Driving to work this morning drove over a lip of a small bridge maybe 5-6km from home, heard a large bang, though bugger, pot hole on the lip between the tarmac road and the bridge (you'd hardly know it was a bridge), was so loud my wife on the other end of my mobile heard it. Didn't feel anything until about 1 km on after 1 roundabout then on the straight up to the next roundabout I felt a little pull on the steering, was carefull around the roundabout but it felt wobbly. Drove on slowly until I could stop (chose not to join the freeway at that point) and saw a deflated left front tyre. It wasn't completely deflated so I drove slowly back into Melton to the closest tyre place (where I get all my tyre work done).

I thought the problem was damaged tyre/rim due to pothole/bridge lip, but no, a nail just inside the sidewall through the main tread. The tyre place wouldn't repair because it wasn't safe so $460 for a new tyre!!!!!

Thankfully their supplier had one in stock but I still had to wait 3 hours for the tyre to arrive.

 

That sucks, sorry to hear that :o
$460 for a tyre

How do you feel with a new tyre at one corner?

 

My tyres were just rotated at a 20k service 2 weeks ago so the fronts were the rears, front right has 20k kms on it and the front left now has about 50.

Doesn't feel like any problem, the tyre centre warned that if it does pull at all to bring it back and they'll rotate. If I do have any problems I may just change the front right and shop around for a cheaper price if necessary.

 

I smashed a rim on a pothole, cambered corner and car basically slipped on grade/gravel etc and "crunch".
Got it repaired and painted.........wife ran it up on a curb 2 days later actually that was her face, she came into the house almost in tears, I thought she'd written it off :D ......i had to laugh although now the paint's peeling so back it goes!!! One more time ahhhhh!

 

Well it must be a month for it fellas. On Friday was driving out to Penrith on the M4, got a screw in the edge of the tyre, long and the short of it $400.00 later and a new tyre required. Not bad considering the tyres are only just a month old.
Got to hate that, there goes my short shift kit from Hymee, the money went on a tyre instead.

 

This is bizarre. It was only this morning that I noticed a small nick out of the rear offside rim. Damned if I know how I managed to do that!! I hate it when wheels get gutter-smacked.

The comments about pulling to the side have prompted me to raise something that I've noticed since getting my 8 but thought might be normal in a sports car like this.

When braking at slowish speeds the car feels like it's tramlining. The steering also feels heavyish. Anyone else notice this? A concern?

Should I adjust tyre pressure (currently run 34psi front and rear on the stock tyres)?

First sports car for me so forgive the dumb question.

 

Revolver..

Get a good air pressure gauge and check if all 4 pressure are equal. If so, check the wheel alignment me thinks. 34 psi will not cause the tramlining - I don't think so

 

Thanks Taka, will do.

Re: wheel alignment, car tracks dead straight at speed with no hands on the wheel. Car is due for a service in a month - will get them to check it then.

 

I've noticed this happening as well, but it always happens at traffic lights where there is a definite set of "channels" made by heavy vehicles. It doesn't happen on flat roads. (like in shopping centre car parks)

 

The 8 does tramline and I've noticed mine does it form when it was new. Must be a characteristic of the tyre perhaps? Anyone with different tyres on their 8 notice a difference?

 

This tramlining is also a characteristic of the stock RE040's. You often find better tyres will considerably reduce this, although if you go wider it can become more pronounced.

 

bloody tires? did you run over a kangaroo or something? :o

 

Damn, for $460 you could have put two 245 Nankangs on the back.

Seriously though, sorry to hear it. I shelled out money yesterday to get some hail damage fixed on my 8 from a few months ago, so I know what it feels like to have to spend money on "act of god" damage.

 

Revolver

The blokes that run the advanced driver course that Mazda promotes to RX8 buyers, Murcotts, say that optimum tyre pressure is 36psi front and rear for best tyre performance in general conditions. Lower the pressure if you value a softer ride above other factors, raise it if you are prepared to sacrifice comfort for other reasons.

Ron

 

38psi front and rear i like mine a bit firmer


cheers
michael

 

Thanks guys for the tips.

Scotty's comments are what I was getting at - the car tramlines on uneven or channelled surfaces when braking. On smooth surfaces it doesn't happen. Glad to hear it's not just mine that does it.

Will adjust tyre pressures to 36psi and see how it goes.