Ajax

It had a big fat nail in it. The TPMS came on on friday. I checked the pressure of all 4 tires and looked for nails, didn't find any, but I filled them all up and went on my way.

TPMS came on again this morning and then went off about 1/2 way to work so I took the car to the dealer thinking maybe TPMS was out of whack. The dealership found a nail in the tire. BLAH!

So, when he mentioned patching and plugging, he said that they cant really guarantee that it will hold up with the speed rating on the tire and honestly, on the rear tires, I wouldnt want to even risk it, so I had him replace the tire.

These tires are 230 bucks installed so it's kind of a pain in the ***.

I checked the prices on the web too, I didn't find these tires anywhere for much cheaper. I guess I'll switch to dunlops when i need to replace all 4 later on.

lynn02

I know the feeling. I found a screw in mine yesterday. It seems that just about every new vehicle that I get ends up with something in the tire. I think my neighbors have been helping me out cause I find nails that are so far down my driveway like they have been thrown. You got to love neighbors.

Ajax

21,000 miles on my last car and I never found a single nail. I replaced 2 tires on it right before I sold it for $250.
I've got 2500 miles on my 8 and I've already got a nail.

My mom has the nail-magnet gene.. She sent me a page earlier saying "the more expensive the tires, the more they like to get nailed."

lynn02

At least you had more miles on your car than I do. I only have 900 miles on it and already have something in my tire.

Rotary Nut

The speed rating of the tire has nothing to do with whether or not to replace the tire just because of a patch. It depends on the speed you drive at. The average daily speed someone drives is usualy around 50 mph so having the tire patched will not cause the tire to destroy itself. If you drive to work at 150 mph then I would be worried about the tire coming apart. Sounds like the dealer was trying to blow smoke up your *** in order to get make a sale!

I had a plug/patch on my W rated tires for 18 months while I was in Germany and regulary broke 100 mph and the tire held up just fine. High performance tires tend to have a stronger carcass then the regular street tire and hold up better to being patched as long as it is not on the sidewall.

northern-8

Sorry, to hear about losing the tire.

I agree with Rotary Nut though. I've had to repair many tires through the years and never had a problem with any of them.

Of course, it's your butt in the driver's seat, so you have to do what you're comfortable with.

Craig

Ajax

Yea. I saw the nail myself though. It tore up the tire pretty good.

It wasnt the dealership I bought the car at so I was worried about them pulling any ****. They showed me the hole, it was more of a rip than anything and it was in one of the tread grooves which is why i didnt notice it..

DJ Freon

I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'd much rather spend the $ and have a perfect tire. I'll admit I have a patch in my snow tires for my Grand Prix. But I think you made the right decision to get a new tire. I'd do the same for my 8. My .02 .

guy321

Same thing happened to me, i replaced the tire too.

Herkypilot

I third what Rotary Nut said. As long as its in the tread area there should be no problem at all. If its a small tare that is too big for one pulg, they can insert two then apply a patch on the inside of the tire.

No tire business (dealer or otherwise) is suppose to patch the side wall of any tire. A sidewall puncture = a trashed tire.


Regards.

Ajax

Well, if it had been in one of the fronts, i probably would've patched it, but in the rear, u know yer gonna do damage if you ever spin the wheels, and I do every so often, which is probably how it tore the tire like it did.

230 bucks for a new tire or an accident is how i figured it... rather be safe than risk it.

PhineasFellOff

Yeah, better to be safe, especially since it sounds like his parents footed the bill.

DisneyDestroyer

Heh one time I rolled over a partially opened swiss army knife, and I got the philips-head screwdriver jammed into my tire, then broken off the main body.

Seriously dude, you replaced the drive tires unevenly?

Ajax

my parents foot no bills.
i'm a computer engineer. I think I can afford to pay for my own car, my own gas and my own tires. I'm also babysitting my mom's dog, so I was talking to her about it today.

Loaded8

ohhh nooo.... guess I better check my tires... I thought maybe the TPMS was out on my baby because it came on in the morning and a little while later went out. I thought I'd really like the TPMS cause I hate checking the air/putting air in the tires, now it's just a light tormenting me... saying... "you stupid girl, check the tires!!!"..... and me telling it.... "the car SEEMS to be driving fine, without the light I'd feel fine and I'm late for work, oh look it went out, whew... good"...... :D lol

sferrett

your pressure is probably just a little low and when the tires are cold it falls below the threshold to set the light off - once you start going along they get some heat in the tires and the pressure goes back up to above the threshold. You should check them (when cold) and make sure they all have 32psi in them (or whatever is on the door jamb)

Wakka

Carcass has nothing to do with whether you want to patch the nail damage or not. Reason you don't want to patch and keep driving is that when you have breached the steel stabilizer ply, it's possible to have some water in it and start to rust, rust then to tread separation.

Some of the Firestone tires that failed and later the owner sued Firestone, had rust in steel ply from patch. Be careful out there.

Personally, I'd never patch my tires. Tires are way too important to take any chances.

Wakka

Ajax

I meant to ask this anyway last week.
Does anyone know what the threshold for TPMS to come on is?

When it came on on friday, most of my tires were at 28 PSI or lower. The right rear was at 24 PSI.
That's a really long way from 32 PSI if you ask me.

FirstSpin

$240 for a new tire beats what I wound up with. Had to replace one of the 18 inch Potenzas due to a side-wall puncture (at about 5,000 miles) and by the time I paid for the tire, the valve stems, the spin balancing, the tax, the old-tire-disposal fee, and god knows what else, it was $300 within a buck or two. That was at "Discount" Tires here in Houston. Sounds like I may have gotten hosed. Water under the bridge but I'm hoping I don't pick up any more nails any time soon....

Ajax

My total after tax and balancing was 267.

300 is a bit much for potenzas. I didnt even think discount carried bridgestone/firestone tires.