Runflat vs. non-runflat
#21
Le Mans Master
If you drive close to home,,,not much different,,,but if you travel,run-flats still have a use,,,,
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ce-please.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ce-please.html
Regards.
#23
Le Mans Master
#24
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Last week while traveling on the AC Expressway I ran over a "foreign object". My right rear tire lost all tire pressure within a few minutes. I pulled over to the shoulder. I had two choices. I could drive the seventy miles home. Tear up the runflat and probably damage the Chrome wheel. Or, I could have the car flat bedded home saving both the tire and the wheel. I had the car flat bedded to the dealer. Luckily, the tire was repairable.
My question: What good was having the run flat tire for me? They are overly expensive, harsh riding, noisy, etc . And, would have been destroyed driving home. I guess I answered my own question. I can't wait for those crappy tires to wear out (probably in about 10K miles) so I can but a good set of non runflats on the GS at half the price with twice the tire life.
IMHO, the concept/rationale of having runflats is way overated If I am wrong, tell me why.
My question: What good was having the run flat tire for me? They are overly expensive, harsh riding, noisy, etc . And, would have been destroyed driving home. I guess I answered my own question. I can't wait for those crappy tires to wear out (probably in about 10K miles) so I can but a good set of non runflats on the GS at half the price with twice the tire life.
IMHO, the concept/rationale of having runflats is way overated If I am wrong, tell me why.
#25
Team Owner
Unfortunately because you have a Grand Sport your replacement tire options are limited. The car comes with Summer tires that loose road grip below 50 degrees F., which tramline, and as you observed, ride harshly, are noisy, short lived, and expensive to replace. However these are not the chacteristics of all runflat tires, simply the ones that came on your car. Owners of standard Corvette coupes and convertibles have the option of switching to all-season runflats such as the Michelin Pilot Sport Plus ZP which provide year around capability, a smoother, quieter ride, and which carry a 45,000 mile wear warranty. Runflat tires simply give you the assurance that if you loose tire pressure in a desolate, high crime, or dangerous section of road, or during bad weather or in an emergency you will be able to get home or to your destination (airport, cruise ship, hospital, wedding, graduation, funeral, etc.) without undue delay. In a way runflat tires are like having a storm room, fire extinguisher, carrying a firearm, reinforcing your doors, and taking other measures you hope you never need; or for that matter having a car with GPS, OnStar, side airbags, antilock brakes, traction control, limited slip axle, active handling, variable assist and ratio steering, and Magnetic Selective Ride Control, to say nothing of sports car handling and braking. If you can't afford such things, or elect not to have them, then good luck to you.
Want max performance... buy a GS or Z06 and run high performance summer tires on it.
GM gave you a choice and you apparently chose the model that can get by with low performance tires.
#26
Last week while traveling on the AC Expressway I ran over a "foreign object". My right rear tire lost all tire pressure within a few minutes. I pulled over to the shoulder. I had two choices. I could drive the seventy miles home. Tear up the runflat and probably damage the Chrome wheel. Or, I could have the car flat bedded home saving both the tire and the wheel. I had the car flat bedded to the dealer. Luckily, the tire was repairable.
My question: What good was having the run flat tire for me? They are overly expensive, harsh riding, noisy, etc . And, would have been destroyed driving home. I guess I answered my own question. I can't wait for those crappy tires to wear out (probably in about 10K miles) so I can but a good set of non runflats on the GS at half the price with twice the tire life.
IMHO, the concept/rationale of having runflats is way overated If I am wrong, tell me why.
My question: What good was having the run flat tire for me? They are overly expensive, harsh riding, noisy, etc . And, would have been destroyed driving home. I guess I answered my own question. I can't wait for those crappy tires to wear out (probably in about 10K miles) so I can but a good set of non runflats on the GS at half the price with twice the tire life.
IMHO, the concept/rationale of having runflats is way overated If I am wrong, tell me why.
I've been enjoying good performance street tires on my '05 for about 4 years now. The runflats were just ruining it for me: unresponsive, wheel-hop, heavy... I couldn't wait to get rid of them.
#27
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While true that there are no all season tires available in the GS/Z06 sizes, the tires available are matched to the car's needs. Want low performance...buy a base C6 and put all season tires on it.
Want max performance... buy a GS or Z06 and run high performance summer tires on it.
GM gave you a choice and you apparently chose the model that can get by with low performance tires.
Want max performance... buy a GS or Z06 and run high performance summer tires on it.
GM gave you a choice and you apparently chose the model that can get by with low performance tires.
