# Blowouts and tyres in general....



## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

How fucking unlucky am I?

January, I had 4 brand new Michelin Pilots fitted to the car....

March, I hit a pothole - buckling a wheel (front passenger) and destroying the tyre. Wheel cost Â£125 to replace, tyre (fortunately) free under ATS warranty.... but caused no end of hassle getting the same tyre as in Jan....

April (Easter!) I had a blowout - rear passenger wheel this time, again bags of hassle but at least a free replacement. Tyre completely shredded 

July (today) ANOTHER FUCKING BLOWOUT. Front driver's side, side wall flexed so no chance of it being repaired, although it didn't fully blow.....

Done about 9k miles on it, so probably won't get much back off the tyre insurance now, AND I can't find anywhere with 2 Pilot N1s in stock, AND I have to be in Ipswich tomorrow morning....

So gonna have to replace both front tyres with something completely different......

FUCK FUCK FUCK


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

That sounds like you could have had a dodgy set. I have never had a blowout, in something like 8 years of driving (doing 20k per year in recent years).

Based on my experience, it seems really strange that you have suffered two blowouts in 7 months, & 9k miles, on what is considered a really good tyre.

Perhaps you should put this point to the place where you got them. Also, a formal complaint to Michelin, because I just cannot believe this could happen twice without their being some kind of manufacturing defect...


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

I think it is really bad luck!!

I have been driving for 16 years now, and since I had the TT I had two windscreen replaced becaused of stones. Never had anything like this in my life before.

So I am unlucky with windscreen and Tim prefers the tyres! ;D


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## ccc (May 7, 2002)

Sadly, it's not necessarily a dodgy set of tyres, just bad luck.

I read somewhere a while ago that on average people have a puncture once every 60k miles, or a similar high-sounding figure. In 2001/2, I had six punctures - 5 of which meant new tyres, one of which was within a fortnight of having had a replacement tyre fitted - in 14 months. I considered buying shares in a tyre company! ;D


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Entirely unconnected, but both blowouts have been within 5 hours driving time of having Revo technicians sitting in my car.....

*chuckle*

Counting my blessings that this didn't blow on the rolling road... that could have been messy to say the least......


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

Sorry to hear that Mr G. I know how you feel I've bought 8 tyres in 18 months and had 2 repaired! 6 new on the TTwithin 3 months of each other, 2 new on the beemer within 6 weeks of each other!

It's crap...especially as the beemer has even more expensive shoes! Â :'(
pj


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Sorry to hear that Mr G. I know how you feel I've bought 8 tyres in 18 months and had 2 repaired! 6 new on the TTwithin 3 months of each other, 2 new on the beemer within 6 weeks of each other!
> 
> It's crap...especially as the beemer has even more expensive shoes! Â :'(
> pj


and Â I thought that you women loved buying shoes...


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

Well.....

Just back from ATS and the news is good..... no puncture, just a blown valve in the tyre, and luckily because I was in the inside lane and pulled STRAIGHT over, I didn't actually damage the tyre (as least as far as we can tell) - so its got its old boot back on again for a bit, which is gonna be driven with caution for a bit, then I'll replace both fronts at my leisure.......

*smile*

About time ladyluck shone on me for a change!!


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## head_ed (Dec 10, 2002)

> and Â I thought that you women loved buying shoes...


Of course we do, but not of the rubber variety! ;D
pj


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

> Of course we do, but not of the rubber variety! Â ;D
> pj


When I was a child in some place in Greece they were doing sandals that were made of rubber tyres as a sole and some leather strings to hold the foot together...I am not sure if they still do them now! But I guess they must have lasted a long time!


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## Love_iTT (Aug 18, 2002)

> ...Counting my blessings that this didn't blow on the rolling road... that could have been messy to say the least......


Funny you saying that because as I was watching my wheels go round at what appeared to be a zillion miles an hour at Interpro, I was thinking - What the F**k would happen if one of the tyres gave in. Not a lot hopefully because the car was tied down quite a bit but it probably would have wrecked a wheel - and my underpants come to think of it ;D

Graham

PS. Sorry to hear about your blowouts m8


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## christtopher (May 7, 2002)

> AND I have to be in Ipswich tomorrow morning....


Now that IS what I call bad luck!


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## christtopher (May 7, 2002)

Ok so bringing this back on-topic (this probably shouldn't be in the flame room but...)

...would it be 'bad' for me to replace only the front 2 tyres with a different brand/model to the rears? Â Rears are ok, fronts could do with replacing.

opinions...?


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

> Ok so bringing this back on-topic (this probably shouldn't be in the flame room but...)
> 
> ...would it be 'bad' for me to replace only the front 2 tyres with a different brand/model to the rears? Â Rears are ok, fronts could do with replacing.
> 
> opinions...?


I was told by an Audi RS4 chassis engineer to never mix and match brands even if on different axles. Â Different grip (longitudinal and lateral) characteristics, wear rates, braking, tread widths, breakaway points, wet and dry grip levels: - Â from different tyre brands may compromise car ultimate handling.

Your car was developed Â on a number of OEM tyre patterns (Pirelli, Continetal, Michelin and Bridgestone, I believe) as control groups when it's suspension and geometry was set up and when the electronic systems (ABS, ESP, EDL etc) were calibrated.

Rotate the tyres F to B and then replace all 4 t once. Â Doesn't always work out, but I try to time tyre replacement for Autumn since you generally want the most tread during the wettest months.

I personally dislike Dunlop Sport 9000s as they are too hard to get any heat into and therefore grip relatively poorly and seem to last forever.

Favorites are Michelin Sport Pilots (latest), Pirelli P Zeros Rossos( or giallos or Neros if you are flush), and Bridgstone So3s.

A lot of folk rave about Goodyear F1s. I had these supplied with TT and they were OK with aesthetically pleasing tread. BUT, as far as I can deduce, they are relatively 'old hat' now with little develop or evolution in the last 4 years. Â I don't know if this coincides with Goodyears withdrawal from F1 racing. Â They certainly don't have as many OEM deals as the others mentioned.


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## christtopher (May 7, 2002)

> I personally dislike Dunlop Sport 9000s as they are too hard to get any heat into and therefore grip relatively poorly and seem to last forever.


Thanks Gary. Â This is what I have now, but not 9000's. Â I'm too embarressed to say what my leasing company said to put on. Â But you're right, they do last forever! Â I'm not a granny driver or anything, but my fronts have got 2mm left on them after 23K miles! Â  Â  Â I want new boots, so i'm taking every corner sideways to try and wear them out quicker! Â 

Tim, sorry to hi-jack your thread!


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## vlastan (May 6, 2002)

23k?  

You must drive like a 90 year old grandad then ;D 

I guess you hold a record in the forum


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## christtopher (May 7, 2002)

> 23k? Â
> 
> You must drive like a 90 year old grandad then ;D
> 
> I guess you hold a record in the forum


This is not a record I am proud of!! :-[ These damn Dunlop pieces of crap must have the hardest compound available!!


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