Run flats or not

[Dabthesaab]

Anyone give me some advice please.I have a 2016 C250 d with 18" wheels and was just going to have new rears fitted after my service.Have now been advised by dealers that I have run flats on front and normal on rear and really need to know what should be on the car.It has a Tyrefit kit in boot and got car 5 months old from a main dealer. Any feedback about ride with run flat on rears as dealer said either can be fitted.Thanks in advance for any info.Rears are 245/40 18Y XL

 

[PobodY]

What do you want to install? - Ultimately it's up to you what you put on your car.

I think I would fit normal tyres myself.

 

[Dabthesaab]

Well to be honest i seem pretty sure that I can fit normal tyres and have read good reports on Vredestein ultrac vorti xl and probably will fit them.

 

[GeeJayW]

Ours has run flats (Pirelli P Zero) on 19" rims. Ride is probably best described as firm. Fortunately, they don't seem to tram-track like some I've experienced in the past on a BMW.

MB approved normal tyres have MO on the side
MB approved run-flats have MOE on the side and are about twice the price of MO tyres.

Have considered changing our to normal MO tyres when we have to change them, but our tyre insurance states that we are only covered if we stick with original wheel and tyre fitment. Given that we've already had a pair of nearside tyres (damaged by running over a kerb at speed, not me, long story, won't dwell on it...) replaced on insurance, will probably stay with it for the moment.

I would have preferred 18" rims with normal tyres as per our previous car (2015 C220 Coupe), but we picked our car up MB Approved Used and it had 19" on it. Too nice a car to walk away from the deal.

 

[markjay]

Run flat tyres Pros: you can continue your journey instead of having to stop on the hard shoulder at night and change a wheel etc.

Run flat tyres Cons: expensive to buy, expensive to own (punctures can't be repaired), somewhat harsh ride.

To each his own. I decided to stick to non-run flats.

 

[markjay]

PS - I know of several BMW owners who had to wait up to two weeks for a replacement run flat tyre... some sizes are in very short supply.

 

[190]

Another issue with run flats is that many seem to have high rolling resistance. When I looked at them even the premium brand run flats were E or F rated for fuel economy. So hard ride, expensive to buy and they use more fuel.

 

[th3h1ghlander]

Rename them to run flat-out-broke? I look at them this way, the run flats with rim protection are more likely to protect your rims in the event of a flat while on the go. If you have a blowout with standard tyres the risk and expense of putting right damaged rims may be worth the extra cost. If you are not too worried about the rims and you would prefer the better ride quality and choice of tyre, go for the standard style.


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[markjay]

Rename them to run flat-out-broke? I look at them this way, the run flats with rim protection are more likely to protect your rims in the event of a flat while on the go. If you have a blowout with standard tyres the risk and expense of putting right damaged rims may be worth the extra cost. If you are not too worried about the rims and you would prefer the better ride quality and choice of tyre, go for the standard style.

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Continental make both standard and run-flat tyres with rim protection - my ContiPremiumContact 2 MO had them.

 

[th3h1ghlander]

Continental make both standard and run-flat tyres with rim protection - my ContiPremiumContact 2 MO had them.

I thought about sticking with the Conti's but went with the Michelin CrossClimates without rim protection as my rims are already rubber-ducked XD


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[Cymruambyth]

More importantly....who mixed run flats with non run flats....pretty sure that`s a big no no?

 

[th3h1ghlander]

More importantly....who mixed run flats with non run flats....pretty sure that`s a big no no?

Guessing previous owner didn't want to shell out for the run flats after burning all the rubber off of the first set


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[PobodY]

More importantly....who mixed run flats with non run flats....pretty sure that`s a big no no?

I would have thought it's OK as long as they're not both on the same axle (so no putting run flats on one side and normal on the other).

 

[Petrol Pete]

All this talk about run flat tyres. When exactly did any of us in the UK experience a puncture leaving us totally helpless in the wilderness ?

In a previous life I drove +/- 40000 miles a year (for 15 years) and only ONCE had a 'blow out' which destroyed the tyre at motorway speeds (on a Vx Omega..guess the year) I did of course have a few niggling punctures during that time, but none that left me fearing for my own life if I could not drive home. Forget the run flats here in the UK and call the AA , RAC , Green Flag etc if you must. If they were that great they would be a major selling point for all car manufacturers...which they are not.

 

[th3h1ghlander]

All this talk about run flat tyres. When exactly did any of us in the UK experience a puncture leaving us totally helpless in the wilderness ?

In a previous life I drove +/- 40000 miles a year (for 15 years) and only ONCE had a 'blow out' which destroyed the tyre at motorway speeds (on a Vx Omega..guess the year) I did of course have a few niggling punctures during that time, but none that left me fearing for my own life if I could not drive home. Forget the run flats here in the UK and call the AA , RAC , Green Flag etc if you must. If they were that great they would be a major selling point for all car manufacturers...which they are not.

This is true, I have had a blow out on M25, during rush hour, full speed, in fast lane just before Heathrow southbound (4 lane section) and that felt a little hairy, but managed to make onto the hard shoulder and change to the spare. I can imagine that if you travel a daily route on difficult/fast/blind-cornered roads then run-flats are probably worth while for the safety. That said, UK roads are generally quite good (except for the damned potholes!!!!) and generally clean enough, car parks and parking on the side of roads are far more likely to result in punctures, most of the time because someone has dropped screws or nails, or broken a glass/bottle on the curb.


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[PobodY]

I actually stopped carrying the space-saver spare in my other car for this reason. - If I was going to be somewhere that I thought Green Flag or similar couldn't get to me, I'd put it back in.

 

[Benzowner]

More importantly....who mixed run flats with non run flats....pretty sure that`s a big no no?

You can run a mixture of run flats and ordinaries, but the same tyres must be on the same axle. I had this info from MB Bristol for my B Class when at the time run flats were considerably cheaper than non run flats. 215/45/17 Goodyear NCT5's less than £50

 

[knight80]

Anyone give me some advice please.I have a 2016 C250 d with 18" wheels and was just going to have new rears fitted after my service.Have now been advised by dealers that I have run flats on front and normal on rear and really need to know what should be on the car.It has a Tyrefit kit in boot and got car 5 months old from a main dealer. Any feedback about ride with run flat on rears as dealer said either can be fitted.Thanks in advance for any info.Rears are 245/40 18Y XL

They are just noisy on the road


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[dklude]

Had runflats on a brand new BMW. Hated them. Harsh, Heavy, tramlined and uneven wear. Replaced with regular tyres and improvements immediately apparent.

Wouldn't go back unless I had to.

 

[RonFleet]

Same experience with a BMW 525. Loved the car - hated the tyres. Have had three cars since then. Each time I considered BMW but rejected them because they came fitted with runflats.