of years and thought they was the best thing ever. then i got a few punctures and at the time they would not repair them due
to euro laws.
anyway so i moved away from them.
i use my car for 1000 miles a week so its important to keep costs down.
i moved away from runflats and i havent looked back.
i have tried tons of tires to find good ones and then to get cheap ones.
i currently have the sunnew cheap tires.
£45 per tire. which are really good. not the best in the wet but i have took them on the track at cadwell and they handle well.
dont get me wrong they aint as good as the old goodyear sp1 non run flats i had but not a million miles off.
i would get them again cos they have lasted 27k miles and still have 4mm at front and 3 at back.
and i drive well lets say sensible but not slow.
my bmw is chipped too so blasts out over 200bhp and apart from hitting some ice they aint let me down.
i also went and bought a cheap spacer for the boot for £ 30.
david j
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Ninehigh
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posted on 24/6/10 at 08:37 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by iank
quote: Originally posted by Mr Whippy
If I had to drive on a long journey in bad weather I know what I'd rather have. Space savers too, what a waste of time they are, can't
believe they are still legal
I was overtaken a few months back by a punto (I think) with a space-saver on the front doing well over 90mph.
Utter madness, they're only supposed to do 50mph tops IIRC and then only to the nearest tyre dealer.
Don't get me started on the jacks made from coathangers and plastic nuts. Death traps for anyone stupid enough to get under a car supported by
one.
[Edited on 8/6/09 by iank]
They're usually 30 or 50mph for a maximum of 50 miles. Oh and if you exceed this and have an accident you're gonna get bent over..
I'm sure there's a speed and distance limit to using those runflats while punctured
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tombstone
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posted on 19/9/10 at 01:33 PM |
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Pirelli and Bridgestone both say you shold NOT repair a run flat, but most sensible tyre place will do a plug'n'patch type repair, but you
should never repair a W,Y or Z rated tyre, as it will never be a speed rated repair! I have repaired many tyres over the years, and as long as
it's done correctly, would never usually be a problem, I wouldn't drive over 130mph for sustained periods for long with a repaired tyre
though...never know how the tyre was affected when it was damaged!
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MikeR
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posted on 19/9/10 at 02:18 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by iank
[
Don't get me started on the jacks made from coathangers and plastic nuts. Death traps for anyone stupid enough to get under a car supported by
one.
[Edited on 8/6/09 by iank]
My dad taught me something when i first started to help him on our mini a good few years ago. Always put the tyre under the car. Means you've
got something for the car to fall upon instead of you. We'd even leave it in with the axle stands in place if we could.
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steven
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posted on 3/5/11 at 07:08 PM |
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I have run flats on my 1 series and think they're ok. I wouldn't fit them by choice but I value what limited boot space the 1 series has
and wouldn't want a spare wheel or gup/compressor taking up more space.
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SeanStone
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posted on 19/7/11 at 06:10 PM |
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My friend has a mini on run flats and pays £5 or £10 tyre insurance per month. If there is a blowout, the excess is £10 and if they're getting a
little too close to the legal limit then a well placed nail will get you a new tyre for the cost of £10 excess
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