Slow Puncture

[AndyS]

Sorry if this has been asked before but I have no idea what to search for and I need an answer fairly quickly!
When I bought the car about three months ago it had 2 brand new Michelin run flats on the rear and 2 half worn Bridgestone Potenza run flats on the front.
Left work to come home tonight and after a few hundred yards the tyre pressure warning light came on.
Fortunately there was a garage just up the road so popped in to check pressures and, sods law, it was one of the rears which was low on pressure.
Pumped it up and drove home carefully.
I've checked pressures again a couple of hours later and it seems it's losing about 5psi in a couple of hours.
I can't see any obvious reason such as nails, screws etc so I'm not sure what's causing it but hopefully it can be repaired.
My question is though, worse case scenario is it can't be fixed, would it be ok to have 2 non run flats on the rear and 2 run flats on the front.
I believe the cost of 2 normals is about the price of 1 run flat and my aim was to change to non run flat when they needed replacing.
I can't really afford to replace all four tyres at the moment so would have to have just one new run flat for the rear if it's not a good idea to mix run flat and non run flat front and rear.
Hope that all makes sense and I look forward to your advice.

 

[Wondermike]

Plenty threads on it, most garages or tyre places won't repair a RFT, and I personally wouldn't be mixing and matching RFTs and normal tyres. I'd get another rear.

 

[AlanJ]

Certainly don't mix tyre types on the same axle. Several posts on here recently selling secondhand RFTs might be worth a search.

Have a look at this: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=17087

 

[melbs]

first off find out where the leak is coming from

1. remove the tire from your car
2. carefully look for nails, glass, screws, cuts, other visual damage to your tire, spray water to the stem valves if it bubbles then the valve is the problem.
3. if you still can't locate the leak, submerge tire under water and see where air bubbles are coming from.
4. most likely its a small nail embedded in the treads or your stem valves is busted.
5. patch tire hole (vulcanize) if it is in the tread, change valves if its the valve that has a leak.

 

[no fit state]

I've had 2 non runflats on just the rear for about 18 months now with no problems. So I'd go for that option. Some on here wouldn't do it, but then some would and have. The choice is yours

 

[AndyS]

A quick update.

Went to get this sorted Saturday morning.
Phoned the local tyre fitters first to check they had a replacement run flat the same as was already fitted (Michelin Primacy) and they confirmed they had 4 in stock but they'd probably be able to repair the one which was on there so off I went.
I waited over an hour before they got the car in to start work on it.
Eventually, was called over to be told they couldn't fix it and I'd need a new tyre.
No problem as they'd already confirmed they had one in stock...... until they came to fit it and found it was the non run flat version.
No run flats in stock. They wouldn't be able to get one until Wednesday or Thursday this week.
I asked about swapping all four tyres for the Falken 452s and they refused to do it until I'd checked with my insurance company.
They refitted the original tyre and sent me on my way.
I eventually managed to find somewhere with the correct tyre in stock even though they wanted slightly more for it but at least it's done.
I need to replace the two fronts in the not too distant future and I'm seriously considering changing all four at that point for the Falkens... having contacted insurance first.
Has anyone had any problems with insurance objecting to the change or increasing premiums as it's a mod?

 

[AlanJ]

No problems with my insurance - Aviva (aka Norwich Union) - there only stipulation was that they (the tyres) were a suitable size for the vehicle and conformed with road vehcle Construction and Use Regs (UK that is). I have never heard of a tyre dealer acting as yours did: if they refused to fit until you had contacted your insurance company what proof did they then want to say yoiu had done this? We live in strange times in the UK.....

 

[stevedruidstone]

I have been running NRF on the rear for a few months waiting for the front RF to wear down a bit more. Far from no problems- much better ride noticed. My insurance werent interested as long as they were same size and UK reg tyres