Need help choosing Run Flat Tires for a 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata

I dislike pirelli tires I personally wouldn't put them on any of my vehicles. But that is a pretty big price difference.

I think corvettes use goodyear tires. The only pirelli tires i have had seen are on trucks and suv's so i cant really speak as to how there car tires are. Do you prefer run flats over a regular tires?

This guy don't have no spare...as I recall from watching the hamster do a test run on one of them...reduced weight for added performance including "skeletonized rear view mirror" trimmed to a thin decorative items and NO spare...they expect you will call the motor club if you own one of these....save a couple pennies on the fillup...whew what a world~

Cannot tell you the number of people killed when they were changing a flat on the shoulder of the motorway....AAA it, forget the spare.

Don't know a goddamn thing about "run flat"...as I recall it was a tire inside another tire, used by the military to be able to get the hell out of there in a firefight...cannot speak to the added weight doing a goddamn thing to performance, perhaps the "tighter package" offers better handling in curves, but unless you live near robert louis stevenson and face seven miles of hairpin curves, there ain't no kind of need for this level of "sport"~ You know urethane rollers offer various durometer squishiness and grip from various grades (engineering wise have specified many a roller on conveyor systems) and lordy how...these would be "permanently flat"...we ALREADY HAVE this technology...just do not apply it on the consumer level~

sooner or later you'll own generals.

you cannot access that tire rack link runs off the page to hawaii, and if you try to select it grabs the image is a catastrophe~

Racer_X are you buying one of these?....neato....the mini has some of the features that hamster talked about...try the newer mini....I'd like a test drive of that one...You know these are ALL buggies? don't you....stuck in exactly the same traffic....racing to the next red light.....wrawwrawwraw up the boulevard encouraging the girls to "lif u yer TOP" as happens when you hang out with LA juveniles "hanging out the window" shouting with great embarrasment...and no apology offered if you're drivin' a groovy 1980 Dodge Colt one your way to Compton for a Cocaine Run~

read the label on the door jamb...buy OEM...in the mini's case it still is the original Pirelli's...HTH~

mike the MINI technician said the rear ones were "scary thin"...I did not think they looked all that bad...not drivin' the autobahn today...y'know~

probably buy Pirelli's on acct. they ar OEM...the BMW guys are all that~

Really Pisses me off! YOU cannot buy Cooper tires to fit the Cooper...they don't make them in that size....what a world.~

Hey Gurus...Thanks for ALL of your feedback! Sorry for the late reply..VERY bad downpours here in the Philly area & just getting home! As much research as I've done on the MX-5, I overlooked one important fact: The car already has Bridgestone Potenza Run-Flats installed on them (I just assumed they weren't). I confirmed this with a Mazda Service Tech. This DOES make sense since I don't have a spare/donut in the trunk, only a tire repair kit with fix-a-flat and a portable 12V type inflator. Seems like I hit a pothole earlier this week and this caused a bubble and a very small gash on top on the bubble. Mazda Service Tech says it's ok to ride on for a while longer since the chance of me hitting ANOTHER pothole in that exact spot is slim. I'm playing it smart (and safe) and getting a replacement OEM Bridgestone run-flat tire installed next week. Didn't drive the MX-5 today...used my SUV instead :)

@kbro..Do I prefer run-flat tires (RFT)? To be honest, this is the first car I've owned with RFT, My 350Z and my MR2 didn't have them. I can honestly say the car handles extremely well with them and have more peace of mind since I don't have a donut. Even with the bubble and gash in the sidewall, my tire hasn't lost any pressure. @tenspeed..I'll check the Mazda MX-5 forums to see what RFT's they recommend....I may opt for another brand when all 4 need replacing! @Judge...Little confused at one of your replies, but just to clarify..I already own the 2011 MX-5..since last July. I'm not a Mini fan, although I hear it handles well and is pretty sporty. LOL @ not being able to buy Cooper tires for a Mini Cooper...

I know it's a little late, but here's an update: The Mazda Service Tech was either a newbie or a complete idiot, since he misinformed me on the fact that the car comes off the assembly line with RFT's...they don't ...Just regular Bridgestone Potenza tires. I decided to ante up for the same tire, just the RFT variant on all 4 tires, got a Buy 3, get 1 free deal + discounts from my local tire shop. NOW, I can drive the MX-5 with more peace of mind and she handles very similar with the RFT's compared to the OEM tire :) Thanks again for the help guys!

I need some information- I am considering buying a 2014 MX-5, but understand that run-flat tires are no longer offered as an option from Mazda. Is this because Mazda had changed the engineering and/or balance of the 2014 model year so that run flats are no longer recommended on the car? Can I still buy new rims for run flats that will fit, perform and look good on the 2014 model?