Run Flat Tires - Rant

[32Flat6]

I'm in run-flat hell with my wife's car (non-porsche). Had one front tire fail and need replacing. Cost is roughly twice that of a regular tire. Since the vehicle is AWD, need to replace by the axle. I took the car to a national tire store chain in town because they have a good rep, are close and the wife needs the car back asap. First the guy is going to simply try and fix it. I tell him it needs replacing (per the owners manual) and he reluctantly agrees. Then I need to tell him replace both tires on that end due AWD, which he failed to notice when he walked the vehicle looking for other things to sell me (oil change, alignment, tire rotation, etc).

Ok, I give the guy the benefit of the doubt as he's just going through his routine which all service organizations seem to do these days. AWD is easy to miss since it's a minivan and not very common. But then I tell him I want to look at other tires (non- run flats) as i'm considering replacing them altogether and he REFUSES. Says it a safety issue and due their liability he can only sell me run flats (which they don't carry in stock anyway) cause I might sue him if somehting happens with a regular tire on the car. You've got to be kidding me! This same vehicle uses regular tires on non-AWD models and this one only has them because the AWD components cut into the area where a spare would be mounted. I argue, offer to sign a release of liability, etc. They won't do it and my only option is to get differnet car. I ask what he would do if I brought in just the 4 wheels with run flats monted and asked to switch to non-runflats. He said they would probably do it since he wouldn't know what car they will go on. Huh?

I didn't have the time to screw around with it anymore and wife needed car back so reluctantly agreed to stick with the runflats. He writes up the work order, which includes roatating the tires. I say please don't since the fronts wear faster and these new tires will be on the front anyway. He then tells me he HAS to put the new tires on the rear due liability. New tires on front present a possible safety issue as the better grip creates the possibility for an oversteer situation. PLEASE make it stop. The car has traction control, stability control and AWD. Its a minivan for heavens sake and with two kids under 3, its more like "Driving Miss Daisy" than LeMans.

What is this world coming to? No one takes responsibility for themselves so we end up with attorneys telling us what we can/can't do. Sheesh.

End of rant. I feel better now....

Kevin

[widebody911]

The "liability" excuse is to simply trump any possible argument you may have. I ran into that with a local tire shop who claimed they couldn't mount & balance my tires because I didn't buy them there (got them from Tire Rack). I said "fine, I'll go somewhere else" - the liability issue magically disappeared.

[regency]

32flat6: Time to start thinking about leaving this state........like me.

Steve

73 911T MFI Coupe, Aubergine

[gr8fl4porsche]

I have run flats on our minivan as well. $1,300 set of tires every 35,000 miles.

[kaisen]

Ditch the runflats. The only AWD minivan that uses them (Toyota Sienna) does so because the rear drive takes up the space the spare tire used to ride in. But they still use conventional wheels. Get AAA roadside assistance, or bring Fix-a-Flat. Then you have a better ride, better wear, and more tire choices, all for less money.

The stupid Michelin PAX system of the high-end Honda Odysseys is, unfortunately, like the old TRX metric crap. You're stuck with them unless you change wheels. You're better off changing wheels.

[32Flat6]

I was gogin to use this as the opportunity to ditch the run flats but the shop I went to wouldn't sell/mount a set of regular tires. I don't buy their liability argument at all and know I could have fond someone else to take care of it, but wife needed the car back right away so I had to suck it up.

[cgarr]

"offer to sign a release of liability, etc" You cant sign away your liability.

[Tishabet]

Recently replaced the factory run-flats on my wife's mini cooper S with non run-flat tires... the difference in handling and road noise is astounding, like a totally different car.

I too have heard about folks having a problem with a tire chain replacing their run-flats with non run-flats, but fortunately the shop that did the mount and balance (tires ordered on tirerack) said no problemo.

[89911]

There is an entire industry of resellers of wheels and tires to replace run flats. The Honda Odyssey is a great example. Most buy new wheels and tires, sometime oe, and never look back. If you are left without a spare, having runflats isn't much better. If you are any distance from a dealer, most places never have the tire in stock or the equipment to change them. What exactly is the benefit?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Run flats are the biggest rip-off going. I'd toss them immediately.

Your experience is precisely why I never bring my car into a tire place - only the rims themselves off of the car. No joke.

If the joker ever gave me a B.S. story like that I'd have said thanks, gone home, taken a sawsall and cut the damn things off myself, then brought the bare rims back to him and said, "regular set of tires please".

[Arizona_928]

I actually Have had a good experience with run flats.
Piss raining. ran over a huge nail In the papago tunnel. instant deflation. Was able to make it 3 miles to my exit. Let the tire cool down added air, The damn thing held 5 more miles till i was able to change it.

[Jim Bremner]

I had Goodyear supercar run flats. They lasted 27k miles on both sets that I had. I but on Re11 bridgestones. These tires took a 8+ car to a 9+ car.

The local good year store wouldn't even dismount the runflats I had to go elsewhere ( This was to buy the second set of runcraps) I found a shop to install the non-runflats.

Yes I'm running with out a spare. but damnit the car handles, stops and rides better.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by 32Flat6

Since the vehicle is AWD, need to replace by the axle.

Are you sure your car requires that? Subaru's you're supposed to replace all four but they have a viscous coupling in the center and rear.

[Steve Carlton]

I got around that by having my new tire shaved to the same tread depth as the remaining tires (twice) on my Subaru. If it's an issue for you 32Flat6, have your new tires shaved at Roger Kraus Racing in Castro Valley.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by rick-l

Are you sure your car requires that? Subaru's you're supposed to replace all four but they have a viscous coupling in the center and rear.

Any modern car can be affected by one new tire vs three old. With wheel speed sensors for ABS, traction control, and stability/roll mitigation a relatively slow reading at one tire could throw things off. In the case of AWD, it could cause the transfer case to send power toward the new tire, thinking another was turning faster aka slipping.

But with a Subaru, Audi, or other mechanical center diff (or car/truck with mechanical limited slip or locking diff) it could harm something.

It drives me absolutely nuts when people replace just one or two tires. Replace all four. Unless you had nearly new tires and had a blow out, and only then if you replaced it with an exact match. One of my personal OCD issues, I guess.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

I got around that by having my new tire shaved to the same tread depth as the remaining tires (twice) on my Subaru. If it's an issue for you 32Flat6, have your new tires shaved at Roger Kraus Racing in Castro Valley.

Or buy all new tires and sell off the good used ones.
GREAT idea to take your 10/32 tire and shave it (pay extra!!) to match your old 5/32 worn ones.

[Joe Bob]

Order the tires you want from Tire Rack, take them to an installer.

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Or buy all new tires and sell off the good used ones.
GREAT idea to take your 10/32 tire and shave it (pay extra!!) to match your old 5/32 worn ones.

The other 3 were had 80% or so remaining, both times. What is with you?

[look 171]

Put some non run flats on that Sienna (?) and be done with it. I did and could not be happier. What was the last time you had a flat?

[Mr.Puff]

Originally Posted by regency

32flat6: Time to start thinking about leaving this state........like me.

Steve

73 911T MFI Coupe, Aubergine

Agreed.