Should I be worried about run flat tyres on my BMW?

I am buying a BMW 318d with run flat tyres and no room for a spare. The wheels are 18-inch alloy and the are low profile tyres. I'm nervous of getting a puncture while on the way to work and being stranded, then being charged a fortune to replace the tyre by a mobile tyre replacement company. I feel like replacing the run-flats with regular tyres and throwing a spare into the normal boot space. I do about 20,000 kilometres per year. What do you think?

Tom Byrne (Athlone)

Dec 2012 Filed under: tyres

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Expert answer

Hi Tom,

Having discussed this with you via email we do understand your concerns and the run-flat tyres are by no means perfect. However, the beauty of them is that, in the puncture situation, you can continue to drive them - albeit at a lower speed. That means you can continue to work and sort out getting the tyre changed at your convenience.

Guidelines to tyre fitters state that the tyres should be changed if punctured, but there are situations when they can be repaired inexpensively instead.

Putting a spare wheel into the boot would mean virtually no usable space for anything else in there. We feel that's a little drastic!

Let us know what you decide to do and how you get on with the tyres so we can let other readers know.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D