How good are the run-flat tires? Are they worth the expense?

Similar Questions: run flat tires worth expense Recent Questions About: run flat tires worth expense.

In my opinion, no, they aren't. Here's my reasoning. Yeah, they're more expensive - quite a bit more expensive.

But if you can't change a tire, then all good, probably worth it. But what I hate is how rough they ride. Rentals use them a lot and I get them - they are hard, bumpy rides.

I'd never have a set on my truck. nytimes.com/2007/03/11/automobiles/11FLA... referenceRUN-FLAT tires, which have been offered on some new cars for the last few years, are a soothing security blanket. They can be driven for miles after losing their air, allowing drivers to delay fixing a flat until there is a safe place to stop and avoiding a harrowing tire change along a busy highway.

But consumers have begun to report problems with the tires. Jennifer Stockburger, a senior tire-test engineer for Consumer Reports magazine, said the tires offered a safety advantage, but the tire forum on its Web site (consumer.org) had many complaints from run-flat owners about higher-than-expected replacement costs, difficulty getting repairs and what some considered excessive wear. Some owners have been unhappy enough to make a federal case of it, resulting in two class-action suits.

The latest was filed on Monday in United States District Court in Los Angeles against Honda and Michelin. Tire company officials say that run-flats, which typically have stronger sidewalls to support the tire when it loses air, should wear just as well as conventional tires and that problems often result from poor maintenance, including improper inflation. Run-flat tires are offered on fewer than 3 percent of the vehicles in North America, said Tom L.

Chubb, the vice president for original equipment marketing for Michelin North America, which makes several types of run-flat tires. He sees that growing to 4 percent by 2011. Run-flat tires are most often found on luxury vehicles.

BMW has been the most enthusiastic proponent among the leading automakers, and seems likely to make the tires standard on most models eventually. Run-flats are also showing up on less expensive cars like the Mini Cooper S. Run-flats have also reached upscale family vehicles including minivans like the all-wheel-drive Toyota Sienna and the Touring edition of the Honda Odyssey.

Tire makers said that in the case of a blowout, a vehicle with run-flats was easier to control. Automakers like the tires because no spare is necessary. That means the space gained can be used to carry more cargo or make mechanical changes.

For example, eliminating the spare tire in the 2004 Toyota Sienna allowed the company to turn a front-wheel-drive minivan into all-wheel drive by making room for a driveshaft. The suit filed on Monday is over the Michelin Energy LX4 PAX run-flat used on the 2005-7 Honda Odyssey Touring and as an option on the 2006-7 Acura RL. The suit doesn’t dispute that the tires offer a safety advantage, but says buyers were deceived about replacement costs and repairs.

The PAX, instead of having stronger sidewalls, has a supportive ring inside made of polyurethane. Michelin said the ring allowed a more comfortable ride and better fuel economy because the sidewalls did not need to be so stiff, yet the vehicle was still safe and easy to drive when a tire went flat. But it is that design that makes the PAX more difficult to repair.

Michelin stores or car dealers must have special tire-changing equipment that can cost $3,000 to $15,000 depending on what the dealer already has, Chris Naughton, a Honda spokesman, said in an interview before the suit was filed. He said some dealers did not have the equipment yet, but that about 90 percent of Honda’s roughly 1,000 dealers would have it by the end of this month. Mark F.

Anderson of San Francisco, one of the lawyers who filed the suit, said it was “ridiculous” that repairing a PAX tire should be so complicated. Mr. Anderson also filed a class-action suit in 2005 against Toyota, Bridgestone and Dunlop over run-flats used on the 2004-6 Sienna with all-wheel drive. Lynn Mann, a Michelin spokeswoman, said the suit had “many misstatements and errors.

”Mr. Naughton of Honda said the company had not seen the suit, but that the tire was a “great product that provides convenience, added safety and peace of mind for our customers. ” Although not a plaintiff in the suit, Maria V. Ocampo, an Odyssey owner from La Mirada, Calif.

, has had what she describes as a love and “there is room for improvement” relationship with PAX tires. She has had two flat tires and loved being able to still get her children to school and reach work on time. “I didn’t have to panic,” Ms.

Ocampo said. But she says she has had several disappointments. She had to call Michelin to find a Honda dealer that could repair the tire.

Also, she says her tires wore out after 20,000 miles; a Honda dealer recently told her that a new set would cost $1,600, including installation. “That is a lot of money for us,” she said. Acura is not requiring its 250 dealers to buy the special repair equipment because few RL’s are sold with the PAX, Mr. Naughton said.

He said about 15 percent of Acura dealers had the equipment. For travelers who can’t find a shop to fix the tire, Michelin said it could get a PAX tire and wheel delivered to customers in less than 12 hours. Sources: My answer .

1 I have run-flats on my leased Toyota Sienna, the car is less than 2 years old (15k miles)and I have already had to replace them. If you do not keep them fully inflated at all times the tread will wear away rapidly and you have to shell out big bucks to replace them. As it turns out I did have a flat in one of them, but did not know it and my tire was so badly balded I could have had a dangerous accident.

It was picked up by my mechanic at my 3 month oil change. I asked my mechanic to switch them all to regular tires and he was happy to, but the catch was, I didn't have any provisions in the car to hold a spare, I would have to strap it to the roof. Yeah right.

So hear I am counting down the days to my lease is up and checking my tires two times a week for air and tread wear. Not at all worth it! .

I have run-flats on my leased Toyota Sienna, the car is less than 2 years old (15k miles)and I have already had to replace them. If you do not keep them fully inflated at all times the tread will wear away rapidly and you have to shell out big bucks to replace them. As it turns out I did have a flat in one of them, but did not know it and my tire was so badly balded I could have had a dangerous accident.

It was picked up by my mechanic at my 3 month oil change. I asked my mechanic to switch them all to regular tires and he was happy to, but the catch was, I didn't have any provisions in the car to hold a spare, I would have to strap it to the roof. Yeah right.

So hear I am counting down the days to my lease is up and checking my tires two times a week for air and tread wear. Not at all worth it!

" "Does anyone out there live in a gated community. How do you feel about it? Is it worth the expense?

" "i live in hot dry west texas. We are planning a new house. Would radiant heating in the slab be worth the expense?

" "What is the advantage of buying winter tires vs. staying with all season tires? Are they worth it? " "could someone tamper with my car tires in a way that they go flat when I drive over a bump?

" "Do you think the gold multiplier power is worth the expense? " "Is graduate school worth the expense when you're a ad/pr major? " "I recently bought my son a Harro bike and he has had 4 flat tires so far.

Why does this happen? " "If I switch my mini cooper run flats to regular tires, is there a place for a spare tire?Joe.

Does anyone out there live in a gated community. How do you feel about it? Is it worth the expense?

I live in hot dry west texas. We are planning a new house. Would radiant heating in the slab be worth the expense?

I recently bought my son a Harro bike and he has had 4 flat tires so far. Why does this happen?

If I switch my mini cooper run flats to regular tires, is there a place for a spare tire?Joe.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.