Are runflats really that important?

[Eggy7496]

Hey guys,

Been thinking about getting some nice aftermarket alloys for a change, i totally grudge having to splash out on the works 18" alloy prices, its crazy!

What i am trying establish is whether the runflats is to much of a 'goodie/benefit' to loose in the mini. I mean, is there anyone here that would say dont buy rims n tyres that are not compatible with the runflat indicator etc etc??

Thr only thing i can think would be pretty nasty is having a flat tyre on an 18" wheel as minis have no spare tyre hence runflats....

Thanks for your input,

EJ

[The Dogfather]

Well if you want to get 18's to loose handling and acceleration then at least make sure the 18's (tyres and wheels) you get are as light as possible. You'll save some weight by not having runflats.

Both my Civic and my MX5 don't have spares and don't have runflats either, I have the gunk and breakdown cover. Remember with RFs you can only go a short distance at a reduced speed, and is very likely that the tyre will suffer some damage and may not be repairable.

[Gismo]

I can only talk from my experience that saw my old S on the back of a trailer from Pitlochry to my house because i had aftermarket wheels and tyres on.
The puncture repair kit couldn't seal the leak, so, there ended my day's run waiting for the recovery vehicle.

It's really your choice as there are pros and cons for each

[The Dogfather]

I can only talk from my experience that saw my old S on the back of a trailer from Pitlochry to my house because i had aftermarket wheels and tyres on.
The puncture repair kit couldn't seal the leak, so, there ended my day's run waiting for the recovery vehicle.

It's really your choice as there are pros and cons for each

But how many times have you had a puncture since then? You would have been pushing it to drive all the way back to Aberdeen on RFs as well, and you would have struggled to get a replacement or repair in Perth.

[Gismo]

But how many times have you had a puncture since then? You would have been pushing it to drive all the way back to Aberdeen on RFs as well, and you would have struggled to get a replacement or repair in Perth.
That don't make a blind bit of difference, i hadn't had a puncture for at least 10 years before that and i could have made an effort to get back to MONTROSE where i live at the recommended speed in the manual.
The fact is, you run the risk with aftermarket alloys and tyres and that's one i'm not prepared to make again

[The Dogfather]

Fair enough, but I'm not willing to live with: -
*compromised handling,
*poor ride,
*difficultly in sourcing,
*extra cost,
just for the sake of a freak occurrence, once in 15 years of driving in my case. Especially, when in most cases it could be fixed by using sealant. BTW mine in the A2 was sealed with the gunk stuff, but I replaced the tyre rather than repair it as it was nearly illegal.

Do RFs still have a limited range when punctured? Can they be used again if they've been driven on for awhile when punctured? Also how many places will repair them even when they been driven a very short distance?

[AndyP & Lenore]

We always stick to run flats. The main reason for us is that I am not prepared for Lenore to out on a country lane, late at night, on her own sitting at the side of the road with a flat tyre. Regardless of whether she has the tyre repair gunk to squirt into the tyre, if she gets a puncture, for whatever reason, she has the ability to get home.

As I understand it, aftermarket wheels are usually heavier than MINI wheels, but having never had aftermarket wheels, I don't know how this affects the car. And I guess it could be offset by the fact that non-runflats are lighter than run flats.:confused:

A.:D

[AndyP & Lenore]

Just checked Dunlop's web site: Their run flats can be driven for 50 miles at a max speed of 50mph.

Goodyear the same.

Bridgestone 80km at 80kmph - probably the same as Dunlop and Goodyear.

A.

[Gismo]

Fair enough, but I'm not willing to live with: -
*compromised handling,
*poor ride,
*difficultly in sourcing,
*extra cost,
just for the sake of a freak occurrence, once in 15 years of driving in my case. Especially, when in most cases it could be fixed by using sealant. BTW mine in the A2 was sealed with the gunk stuff, but I replaced the tyre rather than repair it as it was nearly illegal.
I can confirm that in the wet the run flats are pathetic and also compared to aftermarket tyres, are crap when compared in the dry, but, for my freak occurrence i aint taking a chance again ;)
All the reasons you listed above, i don't consider cause of my experience and am happy to accept the poorer performance than with "normal" tyres.

This topic has been discussed many times before and everyone has their reasons for their decision, so, Eggy mate, it's your call what you decide

[Gismo]

As I understand it, aftermarket wheels are usually heavier than MINI wheels
I'd have thought it was the other way around?? don't know for sure

[The Dogfather]

I'd have thought it was the other way around?? don't know for sure

You're right Alan, decent aftermarket wheels are as light if not lighter but often a lot cheaper.

Eggy, its all about risk assessment, you work out the frequency (once in 15 years in my case) of things going wrong and the potential cost to you. Alan and Andy have mentioned the high potential costs for them if they get stranded, so they choose RFs to mitigate the risk.

However, in your case you have to ask would the potential impact of getting stuck (very very occasionally) at the side of the road waiting for a breakdown truck be enough to justify the RFs?

