Does anyone have experience , good or bad, with run flat tyres?
Our Mazda CX-30 was written off and is now an ex-CX30. We wanted a hybrid and eventually settled on a ‘baby Lexus’ UX which has no spare and wears Bridgestone run flats, which are around $700-$800 here.Unfortunately, we’ve suffered many punctures over the years and run flats can’t be repaired, so any puncture will cost us $$$ instead of a $40 repair.
Any thoughts please? Thank you
Geoff
We’ve never had run flat tires. I just pay the extra $3 each for the free repair service from where we buy our tires. If there is a nail or screw on the road my wife seems to always run over them. One about every 6 months.
Great news! Empty nesters again!
First thing I did was get the subwoofer in the bar back online.
Unfortunately we don’t get a choice of tyre with a new car: everything I’ve read about run flats is that they ride harsher, a less durable and more noisy than conventional ones. They seemed OK on our test drive (in the wet!) but I hate that you don’t at least get a space saver with so many cars these days. We average a flat every two years, seems to be part of living in the inner city.
Had a flat recently and put on the space saver. The flat tire still had lots of tread, but the repair shop refused to patch it. Said the date code on the flat was > 7 yrs, so they forced me to buy and install a new tire (these date codes are 1 to 2 years old when they install the tires!). In response to this, I bought an extra OEM rim on Amazon. When it comes time to replace all 4 tires again, I’ll keep the one newer tire/rim and then use it as an extra full sized spare instead of having to fall back on the crummy space saver again. 
Space savers are awful but at least they get you on the road - although you must never put them on the front. We had two punctures on the CX-30 and were grateful that at least we could get going again. However, another problem with them is: where do you put the old wheel and tyre?!
Our MX5 (Miata) has had three punctures. The boot isn’t big enough to hold the wheel and tyre and last time we had to put it in the passenger seat and my wife had to take the train home. NC and ND Miatas only give you a can of goo which renders the tyre unusable afterwards. The lack of any spare is ridiculous in Oz, where service stations and tyre shops can be many scores of km away.
All our punctures have been on the left rear wheel (we drive on the left); the front tyre picks up the nail or whatever and throws it onto the rear wheel.
I miss the 1970’s. Full size spare tires. Also had an extra pair of rims for swapping out snow tires every winter. A flat tire never seemed to be a problem.
I hear ya, Craig, my wife finds nails and screws all over the place.
The Ioniq 6 EV we just got has no room for any kind of spare. I comes with a can of sealant and a small electric tire pump. Hopefully I’ll never have to use it.
My car has nothing.
I discovered today that the Lexus doesn’t even come with a jack!
I tow at times. So a full size spare is a bit more important. I usually have older cars that are plentiful in junkyards. So I go and get a full size wheel from the junkyard. Prices around here are ~$60 for aluminum, ~$40 for steel (after all the added up charges). But you get charged for the tire on it too if it still looks good. If you can convince them it is no good they drill holes in the sidewall 
Fortunately the truck and Jeep both have full size spares so I’m good on that front for now.
Painting’s OK, it’s just the prep that’s a pain for me: sanding, filling, more sanding, dust everywhere, clogged vacuum cleaner etc. Although washing the brushes and rollers is also a pain. Nice job with the drop sheet to stop all the crap getting out.
Very nice !!!
