I have a 2008 Cooper S with 17" Run Flat tires (cant remember the brand), crown hub. I love the car and the only complaint I have with the car (besides the lame center arm rest) is those tires. They run very hard, especially on the pot-hole laden New England streets.

Anybody else with this problem? Any solutions short of changing tires and rims? Are some tires better than others for ride? If I change to a conventional tire, what happens with the spare?

So many questions.

 

Welcome to one of THE biggest debates a MINI owner with run-flats has to deal with. I too, am struggling with whether I should go with run-flats again, or non run-flats.

I'm on my 2nd Cooper and have always had run-flats, but I'm getting tire(d)of the ride quality of the run-flats. My R56S is a daily driver and I would like to experience the "world of difference" all MINI owners say when they dump the run-flats.

BTW, I'm also running the 17in Crown Spokes on ContiProContact All-Season Run-Flats. I've got 32,2XX on them and actually believe I COULD get another 4k to 5k more on them. The wet capability on them though is a little scary right now. I rotate religously. I'm currently purchasing a winter tire for my set of 16in X-lites from my '04 Cooper. Then I'll put a high pro summer tire next spring for the Crown Spokes.

At this point, both sets of tires are going to be non-run flats. I'm a AAA Gold Member, so if I get a flat, they can come and flatbed to help! There is also a MINI Mobility Kit, I think you can buy. For what that is worth. I guess I've not been much help in answering your initial question, but like all MINIs, MINI drivers are all different. Good luck with your decision. Cheers.

 

There's no debate. Run flats aren't as smooth a ride as non-run flats. You just have to decide whether the safety that run flats provide are worth the stiffer ride.

 

since switching to 16 non run flat winters from 17" run flat summers, I can tell you that there is a massive difference in ride quality.

Even with the squishy winter tread I can tell that there would be far better performance with non run flat 17s.

 

Talk to virtually ANYONE who's switched and 100% of them will tell you it's the best thing they've ever done for their car (getting rid of runflats) and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I've been driving for 37 years. In that time, I've had many slow leakers, but NEVER ONCE had a flat that left me stranded anywhere. Had a 20-year old Scirocco that had a spacesaver spare that had never been out of its well. Nowadays, we have roadside assistance, AAA, cellphones, etc., so even if "stranded", help is virtually always nearby. And once you get flatbedded in with regular tires, it's no problem getting a tire shop to fix your flat, or to find a replacement tire if necessary. Try that with a punctured runflat - many shops won't patch them due to liability concerns, finding replacements is difficult, they're hideously more expensive, etc. And that's before we even talk about the horrendous handling and ride quality.

Just say NO! I'll never drive on runflats unless they can improve the technology to the point that they're indistinguishable from "real" tires.

 

My experience is that when my OEM 17" RFs wore out at about 30k I went with non-RFs (in my sig) and noticed a definite ride improvement. But with that said, the improvement is noticed mostly right after the switch. Now the tires are what they are, see? You will pay about half for non-RF tires. I now carry goop, pump, little stabber/hole fixer kit. I have AAA. I had one RF go flat/fixed. For the money RFs are no bargain and they ride worse. They do offer some security for the roughly $400 extra you pay for a set of 4.

 

I own a Cooper S w/ 16" wheels(in New York City) with Continental AllSeason run-flat tires and I find the ride too be a huge improvement over the 17". I had a loaner Cooper S with the 17" rims a few months ago and the ride was like taking a stage coach cross-country.

 

I, like so many others, went the non-RF route after my original OEM Goodyear performace tires wore out at 31,000. I upgraded to a 17 inch wheel and put on Michelin Pilot Plus A/S tires on. A vast improvement.

What I like about these tires is they are pretty good in the snow we've had so far this year, have a 45,000 mile warranty on them, handling is about the same, and they are so much quieter and smoother.

Switch out of the RF's, buy a compressor and and a slime kit and motor on happily.

 

I ditched the run flats on my 05 MCS. Those were Pirreli and were horrible. The ride was very harsh, grabbed so cal raingrooves like you would not believe. I swtched to a cheapie Faulkin tire and the car was transformed. If you have ever owned a BMW with Bilstiens, this is what the car now feels like, smooth planted, unphased by anything but the worst obsticale. No more pinball effect off every road irregularity. The continentals on my 09 JCW are better than the Pirellis. Maybe they have bridged the gap by about 30%. They still have a long way to go. I hear someone thinks regualr tires only cost 400 more per set. Maybe if you go with Michelin Pilots as replacements. I got 4 Faulkins installed for about 300. New run flats started at 350 each at tire rack before shipping and mounting. Just carry a patch kit and a 9.00 bicycle pump and that will take care of nearly everything. The goo will eat up your Aluminum wheels and if you have TPM it will screw that up too. Why they switched from the 05 system that monitors wheel OD I have no idea.

 

I forgot to mention both cars run the 205/45/17's. I have another set of 15" holies that fit the MCS. It is really hard to distinguish the ride (straight line) difference between the 205/45/17 Falkins and the 15" (235 65/15? going off memory, whatever is stock on a non S cooper), Falkins are that smooth on the MCS with sport suspension. cornering the Falkins win hands down.

 

Easy fix, did it on my '05 and will do it on my '08 as soon as the Continentals wear out: Buy Bridgestone G019 Grid tires in Non-runflat and your car will ride sooooooooo much nicer. plus these are great in all weather conditions, including snow, and they wear great. We have 30 thousand miles on ours on our R53 and they are probably only 1/2 worn out! Is that great or what?