[Gismo]

Alan and Andy have mentioned the high potential costs for them if they get stranded, so they choose RFs to mitigate the risk
Not quite, cost is not important to me, just the hassle of being stranded :eek:

[Eggy7496]

Thanks for your input guys, i have been looking at black pro sports. I was chattin to the guy in Checkpoint in aberdeen and he said that the alloys weighed 9kgs and a normal alloy can weigh between 20-30kg. So if thats all correct, plus the fact that a non runflat tyre is slighter than a run flat tyre, you looking at saving around 60+ kg's which i think sounds astonishing for a wheel chnage. He also mentioned that the power to weight ratio will also be imporved and slightly better fuel economy. Although these might seem very small enhancements, there are still postives. Also he said the lightweight alloys will be better on the suspension..... he talked about when you go over a bump and the suspension needing to work to push the wheels back down and the fact that the lighter the wheel the easier and quickier it is to push the wheel back down hence could lead to possible enhancements to the handling.

With what i have said (been told) and what you guys are saying about poorer handling on the funflats it sounds like the wheels i am thinking baout are a good option.

Am i on the right lines with the technical stuff i have just yabbled on about...? :)

Thanks guys,

EJ

[Eggy7496]

http://store.webbmotorsports.com/images/Pro%20Race%201%20Racing%20Flat%20Black.JPG

[AndyP & Lenore]

Eggy, that's a stunning looking wheel. If I'm honest, I'm not a fan of black wheels, so it's not my cup of tea, but if that was in silver I would be drooling.:cool:

I stand corrected on the aftermarket wheel weight. I understood it to be aftermarket was heavier, but it just goes to show, I can occasionally be wrong about things. Not often mind you.:o :D ;)

A.:D

[Craig]

think those are the same wheels that Ryan has.. ;) he's from Ayeberdeen too.. :D

[Eggy7496]

They are nice wheels like. I will have to try get in touch with Ryan then........ mate if your watchin i am looking for ya! lol

[The Dogfather]

Not quite, cost is not important to me, just the hassle of being stranded :eek:

:rolleyes: when I was taking about costs I wasn't meaning literal pounds sterling more time/hassle factor. Mind you time is money :D ;)

[The Dogfather]

Eggy, the wheels you are looking at are 9kg for 17s which is good but not that great. However they do look good though. I was looking at a set of enkei wheels and they are lighter at 7kg for a 17" wheel, thats probably as light as you can get. Remember to check the weight of the tyres as well, some can be a kilo heavier than others.

[Eggy7496]

Thanks dude, do you know if enkei makes a similar 18" black wheel at all off the top of your head?

Cheers

EJ


Eggy, the wheels you are looking at are 9kg for 17s which is good but not that great. However they do look good though. I was looking at a set of enkei wheels and they are lighter at 7kg for a 17" wheel, thats probably as light as you can get. Remember to check the weight of the tyres as well, some can be a kilo heavier than others.

[The Dogfather]

Eggy, not sure about enkei in the black. Another lightweight wheel is Oz Ultraleggra they are only 7.3kg in 18s and they come in a very dark finish: -

http://www.ozracing.com/webimgoz6/2007/OZ%20ruote%20catalogo%20WEB/00_Racing/Ultraleggera/WEB_ULTRALEGGERA-MB_2.eps.jpg

They look a lot better than the enkei's as well. In fact I might get a set my self.

[Big Gordy]

The OZ's will probably be a lot more robust as well;) Being super light isn't always the best idea as they may be more prone to buckling on our wonderful smooth (NOT:mad:) roads:rolleyes::D

[Eggy7496]

The OZ's will probably be a lot more robust as well;) Being super light isn't always the best idea as they may be more prone to buckling on our wonderful smooth (NOT:mad:) roads:rolleyes::D


Buckling?????? Really?? I did not epect that.....

[The Dogfather]

Buckling?????? Really?? I did not epect that.....

It's one of the risks when you go for ultra low profile tyres and lightweight, we had to replace one of our Brabus alloys when Jackie hit something. They were 40 profile tyres I think.

The OZ wheels though are very strong though, which is why they cost more.

[Eggy7496]

What about if i were to go for a 17" wheel rather than 18" wheel...? I take it wont be low profile tyres then...?

EJ

[The Dogfather]

What about if i were to go for a 17" wheel rather than 18" wheel...? I take it wont be low profile tyres then...?

EJ

Plus, they'll be cheaper, lighter and they'll handle better. Oh, I'm considering dropping down to 16s on my MX5 when it comes time to replace the tyres.

[Eggy7496]

MMMM very tempting, I treid to get hold of Ryan, can anyone confirm the size of his wheels and whether they are pro sports 1's?

EJ

[ELFMAN]

Eggy, I'm late coming in here and I think by now everybody's covered just about everything!

I run 16's with Runflats and always have done, as the ride/handling compromise with the JCW suspension is pretty good and there's a bit of meat on the sidewalls for our many Lanarkshire potholes to bite on. What I would say is that personally I wouldn't use Runflats on anything bigger than my 16's, as they're so solid that the ride's compromised, and the handling can get a bit 'skippy' on our rough roads, although the later R56 MINI seems to cope better in this department, as the suspension's a bit more compliant.

