At a warranty service for an exterior trim item, the MINItech went to verify my mileage and also examined my run-flat tires in detail (Goodyear 225/45 R18 efficient grip). He advised that two tires had defective sidewalls and said they needed to be replaced. He even recommended a different brand. The tires were under warranty and I really had no choice but to have them replaced under warranty terms. Because it was an AWD vehicle, I chose also to have all four replaced. 4000 miles later, I noticed a sidewall bulge on one of my front tires. I complained to MINIthat the tires they were providing were defective and had I thought more about the MINItech's actions in the beginning, I would have suspected that MINIwas aware of the problem at the outset. MINIusa response was as expected, giving me a lecture on what causes a tire to wear and fail etc., and advised the problem was between me and Goodyear. I told them that their response was not adequate and I would file a complaint with the consumer protection Agency, which I did. My situation concerns me. I noticed on-line that there were numerous complaints about run-flat technology and wonder if this is a faulty conclusion that the weight saved by eliminating spare tires, jacks, etc justifies the gas consumption objectives. I am not surprised how "stand-off-ish" the tire dealer and MINIare, simply because this is a serious safety issue to boot.

- Hendersonville, NC, USA