Run Flat v's Non Run Flat.....Ride Quality

[Mini Soph]

I've currently got Dunlop Run Flats on and I've noticed esp. with the weather as it is that the grip on my Mini is shocking compared to before....and having driven another Mini with Non Run Flats am even more shocked at just how little grip I have in comparison! Before I swapped to Dunlops I had Pirelli's and didnt experience this....Has anyone else had this problem?

[Stevie B]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mini Soph

I've currently got Dunlop Run Flats on and I've noticed esp. with the weather as it is that the grip on my Mini is shocking compared to before....and having driven another Mini with Non Run Flats am even more shocked at just how little grip I have in comparison! Before I swapped to Dunlops I had Pirelli's and didnt experience this....Has anyone else had this problem?

Which Dunlops and what size Dunlops do you have? How many miles? What pressures do you use?

[Pobsey]

I agree, I had dunlops on before I swapped to non runflats and the DSC light would flicker quite abit and understeer at relatively low speeds. I changed my tyres on saturday on Goodyear F1's and the grip is much better, no DSC light or understeer. The dunlops were getting down to the legal limit but not racing slick

[bards]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mini Soph

I've currently got Dunlop Run Flats on and I've noticed esp. with the weather as it is that the grip on my Mini is shocking compared to before....and having driven another Mini with Non Run Flats am even more shocked at just how little grip I have in comparison! Before I swapped to Dunlops I had Pirelli's and didnt experience this....Has anyone else had this problem?

Yup ditch the runflats! its the future! Mine had dunlops on when I got it for about 2 days and im sure they didnt grip as well as the toyos Get the runflats sold on here and then get yourself some eagle f1's or some toyos ... also you dont feel the bumps as much, I would imagine even with my eibachs on, the ride will be smoother in mine without runflats

[Mini Soph]

17's with Kahn RSR's....The pressures are fine and they have 4 months wear on so will need replacing in 2 months with me driving. I have had this prob from having them fitted tho I am seriously thinking of changing to non runflats but as I drive on my own and do alot of miles i'm not sure if it's a good idea....... Doh!

I have no problems with bumps I just have no grip AT ALL! Nearly handelling as badly as a Caterham !

[cooper_s_flyer]

I would stick with the runflat technology... but if you want super grip on wet roads you have to go conventional. The ride will improve a bit as well. Get a spare wheel/tire and a tire bag (for long trips).

Driving fair distances I'm sort of forced to accept the weaknesses of the runflats and have learned to drive 'below their limitations'... just slowing a bit in the wet works wonders.

[Mini Soph]

I know it makes sence....with my 1st mini with non rf's I had 3 punctures...1 on my actual driving test! Even when it's not wet i'm struggling esp with all the cr@p on the roads atm! Dammit! I have no room for Spares esp when my Conv arrives!!! Whats a girl to do !!!

[bards]

Just stick with em, and make sure you get pirellis!

[Mini Soph]

I had them before and they only lasted 4 and a bit months!!!!

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by MINI_Nick

Just stick with em, and make sure you get pirellis!

I had Pirelli runflats on my first S with 17" rims, they were horrible in the wet/damp/slightly moist...

[Stevie B]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mini Soph

I had them before and they only lasted 4 and a bit months!!!!

Well since you didn't say, I'll assume you have Dunlop SP Sport 9000 DSSTs, like me. Only I can't say what they're like outside of the intended temperature range as I have winters fitted at the moment. I can only imagine the grip suffers quite a bit in the temps you're driving in. When I had Dunlops on my Ducati, I could feel them sliding quite excessively in the cold. Of course it was my fault for using summer rubber in the dead of winter. Try a winter tire. They grip better than summer tires in these temps, and the wet grip is great too. I've also had my winter Goodyear runflats up to 210kph. Very sure footed at speed.

[ScienceGuy]

I've been driving my 2002 MINI Cooper with runflats in the summer and
Arctic Alpins in the winter and the tires are just great.

Sometimes, I think people spend a lot of money because they convince
themselves that their current tires are not up to their fancy driving skills.

My driving skills are probably average, so I don't need to spend extra money
for tires.

[BRG/Blk Cooper S]

Hi,
I have the Pirrelli run-flats and just spent the last month driving about 3000miles through Europe in all sorts of weather conditions - sun, rain, sleet, snow, ice, you name it..
Was down to -12 in the mountains just before we got to Grenoble - boy do I love my heated washer jets, seats, windscreen etc..
I have the 17" S-alloys and the standard Cooper sports suspension.

I certainly didn't have a problem with grip, in the really bad weather I drove according to the conditions and all was fine.
I would say that the wheel size and run-flats give a pretty hard ride, but that's what I bought a Mini for, if I wanted pure smoothness and comfort I would have kept my Mercedes.

I've now got about 8500 miles on the car and the tyres look great. How are you managing to chew through a set of these in only 4 months?

Cheers, Geoff.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScienceGuy

I've been driving my 2002 MINI Cooper with runflats in the summer and
Arctic Alpins in the winter and the tires are just great.

Sometimes, I think people spend a lot of money because they convince
themselves that their current tires are not up to their fancy driving skills.

My driving skills are probably average, so I don't need to spend extra money
for tires.

Here here!!! Hear here!!!! Hear hear!!! I would have to agree. I like my Dunlop 5000 DSST 16" for the 8 months of summer and my 15" Nokian Hakka 2s for the 4 months of winter.

On my '02 MCS I found the wet and dry traction to be excellant and the same is true for the same tires on my '06 MCS. We are talking about street driving here aren't we? Certainly nothing that might be considered outside of the law.

For the track, stickier tire would be nice, but for street driving the rfs are more than adaquate.

[mmalc]

Hmm, interesting.

(Apologies to those for whom this is repeat information.)

I switched from 17" S-Lites with Dunlop 9000s to 16" X-Lites with Dunlop 5000s. I found the former much "stickier". I realise that changing the wheel at the same time (especially going from 7" to 6.5" width) makes the comparison "difficult", but...

Bilbo wrote:

Quote:

We are talking about street driving here aren't we? Certainly nothing that might be considered outside of the law.

In my case, I believe so, yes. When this affects me most is when starting off. With the 9000s I could pretty much put my foot to the floor and they's keep firmly attached to the road. With the 5000s, I can fairly easily induce "wheel squeal" and get the DSC to flash even with what I would otherwise not call excessive acceleration.


Geoff wrote:

Quote:

I would say that the wheel size and run-flats give a pretty hard ride, but that's what I bought a Mini for, if I wanted pure smoothness and comfort I would have kept my Mercedes.

I'd be interested to know if you actually want a hard ride per se, or if you want the concomitant handling characteristics?

mmalc