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tyre advice - not previously covered (i think)

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  9140 
#1 ·
Hey folks,

Got a Coupe - 1 series 120D M-Sport

I have different sized tyres on the front and back - all run flats at the moment.

Front - 215/40/R18 - 85Y
Rear - 245/35/R18 - 88Y

Basically, my rear tyres are needing replaced, but my fronts are looking like they have got plenty of life left in them.

I am going to replace my rear tyres, but i have been wanting to get rid of the run flats for some time. Cant really afford to replace all 4 at the moment, so i was wondering if i could replace the rears with non-run flat tyres and still run the front with the original run flats.

I have always thought you should keep all 4 tyres the same, but was just wanting a wee sanity check

any advice would be great

cheers folks

Petey
 
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#2 ·
Has been discussed several times before but I do understand you haven't read through all the tyre discussions (lots of them).

basicaly, having rft front and non-rft rear is a bad idea.

From memory I remember one person that says it went well, but I also know of at least three threads where people complained about instability of their car which in the end was tracked down to your proposed change.

So my recommendation is: either get rft again and change all four next time, or get four non-rft (which should only be like 50% mroe than the rear rft's) and sell your front tyres on e-bay or the likes.

Oh, if going for non-rft, make sure to get XL with a higher load index...

Cheers
 
#5 ·
roninno5,

I endorse what Onehp said about mixing RFT with nonRFT it s not a very sensible thing to do. :) I notice that the load rating of your tyres is 88,. The minimum that is recommended is 91. I have a 91 rating nonRFT I and am perfectly happy with them with no adverse effects others believe that one should go up to 94.

I have always thought you should keep all 4 tyres the same
I prefer to keep all tires the same size but it appears to be fashion to have them wider on the back with a lower profile with some specifications
 
#7 ·
Anthony said:
roninno5,

I endorse what Onehp said about mixing RFT with nonRFT it s not a very sensible thing to do. :) I notice that the load rating of your tyres is 88,. The minimum that is recomended is 91. I have a 91 rating nonRFT I and am perfectly happy with them with no adverse effects others believe that one should go up to 94.
I am running XL tyres, 92Y front and 95Y rear. Seem ok. Alot more comfy ride and the grip has also improved over RFT.
 
#9 ·
Changing tyres is not normally considered an insurance notifiable item. I understand that if one changed wheels to say expensive alloys from less expensive ones, that in the event of a right off,the insurers might refuse to cover the expensive alloys as they have not been declared but changing tyres from one brand to another is neither here or there so long as they are legal and not under specified. I do believe however that the poster has tyres fitted that are below the specified weight capability, I think that I am correct in this that 91 is the minimum recommended weight capability. that if involved in an accident with tyres that do not comply that may cause problems not only with ones insurers but possibly with the police also particularly if a death has occurred orother serious injury. These days they treat many accidents and scenes of crime.
 
#13 ·
Anthony said:
roninno5,

I endorse what Onehp said about mixing RFT with nonRFT it s not a very sensible thing to do. :) I notice that the load rating of your tyres is 88,. The minimum that is recommended is 91. I have a 91 rating nonRFT I and am perfectly happy with them with no adverse effects others believe that one should go up to 94.

I have always thought you should keep all 4 tyres the same
I prefer to keep all tires the same size but it appears to be fashion to have them wider on the back with a lower profile with some specifications
That's right the tyres on the 120D M sport Coupe, come as standard with different size tyres front and rear.
 
#14 ·
If the front runflats have some decent life in them, put them in the classifieds on here. When I swapped from runflats to regular tyres I flogged a full set of part-worn 18" Bridgestones for over £200, the fronts similar wear to yours, the rears had a bit more meat on them so was worth selling all 4. Depending on what you're going for if you make £100 on the front pair then thats a good way towards paying for the new set of regular fronts.
 
#15 ·
Anthony said:
Changing tyres is not normally considered an insurance notifiable item. I understand that if one changed wheels to say expensive alloys from less expensive ones, that in the event of a right off,the insurers might refuse to cover the expensive alloys as they have not been declared but changing tyres from one brand to another is neither here or there so long as they are legal and not under specified. I do believe however that the poster has tyres fitted that are below the specified weight capability, I think that I am correct in this that 91 is the minimum recommended weight capability. that if involved in an accident with tyres that do not comply that may cause problems not only with ones insurers but possibly with the police also particularly if a death has occurred orother serious injury. These days they treat many accidents and scenes of crime.
As you say 'not normally', however in a few instances on this forum we have certainly seen people who have been charged extra for changing from RFTs. I'm not aware of any refused claims on this basis, but that isn't to say it hasn't/won't happen. I think we all agree that most insurers now look for any 'excuse' to charge you a bit more, or not pay out.

For Petey it's down to personal choice in the end.

One of the non-run flat brigade may wish to start a poll to see how many have a. Told their insurers and b. Been charged extra.
 
#16 ·
I have not and I have no intention of doing so either as I do not believe that is an issue. I would for many other things such as re map, EGR removal or what ever. I might if I change the style of alloys not because they wont cover the car but because they may not cover the wheels in a right of, I was on another forum and this sort of thing came up an insurance guy or a loss adjuster I can not remember which told us that many of these things will not make the car insurance void but might exclude the particular item such as expensive alloys only because they where not mentioned so not covered. Performance things are considered additional risk, it would be a very far cry to call tyres a performance item unless. If someone is supplied with Dunlop are you saying that fitting Goodyear will be an issue. It is taking things a little to excess. Even in Germany with the TUV things are not quite that bad.

When people call their insurer depending on who it is 99/100 it is just a clerk who will have no idea, some may charge for anything others will not. At the end of the day if any claim was refused it would have to go through a claims adjuster and the ombudsman could counter that on the grounds of not being a contributory factor.Its a matter of proportionality.
 
#17 ·
On my A3, the local Bush garage mistakenly put on one RFT on the offside front, and one normal on the nearside, (both were meant to be normal)

The amount of times I nearly lost control under heavy braking, or at top end speeds was unreal.
 
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