Modeler

Well, after owning the car (GS 450h) for just a week I'm happy to report that I feel like I got a whole new car AGAIN!

My car came with Dunlop run-flat tires that make the ride very harsh. Every bump and small pot-hole used to translate into a bone-jarring impact. I picked up my car in Long Island, NY and drove it to Virginia, and I thought I'd loose a few teeth while driving through New York.

So three days after picking up the car I ordered Continental ContiExtremeContact all-season Ultra High Performance tires on Tire Rack. The tires are rated as #2 in the category and have a mind-blowingly low price of $125 per tire. I would've had to pay the Merchant Tire installer recommended by Tire Rack a total of only $60 to install these, but I was punished by the run-flats one last time: Merchant Tire couldn't take them off my wheels!

So I had to take the car to Goodyear and pay a total of $240 (includes life-time balancing and rotation) to replace the tires.

But it was all worth it! The new tires handle very well without the harsh ride. I do think the super-stiffness of the Dunlop run-lats made for better cornering, but I'm happy to trade this off for better overall experience.

By the way, while it sucks that I had to pay extra for the useless run-flat tire package, I'm happy that my car at least came with a spare tire. Otherwise I'd have to shell out $500 to get the spare.

The run-flats are going on E-bay soon. I should be able to recoup the cost of Continentals.

GS2006

Why couldn’t they remove the run flats? BTW, does the car come with the pressure sensors with the run flats?
thanks

Modeler

The things are very tight. They tried with several people to get them off, but all they managed to do was bend a bunch of bars used to flip the edge of the tire over the lip of the rim. Goodyear told me they had a special machine to deal with run-flats; which they should, since they sell the Dunlops.

Yes, all the wheel/tire combos on the 450h come with TPMS sensors.

MartinGS

One of the purposes of run-flats is safety. You blow a tire in an unsafe area, you can keep moving, you blow a regular tire a busy highway and decide to change it yourself, and some idiot hits you. You drive in a country that shoots your tires or they lay down some puncture strips; you might want run-flats. When I need new tires, I will probably do the same as you.

EyeKutr

iTrader: (5)

I think Fred Flintstone had run flats too...LOL

xenon666

I'm wondering if only the RWD GSs have run-flats? I was looking at the AWD this weekend; they all had Bridge, Goodyr.

Modeler

I love the idea of run-flat tires, but the only good execution that exists today that I'm aware of is in the Michelin PAX tires on my wife's Honda Odyssey. The tire itself is a perfectly regular one, and you get normal ride quality out of it. If it looses pressure, there is a plastic wheel mounted over the regular wheel deep inside the tire that will take over.

By the way, while the PAX idea is great and implementation by Michelin is very good, the Michelin/Honda infrastructure for replacing these tires sucks right now. Ours wore out after only 20K miles and it was very hard to find a place to get them replaced (Michelin paid 40% of the replacement cost because of premature wear).

JHStrange

When I put on Blizzak run-flats for the winter, I had the Lexus dealer take off the all-weather Bridgestone run flats rather than go to a regular tire shop. I considered this good insurance due to the tire pressure monitoring device. Since then, I've had them swap back in the spring and back again this last fall. They charge me $100 for the swap.

Everytime, they tell me how much difficulty they've had because of the stiffness and low profile of the tires.

When it comes time for new tires, I'll stay away from run-flats due to the harshness that prompted this thread.

LexusNut13

BMW is having all kinds of problem with their run flats. I know at least two people that had to have them replaced because of premature wear and exessive road noise.

hughh

True! The problem with Dunlop tires is so prevalent, they even have a sticky with several pages of info here:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=103652

widlfiresd

Not BMW, but Dunlop. Dunlop allowed BMW to replace the tires free of charge.

Most of the run flat issues were based on tires concieved several years ago.

In the case of the newest run flat tires, i.e. Bridgestone Potenzas, folks are getting a long wearing, quiet, and great performing tire.

Still, they are not for everyone. I just can't imagine running a $125 tire on a GS. You might as well bought an ES.

Modeler

Are you referring to the Continental tires that I bought? That's kind of a snobish comment, don't you think? Yes, it seems cheap, but I actually went back to Tire Rack a couple of days ago and noticed that there are several other highly rated tires that are in the same price range. Pirelli P-zero, for example, was $160.

As I wrote before, these are #2 best rated tire in the category, with the same overall score as the $300 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S. So they are not cheap, just inexpensive, if you know what I mean.

Plus, it's bad enough that I have to shell out for new tires right after buying the car and paying for the original tires plust the $380 surcharge for run-flats. It would suck a lot more if I had to pay over a $1,000 instead of $500 for the new tires. Installation alone ran $240!

hughh

Found this in another forum:


11 of 18 Re: New Tires (free) [calexander3] by traylor Jan 14, 2007 (6:11 pm)
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Replying to: calexander3 (Jan 14, 2007 1:33 pm)

I bought an '06 GS 300 used w/ 22K miles from Park Place Lexus in Plano, TX last May. Tire noise was awful. Service rep said they'd had trouble with the tires "cupping". Since they were more than half way used up when I bought the car, they paid for two and I paid for two new Michelin Primacy's. Solved the problem instantly.

Jace7

maybe I will try to purchase a different tire for each wheel.
That sounds like a good idea.

Ok, just kidding, but I am about to purchase (as soon as the snow melts) some Mich. Pilots. PS2's.
A little pricier, and less millege than it's semi comparable products, but they are just great tires. Wonderful handling in wet and dry.
The Bridgestone Pilots... (excuse me if name is incorrect) are great products as well. (plus cheaper.... and they give you a 30 day no questions asked trial...)
I was deciding between the two of them.

DaveJ

I can't wait to get rid of my Dunlop run flats. I have about 21K miles on them now, and I can probably wait until maybe 25K miles. But I'm really getting annoyed with the jarring ride on uneven surfaces. I'll probably wait until spring and then spring for a set of Michelin Pilots.

I hope that the problem Modeler experienced with the tire removal isn't a universal problem with all independent shops. If it is, then maybe it would make more sense buying tires from a Toyota or Lexus shop that has the right equipment. The tires will cost more, but maybe it will be made up in added charges for the special removal.