Run flats - Good / bad idea for the wife's car?

[Fudzy]

Hey guys,

My wife got a courtesy (read: sales pitch) call from Datcentre. They're offering her run-flat tires for her Nissan Tiida for R3600.

a) Does the price seem right?
b) Is it a good idea? Thinking from a safety point of view they're a better though much more pricier option.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

It's a compromise, I guess. You have the safety aspect, but at the same time (in my experience) they do generate a lot of road noise.

I guess it's a sensible option for a lady though - the last thing you'd want is for her to stop on the side of the road.

 

[HapticSimian]

Stop the bus for a second... You don't just put runflats on a car - you replace the rims as well & I don't recall Nissan punting runflat tyres...

I suspect what they are trying to paw off on you are tyre bands - fitted inside the rim & meant simply to keep the tyre from clambering off the rim in the event of loss of pressure. They do work, but they are only meant to allow you to keep control of the car if you get a blow-out. You can't drive on the flat tyre like you could with pukka runflats as BMWs come fitted with.

Worth R3.6k... pfffffffft, they can do better...

 

[Ecco]

Have no idea on the pricing, however in terms of safety, i think they great. Blowouts wont be such an issue, and less chance of her being robbed/hijacked with the rocks in the road trick.

And, if she does have a flat she doesnt need to call you to come change the tire lol.

 

[murraybiscuit]

imo runflats have more cons than pros, due to lack of availability and price.
but, if you can get a set of runflats cheaper than regular tyres, who the hell cares? you just replace them with regular tyres next time.
i'd give 2 different tyre dealers a call and see what they say.

 

[Ecco]

Stop the bus for a second... You don't just put runflats on a car - you replace the rims as well & I don't recall Nissan punting runflat tyres...

I suspect what they are trying to paw off on you are tyre bands - fitted inside the rim & meant simply to keep the tyre from clambering off the rim in the event of loss of pressure. They do work, but they are only meant to allow you to keep control of the car if you get a blow-out. You can't drive on the flat tyre like you could with pukka runflats as BMWs come fitted with.

Worth R3.6k... pfffffffft, they can do better...

Didnt know about having to change the rims. How come you need to change the rims?

I think you may also need a pressure sensor, to have run flats, else how you gonna know if you have a flat?

 

[Smooth Criminal]

imo runflats have more cons than pros, due to lack of availability and price.
but, if you can get a set of runflats cheaper than regular tyres, who the hell cares? you just replace them with regular tyres next time.
i'd give 2 different tyre dealers a call and see what they say.

It's not as simple as just popping on a tyre. As pointed out, you need compatible rims as well.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

Didnt know about having to change the rims. How come you need to change the rims?

I think you may also need a pressure sensor, to have run flats, else how you gonna know if you have a flat?

The rim is designed to help minimise deflation, and also prevent the tyre from separating from it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run-flat_tire

 

[Ecco]

Still dunno why the rims would be an issue.

But thinking about it, besides the pressure sensor, another issue i think is suspension. Those tires are hard, doubt you can put them on, without tweaking the suspension, else you may have a very hard ride.

 

[Fudzy]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'm going to ask her to get more information from the dealer. I don't want her wasting her money if they are not the real McCoy.

 

[HapticSimian]

The rims need to be replaced because their edges are adapted to work in conjunction with the thicker, more grippy beading of a runflat tyre.

You could fit genuine runflat tyres to a normal rim without hassle, but the tyre's beading will just clamber off the edge of the rim with loss of pressure.

 

[wetkit]

Sounds a bit cheap for run-flats....
The biggest problem with run flats is that all the dealers will insist that you replace they tyre after a puncture, even if there was so internal damadge to it.
In the long run, it could work out very expencive.
But, if your main aim is safety, go for it.

 

[R13...]

Sounds a bit cheap for run-flats....
The biggest problem with run flats is that all the dealers will insist that you replace they tyre after a puncture, even if there was so internal damadge to it.
In the long run, it could work out very expencive.
But, if your main aim is safety, go for it.

Yeah I'm wondering about the price myself.
Is it 3.6K for a set or each? Because a friend paid about 3.6K each for BM run-flats on a 330Ci

 

[adamr]

runflats all the way for females ...

they dont go around potholes, they go over them!
they climb curbs etc etc etc ...

so runflats definitely ...