Community Chat

[PickyPicky3]

I need a new set of tires and am considering run flat. Sounds like they're worth the extra money even though I'm not driving as much these days.

Any opinions pro or con?

[Ainhisg]

I had them one time, and I would NEVER have them again. Other people may feel differently. Your sensor will go off saying that you have a flat tire if the air pressure changes. You have no way to know whether it's really a flat or an air pressure issue until you go back to the shop where you bought the tires or in my case...where I bought the car. I hated those things! I felt like I was always at the dealership about them.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

We had them a few cars ago. The Idea sounds good but they rode hard.

[hckynutjohn]

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@Ainhisg wrote:

I had them one time, and I would NEVER have them again. Other people may feel differently. Your sensor will go off saying that you have a flat tire if the air pressure changes. You have no way to know whether it's really a flat or an air pressure issue until you go back to the shop where you bought the tires or in my case...where I bought the car. I hated those things! I felt like I was always at the dealership about them.

@Ainhisg 

Never had those tires, but! Our 2010 Toyota has those tire pressure sensors. They are nothing but a pain in the butt. Next set of tires we buy will have my friend put in regular valve stems, without those sensors. No more light blinking phony tire pressure readings, and those with the sensors, cost way too much to replace.

No way I would ever buy run flat tires.

hckynut 🇺🇸

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[PickyPicky3]

Okay, it's a no for run flats. It's such a good idea, but the problems outweigh the benefit. Especially that they can't be fixed if you do have a puncture.

I have no issue with tire pressure sensors. I know the indicator will light when the temperature takes its first big drop in the fall. At other times, I just put some air in. Only if the light comes back on will I have them checked for a puncture.

Thanks @Ainhisg @JeanLouiseFinch  @hckynutjohn 

[gizmogal]

Had 'em. Hated 'em. Noisy on the road. Hard ride. I never had a puncture so that I could say "great idea" and mean it.  

If you haven't had a flat tire in several years and you're driving infrequently, they can hardly be worth the extra cost since your exposure to flat tire risk seems low. If your driving area has a lot of commercial traffic that might drop debris or you drive to places like boat yards or construction sites, then no-flat tires seem more sensible. For ordinary roads and streets, think about how often you have ever changed to a spare and paid to repair a punctured tire?  What time and expense would you be saving by paying more for these kinds of tires?

Buy good quality all season tires. New tires hold up to minor road inconsistencies, give a smooth, quiet ride, and sufficient grip in wet conditions. A nail in the tire is rare bad luck. No-flat tires are a poor investment against rare bad luck. 

A lot of evaluation of paying for a premium item is to consider not what it costs, but what is it worth to you to have it? 

[hckynutjohn]

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@PickyPicky3 wrote:

Okay, it's a no for run flats. It's such a good idea, but the problems outweigh the benefit. Especially that they can't be fixed if you do have a puncture.

I have no issue with tire pressure sensors. I know the indicator will light when the temperature takes its first big drop in the fall. At other times, I just put some air in. Only if the light comes back on will I have them checked for a puncture.

Thanks @Ainhisg @JeanLouiseFinch  @hckynutjohn 

Hi @PickyPicky3 

Not sure how many are familiar with this so I will just throw it out there for those that might not know this.

This is applicable for all tires inflated with air. If you measure the PSI air pressure in your tires remember this. 

Always check then when they are cold. As tires heat up, they expand. When racing my cars the tire pressure, in just run down Drag Strips(1320'), tire pressure would increase by 3 pounds(PSI). 

Cars like Nascar Race Cars that run even 10 miles, can add double digit numbers easily during that time. Drive on an Interstate Highway and a Cold PSI of 30lbs can easily become 35-40 PSI.

Whenever the Air Pressure Sensor Light started blinking on our Toyota, I would wait till the car sat several hours and then check the tires air pressure. Most of the time it was the air pressure was right where I wanted it.

After driving the car doing this several times, I realized it was the Sensor reading 1 of the 4 tires PSI incorrectly. Time consuming because on our 2010, the light only blinks. It does not give any indication of which of the 4 tires it might be. So I would eyeball them, and go from there.

On the ground tire width also changes with tire PSI. In racing certain cars you had a maximum tire width(inches contacting the track surface). Technical Directors checked your tire widths, before/during or after a run. 

I won't go into how much this air pressure means in race, but it can win or lose a race when Drag Racing.

I will call this a PSA.

hckynut 🇺🇸

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[faeriemoon]

My last few cars (Audi) have come with them.  They ride great and make no noise.

When the tires needed replacing we replaced them with the same ones; again, no issues.

I would recommend.

[SilleeMee]

Run-flat tires will reduce your gas mileage, have less comfort and handling.

[queendiva]

NO to run flat tires!

Expensive and the life span is about half of what other good tires run.

It's the only thing I hate about my car- no spare and it requires run flats. I have to replace them every 24 months/ 25K miles.