I’m not a tech savvy guy and don’t know that much about tires but I have read quite a bit on the BMW forum about run flats with a lot of different points of view. The biggest concern for most BMW guys about run flats is lack of performance and reliability with bubbles being common. I have been on the fence about the topic and still have run flats on my BMW and my 2019 Z06. My Z06 only has 11000 miles and I have had zero issues with the tires but I do often wonder how much better the car would be with traditional tires. What’s stops me from flipping is feeling vulnerable about getting a flat far away from home with no solution. At least the run flats will get me 50 miles in most cases. I did buy a full size spare for my BMW from Modern tire to give me added security in the event of an issue. I live in the northeast where the roads stink locally and on the highway. I am wondering how many of you have gone away from run flats and if it’s been worth it.

 

I have changed from run-flats on all of my cars. In my opinion the improved quality of the drive is worth the risk.

 

I have the Michelin run flats on my 2014 M7 base Sting Ray. They handle and ride pretty good for me. The only thing I not too fond of is warning to not operate vehicle at low temps due to possible damage to tires and poor handling.

 

You should be much more concerned about running a summer tire in cold conditions than getting a flat. If a summer tire fails in the cold it could totally self destruct.

 

The last two times I have bought tires for a vette it was Michelin all season run flats and I'll do it again for my next set. They are loud and rough riding but with no spare I don't see a choice. But that's just me.

 

on my 2014 convertible,
i have Michelin Summer Performance Run-flats.
in the colder months i switch over to Continental all season tires.

the Continentals are smoother and quieter and can handle the rain and cold temps

the Michelins are louder (does that matter in a convertible?) and rougher,
however,
i am often hours away from a tow truck,
so i like the safety factor

and

in warm dry weather,
the Michelins easily out perform the Continentals

 

What he said .

 

I couldn't get rid of the crappola runflats on my C5 quickly enough; and, I was ready to do the same when I picked up my '18 C7 from Kerbeck's. But... WOW, what a difference so many years (and perhaps a different manufacturer) make. My only reason for changing now, if I were to do so, would be to move from the summer only tires on my C7 to something I could drive in colder temps. But in all honesty, I've enough vehicles such as that is hardly a genuine concern. Hence, I'll stay with modern runflats on my C7 and not look back. As is said, "Your (fill in the blank) may differ." All the best, in any event.

 

I have the Michelin A/S 3+ ZP tires on my 2014 and am very pleased with the performance and tires. No problem with driving the car in the cold if winter pays a visit to your location. Handing and ride are very good. My next set will be Michelin too.

 

Michelin run flats are a quality tire & they make great performance versions like the super sport & cup 2. I'm not into trying to patch/plug a flat tire on the highway with semi-trucks blowing by you mere feet away

 

I had run flats on my 2005 Corvette until last week. I replaced them with regular tires by Continental and love the better handling and quieter ride.

 

 

Guys I really appreciate all the feedback. I don’t drive my Z06 during the winter much so it’s really a 10 month deal. It came with Michelin P335/25ZR20 ZP and I don’t feel like the ride is too harsh but I have nothing to compare it to. I’m only at 11000 miles so the tires should have plenty of time left before I need to make a decision on what’s next. I am not much of a risk taker so I just don’t see myself having no solution in the event of an issue. I am curious if anyone has thought about leaving a decent spare in the trunk after market.

 

1. 11K miles is nothing, but the age of the tire could be. If your ZO6 is a `16 or `17 and still on the original tires, they could be 9 or 10 years old. Tire compounds dry out and harden as they age and will lose traction especially in temps below 40 degrees. Personally I change tires after 6 years regardless how good they look or how much tread is left. 10 years is definately too old to take a chance with.
2. No way would I consider trying to fit a spare in the back. Ours is a convertible and there is just enough room for two bags and my cleaning supplies!
Run-flat technology has improved so much since our first experiences with them on our `93. I am currently running Michelin A/S 4 ZP (zero pressure). The ride and noise factor is greatly improved. As someone else said, "I'm too old to be laying on the ground trying to plug a tire with semis roaring by". I carry a small Griot's Garage compressor in the cubby to air-up the run-flats to help get us somewhere for repair, but I have never had to use it. I will never be without run-flats.

