Have you heard of run flat tyres before? I’ll be honest, I hadn’t, so in this article we’ll be learning together.
In short, a run flat tyre offers drivers improved levels of safety and assurance in case there’s ever a sudden or slow depressurisation of a tyre. In the very worst situations, a sudden flat tyre can send a vehicle skidding and spinning out of control. Fingers crossed this never happens to you.
Why run flat tyres?
Tyres can deflate for a variety of reasons. You might have rolled over a nail, hit a pothole or hit the side of the kerb too hard at the wrong angle.
If your tyres are old, they’re not going to withstand as much as a new set of tyres, or even better, a run flat tyre.
A little bit of background on run flat tyres. They were originally developed for the military – after all, it’s always better to have as many inflated tyres as possible when evading enemy fire – BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, and Audi were among the first to adopt the run flat tyre in more normal motoring.
These days, manufacturers like Continental, Pirelli, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Goodyear all offer run flat tyres options as a result of the increased demand and availability.
No matter whether you choose run flat tyres with strongly reinforced sidewalls, or those with an extra support ring mounted to the rim, a run flat tyre is designed specifically to stay inflated long enough to get somewhere to get it fixed up, all the while avoiding the need to do a roadside tyre change.
Run flat tyres will allow you to safely travel 80-10 km’s further down the road if you drive carefully, but always read the manufacturer’s instructions and suggestions.
How much are run flat tyres?
It’s plain that run flat tyres are going to cost a fair bit more than conventional tyres, and we don’t intend to pull any punctures on this one.
It really depends which brand of tyre you choose, but you could be looking at anywhere from $250NZD right through to over $1200NZD. And yes, that’s per tyre. Careful that wallet doesn’t run flat as well!
The pros and cons of run flat tyres
On the plus side, run flat tyres increase your safety levels while driving, mean less inconvenience on the time front if something does go wrong, as well as and freeing up space in the boot because you don’t need to carry spare.
But the relative disadvantage here is only the cost of a set of run flat tyres, which we’ve covered off above.
That said, with the promise of increased security for you, your vehicle, and your cargo, it’s no surprise that run-flat tyres are becoming more popular.
If you’re worried about the state of your tyres, or think run flat tyres might be a good solution for your vehicle, we can help! Head over to the My Auto Shop services area to get you on the way.