mikemargolis

I have an E-350 Bluetec with the Turanza run flat tires.

Is there anything wrong with buying four Blizzaks and swapping them out onto my one and only set of rims every spring/fall?

Aside from the ease of swapping, and that I could put one run flat in the trunk as a spare, is there any reason to buy

four snow tires
four rims
four tpms

vs

four snow tires and some labor every swap?

Will the run flat side walls sustain the mount/dismount routine?

Thanks in advance.

Johnny Mo

For the cost to swap them out every year you are better off buying a set of rims to go with the snows.

I got mine 2 years ago at tirerack for less than $1500 delivered with 4 Moda EB1 rims, tire pressure monitors and a set of Dunlop Winter Sport 3D. Figure will cost you minimum $100 each time to get them swapped between the swap and re-balancing - that's $200 a year at least. If you are buying tires anyway...the only real cost is the rims and tire monitors...the rims were selling for around $120 each and the monitors were $70. Worth it for me - and I swap them out myself now.

CEB

Absolutely correct. In addition, every swap will leave you with more rim damage and you run the risk of damaging your tires.

Can you do it? Sure. Is it cost effective? No.

Each tire change will cost you a good half day in your local tire shop (if you want to get it done for $100) or a day at the dealership for $200 for each swap.

With tires already mounted, you can either do it yourself or have the local gas station do it for under $20 - my local gas station charges $12 for a tire rotation - essentially the same thing. They've been installing my wheels for years now.

mikemargolis

Thanks for the answers, you've been a lot of help.

CEB

Think of it as swapping out a strap every week. Somewhere along the line you're going to slip with that strap tool and scratch the housing or damage the strap

I also just noticed that you had a diesel with runflats. Many local tire places won't do runflats so you'll have additional costs and run far higher risks or damaging both the wheels and the tires.

YYZ-E55

It would be a great opportunity for you to pick up some 18s - you could probably get a set of OEM take-offs with decent tires for next to nothing (sub-$1000).

mikemargolis

The last thing on earth I want is 18's.

All those reports of broken wheels after driving over a not-very-deep pothole convince me that I am very happy with my 17's.

Had I gotten a Sport I would have ordered 17's anyway.

But if I were looking for 18's, you'd be right. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.