On the way home last Thursday my TPM flashed low tire pressure. I was on a busy (Houston, TX) freeway with no good place to pull over. At any rate I watched the pressure continue to drop as I drove. I got to my side of town and got to Discount Tire before closing and the tire pressure was 2 psi. There were two puctures in my tire. Discount Tire fixed them and on the road again. Say what you want, but Run Flats sure do come in handy sometime!

 

(gulp)... I just bought some non-runflats... I want my mommy!

 

Well, I'm a believe now. Run Flats, cause they work!

 

I just got a set of Goodyear Eagle F1's... non-runflats...
The improvement in ride quality, handling, and comfort was well worth it.

I've doubly protected myself though... I got the warranty on the tires from the Goodyear store, which includes free towing and puncture repair for the life of the tire, and a good chunk off the cost of a replacement if one's needed. Also, for about $30, I picked up a mini-air compressor, tire good (just in case), and tire plug kit should I ever be so far away from society that I need it.

For what I've gained, I definitely feel it's worth the 'risk' of not having the run-flats.

 

Not me! I just had a flat from a loose valve stem on my run-flat during a downpour. I was able to drive it to the installer to get it fixed!

I have Michelin Pilot ZP's - great riding runflats and very quiet. I just came back from a 1200 mile round trip and it was a pleasure driving with these tires.

 

I live in Orlando where there is always construction trucks going back and forth. I've had my Corvette for about 9 months and two separate flats already, the second caused the pressure to go to 0 psi over night. I'll stick with run flats.

 

I had a blowout at 70 mph, they are all they are suppose to be

 

Allow me to offer some perspective on this subject that vehement defenders of "run flats" and vehement defenders of "non-run flats" never seem to grasp.

Flat tires are isolated events that may happen only once or twice every 10 to 20 years. Those odds are better or worse depending on driving style and the area in which you live and/or drive everyday.

If you track the car, rarely drive it (weekend driver) or are just willing to take the chance, by all means, put on non run-flats. Nothing wrong with that at all, they do offer better performance on the track (IMHO, the difference in performance on the street is negligible in comparison to run flats)

My philosophy has always been "it is better to have and not need than to need and not have".

I run Michelin run flats and I don't feel I have less performance or a worse ride because of them (I don't track the car so there is no point for ME to put on non-run flats). The OEMs do ride rough after they wear down, but are 100% great for doing what they were designed to do. To the OP: Thanks for sharing your story, nice to know the tires do what they are supposed to.

Buy the tires that fit the way YOU use your Vette. Period.

Peace

 

Not to mention better gas mileage. See 'OBJECTIVE TEST RESULTS' At current gas prices and depending on how you drive and/or use or abuse your tires the savings can exceed $1,500 over the tires lifetime vs. non-run flats. Nice bonus!

Some people like to bash run flats because it's fashionable and they want to be a part of the 'in crowd.' They come in all types. The ones who replace their old, worn and aged run flat comparing it to their new non-run flats and claim some amazing revelation yet don't have the common sense to realize that if you replace any old, worn and aged tire (run flat or not) with it's exact replacement you will have a much less noisy and better ride. Then there are the ones who tout vast handling differences and wet weather performance of their replacements yet never track their cars or drive in the rain. And there are the ones who say they are overpriced (see link and comment above). I won't even get into the ones who are willing to risk their lives trying to use a patch kit on an even lower ground clearance car with a flat on a conventional tire in who knows what road/weather conditions or are willing to trust their now lower clearance car in the hands of a AAA flatbed operator. That is if they were lucky enough to not have a shredding tire tear apart a fender.

 

I like the peace of mind of run flats!

 

 

Interesting; but my experience is quite different. I changed from stock run flats on stock wheels on my 02 coupe to Toyo T1R's in Z06 sizes on Z06 wheels. In precisely the same type of daily driving my average mpg has gone up since the tire change. By the way my runflats were not worn out when I changed over. I think the quoted article is a little suspect, particularly when he says run flats enable you to take corners a bit faster... The freeway on ramp that was scary at 50 on runflats is a piece of cake at 70 on the new tires.

SUBJECTIVE TEST RESULTS: The run-flats give the car a stiffer ride that can be quite harsh on some roads and, after a couple of hundred miles of continuous driving (or as a passenger, for that matter), you feel like you've gone the distance. The stiffer ride enables you to take corners a bit faster, however, so if you don't mind giving up a little comfort in favor of better handling, the run-flats are the way to go. Bear in mind, though, that they produce more road noise inside the cabin and they seem to have a little less bite for off-the-line acceleration.

 

In the past nine years I've had two flats. One tire was cut and the other went down on the interstate due to a failed valve stem. The weather sucked both times and I damn sure didn't want to be sitting on the side of a freeway di*king around with a patch kit and a pump

Granted, the OEM GYs were rough and noisy but the Firestone Firehawks I switched to a long time ago are just right. Smooth, quiet and very predictable in their handling. Unless you're driving like a maniac around town you're not going to see a huge difference between RFs and non-RFs. Not enough difference for most to give up the convenience of the RFs. I've had a Z06 so I do know the difference first hand.


That's because you had the crappy GYs...that has not been my experience at all with the Firestones.

This subject is the same as the BSM discussions...you either hate them or love them and most here will defend their choice 'till hell freezes over. To each his own.

 

I may need to buy a set of tires in the near future. I will stick with run-flats. So far, it appears there are the OEM GY's, Kumho's, Michelin, & Firestones that are available.

What I see from my research is that the Michelin has a tread-wear rating of 400 and the Kumho's are rated 220. The others are in-between. Based on price to tread-wear rating, the Michelin's appear to be the best value for the money.

Anybody have any different perspective or recommendations?

 

Finally a reason to celebrate I've always thought that $1900 was pretty steep for a set of tires but was good insurance. Now, I realize each tire is costing me only $100 per tire. Can't beat that

 

Nothing but run-flats for me either.

 

I live in Houston, Texas and like taking road trips on weekends. I drive 20,000 to 30,000 miles per year. I've had flats at a rate of one about every two years. With no spare tire, run flats are a really neat thing for me. My vette is a daily driver so if you are a weekend vetter, take the risk if you really thank you are lucky. But for me, it's not a question of Run Flats or Flats, it's a matter of brand. Think the Michekin A/S ZPs are going to be my next choice because GY is noise and pricy.

 

You're right, runflats do serve a good purpose at times. Sure beats having to stop and fix a flat on the side of the road.

 

I believe that you can not compare different brand's tread-wear ratings. A Michelin 400 does not necessarily mean it will wear twice as long as a Firestone 200, for example.
Manufacturer's tread-wear ratings are only consistent within their own brand.
Someone will probably correct me if I'm off base here.
Rob

 

How many miles and how many years old were the tires? As I noted in my post it's not just wear but age that is a factor as tires harden with time. In fact a smart consumer should always check the sidewalls of new tires they buy for the code that translates to the exact month and year they were manufactured. One might be surprised on how old their 'new' tires might be. Also, over how many miles/tankfuls/months have you calculated your MPG figures with the new tires and what was the alleged increase?
I see you had this argument already recently with a forum member here whose livelihood relates to the topic at hand yet you failed to understand the reasoning. I don't play those silly games so you can attempt to have a 'round two' comeback after a 'round one' knockout.