Tyre experts to the rescue? Run Flat vs Non Run Flat.

Bachelorplace

Is 69dB noise rating on a non run flat the same as a 69dB noise rating on a run flat?

ALL reports say change out run flats first opportunity at all costs. They say - smoother, better handling, and the most important for me quieter. 

But surely if the dB rating is the same on both Run Flat and normal tyres, then the argument for ditching run flats is flawed?

My car has air suspension, so comfort is not an issue. NOISE IS. Also the compound of the RF is pretty rough making that "Coarse" feeling. However that might be the same in a normal tyre. 

Appreciate your helping me make a decision. 

jimjames

dB noise rating is the noise, it's the same regardless. Like saying 1kg of beef is heavier than 1kg of feathers

BOWFER

Noise is noise.
But runflats are hateful things and any car is improved by binning them.

NSG666

Noise is important but much less so than wet weather grip for me. If you ain't got a spare you're snookered if you get a quickly deflating puncture. I put non run flat on an old car and got a slow puncture so ok to top up and drive to tyre shop (lucky) but had a rapid deflation puncture on current car which I'd kept using on RF and was still able to get it to tyre shop (lucky again).

daveyjp

Non run flats and a spare please.

Bachelorplace

Correct Jim - hard to conceive that my current tyres are RF and are 69dB

-I have air so not sure what improvements I would be making BOWFER? I have air so ride is not any concern really. 

I would like to try the non RF for a laugh - but they are sooooo expensive for something reasonable and knowing my luck I will end up with a puncture in the first week. 

So just double checking. 

NSG666

Bachelorplace said:

Correct Jim - hard to conceive that my current tyres are RF and are 69dB

-I have air so not sure what improvements I would be making BOWFER? I have air so ride is not any concern really. 

I would like to try the non RF for a laugh - but they are sooooo expensive for something reasonable and knowing my luck I will end up with a puncture in the first week. 

So just double checking. 

Yes I though I was doing well to find some at 71. Apparently the manufacturer's rate them themselves and they get noisier as they wear.

Bachelorplace

AH... so the DB rating can be a huge con anyway like the MPG... and have no bearing whatsoever on the noise in truth. 

BOWFER

Bachelorplace said:

Correct Jim - hard to conceive that my current tyres are RF and are 69dB

-I have air so not sure what improvements I would be making BOWFER? I have air so ride is not any concern really. 

I would like to try the non RF for a laugh - but they are sooooo expensive for something reasonable and knowing my luck I will end up with a puncture in the first week. 

So just double checking. 

I reckon even with air suspension you'd notice less harshness.
The 'tech' of runflats is very simple, they have extremely stiff sidewalls.
They also tend to have horrible handling traits because of this stiffness, like tramlining (this is where the tyres follow imperfections in the road and the steering wheel seems to move on its own).
As you say though, difficult to justify the expense of binning them if you don't know any different.
I did know the difference, so binning them was an easy (if expensive) decision.

Bachelorplace

The 7 series is a horrific handling barge as it is...  

BOWFER

On my Mini, the wife refused to drive it after the steering wheel got 'ripped out of her hands'.
Changed the tyres to normal, end of issue.
Took some convincing to get her to drive it again, but she did and was amazed at the transformation.
Several of my 3-series were the same.
No idea if BMW do it now, but they used to offer zero cost change from runflats to normal when ordering, such was the hatred of the things.