Do I absolutely need run flats? I understand the lack of a spare but fun flats are pretty expensive

 

A lot of folks on this forum have ditched the runflats in favor of standard tires. Apparently ride and handling improve noticeably, but you'll want to carry a can of fix-a-flat or a space-saver.

Spridget

 

Absolutely not! You can get around the fact that you don't have a spare by purchasing a flat-tire kit. Mine has the Slime you squirt into the flat tire as well as a small compressor you run off the 12v output in your MINI.

Although I'm still using my runflats for summer (can't wait for them to wear out!), I purchased non-runflats as winter tires and there is a HUGE difference in how quite it rides and how much smoother the roads are.

Go with the non-runflats!

 

My last car also had no spare. I drove it almost 70K miles including several long road trips of over 1500 miles. My solution to no spare was a patch kit and portable compressor. Unless you have a tire disintegrate on you, I don't think a spare is a necessity. Get a slime kit and a tire plug kit and you'll be fine.

When I first got the Mini I looked into getting a spare for it, it has the well for mounting one under the car, but I decided to save the money and go with what I'd been using for the last 4 years without any problems.

When my runflats wear out I'll be replacing them with regular tires.

 

X2 ... though not 70K miles, I’m driven close to that without a spare. (and many, many, MANY of those trips were one way 700 mile trips from NC to FL)

I keep a compressor and plug kit.

If you insist on keeping the run flats, you can buy take off sets CHEAP! I tried to sell 2 different sets with less than 3K miles on them and couldn’t get 300 bucks for an entire set. (less than one brand new run flat)

Mark

 

Thx guys lol. I do have a portable compressor and ill invest in a patch kit and slime can.

 

If you're outside of the Mini Roadside Assistance program, get a AAA membership also. The 1st tow, which hopefully you'll never need, will pay for the membership.
I ditched the Runflats also. Too harsh.

 

Do you NEED runflats? No. But, consider what happens when there is a traumatic failure. I had a serious tear in the center of the tread, about 2" long. Un-repairable. A result of working in a perpetual construction zone. I called my local tire guys, who were familiar with me and my car. They ordered a set, and I drove over the next day. Yes, it was in the city, and I could have waited for AAA to bring me to them on the hook.

btw - a set of 4 Kumhos ran me $700. Not cheap, but the Goodyear replacements were on the order of $330 EACH.

Keep in mind, that the slime/goop makes the tire un-repairable, should that eventuality occur.

AAA membership, with the upgrade, gives you towing up to 100 miles. More than the standard 7. In LA, that is virtually around a corner.

 

Some points to consider

1. As stated there are tire problems that are not repairable with SLIME, Fix-Flat, or a patch. And, sometimes only a spare will do - or a tow ... big hole, a hole in the sidewall, tread seperation. Calling AAA when out in the boonies can be a long wait ... if you have cell coverage (can u hear me now?)

2. If you decide you're gonna go with one of the above in lieu of run flats I strongly suggest you become familair with your remedy of choice. Reading the instructions in the rain at 11pm on the side of an expressway is not fun. Got one of those little pumps? Let the air out of a tire and pump it back up. How long should it take? Do you need to remove the valve stem to get the 'product' in the tire? Does it have a sit time?

3. Is everyone who drives the car on a somewhat regular basis familiar with your tire situation? Does your spousal unit and daughter know how to use SLIME and the pump?

Runflats allowed my wife to pick up a big bolt in a tire, exit the highway safely rather than stop on the shoulder, evaluate the situation (call me) and drive 40 miles home. While certainly not recommended a friend of mine who didn't really understand how the GEN1 TPMS worked simply reset the system, thought everything else was now fixed, then drove over 1000 highway miles on a flat runflat . . .

I currently have regular tires on the car but am considering turning the car over to daughter to take to school, 800 miles away. I'll probably put runflats BACK on if I do this. It is a major factor in my decision process.

4. Sadly, most of the tire sizes found on our MINIs tend to NOT be on the shelf at the local tire store. Keep that in mind if you call AAA; or if you need a new RF in the farm country of central Indiana. If the tire can't be repaired you may be forced to put on a different model/size, or wait for a delivery . . . even if it is just one day, that can be a problem.

5. After using fix-a-flat once I'll never go that route again. I carry DYNAPLUG. http://www.dynaplug.com/ Yes it works. I've put these plugs in and run the tire (including run flats) for another 20,000 miles.

 

That dynaplug looks pretty cool. Might just have to buy one of those.

 

In 2008, I rode my motorcycle from Ohio to Alaska and back. And so did hundreds of other bikers. I don't think any of us took a spare. And which would you take, front or rear.

