Travelor

Just wondering how many of us have been stranded with a flat?

Inquiring minds want to know? I'm coming up on tire change time and looking at non-runflats.

1Sikstik

I've never been stranded but I do carry a tire repair kit and portable compressor just in case. If I cant get to or find the hole I have slime as a last resort (if that even works, never used it), or AAA

4SUMERZ

I've got 60K miles on my 2006. I've had non runflats since about 12K miles
We have been on at least one-two long road trips (over 1500 miles) each year.
I've picked up 1 nail, and 1 screw in those miles.
One of those was on a road trip, the other was locally.
The TPMS let me know both times that I had lost some air in the tire.
I carry a compressor, tire plug kit, a pr of side cutter pliers, and a can of slime.
I pumped up the tire at the next roadside stop to above normal pressure when I got the pressure warning. The pressure was maintained Ok , and when we stopped at the hotel later in the early evening, using water with soap, i found where the screw was (in between the threads rear tire), pulled it out with the side cutters, plugged the hole, pumped up the tire to normal pressure, and it finished the remaining 2000 miles of the road trip without any issues.
In fact, that plug held up until I replaced all 4 tires the next summer before our next road trip.

I for one have never worried too much about a flat or blowout, but if a blowout ever happens, then with or without RF's, and a long way from home, your looking for a new tire anyway, so both RF's and Non flat cars are screwed, because you can only drive so far on a flat RF.
I have towing insurance, Onstar, cell phone, laptop on our trips, so it never crosses my mind.

Just for a much quieter and comfortable ride, better rain handling, not to mention the saving in $$, non runflats is the way I'll always go on the C6.

Boomer111

In 50 years of driving I have had to change a flat tire only once on the road. This was a long time back to in the 60's, and it wasn't even my car, I was a passenger getting a ride to school with a classmate.

Yes I have experienced many flats or low air pressure from slow leaks but I caught the problem before it was not drivable.

Carry a repair kit and get over it. The ride/handling is so much better with non RF tires.

Next best advice is to always check the tires before going on a drive, period. Why wouldn't you?

Cybernetic Medic

I'm 64 and I've never used my life insurance policy yet.

mcandrew67

Same for me as above, I have had non run flats on sice 15k miles and now have 70k miles. Never had a flat. I too keep the plug, compressor and slime in the rear cubby.

Suds

I had a flat tire on non-runflats about a year ago. I was on a road trip near a small town when the tire went low, the easy part was the tire could be patched at a gas station, an hour latter I was on my way, otherwise I probably would be still waiting on a new runflat tire to be delivered.

RocketDawg

I've never had a problem, but probably the most important piece of equipment you can carry is a compressor. Even if you have the plug kit, you can fix it but the tire will still be flat. I don't even have a repair kit because I figure I'd never find the hole. Just pump it up and drive to somewhere you can get it fixed. If necessary, pump it again.

And, as many say, I have AAA, OnStar, a cell phone, towing on my car insurance, and a can of Slime. Should be covered. As low as our cars are, with a flat they're practically sitting on the ground. So fixing a hole in the tire will be next to impossible without raising the car, and even if you had a jack you couldn't get it under the car. And runflats will only take you so far, and even then it ruins the tire. I think it's just a government requirement for cars without a spare, and not really necessary.

glerma

When I had my C5, I had non-runflats and had a sudden loss of air in one of my tires (not a blowout). Crazy luck... It happened exactly as I happened to be passing in front of a Discount Tire. I made a hard right turn into their lot and got it fixed. Had I been ANYWHERE else... I would have been stranded.

HOXXOH

I may be the guy with the worst case. While traveling through NE Utah about 3 PM on a Tuesday and nearing the top of a 9700 ft mountain, I was often glancing to see the beautiful scenery and failed to heed the sign stating "Watch for Fallen Rocks". When looking back at the road, it was too late to miss a softball sized sharp rock that took out the sidewall of my Nitto Invos. Since the tires are such low profile, it didn't reduce the handling much at all, even at 60+ MPH in a slow drizzling rain to find a place wide enough to pull over.

