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Yeah it probly happened to a few of you guys too, I was looking at my tires one day (Avery valuble thing to do) and I spotted a screw in my back left tire. Some guy told me that potenza's are constructed differently, so far as bridgestone, and there is a third layer of protection from nails and what not. My Q is if anyone can say if that is true here and if it would best to replace the tire or what because they are fairly new. Im concerned because I dont those tires to blow out on me unexpectedly and me be screwed even worse. I just want to hear from someone other than a tire mechanic that does not care at all or what ever the case may be. For safety Ill pay money any day. And if you that much where is a good place to get this done. I called and dicount can do it but NTB cant. Blues
If the screw is on the flat part of the tire (i.e. - not the sidewall) it can be repaired easily. Take it to a NTB or Discount tire (or you favorite tire guy) and have them PLUG the hole. Plugs are ~98% as good as the surrounding so failure rate is very low. You do want to get it fixed, though.
pic - its the avatar option under your profile I believe.
as far as the tire goes. take it into discount. tip the guy that does it, or at least bring him a gatorade. tell him you want it patched and plugged. what he needs to do is push the hole ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE TIRE - or else you'll end up with a bubble in the tire - then put the plug through the tire, then patch the tire from the inside. do it this way and the tire will be fine.
DO NOT just plug the tire - this is a bad bad bad idea. Patches are what you normally do. this particular scenario is where you want to do both, but make sure that its pushed all the way through.
If it is on the bottom it can be fixed just like Randy and Mark said, but if it were on the side it is usually not fixable. For future refrence: you can get a warranty certificate from Discount tire, and if there is a screw on the side they will replace the tire for free. That is one of the reasons I buy my tires from Discount tire. I have had two free tires put on my S2000 in the year I have had this car (and both times the tires were pretty much worn out, and needing to be replaced anyway). The guys at Discont Tire know me pretty well. And I will continue to go there for my tire needs. The service is great!
Your experience is different, but my $.02 says that replacement certificates are an expensive form of insurance, esp. since s-02's are so short-lived anyway. I'd be willing to bet that DT makes MUCH higher margins from tire certificates than they do from selling tires.
Sure, you'll wish you had it if a tire goes bad, but the expected return on that deal is heavily skewed towards DT's favor...just like the extended warranties that Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. try to rip you on for most electronics.
on tires that last longer than the S02's, i'd get certs. the certs that discount sells - they are 20 bucks a tire and well... not worth it to me. I'd just rather spend the dollars replacing the tire if it fails on me - I'll take the gamble. they do make good margins on the certs. margins on tires are very very slim. notice the 4 cent valve stems they charge you 2.50 for, among other things. if you know how to talk the talk you can get it down to almost nothing but tire. =)
Hey Chris, you know not what you speak of. I've worked at both Best Buy and Circuit City for well over two years. And it is a rip off on somethings, but others, you're an idiot if you don't buy. And seeing as how I'm not selling anything to you, I wouldn't be lying about it.
There is much pressure for the sales person to sell them, and I do get more money for selling them, but I won't offer them if I feel they are not worth with, regardless.
I got my tire plugged a few months ago by discount tire. I was just checking prices, and they said they'd do it for free...didn't think they did that for people who hadn't bought tires there. Didn't know I should have requested it get patched, but I do know the nail was all the way in...:-(
the certs at discount are for tire replacement if the hole is too big for a patch, an entirely toasted tire due to a "road hazard" especially on the sidewall or near the sidewall where its unpatchable/unpluggable. that's it.
12-20-2001, 10:23 AM
