BMW MINI run flat tyres...

[HJG-E30]

Hi all.

My mum has an '04 BMW Mini, with pirelli run flat tyres. Every time she gets a puncture, BMW tell her she needs a whole new tyre because the run flat can't be replaced ! On her most recent puncture, she got it repaired at BMW, and then when driving off their forecourt, ran over a nail with the brand new tyre!! BMW replaced the tyre for free as it happened on their premises.

Anyway, a new tyre is obviously very expensive, and seems very uneconmical ! Does anybody know if these run flat tyres can infact be repaired ??

THanks!

[maxfield]

They can be repaired but I don't think the do it becuase on a normal tyre you can tell if there is sidewall damage where as on a runflat you can't usually tell for sidewall damage.

[darkchild]

From personal experience, if something breaks on a BMW the main dealer will always replace rather than repair as they can guarantee its quality.

Might be worth contacting the tyre manufacturer for a goodwill payment? I done this with a set of Vredesteins I purchased when they developed a couple of bumps and promptly received two new Sportrac 3s delivered to my front door.

[Bob_S]

runflats can be repaired but excessive mileage and high speed will kill the tyre and it will need to be replaced!

[stuartgallafant]

Not all runflats can be repaired

I think its Dunlop, Continental and Michelin that say you can repair them, along the same rules as other tyres. Bridgestone, Pirelli and Goodyear do not advise it and even have 'DO NOT REPAIR' written on the side of the tyre

As a general rule, i'd go with manufacturers recommendations, after all they're the professionals. As mentioned above, it can be difficult to tell how flat the tyre has been run for and the reason the say not to repair them is because after a 'runflat' scenario, the integrity of the tyre is compromised

I know a chap who repairs most runflat tyres and his rule is, if there is still air on the tyre when it comes to him, he'll inspect and repair. If there's no air in it, bin it. He's never had a problem

The reason BMW will tell you it needs replacing is primarily a safety aspect. BMW and the franchise dealerships do not want to be responsible for anything that may happen to someone who has had a runflat repaired, so to avoid this, they replace them. The second reason is upsell. Most dealerships make 20-30% on their tyre sales... I'd sell you one too mate!

HTH

[Kos]

ditch all the run flats,

can i asked what he tyrse size is? my guessing is that the tyres are expensive and you can replace them for normal tyres for a lot less.

[bss325i]

Kos, its not just a case of swapping run flats for normal tyres.

Cars with run flats have their suspension set up/specced for work with them.

[Kos]

Kos, its not just a case of swapping run flats for normal tyres.

Cars with run flats have their suspension set up/specced for work with them.

yes, to a point, but i've seen a one series eat up run flats ( kept doing the insede edge on the front) and it was all set up for run flats. bmw checked the geometary etc.

run flats are still not the norm, be interesting to check on the etk if the shocks/springs for run flat car differ to a non run flat equiped car. it wont be any different, and i'm sure BMW GB and AG will say the cars will be fine with out run flats

talking of run flats, the availablity of some of them in certain sizes is extreamly limited. i belive BMW had problem with bridgstone recently trying to get stock in.

[harry_p]

Kos, its not just a case of swapping run flats for normal tyres.

Cars with run flats have their suspension set up/specced for work with them.

yet i have read countless posts on various forums from people who have swapped runflats for normal tyres on everything from minis to 540s, and without exception every single person claims considerably better ride quality, less road noise, and improved handling.

[SamiS]

Kos, its not just a case of swapping run flats for normal tyres.

Cars with run flats have their suspension set up/specced for work with them.

yet i have read countless posts on various forums from people who have swapped runflats for normal tyres on everything from minis to 540s, and without exception every single person claims considerably better ride quality, less road noise, and improved handling.

I can back that up. Previous MINI's didnt have runflats and it was a much better ride and handled miles better.

[HJG-E30]

Just a quick point..... the car in question is a Mini Cooper with Cooper S wheels. I understand that all Cooper S cars were equipped with run flats. Because my Mum's is a normal Cooper - but with the Cooper S wheels, does this mean that there's a possiblity that my Mum's car is not in fact set up for run flats ??

[SamiS]

Just a quick point..... the car in question is a Mini Cooper with Cooper S wheels. I understand that all Cooper S cars were equipped with run flats. Because my Mum's is a normal Cooper - but with the Cooper S wheels, does this mean that there's a possiblity that my Mum's car is not in fact set up for run flats ??

It came with runflats. As did my Cooper, and every other. They don't have a spare, so this was/is the solution.

