AORoads

Yup. "RFT tires are not repairable in any of the following situations:

If the tire is described as, “Do Not Repair” on the sidewall."

I guess if one believes that lawyers are running the company or wrote the policy on tires, then ignore the above from Firestone's FAQ section. After all, it's only their tires, on our cars.

Gearhead Jim

I agree that the warning is legal b/s, but it does NOT pertain to the location of the puncture:

I phoned Firestone.
I waited on the phone while their rep researched the issue.
I listened while the rep said that their C6 runflats are not to be repaired under any circumstances.

Red08

They are both good tires. At the end of the day, is one really better than the other...it comes down to what you are looking for in a tire. For sure, they are better than the OEM goodyears.

phileaglesfan

I wouldn't want a tire on my car that was repaired but says DO NOT REPAIR on the sidewall. You as the owner can be held responsible if your passenger is injured. And you don't want that expense. It doesn't matter if someone thinks it is BS or not, an injury lawyer would have your butt on a platter. Even a $500k policy might not be enough.

I have owned the A/S ZP on my 08. Good tire if you are interested in cruising at say below .85g, good in the 30-60 degree range but lose their effectiveness outside that range. Super Sports are even better in dry cold weather. Gas mileage actually dropped with my A/S ZPs, around 10%.

I wouldn't buy the Firestones because of the DO NOT REPAIR statement, especially if you travel out west where tire dealers are far and few.

richietables

Me too....

Being new to the Corvette world and noticing that the OEM "tires" were pretty awful, I put a set of used Michelin Pilot Sport A/S plus ZP run flats on my '09. Figured I would get through the summer with them and learn what they were like before I'd make my next move. Not sure how many miles are on them, but I love them! My choice for next time is the same as the OP's is right now. My money (and we all know it's a lot of $$) would be on Michelin if it were close in price. Haven't tried the Firestones but have had a world of great driving w/Michelins over the years on other cars.

My 2 cents.

GotVett?

Just had my passenger rear FireHawk repaired a week ago. No problem from the Firestone store here and didn't pay a dime, since I have road hazzard on them. The nail was in the center of the tread and the repair was done the correct way with the patch on the inside. Again, some stores may choose not to do repair, but mine did.

MikeyTX

Heh ........... Call is recorded .................... I wouldn't expect the rep to say anything but !

MikeyTX

Hey ................. I want that nail back. Can't finish the new deck with out it.

GotVett?

Mikey, (ha) . . . you'd want a new one anyway goin into your new, good lookin deck. But I do want to know where this sucker came from so that I don't go that way again.

MikeyTX

Living in farm country on a gravel road with two creek crossings that still have wood planks is interesting. We have all kinds of barbed wire clips, fencing nails, etc fall off the farm tractors and pick ups that leave their drop gates open. On top of all that, now that some of the big ranches around here are being sold off in 4/5 acre tracts for homes, we now have sheet rock screws, deck nails, lord know what else ending up on our roads.

Bill Dearborn

It isn't a blanket no repair statement. It depends. Just so they don't have to link to the statement:
What Is the Repairable Area of an RFT (Run Flat) Tire?

No tire, regardless of its design or quality, is indestructible. RFT tires can be ultimately rendered unusable due to a puncture or other road hazard as well as from improper run-flat or low pressure operation. Some punctures may be repaired under certain circumstances, with restrictions and subject to prescribed procedures.
When driven flat or with low pressure, factors affecting reparability include vehicle speed, load, handling and maneuvering; the amount of inflation pressure lost; and ambient temperature. In any situation, the extent and location of direct damage from a puncturing object or other road hazard are also critical factors.

RFT tires are not repairable in any of the following situations:

• If the tire is described as, “Do Not Repair” on the sidewall.
• If the tire was operated with inflation pressure less than 15 psi (100 kPa).
• Abrasion or other damage is present on the exterior tread, sidewall or bead areas.
• Abrasion, wrinkling, or separation is present on the tire interior.
• Any condition or damage is present that disqualifies repair of a conventional tire.

Run-Flat Certified Retailers will fully inspect your tire, inside and out, to determine if the tire can be repaired. Tire damage is not always visible from the outside and the tire must be removed from the wheel for a complete inspection.
Note: Some vehicle manufacturers recommend not using repaired tires. Such recommendations apply to RFT tires. Use of RFT tires deemed non-repairable may result in damage to the vehicle, injury, or death. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual or contact the vehicle manufacturer before operating a repaired tire on your vehicle.

I had the Firestone SZ50 Run Flats on my 97 and I never saw a Don't Repair marking on the sidewall. The Wide Ovals I had on my C5Z were non run flats and didn't have that marking. Has anybody actually seen the marking on the run flat Wide Oval?

As far as operating with less than 15 psi I think the Michelin would be a better choice since Michelin meets GM's requirement that the tire can be driven 50 miles at 55 mph and zero pressure and still be repaired.

Bill

c54u

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...als-rft-2.html

post # 23

richietables

Firestone got into very hot water legally with the whole Ford Explorer thing, right? That Ford was underinflating them and then the vehicles overturned? They almost went belly up over that whole deal as I remember. No wonder they put a warning on their tires.

The Firestone dealer near me will follow that rule, that's for sure. Though I imagine if I bought the road hazard protection they would do me the favor of trying to repair if they thought it was "safe".

That being said, I would still consider the tire. That label wouldn't be a deal breaker for me...

Bill Dearborn

Clearly states not to repair if driven with zero pressure at speeds greater than 55 mph or more than xx. There is a link to another picture in another thread that shows the complete terminology. It may meet the GM requirements but it isn't clear since it says do not repair after run flat operation. That wouldn't apply if you had a slow leak or kept the pressure above 15 psi by stopping every so often and adding air.

I copied the picture and tried to blow it up so it could be read.



I have seen the inside of a GY EMT after it was driven more than 50 miles at more than 55 mph and could definitely tell the tire was damaged. There was a wide stripe all around both sidewalls and it didn't look good.

Bill

Kvothe

I just ordered me a set of Michelin A/S today based on the good reviews they receive here.

I debated going A/S or not but in the end I enjoy driving as long as I can in the season and at times that means it's in the 20's or 30's. Last fall I felt like I couldn't even enjoy driving the vette in the late fall because the rear end broke loose so easy. I'm still on the original F1's with 25k on them.

Discount Tire matched a price I found online so out the door was just over $1300. Add in the $70 rebate that's going on right now and that's a pretty good deal on a set of tires.

Gearhead Jim

Actually, the Owner Manual in the C5 said 50 miles without damage, 200 miles if you are willing to ruin the tire.

The 2005 C6 Manual said 25 miles without damage, 100 miles if you are willing to ruin the tire.
Some time around 2011 the manual was changed to something like "keep the distance as short as possible for best chance of being able to repair, try not to exceed 65 miles."
That's not an exact quote, but you get the idea.

Gering

I am on my 4th set of Firestones, over all they are a great tire at a good price. I do like the water channels in the wide oval's. I have not tride the Michelins yet.

Johnny_B_Good

See link below for the Do not repair marking.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...als-rft-2.html

GARYFINN

Ditto !!!!! and I found the Stones Grip Better.

cclive

If you are willing to ruin the tire, you can run it until it literally falls off the wheel in pieces...LOL