Runflat on Corvette

[George Bynum]

I've been asked by a friend to research "best" runflat for his 1998 corvette. We're in Michelin area here (upstate SC) and we tentatively think the Pilot Sport All Season are it. Kumho MX are a little lower $, but 60% the life.

Vehicle is used to impress people and ride around town, not high speed. It has traction control, which he enjoys turning off and showing that it will spin the tires. OEs lasted 7+ years, 20,000 miles. Michelin has that "impress people" name to him.

What would you folks recommend?

 

[Dominic]

Well, I personally hate runflats so I can't recommend any of them to him. My dad put on a set of normals, then carried a pump and patch kit. Runflats might be great for punctures, but they are very poor riding tires from what I've experienced.

I also don't see why he wants to put Michelins on only to smoke them off - a real waste of a good tire.

 

[Patman]

The Michelin Pilot runflats seem to be the most popular aftermarket runflat, however their tread is very ugly. Plus another thing to research is that not all runflats can be put back into service after you get a flat. With the Goodyear runflats, you can still use them after you've driven on them flat. I know this from experience, I drove on one of mine when it was totally flat, and got it fixed and have driven another year with no problems. I don't know why so many people don't like the Goodyear runflats, I am impressed with mine on my 98 Corvette, they even handle light snow pretty well!

 

[slugsgomoo]

get towing coverage on your insurance, and buy some real tires.

 

[George Bynum]

Thanks guys! I should have included that my recommendation was to not use the runflats; he'd heard that from most people, but wants them, can afford them, and the performance issue is of no concern.

If all of our decisions were based on logic and intellignece rather than feelings, the world would be a different place ...

His decision was the Michelin product.

 

[Mitch Alsup]

I, also, disrecommend run flats (aka runcraps).

For the Vette, any of the ultra high performance all season tires would work well. If you go to tire rack and look at the comparison chart of max performance all season tires pick any of the top 5 and you will hav a good tire indeed.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/index.jsp

 

[Patman]

For ultra high performance all seasons, I like the Pirelli P Zero Neros. I've got a pair of these up front on my car, I got them just before last winter. I know it seems like a strange combo, having the Pirelli all seasons up front and the stock runflats out back, but it worked surprisingly well for me last winter.