Anyone switching out their run-flats at the dealer. I have a 2006 ragtop
and couldn't wait to get rid of the run-flats. My MA said they are different now and alot softer ride. Anyone know if that is true? I just put new rubber on my vertte and I'm thinking of swapping when my new Coupe comes in. I've been lucky and never had a flat. I carry a pump and green slime.

 

Run flats can be well over twice the cost of standard tires to replace. I will be putting the run flats from my newly leased coupe onto the R56 I'm turning in....and replacing them with 16" BF Goodrich g-Force a/s v rated Super Sports. The donut spare I keep in a blue canvas bag will transfer right into the boot of the coupe.

 

Good idea. There wasn't room for a donut in my ragtop but the new Coupe has a huge boot. Where did you get the donut. I live in Philly also. Thanks!

 

My Continental run flats are OK, the ride isn't harsh at all. When I'm due for new tires I will consider run flats again, if I can get them cheap enough.

Dave

 

Got the donut from Mini of the Main Line in '03. If you are interested in a custom bag with a handle, go to.....njbaglady.com.

 

The first thing I will do is switch out of the RF the day Ipick up my Roadster. My wife's Countryman is already getting noisy at 5k miles. I switched out of RF's on my now-totaled R56 and there is a world of difference. I just carry a slime kit and a cell.

 

The 2008 MCS I just bought came with standard tires (not run-flats). I was under the impression that you should not use any kind of fix-a-flat product on a car with a tire pressure monitoring system. Is the slime kit something different?

 

I don't think that's true. The slime kit is the same as fix a flat. I carry one, but I don't have true TPMS in my 2007 R56. My runflats rode OK, harsher than the regular tires I have now (which were half the cost). They handled great, were a bit noisier (turn up the tunes!). I just didn't wanna spend a grand on a set of tires that last about 30k miles.

 

We never had any ride problems with the run-flats on our MINIs. In fact, I actually feel more comfortable with them seeing as my wife probably couldn't change a flat tire any way. At least with the run-flats she wouldn't be left stranded.

 

I have run flats and 17" rims on my 2012 HT and it feels just fine....you can feel the road, but the shocks make up for it. You're supposed to feel the road on a performance vehicle tho.

 

I wanted run flats because you can keep driving your car with a nail in a tire. I like them and got them on my coupe. ski

 

I'm fine having run-flat tires on my Coupe but will probably replace them with something else when they wear out.

 

Mine came with run flats -- seriously, I had never heard of them before. Although the idea sounds nice, I cannot remember the last time I had a flat tire on a vehicle. And the run flats are kind of hard ... feel the road is one thing, but feeling every bump is a little much. Will keep them until they wear out, then replace them with regular tires, slime and AAA.

 

I'm going to put the stock wheels and run flats back on my Mini before trade in. Then I'm going to use my non run flat Conti on the Coupe in the winter time and the wheels and tires that come with the Coupe in the summertime. My car will be driven on nice clear sunny days in the winter. (Which won't be much I can assure you.)

I really prefer the ride of the non run flat tires.

By the way the Conti run flats here run $212.00 ea. Not a cheap tire by any means. My wife and I both carry a high speed electric pump and the fix a flat in each car just in case.

Never had a flat in either car since new.

 

I got a lot of nails in my tires because of a lot of building around where I live. But the tire company I use lets you pay $25 a tire then you get free replacements as long as you have the car. I will do that with my coupe too. ski

 

I use a plug kit from Harbor freight and a Manual bicycle pump. An investment of maybe $15.00. 10 strokes = 1psi and I bet I can beat any electric tire pump out there! Once you get a pressure light, pull over, pull out the nail, let all the air out, plug it and pump it back up. I do this on the run flats or non run flats so it really doesn't make any difference what tire I run. Since 2005 I have rescued myself about 10 times so the anxiety was gone a long time ago. You guys planning on using slime, Don't do it! That will ruin your Tire Pressure Monitors. Also if you can help it, do not drive on flat run flats, it ruins them almost as quickly as driving on non run flats while flat.

For sure the non run flats drive much better. It does not even feel like the same car it is such a large difference. And I was using those $340.00 a piece Dunlops on the JCW Clubman which do ride smooth compared to the old Pirellis from 2005. But after the switch it is evident they still have a long way to go. The car now feels like I added Bilstiens. I even went up a size, the the car rides smoother, handles way better, picks up quicker and gets better mileage by almost 2 mpg on the computer so it is actually an even larger increase due to the larger size. Usually when you go up a size the opposite happens with pick up and mileage but the tires are so much lighter it goes the other way. All these benefits for less money too. No way will I go back.

 

I'll switch to regular tires, just don't know when, if the ride and noise don't bother me I'll wait until the originals wear out. I'll go the small spare tire/wheel and a jack route.

 

I'll take you up on the bet. How much?

This is what I use. I bet I beat you!!

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/...+compressor.do

 

(/1 up) I have a VIAIR 380c at 200PSI and a 3gal tank. So there (/end 1 upping)

 

nee nerrr neeee nerrrr

Do you carry that in your car with a long extension cord?? Strap the tank on yer back??

That's got to be a sight!

 

Thanks for that link! I bookmarked it and will buy one of those when I do my RF to regular tires switch!

 

My wife and I each have one in our cars. It's a great pump and works well. I had an old cheap one and could not bear to use that piece of junk. So I did some shopping.

Griots is based in the Seattle area. They have a great retail store in Tacoma with a car museum and classes etc on how to care for your car inside and out. It's a pretty cool company. I don't use all their products but I do use some. I have a large and small random orbital polisher that works really well. Can't harm your paint with these bad boys and it sure makes polishing and waxing the car a breeze.

 

I will have my winter tires waiting at the dealership when the Coupe comes in. I will be running those with the Challenge spoke wheels. Once spring rolls around I will be replacing with my summer wheels and tires (OZ wheels with RE-11's).

 

Well yes and no. Fix-a-flat or a slime kit (Same thing) can plug up the tire pressure monitors and you will have to have them replaced when you repair or replace the tire. But they may not necessarily plug up the sensor.

If the valve stem is in the 12 o'clock position there is a less chance of the monitor plugging because it is located off the valve stem and most of the slime will fall to the bottom of the tire and or go to the leak to plug it up. If you then drive to the tire shop immediately and have them pull the tire and clean up the slime with the repair. The tire pressure sensor may be fine with a little cleaning.

If not it will have to be replaced which isn't a big expense but might have to be ordered if the tire dealer doesn't have stock.

 

Fix-a Flat and Slime are not the same thing. Fix-a-flat hardens up and is difficult to remove from a tire, it will destroy a tire pressure monitor sensor. Slime, on the other hand, will wash out with water and doesn't harm the TPMS.

Dave