[m@rk]

It looks like I will soon of need a new set of front tyres.

Now for the last 2 years, unlike most here, I have been very happy with the Dunlop RoF tyres on my car.

Having said that there are some simple choices to be made as I see it hence a bunch of questions. BTW at this stage I am not asking for advice on specific tyres for my car.

So taking the run flat route, if I get a puncture then I can carry on (at reduced speed) to get to a safe place. Having once been in a position where I was forced to change a wheel at the bottom of a slip road where there was no hard shoulder, I wish I had run flats that day.

Of course once you have driven to a safe place, the tyre is junk and will need replacing.

If however the tyre is damaged rather than just punctured then I am in no different position to having a normal tyre.

So if I go the non run flat route, if I get a puncture, I am forced to stop. Now in this case I have no spare (and nowhere to keep one) so am forced to call for help and wait for it to arrive.

Now I have seen the repair kits from the likes of Continental (the comfort kit I think) that seem to plug the leak and then reinflate the tyre allowing you to drive (at reduced speed) to a tyre shop to get the tyre repaired or replaced.

As I understand it, in this scenario, it should be perfectly OK to repair the puncture and carry on using the tyre.

Again, if the tyre is damaged etc I still have no spare and am still stranded.

I have also seen the "puncture proofing" available for normal tyres. I have heard mixed reports but this would appear to be an even better option.

Whilst all of the above costs money, non run flats are cheaper than run flats so it's swings and roundabouts surely.

So for those of you who have taken the non run flat route, what have you done to "protect yourself" in the event of a puncture etc are you simply risking it and accepting that when you get that puncture, you will just have to wait for the AA to come and get you?

Thanks

[bakili]

i went none run flat route,
puncture repair kit in boot, road side cover and electric inflater

[zedman]

I rung my local dealer this weekend to be told that replacing the tyres with non rft's is 'a main dealer job and is very tricky, but can be done'

hmmmmm

[dxb335d]

Pmsl. No issues changing them. What a plum
you spoke to at your local stealer

[R80TER]

i have a can of tyre weld, a *** lighter compressor and need to get a jack actually, to make it easier to find foreign objects in the tyre and to re-inflate. e46 jack from ebay here i come!

[ed335d]

Originally Posted by zedman

I rung my local dealer this weekend to be told that replacing the tyres with non rft's is 'a main dealer job and is very tricky, but can be done'

hmmmmm

What utter crap

[andytran]

Ive just put none RFTs on my 2009 E90 LCI.

WOW - wish Id done it months ago.

Car is totally transformed.

Oh, by the way, I bought a compressor and tyre seal off ebay.

Branded Diahatsu - brand new in sealed plastic, comes in a nice vynl bag with gloves, valve remover, everything you need - I was lucky, cost me £9 delivered!!

Andy

[milesr3]

I have a can of tyreweld and a decent 12V compressor in the boot.

At some point I'm going to get a bottle of the tyre sealant that BMW ship in their Mobility Set:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...=71&fg=95&hl=1

I have the BMW assist cover as part of the approved-used warranty, but when this expires (assuming I don't renew it) I'll get breakdown cover.

If I had an E9x I'd probably pickup a space-saver off ebay as they seem to be frequently available (unlike the E60).

[kend]

Originally Posted by milesr3

If I had an E9x I'd probably pickup a space-saver off ebay as they seem to be frequently available (unlike the E60).

Is that the space saver off the E46?

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by zedman

I rung my local dealer this weekend to be told that replacing the tyres with non rft's is 'a main dealer job and is very tricky, but can be done'

hmmmmm

The Guy needs firing, in both ways

[andytran]

Originally Posted by kend

Is that the space saver off the E46?

where would you put a spacesaver in the e90?

Certainly no room underfloor in my lci? Theres a laptop tray and an underfloor hole which can hide valuables - not big enough for a wheel.

Maybe lay in the boot, but not my cup of tea!!!

Andy

[milesr3]

Originally Posted by kend

Is that the space saver off the E46?

Yes it must be - sorry my mistake!

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by m@rk

So if I go the non run flat route, if I get a puncture, I am forced to stop. Now in this case I have no spare (and nowhere to keep one) so am forced to call for help and wait for it to arrive.

Now I have seen the repair kits from the likes of Continental (the comfort kit I think) that seem to plug the leak and then reinflate the tyre allowing you to drive (at reduced speed) to a tyre shop to get the tyre repaired or replaced.

As I understand it, in this scenario, it should be perfectly OK to repair the puncture and carry on using the tyre.

Again, if the tyre is damaged etc I still have no spare and am still stranded.

If you repair a normal tyre with tyre repair gunk the tyre is ruined as tyre shops won't fix it for you.

