Run-Flat Tires

[RWebb]

How good are run flats these days?

I am thinking of buying a new SUV (Honda hybrid CR-V, which lacks a spare tire - and the space where they had one is filled with batteries for the hybrid mode).

I am one of the few that uses an SUV for its intended use - lots of gravel and dirt far from gas stations or cell coverage.

The thought of being stranded in the outback is unappealing, hence the idea or a tire retrofit.

[asphaltgambler]

Dunno what the standard is currently for run flats as far as distance/ speed rating when you lose all air. I do know they generally ride like crap, expensive and add rotational weight.

I'm betting that because it's a hybrid the tires are low resistance rolling which means low resistance to offroad punctures/ sidewall tearing.

[KNS]

If a puncture is bad enough it can't be repaired, either on the side of the road or at a shop. You'll wish you had a spare. That happened to me once (but the car had a spare).

The only car I've owned with Run Flats I quickly replaced with regular tires and a spare. There was no space for the spare so it took up part of the trunk.

[fanaudical]

No thoughts on the run-flats, but have an image of a "tweel" in my head for some reason...

My son has a 2007 CRV (probably too old for comparison to the new stuff). It does OK on pavement and hard-pack gravel. I'm not impressed with its ability on snow or mud or anything remotely resembling a "real" off-road environment. Almost 200k miles and super-reliable though...

[David]

It's been years since we had a BMW 3 series with run-flats. They seemed to go flat more often than go-flats but that could have been my ex-wife's tendency to hit stuff.

We replaced the wheels and tires with go-flat tires and saved about 70 lbs of rotating weight and added a space saver spare in the trunk.

[Arizona_928]

The only run flats I have are in the hmmwv. They're too much of a pita to remove from the 37 inch tires so when I obtain the surplus ones I just mount as is. They do work.

For a car tire. I don't think it's worth the money. Mind as well invest in tire plugs/patches, bead breaker, tire spoon, and a 12 volt compressor.... Not like I have all those plus a full size spare in my truck..... Ha ha

[OldSpool87]

I don’t have any direct experience but the 4-5 folks I know who have had them don’t have much good to say about them. We get about 1-2 tire punctures a year in my household. Pretty easy fix.

[ted]

Run flats are standard on cars with no spare tire.
At reduced speeds you can drive long distances on them.
They are heavy and you gain performance when replaced with regular tires.
Run flats are standard equipment on many new cars, new corvettes come with them.
I'd consider them for my street car.

[freeform911]

The Perilli run flats on my kids BMW 435i ride pretty nice.
When it's time to replace I'll go back with the same...

[KNS]

Run Flats actually ride pretty horrible by themselves. What the manufacturers have done in most cases is placed liquid filled bushings all over the car between the chassis and the suspension.

When I replaced the Run Flats on my BMW 128i, the car rode like a marshmallow. I had to address a bunch of other stuff in the suspension to make it handle the way a BMW should. Once done it was a fantastic handling car.

[tdw28210]

They suck. Period.

[svandamme]

I like em on my BMW 1 series.. Turanza
I don't like low profile tires on my cars because i don't like slowing down for speed bumps
and run fast on farm roads and what not.
Hate worrying bout curb rash when parking

So 16 inch with higher profile tires, normally you get more lateral movement in the turns
Not so with Run flats. it's a more rigid sidewall, so they behave more like lower profile tires.

obviously if you do that on a wheel that needs low profile tires... it's just double up and then the ride is terribly hard..

[Skillet83]

They are very expensive, over $300.00 each tire. I have three cars in the house with them, had to start a tire fund.

[svandamme]

Must be really big tire size then. mine are 80 a pop

[Steve Carlton]

Even if you convert the tires and wheels, where will a spare go? Random thoughts:

- not all cars with 4 tires use run flats. Volvo used to give you a reinflation/reseal kit.
- does the Toyota RAV4 hybrid have run flats?
- the Volvo XC40 is a step up, but isn't currently offered in a hybrid, but you can get good deals on them now. Probably around the first of the year it'll come out with an all-electric "Recharge." Probably won't be much of a deal on that model for a good while, though.

[Otter74]

Bought a Jetta TDI wagon recently, checked to see that it came with a full-size spare - check!

Got my first car flat since about 2012 last week on the Dan Ryan when I hit a pothole I didn't see and blew a hole in the sidewall. Fortunately this was like 200m before a big "accident investigation area" so I had a safe place to change the tire. Full-size spare mounted on what appears to be a standard VW steel wheel with a speed warning on it and a Bridgestone Turanza in the standard 16" Jetta size. Back on the road in under half an hour, replaced the tire at my local tire store in under an hour the next day. It may have taken me 8 years to get a flat, but I sure like having a normally-usable tire with me if I get one, especially if I'm on a trip. I keep a plug kit in the 911.