And comments on changing out the run flat tires? Mine are not lasting very long. Any suggest brands or sizes that are more durable. Comments on changing tires all together? Will they hit the fender tubs? Thanx… HDH
I got just over 20K miles on the OE runflats on my Mini.
I hated those tires from day one and have switched to non-runflats for good. Of course, I’m without a spare but I’m not too worried. You can get a “mobility kit” from your Mini dealer but that only helps you get back on the road if there’s a small leak in the tire. The tire pressure monitor does a pretty good job of giving you a heads-up so you’ll have enough time to find a station to re-fill the tire (happened once to me). If you have a severe blow-out, you’ll need a tow truck.
In the past 4 years / 65K miles, I haven’t had a tire go out completely. I make an effort to keep my tires on good shape with regular rotations and replacing them before they’re too bald. When I travel long distances, I bring along one of my snow tires just in case. There are companies out there that sell a metal frame that bolts into the trunk and allows you to mount a spare tire, but it takes up a lot of precious space.
As far as reccomendations for tires, I’ve tried a few different tires and have come to like Avon (205/55R16 a little wider than the OE tire). They’re very inexpensive (from tirerack.com) and have a very good balance of ride and handling. Traction is excellent too. The summer version of this tire is no longer available in the 205/55R16 size. I haven’t tried the all season version yet.
Hope this helps.
Change them for real tyres and keep a cell phone with you. Much better than those run flat things.