strathglass

Thanks for the good feedback. Only kid is big now, so I would agree about running boards. I am not going to be pushing this thing hard and don't care so much about the looks of the bigger rims, so will likely go with something with a higher sidewall.

I am still not clear on what configurations have run-flats. Do all configurations lack a spare tire?

dohturdima

I don't think they are horrible, but then I have the air suspension and the GY RFs are fairly new. I am about to swap them for GY winter tires so will see if the ride improves (obviously, winters aren't all seasons so it is not an apples-to-apples comparison but still).

RJC 1

Trust me they are due to the extremely stiff sidewalls needed...once you go to non run flats the ride is night and day and there will be no more run flat type crashing/extreme harhness going over bumps , rough rroads, pot holes etc. It's also well known they tend to wear out 6000 miles sooner than non and they can still suffer from blowouts. ROF's are also heavier increasing unsprung weight which greatly affects handling.

Run flats came standard on both my 2016 and 2017 MB s550 coupes even with the AMG pkg, the ride was acceptable with it's air susp unitl you hit a bump, small pothole , rougher roads etc then you feel the crashing sensation of the run on flats. One of the biggest complainst of S class and BMW drivers is the run flats. True AMG vehicles 63's, do not come with run flats thankfully. The 21's on our Q7 are non run on flat and even w/o air susp the ride is sublime rivaling that of the MB 550 that has ROF's with air susp.

https://www.edmunds.com/driving-tips...-a-primer.html

russ0054

Trust ME....get the 19's. Much better ride, quieter, more replacement choices and and much less expensive. My 17k mile Pirelli 285/45/20's are the loudest tires I have ever experienced and they will be worn out by 20k.

RJC 1

Because the 20's are run flats and ride like crap comp'd to non rof's! The 21's are not and ride great plus look much better, the big Q does not look good on 19's imho and much better on 21's or even the 22's which are also non-rof's

arU4ic

I second Russ's point - the 19s are a better choice IMO.

Audirings4

JBaumgart

I've got all but 20 miles on my Q7, which came with the 21" Pirelli all-season Scorpions, and I'm finding the ride quality to be excellent. I do have the air suspension, currently set to "Auto", and I wonder if it's the air suspension that's making the 21's very tolerable. In fact I'm going to try the Dynamic setting to see if the handling and steering improvements more than offset any decrease in ride quality. Just trying to get used to everything, and at my age it's going to take a while.

russ0054

I agree that the 20's look better, but I am much more focused on the driving experience than the appearance of the wheel/tires. I have 17k on my Pirellis and the road noise has steadily increased to the point where it is unbearable....my Tacoma emits less road noise into the cabin. Took my car in for service the other day and they gave me a new Q7 to drive with less than 1000 miles on the odometer. Same tires - MUCH, MUCH quieter and almost no tramlining, wandering etc. It's the tires! You do what ever makes you happy....just offering an opinion based on my experience so far.

dohturdima

Now that I finally have my GY winter Non-RFs on I see what you mean - a definite improvement in ride quality just as you described above. With dedicated 19" winter rims/tires used for a season, my 20" OEM RFs will likely last longer. Once they wear out I definitely want to replace them with Non-RF and will use one of my winters as a spare on long trips.