Friday on the way home I got the tire alert. I was out of town all weekend (took the wifes Jeep) so I had to drive to work this morning on a flat tire. Luckily only about 4 miles. I called a couple of places and the Tire King store on Miami blvd can fix it but they want $40 to do it. Anywhere else around here more reasonable? or at least some definite experience with run-flats. I just hate to trust someone I don't know.


TIA

 

$40.00 to fix a tire puncture is pretty reasonable now a days.. The Tire Kingdom just down the road from me charges $59.00. Here's why:
Due to liability and insurance reasons, tire shops won't just plug a tire. They now use a "plug/patch". They remove the tire from the rim, scuff up the inside of the tire where the hole is, and insert a plug through the hole with a patch attached to it which adheres to the inside of the tire.. Then they have to re-mount the tire and balance it..
You could go to Wally World and get a tire plug kit for around $5.00 and do it yourself.. I've plugged tires myself many times with no problems after..
The only thing special about runflats is that they have stiffer sidewalls than regular tires, so they don't flop flop like regular tires do when they lose air..

 

$40 is a good price. I had a rear tire go flat a week or two ago... $50.25 to patch it.

 

I've used the Just Tires behind the Convenience Center next to Crabtree Valley Mall to work on my run flats. I've also had success with the Just Tires up on Harvest Oaks off Strickland Road near Six Forks which may be easier for you to get to via I-540. Have I seen you around? Which Cooper is yours?

 

Thanks, I guess I am not being screwed ater all.


My MINI is Liquid Yellow with a checker board top.

 

Do you have the s-lite wheels?? If you do, I've seen you. I spent the first 4 months this year working in Morrisville. My company has an office at the RDU Center and I was staying at the Baymont Inn over on Airport Blvd..
I'd occasionally see a LY MINI with checkered roof and S-lites on I-40 in the morning, and a couple of times passing by the hotel.. (I never got a return wave, though).

 

I don't think I paid that much. I went to Just Tires by Crabtree Mall when mine came on and if I remember, it was about $20.00. Never had a problem and they had patched run flats before. You may want to call and ask them.

Michelle

 

LeeL,
Check your PM's for several options.
Mike

 

Lee - I've seen your car lots of times - very sharp!

 

[QUOTE=Trainman]They remove the tire from the rim...

A good tire shop can do this WITHOUT dismounting the tire,

...which is a very good thing because the run-flats are a bear to mount/dismount.

Just break (figuratively) the bead on both sides and slide the rim over, exposing the inside of the tire.

Note: never plug or patch a puncture on the shoulder or sidewall of a radial tire. Replace the tire instead.

BTW, I have one 2000 mile Pirelli run-flat from an MCS for sale.

 

Thanks for the help. Tire King on Miami was fine with doing the repair with no apparent tire or rim damage. They do use the inner patch that has a nub on it to go in the hole. $39.00 including rebalance.


Trainman, I used to work in Raleigh and went down Airport Blvd every day. I usually try to wave at other MINIs (at least on streets, not as much on I-40 since it is so wide and fast). However, I probably did not see you in time there since there are so many hotels and restaruants in that area there are always people who have no idea where to go and tend to forget there is a center turn lane so I find I need to pay more attention than usual around there to avoid a wreck.

 

There was one morning (I think there was snow on the ground from that night) that you went driving past me as I waited for the traffic light to turn green, I followed you onto I-40 and then got off at the next exit (where my company's office is located) I tried to catch up for a wave, but you had gotten over into one of the fast lanes and was gone...

 

My tire light came on last week. Turns out we had a screw stuck in the inside sidewall and needed a new Dunlop Sport 9000. Have about 12000 miles on the other 3 so just got a new tire from Hendrick Mini. It was just over $300 and they did wash my car for me. Anyway it was cheaper than the 2 quotes I got from some of the local tire shops for the same tire and they would have to order it.

 

Just to add to this discussion, I was recently going to stop by Flow Mini in Winston-Salem on my way someplace, don't remember where, and 5 miles before I get there, the tire light comes on. When I get there, they determine I have a nail in one of my rear tires and they fixed it for FREE. I did buy my car there but I thought that was nice of them to do that anyway.

Eric

 

That's typical of the type of customer service I've experienced there as well. A nice change from some of the horror stories we see so often in these pages.