A flat tyre is bound to happen at least once in your lifespan in owning a car. Most people will call for roadside assistance but will likely be waiting for 30 minutes or more. If you know how to change a tyre, a dirty job under the scorching sun will leave you with inappropriate dress afterwards anyhow. Worse yet, your car may not even have a spare tyre liao!
Here comes run-flat tyre. Run-flat tyre in nutshell is a tyre that is capable of supporting the weight of a vehicle with advanced technologies for a short time period or mileage subject to the road conditions, providing drivers with an extra KM of range to find a repair shop.
Pro’s & Cons
We’ve passed the time where you can ask any new car buyer if their new car has a spare tyre and most will say “of course got, premium tyre some more” and sometimes it’s the safety topic that dealership tend not to bring up for a checklist. Sadly, today’s new vehicles come without spare tyre. Instead, they’re equipped only with tire repair kits to save a significant amount of weight by not including the heavy tire, jack, rims & wrench to increase car’s fuel efficiency. This often leaves you stranded on the side of the road and putting your life at risk when help needed the most. Run-flat tyres won’t leave you stranded and lessen the risk of your life as in case of a puncture or tire failure, run-flat tyres are equipped with self-supporting sidewalls that allow the car to continue its journey with little air pressure. However, as perfect as it seems this solution comes with a trade-off too.
First, limited selection and availability. Unlike conventional tyres, there are only a few major players when it comes to Run Flat tyres such as Nokian, Pirelli, Continental & Bridgestone. If you’re in for more selection, check out our Year End Special for run-flat & SUV’s tyres. These well-known tyre manufacturers are the only few that are equipped in producing run-flat tyres accordingly to Malaysia road. Second, they can cost a little more. With the more advanced technologies equipped into the tyres such as with Pirelli Noise cancellation & shock absorption, run-flat tyres can cost a bit more than conventional tyres. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean run-flats are significantly more expensive. They just tend to come on high performance and luxury cars that have expensive nature. Third, hard ride. Since the sidewalls have less given, run-flats tend to have a stiffer ride than other tires. However, the latest models have improved in ride quality with normal air pressure but still, the most comfortable run-flat may not be able to match the most comfortable conventional tyres in ride quality.
FAQ’s
Can I use regular tyres instead of run-flats?
In most cases, yes. However, many newer cars is already equipped with run-flat tyres and system technology built in to keep your ride in check. Switching to normal tyres may cause the vehicle’s system read to be off. On top, cars that are equipped with factory’s fitted in run-flats have little to no space for spare tyres. Now, imagine yourself being caught up stranded on the road…
Are run-flat tyres good?
Yes, run-flat tyres offer better stability in a blowout and keep you away from risky situations. That being said, is a personal choice. Take a look at the pros & cons here to decide for yourself.
Can run-flat be repaired?
It’s a risky move as unlike conventional tyres, run-flat tyres compound are using a more advanced and harder compound. Assuming in the situation where the run-flat has been supporting the vehicle’s weight after a blowout, the thread will have suffered more than the compound and the internal strength have been affected, making it impossible for tyre shop to assure your safety.
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