When I got my MCS it had run flats. About 14,000 miles I ran over a piece of metal and destroyed a tire. I limped home, took off all 4 wheels, took them to Tire Discounters and got 4 new non run flats. Now I have no spare, but I guess after 40 years of motorcycling I really don't worry.

I think I would have a spare if I had a spot to put it but it just doesn't bother me that I don't have one. YMMV.

 

I bought a donut spare from detroit tuned for long trips and just go without when I am around home. Removing the run flats makes a dramatic difference in ride quality and handling. Non runflats are also much cheaper...

 

Oh, and a pair of heavy duty gloves -- don't forget the gloves!

Got rid of the run flats and haven't looked back. Currently driving a loaner 2011 Justa with the Conti runflats, and I don't miss them a bit!

 

No.

 

I don't think that's true. It says right on the slime kit that I got that the product will rinse right out to allow for repair of the damaged tire, you just have to warn the shop repairing it so they can rinse it.

I definitely don't regret ditching my run flats!

 

A few months ago, the dashboard tire pressure warning light came on in my 2007 MCS. Thinking that a tire was merely slightly low on air (non of the tires looked low), I drove the car for a few days (freeway and street travel). When I went to put air in the tire, the air immediately left it; there was quite a large slash in the tire! It was only then that I realized I had run flat tires. I thought I had traditional tires, as the car was delivered with a jack kit.

I called a few local Phoenix tire shops for replacements. Only one had run flats in stock, and they were $230 each for a brand I had never heard of, plus M&B. A quick visit to Craigslist led me to a woman selling a near-new set of four Goodyear tires, with perfect 16" factory rims and TPMS, for $600. She had upgraded the tires/rims on her 2011 MCS to 17"ers a month after she bought the car. Camelback Garage mounted and balanced them for another $100. I estimate I saved $400 -$600 off the cost of new Goodyears and M&B. I can also sell my old rims to pocket a bit of "refund."

The fact that I drove around for a week with one tire completely out of air, and had no perceptible change in vehicle dynamics, has made me committed to the run flats. For me, ride and handling were never an issue - it IS a MINI, after all - and the safety is worth whatever "sacrifice" in ride quality might be realized.

Take a look around before you swap out simply due to price. There are wheel/tire combos listed on Craigslist and other sources all the time. Be patient, find the right seller before you need replacements, and inspect the tires well before purchasing. I'm sure that, like me, you'll find a great deal.

 

ya true. i guess if i have the money saved up ill just buy RF but it highly pressed for money like we all are lol

 

Since no one seems to like them, when it's time to replace mine, I will query the forum for anyone wishing to sell theirs. I appear to be in the minority of folks who like them.

 

I ditched my runflats at 3k miles and just carried the MINI mobility kit. Never had to use it since I never had any tire damage that couldn't be fixed by adding air and driving to my tire place.

If you're leasing though, you can't return the car without runflats, but if you own the car, ditch them asap!

 

thunderball kaboom,
You could always save the old rims to mount a set of real snow tires. Can't tell where you are from. But, true snow tires are the safest way to motor through the winter.

 

My original RFs lasted about 28K. They rode "OK", handled fine. Replacement Dunlops were about $1100 complete. I opted for nonRFs ($600 otd), and a compressor/goop/dynaplug investment. They ride way better, handle the same, and will probably last almost twice as long. Just my .02.

 

I will say one thing from the clueless driver stories - Much impressed that a run flat lasted so many miles being driven flat, considering they are only rated for 30 miles distance if you are fully loaded and a max 50mph. Bill Cosby's son was stranded with a flat and mugged/killed IIRC. You can't deny the safety factor of being able to get to a safe area.

If you live in such a rough area or have a lot of highway miles might be worth staying runflats.

Our MINI sees mostly local grocery trips, so we choose comfort over driving on solid rubber rocks.

Most def going to add to the Slime Spair kit with a Dyna-plug kit.

eBay looks to have a good price on the DYNAPLUG kit. Same place I bought the Slime Spair kit.

 

im from RI so its not a bad place where i am but i do alot of highway driving. im still debating the RFs because of money but maybe ill just get regular tires and then when i get some more money ill switch back over

 

You can get take-offs from Craig's List really cheap as someone else mentioned....... Nearly new tires for a song......... Or look at the NAM listings here or your local MINI club's website classified ads....

Here's the hot way to search multiple cities at once on Craig's List.......

http://www.searchtempest.com/

 

ok thanks. ill figure something out in the near future