245/50 R18 summer run flats

ramda2021 · 05-02-2022, 10:35 AM

Hey guys.

I've done a pretty extended internet review on a lot of tires, but still a bit undecided.
I'm looking for 245/50 R18 summer run flats.
The size and them being run flats and summer only pretty much narrows the choice a lot.
I know I'd probably be better off with non-RFTs, but since I'm driving with my kids a lot I'd really not be bothered about getting stucked or changing them somewhere in the mountains or in another country. Interested in security a lot, city driving mostly, but really stepping on it when I'm traveling outside the city without kids. Unsurprisingly, there seems to be no perfect blend of all qualities (it's either max performance oriented along with wearing in 10k miles plus noise OR more comfort & less wear along with less grip/break force - grip/brake force being not just for tracks, but also for safety).

In the end, I guess it's mostly between Pirelli Cinturato P7 vs Michelin Primacy 3 (+/- Pirelli P0). All pretty old, by now. Most others fitting this (rare?) size are either non-RFTs or all season or wear too quickly or are pretty low in comparative tests. Any idea? Have a lot of you tested a summer run flat this size that you were really satisfied with?

Thanks.

PS - running Cinturato P7 now - 2-3 months end of last summer and again for a couple of weeks, but DOT is 2016 (I got them on eBay) and one of them got a bit deformed (as I was told by the tire docs) - I don't see much but the car now vibrates a bit at speeds around 80 km/h and they are indeed pretty old. That aside, I can't complain but I don't have anything else to compare them with before making a new purchase.

turbo4 · 05-06-2022, 11:19 AM

I hate to tell you this, but there is always a situation when even the run flats will not help. I have experianced that and decided that having a spare tire is a must. Chaning a tire is a 15 minutes job so not a big deal. The other benefit is you pay much less for non run flats and your ride is also improved.

chris513 · 05-07-2022, 07:20 PM

In 245/50R18, you could get Pirelli P-Zero PZ4 run flats, if you're just interested in a high performance summer tire. No other run flat will come close to the level of performance and grip you will get from this tire. If summer driving is all you're going to be doing, this would be the most fun option: https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/...-zero-run-flat

I use the Cinturato P7 run flats on mine, and I have no complaints. Its pretty much the default option for an X3 if you want run flats. And they're good in winter too. Its a very very good tire overall.

The Michelin is also a good option, but its hard to justify the extra money when the Pirelli is going to perform the same with the same 50,000 mile expectation.

As far as the vibration you're getting, have you taken it anywhere to have the tires rebalanced? Most places only charge like $40 to do it and it should take care of most vibrations, unless you have a broken belt in the tire.

05-02-2022, 10:35 AM	#1
ramda2021 New Member 2 Rep 14 Posts Drives: BMW x3 F25 20d Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: Bucharest iTrader: (0)	245/50 R18 summer run flats Hey guys. I've done a pretty extended internet review on a lot of tires, but still a bit undecided. I'm looking for 245/50 R18 summer run flats. The size and them being run flats and summer only pretty much narrows the choice a lot. I know I'd probably be better off with non-RFTs, but since I'm driving with my kids a lot I'd really not be bothered about getting stucked or changing them somewhere in the mountains or in another country. Interested in security a lot, city driving mostly, but really stepping on it when I'm traveling outside the city without kids. Unsurprisingly, there seems to be no perfect blend of all qualities (it's either max performance oriented along with wearing in 10k miles plus noise OR more comfort & less wear along with less grip/break force - grip/brake force being not just for tracks, but also for safety). In the end, I guess it's mostly between Pirelli Cinturato P7 vs Michelin Primacy 3 (+/- Pirelli P0). All pretty old, by now. Most others fitting this (rare?) size are either non-RFTs or all season or wear too quickly or are pretty low in comparative tests. Any idea? Have a lot of you tested a summer run flat this size that you were really satisfied with? Thanks. PS - running Cinturato P7 now - 2-3 months end of last summer and again for a couple of weeks, but DOT is 2016 (I got them on eBay) and one of them got a bit deformed (as I was told by the tire docs) - I don't see much but the car now vibrates a bit at speeds around 80 km/h and they are indeed pretty old. That aside, I can't complain but I don't have anything else to compare them with before making a new purchase. Last edited by ramda2021; 05-02-2022 at 01:33 PM..
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05-06-2022, 11:19 AM	#2
turbo4 markster 6 Rep 54 Posts Drives: 2016 X3 xdrive28d Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Edmonton iTrader: (0)	I hate to tell you this, but there is always a situation when even the run flats will not help. I have experianced that and decided that having a spare tire is a must. Chaning a tire is a 15 minutes job so not a big deal. The other benefit is you pay much less for non run flats and your ride is also improved.
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05-07-2022, 07:20 PM	#3
chris513 New Member 11 Rep 9 Posts Drives: BMW X3 Xdrive28i Join Date: May 2020 Location: Cincinnati iTrader: (0)	In 245/50R18, you could get Pirelli P-Zero PZ4 run flats, if you're just interested in a high performance summer tire. No other run flat will come close to the level of performance and grip you will get from this tire. If summer driving is all you're going to be doing, this would be the most fun option: https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/...-zero-run-flat I use the Cinturato P7 run flats on mine, and I have no complaints. Its pretty much the default option for an X3 if you want run flats. And they're good in winter too. Its a very very good tire overall. The Michelin is also a good option, but its hard to justify the extra money when the Pirelli is going to perform the same with the same 50,000 mile expectation. As far as the vibration you're getting, have you taken it anywhere to have the tires rebalanced? Most places only charge like $40 to do it and it should take care of most vibrations, unless you have a broken belt in the tire.
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