No one likes to have a flat tire. Even if you have a full size spare in your vehicle, it is not only inconvenient to stop on the side of a busy street to change it, but is is also dangerous. The invention of the run flat tire seems like a great idea, but many owners are complaining about wear problems and expensive replacement. Some owners have even gone as far as filing a class action lawsuit against Toyota and Dunlop, alleging that the tire wear issue constitute a product defect.
Some of the disadvantage that come with run flat tires are:
- Because the tires have hard side walls the vehicle will ride rough compared to regular tires.
- The tire is not repairable, and the price for a new one is very expensive.
- The traction in cold weather is considerably reduced.
- The tires require special rims on which you can’t mount regular tires. Many tire stores do not carry run flat tires in their inventory, so you may be without a tire for a while.
- People tend to drive on the flat for longer periods which could be dangerous.
The run flat tire is not widely used on vehicles, though there are a few manufacturers, such as BMW, that are starting to make them standard on some new models. You can easily identify them as they have the RSC emblem on the side.
