diskoe

On my way to work today, I got a flat tire (rear left). As I was pulling into work parking lot, I started to hear this click-click-click sound coming from the tire. So I figured it was a rock stuck in the tire or something. But it sounded louder than from a little rock stuck in the tire. So after parking the car at work, I get out and check... I hear a hissing sound! I say to my self, and it's raining, double .

So I change the tire and call up Firestone. They have the tire I need. But because I wanted to get it fixed right away, I couldn't shop around.

Bridgestone Potenza RE92 225/50/17 - $221! Plus labor and all the other , came out to be $257. For 1 flat tire!! And tirerack sells the same tire for $162.

Oh well, I got the bad tire back and I'm going to get it patched and get a steel rim, so I can have a full size spare. Next time this happens, I'll drive on the full size spare and buy my tires at tirerack. And I'd probably go with Michelin Pilot Sports or Goodyear Eagle RS-A...

jguerdat

Some (many?) stores will match Internet prices (I know Sears will). This is just the price of the tire. If you can get them to match, it's more-or-less a wash. Of course, they may need to order the tire in but you found a place that had one. Talk to 'em - maybe they'll work with you.

I had a puncture in my left rear that was patched and started leaking again. I used a can of Fix-A-Flat to slow down the leak so I could order tires. I'll put a patch inside the tire for most cases unless it's on the edge or if the tire is nearly worn out, in which case it gets a plug. I'd rather pay $20 for a patch than have to buy a tire at those prices...

Triple-H

OK, I will share a bone headed story.....

1,500 miles into the ownership of MY SPA, a small sheet metal screw found its way into my driveway and then into my back tire. I too heard the click, click, click - but I was saved from the hhhiissssss. I took the tire off, tossed it into the back of the CRX-Si and went to MAC'S II and got a plug put in because they suggested that over a patch. The tire then went back on and I never thought about it again. It held air, never leaked and was just great; gone from my mind.

Well about 8,500 miles later while reading a thread here about someone who just punctured one of his new S-02s and was not sure what to do, I told him about my story. I said it has been great, no problems in 8,500 miles. Now comes the scary part. As I was typing the reply about how great the plug had held up I started to mention that I had even run the plugged tire at Watkins Glen in a drivers school, and then it hit me.

I had so completely forgotten about the plug that I went to school and flogged the car on it and had not even remember I was driving on it.

Oh and John, no need for an OT in your title, all things are okay in Upstate, we wonder in and out of topic so often it is no big deal. And in fact that scope wondering is what makes places like Toronto so much fun. But thanks for the consideration, very nice! And sorry to hear about your costly tire story, but I know what you mean, when you want something specific and time has got you by the short hairs, the money just jumps out of your wallet....

diskoe

Ahh, it seems that patching was the way to go, for the both of you... I think I could have gotten away with a patch. I examined the hole from inside the tire, it's actually pretty small. So small that it was hard to find.

EDIT: I meant repairing the tire, not necessairly patching.

Oh well, chalk this one up to one of life's many experiences.

Triple-H

Hey John, actually my S-02 was plugged.

When I damaged a truck tire the dealer said he would not plug it, he would only patch it. The tire was removed from the wheel, the inner part of the tire was sanded down to make a clean surface, then a patch was glued to the inside of the tire.

When they did the fix on my S-02 they wanted to do a plug instead. So they took this pencil size piece of rubber, coated it with some good, slid it into the hole, pulled out the insertion tool and let it cure, I think the technical term is vulcanize.

In my book, I go with what ever the guy doing the repair suggests....

jguerdat

I'll go with a good inside patch any time, especially after the leaking plug. It's self-sealing (pressure just makes it seal tighter) and doesn't disrupt the carcass any more than it already has been. I don't want a wad of chawin' tobaccy stretching the cords/belts in MY tire...