Flat-tyre gets you nowhere

I have a BMW 525d, which was supplied with runflat tyres as standard. I am not impressed with claims by the manufacturer that they are fitted for safety reasons. Has anyone carried out independent tests on ride quality of these tyres compared with conventional tyres and comparative all round performance?

Asked on 25 April 2009 by

Answered by Honest John

I have personally carried out safety tests involving blowouts of these
tyres at 80mph while cornering. I have also been in the great danger of replacing an offside rear wheel with a blown out conventional tyre on a motorway hard shoulder. Because of their stiffer sidewalls, runflats generally have the ride quality of the next lower profile, by which I mean a runflat 245/45 R17 will feel more like a conventional 245/40 R18. Ride quality can be shocking on 19” or 20” wheels

Tags: wheels and tyres runflat tyres owning

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