[Kos]

i think the cooper S wheels are and option on the cooper

[stuartgallafant]

The Cooper and the Cooper S both came from factory standard with 16" wheels and runflat tyres. The reason everyone thinks the Cooper S wheels are different, is because you very rarely see a Cooper S with a standard wheel, everyone who bought one brand new payed an extra £400 or something to upgrade. In fact, even the Cooper may have come standard with gash 15" wheels as did the MINI Ones which came with 15" non-run-flat tyres as standard and had either the option of a spare wheel or a tyre mobility inflater kit, which was the more cost effective option

If your Cooper came with 16" wheels, which i'm 99% sure it will have done, it will be exactly the same setup as a Cooper S. Suspension and everything else are all the same across the R50, 52 and 53, except the steering rack and ARB's in the Cooper S.
You should have a small button about the size of a jelly bean near the handbrake lever, which is the RPA initialisation button. Given that you have this, the car can be used with any wheel size and any runflat tyre. Simply set the tyre pressure accordingly, trun on ignition, hold the button until turns yellow, then drive off. It will go out after 8 seconds and take an average reading of each wheels rotational speed over the next 5 or so miles. Then, when the pressure is lost from a wheel, the rotational speed wheel increase, due to the diameter being smaller and bring the red 'tyre warning light' on

You can by all means use non-run-flat tyres on your car, but to be honest, you'd be a bit of a helmet not to use run-flats.

Runflats were designed to elliminate the need for a spare wheel, which of course you dont have or have room for. Without a spare, your Mum could be out stuck at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with a flat tyre or even on a motorway, all because you wanna save a few quid on tyres. Even with a spare, can you honestly see your old girl getting out the car and putting a spare on.... My Mum wouldnt even know what a f*ck*ng spare wheel is!

Kos, you mentioned that BMW had limited availability of certain tyres. You're correct, it was the 19" Bridgestones for the 3 and 5 series. 225/35 R19 92Y and 255/30 R19 94W are made by Bridgestone and only sold to BMW to release through the network. They were made for the Highline Spec wheels on Coupe's Convertibles and Sports saloons, which is the wheels that caused a load of dickheads to kickoff to Watchdog about. Due the wheels cracking because of the state of the roads, the tyres were being replaced left, right and centre and Bridgestone couldnt keep up with the demand, so they went major back order on our stocks!

[HJG-E30]

Thanks for your input people, in particular 'stuartgallafant'.

I did however hear that the standard cooper came with standard tyres with a spare in the boot. And that because the cooper S had a supercharger, there was no room for the battery in the engine bay so it was placed in the boot, creating no space for the spare wheel, so they used run flats instead.

The wheels on the Mini in question are 17"

[HJG-E30]

Also i wasn't saying that my Mum wanted to switch to normal tyres, just asking if run flats could in fact be repaired.

[Kos]

stu,

i wouldnt call the people who complained about the wheels cracking dickheads, if you or i had purchesed a car for 30 grand i'd like the £2000 wheels to last. i think BMW GB failed them in this case.

there is solution to the lack of spare wheel option, and that some foam sealant. always keeps a can of it handy in the car

the cost of runflats is expensive espacialy thru a main dealer. its actually rape considering you have to go thru the dealer for some sizes !

looking at the prices, you will be saving about £40 a corner and thats looking a camskill prices. no doubt the dealers prices on fun flats will be as friendly as net prices

[SamiS]

T
If your Cooper came with 16" wheels, which i'm 99% sure it will have done, it will be exactly the same setup as a Cooper S.

Suspension and everything else are all the same across the R50, 52 and 53, except the steering rack and ARB's in the Cooper S.

Sports suspension plus was a no cost option on the Coopers as long as you had a chili pack. Then it became a additional cost on every spec of £100 or £150.

The Cooper S's had sports suspension plus as standard and you had to 'opt out' if you didn't want it.

On the runflats, if you had 15 inch wheels, you had to purchase a space saver that fitted. So the 15's were not run flat.

[Blitz]

I wonder what the ride is like on a Cooper S.

[bss325i]

stu,

i wouldnt call the people who complained about the wheels cracking dickheads, if you or i had purchesed a car for 30 grand i'd like the £2000 wheels to last. i think BMW GB failed them in this case.