 

Run flats will get you a lot further than 50 miles.
Driving on a flat runflat will ruin the tire pretty quickly, even 50 miles is probably optimistic.
But if the tire is already ruined, or you need to keep going so urgently that you don't care about ruining it; you can go hundreds of miles on a flat runflat. I posted the question long ago in the C6 section and the "winner" had driven something like 400 miles on a flat runflat, he only stopped because he got home. I did not find anyone who had a runflat come apart.
We had a flat runflat (un-repairable sidewall cut) near the Tail of the Dragon and drove the Dragon on the flat, slowed down but kept on moving to a tire store about 30 miles away.

I do keep a compressor in the rear cubby of each of our cars for slow leaks.

 

If i had a Z06, i would not have run flats on it. Run flat tires have stiffer sidewalls, and in the case of a C7 Z06 with low-profile tires and reported rim cracking issues, that stiffness can increase stress on the wheels and contribute to rim cracking under real world conditions. Pot holes, bridge joints and speed bumps are everywhere. It’s not guaranteed that the tire type alone will cause a crack, but it is a plausible contributor.

I have had run flats and non run flats on my Stingrays. I carry a scissor jack, lug wrench, pucks, pump, tire plug kit and even the Slime kit.

Many general tire shops refuse the job if you have run flats, and even some dealerships struggle without specialized equipment. If you are on a road trip in the middle of nowhere, good luck on finding a Tire Rack or Discount Tire. They have the Hunter Revolution tire changing machine (or something equivalent) for working with the stiff beads that resist flexing over the wheel’s drop center. Removing and remounting a run flat without the Hunter or the equivalent can lead to air leaks during seating or potential wheel damage if forced.

In a perfect world, I would have my wife follow me everywhere in our Tundra loaded with four extra mounted tires for my Stingray but she does not like driving big boy trucks.

 

OP - While your question is a good one, there are too many variables to give a single answer. It really depends on where you live, how bad the weather gets, will you drive in bad/cold weather, do you take long trips where available service (tire shops) are few and far between, etc.? My recommendation would be to go with Michelin run flats if -- you drive in weather under 40 degrees F throughout the year, or most of it, you will drive in cold rain, or even light snow, you want extended tire wear, you care about a flat while on a trip, and do not look forward to using a tire plug kit and lug wrench and scissor jack on the side of the road. Good luck.

 

I have Michelin A/S 3+ ZP on my '15 Z51. Ride and handle fine. Can't really speak to road noise as living on the Gulf Coast in SW Fla, I never have the top up. But personally, with no spare there's no way I'd run standard tires.

 

This is why I love this forum. I had no idea you should replace tires every six years although I had been contemplating that. I also didn’t know a run flat can last hundreds of miles. I am in a 2019 Z06 running the oem Michelin run flats. I’d rather risk damaging a wheel with run flats than getting stuck on the side of the road. I will look into a fresh set of Michelins in the spring. My kid did help me inflate all four tires today and we took a nice ride. The Z06 is a lot of fun to drive.

 

I agree with your first statement but, with all due respect, Michelin (OEM tire manufacturer for C7s) disagrees with your conclusion/recommendation... "After five years or more in use, your tires should be thoroughly inspected at least once per year by a professional. If the tires haven't been replaced 10 years after their date of manufacture, as a precaution, Michelin recommends replacing them with new tires. Even if they appear to be in usable condition and have not worn down to the tread wear indicator."

You should do your own research and draw your own conclusions here, but Michelin is probably the most authoritative source on our cars' OEM tires, that they manufacture and sell.