Tires are such an important part of how our cars rude and handle, that their choice is one of the most carefully considered buying decisions a Hoon will make. Four-season, shaved racing, uni-directional, mud & snow, Goodyear, Pirelli, Continental, BF Goodrich, the alternatives are staggering. But many cars these days come with a type of tire that simplifies that choice considerably- run-flats – leaving you with only the question of white or black walls. The technology for run flats goes back a few years now, but there are many reasons why more cars don’t offer the spare tire eliminating option. The reason that some cars do offer run flats is space allocation. The Mini would have to carry its spare on the roof, or in place of the fourth passenger, if it didn’t roll on a set of run-flats. Similarly, the BMW Z4 trades a spare for the ability to hide its hard-top roof under the trunk lid, while remaining super model small. And if you want a 2011 diesel E-class from Mercedes, you’re going to be giving up the spare tire as the space it normally occupies has been usurped by the container of pee that allows the car to be 50-state compliant for the stuff coming out of the tail pipe. But what about those run-flats? Surely, BMW, Porsche, and even Mercedes wouldn’t pop them on a single car if they felt they weren’t up to snuff in the handling department.  And you could potentially throw away that AAA card as a flat tire will no longer require replacement on the side of a busy highway while you’re wearing your costume for your “furries” get together. But if you get one of these cars without a fifth wheel, your option for replacement tires gets limited to only those tires, as the wheels have a special bead design. As anybody stuck with Michelin’s TRX wheels can tell you, that’s very limiting. What if you don’t like the tires? So, are you willing to give up your spare for the weight and space savings run-flats afford? Or, are you so old school, you still keep your spare in tire rotation duty, and wouldn’t run flat if they paid you? Also, have you had any tire-changing experience that has made you wish for run-flats on your car? Let us know! Image sources:[ Autoexperiences.com, ParkviewBMW.com]