#28
Team Owner
If you want high performance in the Summer, then by all means get Summer tires. If you want maximum performance on smooth surfaces such as tracks or parking lots, get a G/S, or better yet a Z06. If you want the best performance on everyday roads with bumpy curves, ruts, and washboard surfaces, and you want consistent traction year around, along with safety and security, get a base C6, preferably with the F55 optional suspension, and put all-season run-flat Michelins on it. It will provide performance far beyond what 95% of Corvette owners ever subject their cars to.
PS- since you must not know about it...the Grand Sport and the Z06 and the ZR1 are avaiable with the F-55, not just the base C6.
Last edited by JoesC5; 05-09-2011 at 10:31 PM.
#29
Le Mans Master
Why is it that everytime "Grand Sport" is mentioned in a thread, you have to jump in and start bashing them? You know what? My Z06 hauls *** on every street/road/highway/track I've driven it on. But then I didn't purchase it to go off roading. There are other cars better suited for that.
PS- since you must not know about it...the Grand Sport and the Z06 and the ZR1 are avaiable with the F-55, not just the base C6.
PS- since you must not know about it...the Grand Sport and the Z06 and the ZR1 are avaiable with the F-55, not just the base C6.
He is so predictable. It's like he has a prepared script. At first, he was somewhat amusing with his GS bashing obsession. Now, he is just boring.
#30
Instructor
Member Since: May 2009
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I just purchased a set of the Hankook Ventus V12 evo's for my wife's Pontiac G8 GT this weekend. So far she LOVES them, but it's too early to say if they are going to be "all that and a bag of cookies". But I hope they are. It's a great looking tire with a decent wear rating and I'm thinking I'll give them a try on my C6 next month.
#32
Le Mans Master
If you read Oldfly's last post, he had to stop twice to add air to the tire and when he got home he had to order a new tire from the Tire Rack. I could have easily done the same thing with a non-EMT tire.
Actually, if you stay within a 100 mile radius of your home, the EMT tire will get you home, but then it will need to be replaced. If you travel outside that range, you will have to have the tire repaired or replaced to get home regardless of what type it is.
A few years ago I had a Goodyear EMT tire go flat up near Las Vegas. I was several hundred miles from home and the tire was non-repairable. There were no EMT tires anywhere in stock and I was stranded. My choice was a flat bed truck or install non EMT tires which were readily available.
I much prefer non-EMT tires when traveling. The chances of finding a tire in stock in the middle of no-where are much better.
Actually, if you stay within a 100 mile radius of your home, the EMT tire will get you home, but then it will need to be replaced. If you travel outside that range, you will have to have the tire repaired or replaced to get home regardless of what type it is.
A few years ago I had a Goodyear EMT tire go flat up near Las Vegas. I was several hundred miles from home and the tire was non-repairable. There were no EMT tires anywhere in stock and I was stranded. My choice was a flat bed truck or install non EMT tires which were readily available.
I much prefer non-EMT tires when traveling. The chances of finding a tire in stock in the middle of no-where are much better.
if you were able to call for a flatbed,,,how is that being stranded????
Last week while traveling on the AC Expressway I ran over a "foreign object". My right rear tire lost all tire pressure within a few minutes. I pulled over to the shoulder. I had two choices. I could drive the seventy miles home. Tear up the runflat and probably damage the Chrome wheel. Or, I could have the car flat bedded home saving both the tire and the wheel. I had the car flat bedded to the dealer. Luckily, the tire was repairable.
My question: What good was having the run flat tire for me? They are overly expensive, harsh riding, noisy, etc . And, would have been destroyed driving home. I guess I answered my own question. I can't wait for those crappy tires to wear out (probably in about 10K miles) so I can but a good set of non runflats on the GS at half the price with twice the tire life.
IMHO, the concept/rationale of having runflats is way overated If I am wrong, tell me why.
My question: What good was having the run flat tire for me? They are overly expensive, harsh riding, noisy, etc . And, would have been destroyed driving home. I guess I answered my own question. I can't wait for those crappy tires to wear out (probably in about 10K miles) so I can but a good set of non runflats on the GS at half the price with twice the tire life.
IMHO, the concept/rationale of having runflats is way overated If I am wrong, tell me why.
Again,being able to call for a flatbed does not mean you are stranded,,,,there are lots of places in NA that calling for a flatbed is not an option.
