Are Run flat tyres really that uncomfortable?

[325_driver 422]

So, I'm thinking of putting a set of Eagle F1's 225/40/18s on my e91 BBS wheels.

I keep seeing reviews of people saying runflats create a horrible rid quality, whether its road noise, or not handling bumps in the road.

Are run flats really that bad / noticeable? Or is alot of this hyperbole.

I've had hf805 challenger run  flats on 16"s before, and can't say i noticed anything drastic.

Wondering whether anyone else has had experiences between RFT and non run RFT.

[Olaf 3317]

HiFly Tyres are not a baseline of anything other than how cheap - let's allocate this decision to a used car lot to protect the guilty - the person paying the bill was!

There are many 'generations' of RFTs now, some are much better than others.

I've evaluated a few cars for purchase on RFTs and did not find them dreadful.  

Frankly if you're changing out of RFTs to conventional tyres *and* don't carry a spare, you're nuts.  Unless - say - you never leave the Auckland metropolitan area.  A blown out conventional sidewall will not be repaired by Tyre Goo when you're two days (or more) away from a replacement tyre.

[325_driver 422]

10 hours ago, Olaf said:

HiFly Tyres are not a baseline of anything other than how cheap - let's allocate this decision to a used car lot to protect the guilty - the person paying the bill was!

Car originally came with it on 16s, dunno if it was his decision or the mechanics decision ?

I've been on conventional 225/40 non run flat, (potenzas) but always have a electronic tyre inflator but still doesn't remove my paranoia thus why I was wanting to go run flat.

They are eagle f1 assymetric runflat 225/40/18.

I just keep seeing alot of hyperbole about how horrible the ride quality is on run flats even high value tyres.

Thanks for your feedback anyway. Think I'll make the change any way, im sure Bridgestone eagle f1s can't be that bad.

Famous last words

[kiwi535 538]

i had a 120d with run flats.It had 205 55 16s or something like that.When i bought it it had two bridgestones and two continentals.I think the bridgestones wore out and i got two more continentals......the continentals were more compliant than the bridgestones.I never ever had any issues with grip of the tyres.Sometime later near xmas i needed to buy 4 new tyres....i couldnt get ANY.Later i did find some pirellis but they were expensive,but i had no choice.They were better again than the continentals.,I needed another two i think and this time they were much more reasonable in price.In this time i had a puncture (the tyre pressure sensors went off.I think it was down too 20psi.The tyre looked perfect.Tyre clinic wouldnt repair it.I drove maybe a kilometre at 80 km hr,then another couple of ks to a place to pump it up.It was a slow leak.

i would say they were slightly less compliant than the 235 45 17s i had on my e34.they were noiser on chip seal.The 120d was a hatch,and it had a huge battery (diesel) so there was really no room for a spare. 

[M3AN 4016]

There's lots of 16/17/18 talk here, just be careful to hone in on your specifics. A runflat that feels fine on a 16" rim might very easily be intolerable on an 18.

 

[325_driver 422]

@M3AN i was thinking that, i may not have noticed it on 16" but maybe 18"s will get my attention

maybe the people that vlog / youtube about ride comfort from RFT are the type of people to be less tollerant about road noise.

I guess i'll find out soon!

[Matth5 471]

On 6/24/2020 at 6:53 AM, Olaf said:

Frankly if you're changing out of RFTs to conventional tyres *and* don't carry a spare, you're nuts.  Unless - say - you never leave the Auckland metropolitan area.  A blown out conventional sidewall will not be repaired by Tyre Goo when you're two days (or more) away from a replacement tyre.

That is so extremely rare and unlikely though, this is the "nightmare scenario" people make up to try to sell you on runflats. Not to mention the runflat probably wouldn't keep you going for those two days either in that situation. 

I've never experienced this and I've driven the entire country for work on multiple occasions. Considering how rare that is, if it does happen, just call up your roadside assist, have the car towed, use a rental for a couple days if you need to continue a roadtrip.

Cost savings, extra comfort and better handling you experience over your lifetime will make it totally worth it. 

Every puncture I've ever had has been manageable by pumping the tyre back up until I could get to a tyre shop. Have carried the tyre goo for years, still never needed to use it. 

If you have a flat tyre monitor like every BMW has these days since runflats were introduced, it'll warn you well in advance before the tyre goes totally flat. 

Keep in mind if you ever actually take advantage of it's runflat capability and drive on it, it's then f**ked and needs replacement as well... which is more expensive than just having the car towed! And since most of us will have some kind of roadside assist, the towing is free as well. 

Edited June 25, 2020 by Matth5

[Sammo 2544]

My E46 came on Bridgestone RFTs (had style 261s on it).

