New Wheels

[swiftflo]

Please excuse my ignorance on this.

I am thinking of replacing my wheels as they are little rough (like it when I bought the car), what I would like to know is, as my tyres are run flats do I need special wheels for run flat tyres ?.

Thanks

[Guest jeffthro]

Answering your question directly, no you don't. Run Flats are an appalling and expensive con. Tyres cost on average at least twice what you will pay for standards, and, think about it, when did you last have a blow out that left you stranded and/or in real problems? In over 40 years of driving, I have NEVER been seriously stranded and can only remember 3 punctures in total. The problem you have to consider is that if your car had run flats fitted as standard from new, then officially you should keep like for like fitted, and if you don't, then you need to inform your insurance company and they will probably screw you for it.

And by the way, if you go through numerous threads on here, most owners say that run flats badly affect the handling so you're screwed both ways I'm afraid!

[swiftflo]

Answering your question directly, no you don't. Run Flats are an appalling and expensive con. Tyres cost on average at least twice what you will pay for standards, and, think about it, when did you last have a blow out that left you stranded and/or in real problems? In over 40 years of driving, I have NEVER been seriously stranded and can only remember 3 punctures in total. The problem you have to consider is that if your car had run flats fitted as standard from new, then officially you should keep like for like fitted, and if you don't, then you need to inform your insurance company and they will probably screw you for it.

And by the way, if you go through numerous threads on here, most owners say that run flats badly affect the handling so you're screwed both ways I'm afraid!

Many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately if I don't stay with run flats I will have to also invest in a spare wheel and jack as I do not have these at the present.

[Guest jeffthro]

Not at all, Peter, not at all. I run 4 cars indirectly, mine, wife and two daughters, and we all carry either a makers Smart Spare repair kit or a Tyre doctor kit. under £30 or about a tenner respectively. Very simple emergency repair to get you home or a garage, no worries with jacks and impossibly tight wheel nuts and my girlies phoning Dad at midnight. Easy peasy. You might actually be quite surprised how many new cars are supplied nowadays with a kit and not a spare wheel.

Pity we are so far apart, I've got several spare alloys with legal tyres round the back of my shed which I keep thinking I might as well take to the metal recyclers and get a few pounds for, you'd have been welcome to one as a spare for scrap value if you'd wanted.

[swiftflo]

Not at all, Peter, not at all. I run 4 cars indirectly, mine, wife and two daughters, and we all carry either a makers Smart Spare repair kit or a Tyre doctor kit. under £30 or about a tenner respectively. Very simple emergency repair to get you home or a garage, no worries with jacks and impossibly tight wheel nuts and my girlies phoning Dad at midnight. Easy peasy. You might actually be quite surprised how many new cars are supplied nowadays with a kit and not a spare wheel.

Pity we are so far apart, I've got several spare alloys with legal tyres round the back of my shed which I keep thinking I might as well take to the metal recyclers and get a few pounds for, you'd have been welcome to one as a spare for scrap value if you'd wanted.

Many thanks again - so helpful. After my other reply to you I did think about the repair kit, I have had cars in the past with them in as standard. So all food for thought.