In my origanal post I should have said,,,,if you are within range of help,,,non-runflats are good,but if you drive in BFNW run-flats are a good option,,,,
#33
Le Mans Master
While true that there are no all season tires available in the GS/Z06 sizes, the tires available are matched to the car's needs. Want low performance...buy a base C6 and put all season tires on it.
Want max performance... buy a GS or Z06 and run high performance summer tires on it.
GM gave you a choice and you apparently chose the model that can get by with low performance tires.
Want max performance... buy a GS or Z06 and run high performance summer tires on it.
GM gave you a choice and you apparently chose the model that can get by with low performance tires.
#34
Team Owner
With the base coupe/vert, you have choices in what tire you want to run, depending on what you want out of the tire. High performance summer, all season, winter, run flat, non runflat. Since the GS and the Z06 were targeted by GM for the MORE performance mined individual, the tire selection is limited to MAX performance summer.
Again, the GS and the Z06 are not better cars then the base coupe/vert, but they are higher performing cars, by design. Some(most?) that purchase the GS or Z06 do not use their cars on the track, etc but purchased their car based on looks, just as the purchasers of base coupe/verts do.
That said, it would be nice if the GS/Z06 owner had a better selection of tires to choose from, as the owners of base coupes/verts have.
#35
Le Mans Master
No, a GS or Z06 is not required for max performance, but is only a choice, besides the base coupe/vert. They are all great cars and GM has given us a great selection of Corvettes to choose from. You choose what you feel is the best car for your needs/wants. But, because one chooses a GS or a Z06, that is not a reason for some to continually bash their choice in what car they chose to purchase.
With the base coupe/vert, you have choices in what tire you want to run, depending on what you want out of the tire. High performance summer, all season, winter, run flat, non runflat. Since the GS and the Z06 were targeted by GM for the MORE performance mined individual, the tire selection is limited to MAX performance summer.
Again, the GS and the Z06 are not better cars then the base coupe/vert, but they are higher performing cars, by design. Some(most?) that purchase the GS or Z06 do not use their cars on the track, etc but purchased their car based on looks, just as the purchasers of base coupe/verts do.
That said, it would be nice if the GS/Z06 owner had a better selection of tires to choose from, as the owners of base coupes/verts have.
With the base coupe/vert, you have choices in what tire you want to run, depending on what you want out of the tire. High performance summer, all season, winter, run flat, non runflat. Since the GS and the Z06 were targeted by GM for the MORE performance mined individual, the tire selection is limited to MAX performance summer.
Again, the GS and the Z06 are not better cars then the base coupe/vert, but they are higher performing cars, by design. Some(most?) that purchase the GS or Z06 do not use their cars on the track, etc but purchased their car based on looks, just as the purchasers of base coupe/verts do.
That said, it would be nice if the GS/Z06 owner had a better selection of tires to choose from, as the owners of base coupes/verts have.
#36
Safety Car
I took it to two different places and had it aligned. The tires are poorly constructed. It happened on all 4, not just one. The first two I replaced. On the second two I fixed the problem by putting the newer Firestones on the front and the Hankooks on the rear. The tires shops are quite familiar with the problem. This is the first time I've run into it.
#37
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I just put firehawks on my 07 vert on saturday. I wanted to stay with runflats and liked what I read about the firestones. My car has 16000 miles on it and the original tires were still good treadwise (7/32) but I just hated everything about them. I now have a much quieter, smoother ride and the care is much more solid on the highway as the runcraps used to twitch all over the place on and road irregularities. It was a great decision and I wish I had done it 2 years ago. It cosed me 1380 installed and balanced but we always pay more here in canada...sucks...
#38
Advanced
I did the Firehawks last month as well and love them. Did the non-runflat's was $895.00 out the door and they did a 35K mile warranty on the tires. Agree with peace of mind with run flats but I seldom do long trips, live on an island..
#39
Le Mans Master
Amazing how cheap you guys can get them. I got them less than Tirerack would have cost me and still paid 1380. Maybe I need to move to the US ..
#40
Team Owner
The main reason that tire choices are more limited on the GS/Z06 is not because of any thinking on GMs' part. Tire manufacturing is a production line business. To make a tire at a reasonable price, the company must be able to set up the line and make enough of a size and construction to justify the set up costs. C6 sales in general were good through the '08 model year and then have gone down since then. There are fewer GS/Z06 cars around than regular C6s and there are not many other cars that use the same size tires...ergo, not as many market choices. If you have a Honda Accord, your choices are limitless. If you have a Bugatti Veyron, your choices are probably one. The Corvette falls between those two, but certainly closer to the Veyron than the Accord.