But normal tyres are cheaper than RFTs and you still have to replace RFT after a puncture anyway.

I have a jack kit, pump & tyreweld and chuck the BMW light alloy spacesaver in the boot. If I really ever need that extra 125mm sliver of bootspace I'll leave out the spacesaver and chance it with the gunk.

Millions of cars now have no spare and no RFTs, Honda, Toyota, Ford, Renault etc etc.

You won't be on your own!!

[BigDman]

What rubbish .. no hassle to switch to normal tyre, i went for conti 3's

Can of tyre weld, compressor in the boot. I do need to get a jack.

I was told you need to completely deflate the tyre first by removing the valve and plug in the tyre weld and inflate from completely flat.

I assume if you are completely deflating a tyre it the car needs to be jacked or the alloy will be damaged ?

Has anyone used tyreweld - did you have to remove the tyre valve ?

[doughboy]

The rim won't be damaged by the tyre being completely flat.

You need a jack with tyre weld as you have to rotate the tyre so the puncture is at the bottom, and remove the nail etc. This is very difficuly without a jack. (and chocks so you can take off the handbrake if its a rear puncture) (bmw jack comes with a wheel chock.)

You don't remove the valve, otherwise the tyre weld won't stay in.

I used it on a motorbike years ago (as they don't have spares either!!), worked fine, no valve removal, just squirted it straight in and span the wheel round as I didn't know where the puncture was!

Pumped it up a bit more at the next garage.

As you have tyreweld, the instructions are on the can!!!

[BigDman]

Thanks Doughboy..

[m@rk]

Originally Posted by doughboy

If you repair a normal tyre with tyre repair gunk the tyre is ruined as tyre shops won't fix it for you.

But normal tyres are cheaper than RFTs and you still have to replace RFT after a puncture anyway.

This is my thinking.

In either case I am out of pocket so does it really matter?

And as I think more about this, the fact that some E9x cars ship without RFT anyway (base spec and M3 I believe) tells me that this is not a crazy thing to do. In these cases the "get me home seal kits" so the same job anyway (50 miles at 50mph).

Add Ultraseal or Tyreseal etc into the mix and things look even better.

So this is starting to look like a no brainer isn't it?

Non run flats, some gunk (that Continental thing actually looks quite a neat solution) and some puncture proofing just in case.

Bingo

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by m@rk

tells me that this is not a crazy thing to do.

As I said,

Honda, Toyota, Renault, Peugeot, Ford etc etc all supply cars now with no spare and no runflat tyres..

They're hardly 'crazy' people are they??

Even my wifes super-sensible 56 honda civic just comes with some 'honda' branded tyreweld

[craig2859]

The thing that gets me is in all this is what was ever wrong with the old style, Spare wheel, Jack and wheel brace.

All we have done here is create a dilema for people now, and even more so that there is nowhere to put a spare if you want to.

Look at how many threads there are on the RFT subject.

RFT's are not even 100% there yet, there needs more development on this as at the moment its not the best option.



RFT's, Puncture = New Tyre, as they are not designed to be repaired.

Non RFT's, Puncture = No spare, so use Tyre Weld = New tyre to replace, albeit cheaper. (Still have to carry a Jack and a wheel chock)


So those 2 options mean no matter what, a puncture = a new tyre, which is ridiculous IMO.

Old School = Puncture, replace with spare at the roadside, which takes 10-15 mins - take to garage £10 tyre is repaired - Job Done.

I would 100% choose the old school option everytime if I had somewhere to put a spare and Jack.


.

[dxb335d]

Whats the ''Continental solution'' then?

[m@rk]

Originally Posted by craig2859

The thing that gets me is in all this is what was ever wrong with the old style, Spare wheel, Jack and wheel brace.

All we have done here is create a dilema for people now, and even more so that there is nowhere to put a spare if you want to.

Look at how many threads there are on the RFT subject.

RFT's are not even 100% there yet, there needs more development on this as at the moment its not the best option.



RFT's, Puncture = New Tyre, as they are not designed to be repaired.

Non RFT's, Puncture = No spare, so use Tyre Weld = New tyre to replace, albeit cheaper. (Still have to carry a Jack and a wheel chock)


So those 2 options mean no matter what, a puncture = a new tyre, which is ridiculous IMO.

Old School = Puncture, replace with spare at the roadside, which takes 10-15 mins - take to garage £10 tyre is repaired - Job Done.

I would 100% choose the old school option everytime if I had somewhere to put a spare and Jack.


.

As said before, I have found myself in a position where I would have killed for a run flat tyre so I can really see the benefit however as always there is a trade off.

but what annoys me is that there is nowhere to keep a spare should you want to pay for one.

[brett23]

carl

look here http://www.conticomfortkit.co.uk/