Removal of run flats...

C

Chris1981

Member
A topic covered many times I would think but thought I would add my recent experience for any new members still on run flats....

Having recently lowered the car I needed to get the alignment sorted and the rears were due a change... a pair of run flat rears came in at £400, however front and rears non run flat was £450 so was a bit of a no brainer really!

On the run flats handling was not great on anything other than nice flat smooth roads, as i drive down the Fosse way to get to work it was a bit of a handfull at times... first drive today on non run flats and what a difference! So much more responsive, the car doesn't dive into every pot hole and crack it can find, steering feels so much lighter too!

So to sum up, although some people have no issues at all with run flats switching to standard tyres for me has had a huge improvement and the fact they are cheaper is just an added bonus, I know if i get a flat I'm screwed but I have breakdown cover so it doesn't bother me in the slightest!
 
My run flats are near the tread limit thousand miles maybe, I think they were from when the car was new 2007 but only 24k so will be going for a set of Pilot Sport 4's all round, looking forward to a smoother ride :driving:
 
I purchased a new set of alloys recently and am picking them up from the tyre guys tonight. I went for Vredstein Ultrac's and can't wait to get them on and try them out as like you say the car can be a handful at the best of times
 
Kit said:
My run flats are near the tread limit thousand miles maybe, I think they were from when the car was new 2007 but only 24k so will be going for a set of Pilot Sport 4's all round, looking forward to a smoother ride :driving:
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Ten year old tyres should be removed regardless = long past their best before date! I recently replaced my 2007 extremely low mileage run-flats with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ and can confirm that ride and handling improved immensely and immediately.
David
 
Does anyone know if changing run flats for non run flats constitutes a modification that needs to be declared to your insurance company. BMW manufacture the car with run flats so will an insurance company potentially use this to refuse a claim ?
 
Huzee666 said:
Does anyone know if changing run flats for non run flats constitutes a modification that needs to be declared to your insurance company. BMW manufacture the car with run flats so will an insurance company potentially use this to refuse a claim ?
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I contacted mine (Direct Line) who informed me it would be ok and made a note on the policy with no charge.
 
jimbo1958 said:
Huzee666 said:
Does anyone know if changing run flats for non run flats constitutes a modification that needs to be declared to your insurance company. BMW manufacture the car with run flats so will an insurance company potentially use this to refuse a claim ?
Click to expand...

I contacted mine (Direct Line) who informed me it would be ok and made a note on the policy with no charge.
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+1
 
I changed mine on my Mini from RF to Non RF. Notified the insurance company and they noted it but no price change.

As an aside always notify the insurance company, things are often no charge, but if you fail to it gives the insurance company a potential get out in the even of a big claim. Believe it or not even stripes/decals affect insurance, not a big issue on a Z as highly unlikely, but most minis have them.
 
Just to add my experience to those of the Chris1981.
I only did about 150 miles on the runflats that came on my coupe when I bought it, but it was enough to know I couldn't live with them on the crap roads local to me. On smooth tarmac they were just about ok, but that's in short supply in Hampshire. :(

I changed to Michelin pilot sport 4's and the difference is huge. The car no longer feels like it's trying to have a fight with me on rough B roads and I don't feel the need to slow down every time a car approaches me in case I suddenly hit a bump or rough part of tarmac and find myself lurching to one side or the other. What little tramlining that's still there is far gentler, more like a suggestion that the car would like to go to one side and not the vicious kick that I was experiencing before.
The ride has also been transformed with "most" of the crashing over bumps and potholes gone. Not super smooth, but what you would expect in a car where you sit virtually over the rear axle and that has performance and handling as a major selling point. Playing with tyre pressures has also helped in that respect, I'm on 36psi in the rears at the moment and that seems a reasonable pressure to put some miles on the car as a starting point.

All in all, I'm very happy and somewhat relived with the transformation the change has made. :)
 
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