I’ve a new MX-5 and it came fitted with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tyres that are a size 205/45 R17 84W
Are these tyres the run flat version?
Bridgestone, in their wisdom, make these tyres in both run-flat and normal versions.
The car has TPMS (which lit up today) until I drove 3.9 miles to the nearest petrol station to put air in. Searching on the internet I found something that suggested cars with TPMS have to be fitted with run-flats ?
In the dark I could not find a run-flat symbol on the tyre wall.
I don’t have TPMS on the MX but I do on my Jeep Grand Cherokee and Les has it on her Volvo and in neither case does the car have run flat tyres. So I guess that there is no reason to suggest that TPMS equals run flats.
Hopefully someone will be along soon that can confirm for you re the MX.
It is much much simpler now since the end of 2012 any car going for EU type approval has HAD to have a form of TPMS. Additionally now all new cars going for registration in any EU country since the beginning of November 2014 have to have TPMS.
Are Bridgestone making two different versions of the same tyre? Or just causing confusion? It seems like “not everyone is singing off the same song sheet”…
On the actual tyre itself there is no run-flat markings or symbols.
I’ve just been to the nearest Mazda dealership and the service desk gave a quick and unhesitant “No, they are not run-flat”.
The safest thing for me to do is assume it is not run-flat and replace the tyre. As i’ve a long motorway journey coming up. A while back I was shown a car tyre that been driven with no air, the exterior looked fine but when you looked inside the tyre, the tyre wall had disintegrated into flakes of rubber.
I’m quite surprised a new car would not be fitted with the run-flat version. BMW are now fitting these to every car they produce. But then again, the specification of a brand new MX-5 looks like it hasn’t changed in the past several years apart from the sat nav, theres still no basic things that are found on other cars… daytime running lights, HID bulbs, electric folding wing mirrors, heated front windscreen.
I’m quite surprised a new car would not be fitted with the run-flat version. BMW are now fitting these to every car they produce. But then again, the specification of a brand new MX-5 looks like it hasn’t changed in the past several years apart from the sat nav, theres still no basic things that are found on other cars… daytime running lights, HID bulbs, electric folding wing mirrors, heated front windscreen.
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In regards to run flats just look at the number of people that ditch them and it gives you a good idea with the words tramlining, hard ride and uncomfortable. Additionally the M division of BMW usually lob the runflats in the bin and refit normal tyres that speaks volumes to me.
Daytime running lights were only needed for cars undergoing type approval. The amount of doughnuts that I see with auto lights and DRL’s that do not have lights on in the dark is mad. The problem with DRL’s is made worse because the rear lights (excluding the old school Volvo setup, new Volvo’s operate the same as every other manufacturer) are not on.
HID’s were available for the NC but only in LHD oddly…
Folding wing mirrors - I never really struggle doing it manually in honesty and just another weight increasing item…plus the cost if you damage them…C30 mirrors were an expensive item when mine got damaged (the MX5 ones in comparison are cheap as chips!)
Heated front windscreens are only just appearing on many cars now, part of the problem for years was Ford has or had the patent and never really used it properly. My parents new V40 has it and whilst a benefit for that car for the MX5 I would struggle to see the benefit as the screen is substantially smaller.
I have had run-flats on my current and previous BMW’s.
I had 3 punctures in as many years in my previous BMW and each time I could safely continue my journey after noting the dashboard warning and dropping my speed a little
Of course, the tyres had to be replaced as they cannot be safely repaired.
When we bought our current BMW I was offered standard tyres and goo (same as the MX5) or run flats. I jumped at the run flats.
I have seen comments that run flats would give an uncomfortable ride on an MX5, but given the choice I would have run flats every time. I would be interested to try an MX5 fitted with run flats.
Run flats are much safer and more convenient than suffering a puncture at speed, trying to repair the tyre with the goo, or being stuck without a spare wheel.
In my case. The tyre went very flat while on an unlit B-road, at night and in the rain, during rush hour, with no safe place to pull over. The safest option seemed to slowly head for the nearest petrol station just over 3 miles away. It probably wrecked the tyre, it was warm to touch. I can imagine run-flats would have bee ideal in that scenario.