About 15 minutes later, the first car came by and gave me a lift to the closest town 25 miles away. Not a lot of traffic around there with the biggest town having a population about 8000 and the only tire dealer didn't have anything in the size I needed. Meanwhile, a flatbed tow truck went up the mountain to retrieve the car. I got one of only two rental cars in town and drove to an even smaller town 30 miles South that had one tire that would fit. It wasn't the same brand, but it would allow me to continue for the next 5000 miles of our road trip. Back in the larger town, where there was at least a hotel, the next morning had the tire changed and was back on the road after breakfast. We only lost about 3 hours of travel time, but got to meet some really nice people. It created some neat memories and the occasional story to tell, just like this one.

BTW, if the tire had been a runflat, it'd still blown out the sidewall, the local tire dealer didn't have the equipment to change one, the closest place to get a replacement was 200 miles away (the wrong direction), and the only advantage would have been no tow truck needed that my insurance paid for anyway.
Of course, if it would have been on Saturday, it would have been Monday to get on the road again. But then an alternator going bad could have been even worse.

The moral of the story is watch for rocks in the road and don't let fear keep you from enjoying life.

Rebel Yell

A couple of questions from those with more experience. I've never had to change a run flat, but as I understand not just any tire store can. Is that correct? Also, can any tire shop change a non run flat if you have the need to? Last but not least, what type/brand compressor do you recommend? As you have probably figured, I am in the need for tires, and can't decide if I should go back with the run flats, or just go with the non then get a kit and compressor. Thank you for you help in advance.

billyboy47

you just jinxed yourself.

phileaglesfan

I have about 18k miles experience with non run flats but I've never talked to anyone that had issues with non runflats. With runflats yes, such as having one go out in the middle of no where when a mechanic within 100-200 miles won't even touch your car because it has a run flat. Run flats do fail, I've seen 2 that failed on their own and heard of two other ones that failed with help from the driver. True you might have a blowout on a rainy night in an area that has no turnouts for miles, at night and in an area that is patrolled by bears but then again you might win the powerball lottery someday also (probably have a better chance with it).

I just don't believe in paying $900 more for an inferior product (when comparing Michelin Super Sports to PS2 ZPs for something that might happen if all the planets line up in a row.

There was even one member here that had runflats but ditched them after they left him stranded around Baker, California. I believe he had to be towed to Vegas (which didn't even have an exact run flat tire). He eventually switched to non runflats.

m.whitmell

Got stranded in Carlisle last year with a 3/8 bolt in my rear Michelin 345 30 19....would have to have waited 5 days for a tire if not for a forum member helping me out......would have been stranded with run flats in the same situation.

Torchsport

This is something I've always thought. It's not always easy finding the hole/leak.

Dano523

I have shredded enough tires on tracks that even if the tire was a run flat, not enough of the tire left on the rim to even think about driving the car.

But that is track driving, and short of driving over something that shreds a run flat tire so badly that there no enough threads left on the rim to drive the car, a run flat even with no air will get you to a service station to have the tire repaired.

Boomer111

Possibly but I have supreme faith in my resolve.

Anyway I have posted this information many times here on the forum with the countless discussions regarding the topic...still no roadside flat!

I double dare now...

Boomer111

I will add that I do cycle a lot and the amount of nails and screws on the city streets is amazing. I am always looking for debris especially on the roads that I drive on.

I get many honks and waves from passers by when picking up the junk.

Just stay away from the shoulders and watch going outside the commonly used turn radius in intersections, this is where the debris gets kicked over to.

A few years back it was so bad that I actually thought somebody was going around and throwing out the nails and screws on purpose.

SmileyOr

I have had 5 flat tires that I can remember. 4 of which happened while driving. One went flat/low while parked.

One of the flats I had to have AAA inflate the reduced size spare. I couldn't get the bead to seal with the pump that came with the car (Audi Allroad).

Here's hoping all my roads are clear of debris

Seadawg

I've had 4 flats in 3 years with run flats. 3 rear tires and one front tire. 2 of them went down in seconds.

It was a very nice feeling to drive on into work (really didn't notice any driving difference either), then call Discount Tire, and drive over at my leisure to have them make the repairs.

And with the Bridgestone Potenza RFs, they are pretty close in price to the better non-run flats (at least in the GS/Z06 sizes).

I got well over 30k out of my first set too, with excellent cool (20 degrees and up), excellent wet (both hot and cool) traction, so I just had a 2nd set installed.

Having said that, if ride was not a DD, I probably would look harder at non-runflats, but they work for me.....