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Gene

Runflat Tire advice

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 I bumped my front left tire valve stem on a curb and cracked the valve, causing a slow leak.  I drove 16 miles on my runflat tire that was about 15psi by the time I got home. The next day I drove 2 miles to the tire place with 0.0 psi.  My speeds were always under 30 and I took it easy while braking and over any bumps. My 4 Pirelli Centauro tires have only 9K miles on them. WHen the tire guy (not at the MiNi dealership)  broke the bead on the wheel to replace the stem, we looked inside the tire and there had been some rubbing and erosion of the tire against the metal rim. There was a shallow indent all the way around the inside of the sidewall and less than 2 tspns of loose rubber flakes inside. The tire seems strong and solid, but not sure what could have happened inside the sidewall. 

Sorry for the long intro, but what's the general and experienced opinion of runflats that have been run with very low air but w/in MiNi's usage guidelines - less than 50 miles at under 50 MPH? Am I doomed to have a high-speed blowout or are these run-flats pretty rugged? They're hella expensive to replace and I can't wait 'til they wear out so I can get some smoother tires and a normal spare tire kit. I drive pretty quick, 70-90mph, but nothing crazy fast "just to see." Thanks for your tips and suggestions.  In case it matters: '18 4-Door S with AT.

 

Edited by Gene
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In my experiences run flats are considered compromised once you've had to use them without tire pressure (or the appropriate pressure). Im sure someone could speak much more on it than myself as im not that experienced with run-flats so take this with a grain of salt. I definitely feel that pain, ive gone through a handful of tires early in their life and its painful that I have to drop the cash for another when i barely used my current one. If you had that kind of wear i'd opt to get it replaced entirely myself but I like to play it safe. Hopefully you'll have a good outcome regardless!

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Thanks. It actually worked out well. I caught a couple breaks and the new runflat only cost me $43 for the install. Deep down, I think the old tire would be fine, but the fear of a high-speed blowout and risking the safety of myself and any passengers wasnt worth it. TBH, I think runflats are BS. The ride isnt as good, they cost a fortune and are basically only good for one incident. Between Fix-a-Flat, patch/plug kits or a donut spare (w/ tools), you're better off, if you know how to use them and can deal with keeping a spare in the MiNi. It seems to pay to not drive like Joe-Cool  -- cutting corners and dipping into the shoulder -- much less likely to find a stray nail or screw with your tire.

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25 minutes ago, Gene said:

Thanks. It actually worked out well. I caught a couple breaks and the new runflat only cost me $43 for the install. Deep down, I think the old tire would be fine, but the fear of a high-speed blowout and risking the safety of myself and any passengers wasnt worth it. TBH, I think runflats are BS. The ride isnt as good, they cost a fortune and are basically only good for one incident. Between Fix-a-Flat, patch/plug kits or a donut spare (w/ tools), you're better off, if you know how to use them and can deal with keeping a spare in the MiNi. It seems to pay to not drive like Joe-Cool  -- cutting corners and dipping into the shoulder -- much less likely to find a stray nail or screw with your tire.

I tend to agree. I've about had it with the cost of run-flats as well. I really think next time im just going to pick up a regular tire and keep fix-a-flat in my car. I know better than to let fix-a-flat sit for too long but a new tire is still cheaper than a new run-flat.

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