Hameister

Yes, I did get lucky.

My wife was with me, so I got her prepared for a possible $1,800, 4 new tires scenario.

When it was repaired for $49.00, she was so happy, I might even get lucky tonight as well.

blkbrd69

Lawyers and liability have made a lot of easy things a PITA. Tire shops are scared for good reason.

Runflat sidewalls will degrade and break down quickly if ran flat. There is no way for the shop to inspect and tell if the owner destroyed to integrity or not.

Runflats are a monster PITA to mount and dismount as the sidewalls are built like tanks.

A proper "mushroom plug" in the center of the tread is a very sound repair.

I run MPSS and carry a plug kit and Contental tire kit but understand the desire for runflats.

glerma

$51 to fix a flat...... This makes me love my local Discount Tire. They have never charged me to fix a flat... Even on tires I didn't buy from them (tires from when my wife's Enclave was new). For that... I won't even **think** about buying tires from anyone else. Awesome place.

Gearhead Jim

If you can read a copy of the Goodyear repair manual, it used to give a description and pictures of interior damage that require replacement.
The inspection is simple enough that Goodyear is willing to hang their neck, liability wise, on the results.

When our tire flat was removed from the wheel as described in my link from post #8 in this thread, it was very easy to spot the damage.

ruxvette

It was the black wheel (I don't get it) that attracted the screw.

Bill Dearborn

Not all Goodyear dealers are authorized to work on runflat tires. You need a special tire machine to remove and reinstall the tires. There are many dealers that haven't popped for the somewhat expensive machine. Where I used to live the GY dealer didn't sell or install RFs. If you wanted to buy them or have them worked on he sent you to an authorized shop about 15 miles away. The reason the local GY dealer didn't handle them was there wasn't enough additional business to pay for the extra cost of the machine. That may change with more manufacturers installing RFs on high volume cars but will take a few more years.

Bill

Conv_GSDriver

I had a similar issue shortly after purchasing my GS, car had less than 5k and one of my rears had a puncture. I still had the stock GY F1 G2 run flats. I took it to America's tire, they informed me that the tire is still under the manufacturers warranty, repaired the tire at no cost whatsoever, all covered under the GY tire warranty. The patched tire I replaced it at around 12k miles with no issues after the patch.

Kouasupra

I had a flat once on the front driver side. I was quoted $10 on the phone. When I took it in and patch it up. The total was $30. I told them I was quoted $10. The guy behind the counter said its a corvette so it cost more. Last time I'm going there.

Knob Jockey

Discount Tire repaired one of my Michelin PS ZP's for free. They had matched Tire Racks purchase price and had installed all 4 new tires.

The second puncture (different tire) was too close to the sidewall to be repaired.

They are always very careful jacking the car, handling the wheels/tires and torquing the lug nuts, with either the shop foreman or their "best" tech doing the work.

Interesting how some manufacturers are concerned that their sidewalls are more fragile than some other brands, requiring/defining minimum air pressures and max speeds/distances.

Hameister

I hear ya, it's a little frustrating when all your life you've just jacked up the car, and thrown on the spare, then taken the punctured tire to be repaired.

There's a lot of truth in your statement, all one needs to do is read the warning label on a simple 6' aluminum ladder.

That screw probably fell off a cheap chrome wheel.

To be honest, I didn't see anything different about the machine he used to remove and re-install the tire from the wheel.

It looked like the same type of machine I've seen every where for decades.

Good point, frankly I was so glad to just get it done quickly without having to replace the tire, that I never asked about the warranty.

My car only has 4,300 miles on it...guess that was a mistake.

Corvette tax....I see it every where. The same repair on a Ferrari would have been $90.

ruxvette

Sooo...did you get lucky or did yourhand fall asleep???

JRYELLOWCORVETTE

I think tire Mfg don't want repairs because of possible lawsuits ! Lawyers have to get their greedy hands on everything!

Hameister

RoadkingC6

I have Hankooks on my car non-runflats and I picked up a screw about 4 months ago all I did was repair it with a plug kit, I recently picked up a screw in the same tire, these tires are new about 3000 miles but with two patches in the same tire thought I would bring the tire out to a tire shop and have both patched from the inside, by the way the original patch was holding just fine, two tire shops didn't want to touch it, both shops would have plugged it but neither wanted to remove the tire from the wheel, for a $40.00 or $50.00 repair they don't want to do it because they are scared of breaking these wheels and that is exactly what the one tire shop told me, my opinion is they are supposed to be professionals and are supposed to know how to change tires without breaking wheels perhaps they should change their line of work after all that is their whole business, when I bought these tires Goodyear had no problem installing them, I can do a plug myself, good news is I called Discount Tires Online where I bought them and because I bought the certificates they are sending me out a new tire, so I just put a second plug in this tire so I can use the car until the new tire gets here, I will bring the car back to the Goodyear dealer who did the original tire install, and hopefully wont have any problems getting just one tire mounted and balanced, bottom line is they can do it they just don't want to risk breaking the wheel.

gerald122647

I had the same issue yesterday except it was the R/Rear tire. The warning came on the dash and said it was down to 20psi. Went to dealer where I purchased car and it had a screw in it. They would not repair and I bought a new one, Goodyear, & paid $520 for one tire. I guess I got screwed?

mikeCsix

Depends where the screw was. Mine was straight in, just off center in the tread. A textbook repair. If yours was at an angle or near the sidewall its more of a challenge, though a patch should work. I'm surprised to hear about all of the turn-down repair work from these shops. I would not be going back for new tires if a shop turned me down for a repair without good reason.

Hameister

I purposely did not take my car to my dealer, because I expected they'd say they don't repair Run Flats, and want to sell me a new tire.

That's why I went to Goodyear.

However, to be fair to your dealer, perhaps your puncture was in an area, that would compromise the integrity of the tire.

Mine was a clean straight puncture at the center of the tread. Easy, and safe repair.

wayback

I always go to Discount Tire for free flat repair. They will sell you a road hazard warranty for your tires also (even new OEM tires), I usually pay $16 per tire and have had 3 tires replaced for free (did pay another $16 for new warranty). This warranty also includes lifetime balance and rotation.

They repair a runcrap just like a regulat tire....same rules apply except no more than 1 repair allowed per tire. 2nd flat means a new tire.

Hameister

Several question for y'all...

1) Am I correct in assuming the free flat repair is only if you've purchased tires from them?

2) I've heard Discount Tire mentioned numerous times. Do they seem to have the best prices?

R&L's C6

Our local DT repaired two flats for me, one on the Vette and one on the Mrs daily driver and didnt' charge a dime. We didn't buy the tires from them. I think it's a service they all offer for free.