No, i would say its this shitty country failing people with the dire state of our roads despite the heavy taxes we pay! Its only this country that sufferes with the 19" wheel cracking problem AFAIK.

there is solution to the lack of spare wheel option, and that some foam sealant. always keeps a can of it handy in the car

the cost of runflats is expensive espacialy thru a main dealer. its actually rape considering you have to go thru the dealer for some sizes !

looking at the prices, you will be saving about £40 a corner and thats looking a camskill prices. no doubt the dealers prices on fun flats will be as friendly as net prices

The other main benifit of run flats safety. If you get rapid deflation of a tyre at speed this can potentialy cause the driver to loose control of the vehicle. Runflats minimise the risk of this as they retain some integrity of the tyre structure when deflated.

Not just for people who cant/cant be bothered to change a flat at the side of the road.

[bss325i]

I wonder what the ride is like on a Cooper S.

Firm with 18's!

[pacerpete]

How did/does the whole world manage before the advent of runflats ? This is like the TRX debacle all over again .

[Speedtouch]

Didn't they learn anything from the Dunlop Denovo nightmare on 1275GT minis?

[bss325i]

How did/does the whole world manage before the advent of runflats ? This is like the TRX debacle all over again .

At least run flats have another function where as TRX's were designed to give a better balance of ride/handling.

How did the world manage before the advent of the microwave Pete?

[Andyboy]

Didn't they learn anything from the 1275GT minis?

Talking of shite..............

The 19 inch wheels concerned were discontinued late last year. To be honest, the cars drive better with 18's anyway.

[pacerpete]

How did/does the whole world manage before the advent of runflats ? This is like the TRX debacle all over again .

At least run flats have another function where as TRX's were designed to give a better balance of ride/handling.

How did the world manage before the advent of the microwave Pete?

On many cars TRX tyres were better than their imperial equivalents but BMWs were not amongst them.
They were harsh, noisey and nasty in the wet, even when new.

Strange how other manufacturers are not rushing up this rubber cul de sac

[bss325i]

How did/does the whole world manage before the advent of runflats ? This is like the TRX debacle all over again .

At least run flats have another function where as TRX's were designed to give a better balance of ride/handling.

How did the world manage before the advent of the microwave Pete?

On many cars TRX tyres were better than their imperial equivalents but BMWs were not amongst them.
They were harsh, noisey and nasty in the wet, even when new.

Strange how other manufacturers are not rushing up this rubber cul de sac

Renault did!

[pacerpete]

Are renault using runflats ?

[bss325i]

Are renault using runflats ?

They were an unpopular option at one point on Laguna 2's and Espace 4's.

[pacerpete]

TRXs used to be standard fit on renault 30 TXs, according to Trevor !

[Kos]

stu,

i wouldnt call the people who complained about the wheels cracking dickheads, if you or i had purchesed a car for 30 grand i'd like the £2000 wheels to last. i think BMW GB failed them in this case.

No, i would say its this shitty country failing people with the dire state of our roads despite the heavy taxes we pay! Its only this country that sufferes with the 19" wheel cracking problem AFAIK.

clam down barry

i've not heard of any other manufacturer having issues with big wheels and bad roads. i've run low profile tyres on wheels for years and naver had problems. there clearly was problem with the wheels. the 19's on e46 M3 seems to be ok. the wheels in question must have been a bad batch. it happens

admitadly the state of the UK's roads are shocking.

[Morat]

Whether or not runflats are more expensive, they ride like shit.

[sihooker]

I read somewhere, probably TBMW, that if you replace RF's with normal tyres you have to notify your insurance company. No doubt the premium will go up because of this...

[bss325i]

stu,

i wouldnt call the people who complained about the wheels cracking dickheads, if you or i had purchesed a car for 30 grand i'd like the £2000 wheels to last. i think BMW GB failed them in this case.

No, i would say its this shitty country failing people with the dire state of our roads despite the heavy taxes we pay! Its only this country that sufferes with the 19" wheel cracking problem AFAIK.

clam down barry

i've not heard of any other manufacturer having issues with big wheels and bad roads. i've run low profile tyres on wheels for years and naver had problems. there clearly was problem with the wheels. the 19's on e46 M3 seems to be ok. the wheels in question must have been a bad batch. it happens

admitadly the state of the UK's roads are shocking.

I'm just getting f*cked of with the state of the roads in this country! Its a f*cking joke!

The 19's on E9x models cracked but there are plenty of other BMW rims including smaller sizes that buckel and flat spot from impacts with pot holes including the 19's fitted to E46 M3's!

Hell i've seen E46's with 16's that are buckled due to pot hole damage.

Even my own Sport has suffered due to that shit roads! Just before i took it off the road in sept i hit a pot hole at speed and i totaly buckled the rim AND killed the wheel bearing!

[bss325i]

Whether or not runflats are more expensive, they ride like shit.

Thats a bold statement!

How many cars have you driven with run flats?!