If I was to change it would be be to 17's with non-Runflats. But then,as the guys have mentioned, you have that (however rare) 'puncture in the middle of nowhere' scenario, and if you're carrying a spare, you ain't carrying much luggage!

This might interest you though. In this month's 'Evo' magazine, there's a test of the latest AC Schnitzer MINI, which runs their own suspension (Eibach/Bilstein) and 18's with Non-Runflats and apparently it rides and handles like a dream. The Schnitzer test driver reckons that 18" Runflats on a MINI are the equivalent of running 20" Non-Runflats.... and he probably knows what he's talking about. You pays your money.......

[Smurf]

We always stick to run flats. The main reason for us is that I am not prepared for Lenore to out on a country lane, late at night, on her own sitting at the side of the road with a flat tyre. Regardless of whether she has the tyre repair gunk to squirt into the tyre, if she gets a puncture, for whatever reason, she has the ability to get home.
A.:D

BINGO!! That's why I have run-flats too.

[AeroJonny]

Same here, don't like the thought of my Mum or Sister getting stranded. I've had loads of punctures since I started driving!

[Eggy7496]

Thanks guys, made i should stick to runflats then... One last question, is there a noticeable difference in the handling of an 18" runflat and 18" non runflat??

[The Dogfather]

Eggy, you poor guy it sounds like you don't know which way to turn.

[Craig]

Thanks guys, made i should stick to runflats then... One last question, is there a noticeable difference in the handling of an 18" runflat and 18" non runflat??

YES, only one answer HUGE... IMHO obviously.

I have 18" non run flats on my summer wheels and I have been in a car with 18 " run flats with the same suspension setup and it just felt like a "crashy" ride and much less feel in the corners, so you didn't get the feedback from the tyres you would like..

all just my opinion, as BS said earlier, it is a balance between performance of the tyre, cost and getting home on a cold wet night.. :D

just up to you what is more important. :)

[The Dogfather]

Eggy, how many punctures have you had?

[ELFMAN]

Thanks guys, made i should stick to runflats then... One last question, is there a noticeable difference in the handling of an 18" runflat and 18" non runflat??

I'll refer you to the Schnitzer test bloke's theory about runflat 18's.....

If you want to go fast and feel fairly composed on our sort of roads (ie lumpy etc), I'd give 18" Runflats a wide berth. Still - they're good for just posing I suppose! If you're looking for a compromise between practicality (getting home with a flat) and performance/looks, why not go for a good 17" runflat or maybe rig up some sort of spare wheel carrier in the boot and go for your 18's and non-runflats? There was a MINI with just such a setup at the Thistle Run a couple of years back.

[Eggy7496]

Thanks again guys, i sorta knew what i wanted to get but one thing is for sure there gonna be black cuz they are gonna suit my new beast well!!! (Watch this space lol)

Sounds like non-runflats seem to be the way to go if your looking for performace and lower replacement cost on the tyres. I had a pretty bad puncture not to long ago and if i didnt have runflats then i was pretty f...... I felt they really saved my bacon, and now that i have had that experience (similar to what BS was saying) i would hate to end up like that again and ruin an alloy.

I think i have made up my mind lol. Either get the 7 spoke cooper s chille wheel powered coated black or go for the works bad boys!! I actually was going to get the works ones to start but was just offput my the cost.

But thanks again guys for your help.

EJ

[Big Gordy]

I have a set of standard wheels painted satin black:cool:
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h187/BigGordy/General%20Mini%20Stuff/DSCF1142.jpg

[Eggy7496]

Hey man, they look awesome!! Was that pricey to get down?? They look fantastic!!

EJ

[Smurf]

I suppose I should add that my wheels are 16"...

The 17's look great on the car, but I prefer the handling capabilities of the 16's, especially with run flat tyres. IMHO 16's are the best compromise between looks / ride / handling / price.

I just wish they still made the Dunlop tyres I had on the car for the first two years... Dunlop's "replacement" just isn't up to the same grippy standards... :(

[Gismo]

How about these BMW R99 wheels in anthracite:-

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b71/Bonnie_Scotland/Black%20Cooper%20S/JCWBrakes.jpg

[AndyP & Lenore]

Aye, R99's are very nice in anthracite.:D :D

Hey, BS, they even look clean. :eek: How'd that happen?:confused:

A.:D

[Big Gordy]

Hey man, they look awesome!! Was that pricey to get down?? They look fantastic!!

EJ

Didn't cost me a bean:D I just happened to be working for a company that got a fair bit of stuff powder coated and got them powder coated free by a new company wanting some of there business;) Right place at the right time i guess:D :rolleyes: :cool:

[Craig]

Eggy, if you wanted wheels powder coated, expect to pay anywhere between £30 to £50 per wheel depending on where you get them done and what finish you want.
:D

[Gismo]

Hey, BS, they even look clean. :eek: How'd that happen?:confused:
Had just driven the car home after buying it, still had to run it in ;)