MrTrilby

I read here that runflats don't work if you pick up a puncture whilst towing. Would a space saver spare fare any better? My trailer is probably around 1000kgs loaded.

AlwynMike

Runflats ARE OK if you get a puncture whilst towing. The problem is that the range of a flat runflat will be very restricted if you have a trailer on tow and/or are fully loaded with people. It may be that if you do have a puncture in the middle of nowhere, it may be prudent to leave your trailer (somewhere safe) and proceed solo to a tyre factor, who will tell you that you'll have to wait a day for him to get a replacement in!! (Or to a BMW Dealer who will tell you to book it in for the following week . . .). Always assuming that you get a puncture during business hours of course.

My advice is to buy spacesaver spare wheel (or the full kit from BMW at about GBP155), and when you wear out the runflats, throw them away and get a proper tyre that doesn't tramline, isn't noisy, isn't hard and costs half as much.

george44

I think it depends on what the nose weight is of your trailer, and whether you have anything in the boot or rear passengers.
I had a punture on the rear (18" NCT5 Runflats), whilst towing my caravan. Although the fully laden weight of the van is about 1500-1600kg, I always check the nose weight with a gauge, aiming for about 80-85kg (BMW max is 90kg).
Had my two kids in the back and two trays of Stella Artois in the boot, and it was enough to crush the sidewall of the deflated tyre. Fortunately I was just picking the van up from storage, where we had loaded it the day before.

So for me, no good at all if you have a caravan. Even when I unhitched the van, the tyre had been wrecked, from driving less than half a mile with the puncture.

In the end, traded the wheels and tyres in to Paul at M-Style (Romford), and got a set of OEM M5 166's with Goodyear F1's, plus a spacesaver from BMW.

pgroen

Hopefully you learned to avoid at all costs :
1) Runflats
2) Stella Artois

george44

Ditching the runflats was a no-brainer for me.

But the Stella.......

Guess I shouldn't have had the kids in the back......

MrTrilby

Thanks all. I guess I need to look at getting a spacesaver as the minimum then - don't fancy having to ditch the trailer by the side of the motorway.

Are dealers the best place to get the full spacesaver/jack/bitsnpieces from?

Undecided about ditching the runflats though - I like the convenience when I'm not towing, and I worry that the ride would become too sloppy if I used tyres with softer sidewalls (I have SE suspension and titchy tiny 17" wheels).

furtive

Hello Ray