When I got rid of them the new tyres were far more comfortable although sidewalls were less stiff (Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2).

I did go from 215/40 in the front to 235/40 which would have helped as well.

[qube 3570]

Cant compare 50/16 with 40/18. Will be totally different. Its like the difference between a innersprung bed and a firm futon..

[Jacko 2156]

200,000+km without a spare and no rft.... call me crazy but never been stranded (and I go into the wops) 

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

True story.... in 55 years of driving I have never ever had a flat tyre while driving or even been in a car with a flat tyre

[Eagle 1662]

Ive had 2x punctured tyres at the same time once but that's it, terrible road works with low tread ain't a good combo. Still liike to have to spare, better to have it and not need it.

[Navin 180]

I made the change from factory Bridgestone rft's on my 135i to PS4's and it was a night and day difference

[Gaz 1061]

42 minutes ago, Navin said:

I made the change from factory Bridgestone rft's on my 135i to PS4's and it was a night and day difference

Thats a bit harsh on the Bridgestones, that's like comparing your 135 to an 1M, the 1M is going to win everytime 

[Navin 180]

4 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Thats a bit harsh on the Bridgestones, that's like comparing your 135 to an 1M, the 1M is going to win everytime 

Was meaning in terms of comfort too not just performance, of course the PS4's are a far superior Tyre performance wise. The re050a's made the car feel crashy over uneven surfaces. Noticed a huge difference in comfort immediately and that was enough for me to be convinced. 

[Matth5 471]

2 hours ago, Gaz said:

Thats a bit harsh on the Bridgestones, that's like comparing your 135 to an 1M, the 1M is going to win everytime 

Except there's a massive price different on the 1M vs 135i, but those Bridgestone runflats are about as expensive as any performance tyre in NZ

[M3AN 4016]

I got a 1" gash in the sidewall of a brand new (<100km) Eagle F1 255/35/18 on the harbour bridge from some random steel debris.

That made me sad.

Kept the tyre although I don't know why, what to do with it?

 

[325_driver 422]

8 hours ago, Jacko said:

200,000+km without a spare and no rft.... call me crazy but never been stranded (and I go into the wops) 

i wasn't going to say anything, until someone else did ... but that was me for atleast 10,000km

I atleast have a tyre pump in the boot now ?

@M3AN What i find interesting, is the overwhelming number of people I hear mentioning about getting punctures on tyre review sites, all seem to be running Eagle f1's ....

Edited June 25, 2020 by 325_driver

[Jacko 2156]

The same is true with anything mechanical though, I do have a can of tyre foam in the boot, never used it though.

Statistically, Id be much better off with spare waterpumps (2 of them, statistically), a spare starter motor, and spare brake caliper bolts to prevent strandings rather than a spare tyre. 

[Sammo 2544]

4 hours ago, Olaf said:

neither size is correct for an e46... this probably didn't help - you increased your rolling circumference from too small to too big (assuming 17's). if 18's you went from too big to bigger-er.  Hankooks seem to have soft sidewalls.

18s - went from slightly too small to slightly too big. 

Correct is 225 40 18 but I wanted to fill the wheel arches a little more and go for a square setup hence the 235s.

[Matth5 471]

1 hour ago, Jacko said:

The same is true with anything mechanical though, I do have a can of tyre foam in the boot, never used it though.

Statistically, Id be much better off with spare waterpumps (2 of them, statistically), a spare starter motor, and spare brake caliper bolts to prevent strandings rather than a spare tyre. 

LOL true. The only thing that left me stranded far from home was the damn N55 charge pipe exploding!

[325_driver 422]

@Jacko now you just need to include in the boot, full socket sets, impact drivers, axel stands, engine brace / or crane. Cam locking tools, bore dial guage, honing tools, Plasti guage etc. It's a good start 

 

 

[Matth5 471]

1 hour ago, 325_driver said:

@Jacko now you just need to include in the boot, full socket sets, impact drivers, axel stands, engine brace / or crane. Cam locking tools, bore dial guage, honing tools, Plasti guage etc. It's a good start 

 

 

Or just pull a trailer with a spare car

[Olaf 3317]

5 hours ago, Jacko said:

The same is true with anything mechanical though, I do have a can of tyre foam in the boot, never used it though.

Statistically, Id be much better off with spare waterpumps (2 of them, statistically), a spare starter motor, and spare brake caliper bolts to prevent strandings rather than a spare tyre. 

excellent!  though to be sure, you'd be carry two water pumps and no spare, and get a flat.  Try fixing that with a water pump! ?

[325_driver 422]

@Matth5 but what if that spare car breaks down, or the trailer gets a flat tyre??!!