Moonstruck

We picked up our new Toyota Sienna with AWD yesterday. Being the smart consumer that I am, I didn't realize that if the van is AWD it comes with RFT because there is no room under the car for a spare. I was surprised how good the ride is on this new van compared to the crap tires on my 2007 SC430. Have RFT improved that much over the last 8 years? Or is it that the Sienna is much heavier?

LexBrett

I heard run flat technologies have improved a lot. Bridgestone makes a "driveguard" tire that is on tirerack.com that does very well on road tests with ride quality

Harold57

The Sienna will be a little heavier. The SC430 is right at 4000 lbs. I think that the Sienna is around 4300 or 4400 lbs.

Moonstruck

My new Sienna does have the Bridgestone run-flats on it. My first impression is that they are much improved over the old Continental run-flats on my SC430.

Bgw70

If I am reading the SC430 door sticker correctly, the GVWR is 4530lbs

Harold57

Interesting. I'm almost positive that the manual indicates a curb weight of 39xx lbs. I'd have to go look it up again. I'm not sure what GWVR means.

I just looked at AutoTrader.com and the curb weight listed there for a 2005 is 3840.

Moonstruck

Looks like the sticker on the Sienna lists the GWVR as being 5995 lb. That is much heavier than our SC's. Could that account for the improvement in the ride of the run-flats?

DiggerJim

Two different things. The GVWR is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or the maximum the car, fluids, equipment, passengers and luggage the vehicle is rated for. The Curb Weight is all of that except the weight of passengers & luggage (cargo). The curb weight is always less than the GVWR.

The Sienna may (most likely) have a higher GVWR due to its design - lots more seats & cargo space in a van format. The curb weight may or may not be greater than the SC. The Ford 150 pickup due to its use of a lot of aluminum this year has a curb weight just a hair over 4000 lbs but can carry another 3300 lbs (and tow 12,000). My SC (2008) has a curb weight of 3840 lbs (almost carryable by the Ford) and a GVWR of 4530 lbs which means it can only carry about 700 lbs which when you consider the serious lack of cargo & people carrying space is well more than it will ever see.

The Sienna has a curb weight of between 4375 and 4705 lbs depending on the model & equipment level. Empty, it weighs more than a fully loaded SC in some configurations. The GVWR is 5995 for the 2015 model year.

How that relates to the ride quality of a RFT is something I'm not qualified to opine on.

Moonstruck

DiggerJim,thanks for the clarification. I found it difficult to believe that the curb weight of my new Sienna is almost 6000 lbs.