Brought my MINI to the dealer to have the alignment checked out after a battle royal with a pothole.

They determined that the pothole caused a bulge in the tire and consequently f'd up the alignment.

Their suggestion, get 2 new tires.

Total cost for tires, balancing, mounting and alignment... $900???!!!

C'mon, I know that the Goodyear's are extremely expensive, but that sounds absurb. Anybody have any thoughts?

 

For that price I can sell you four S-Lites and run-flats that I took off my 2004 MCS that only have 26 miles on them!

 

Are the run-flats all-seasons? If so, would you be willing to sell 'em?

 

Tire rack.
Pirelli Euphoria 170 ea
Goodyear 160 ea

900 sounds way off. Does that include alignment and maybe some suspension work as well?

 

That sounds like Princeton MINI prices!

Even with an alignment on your car I'm thinking you were ripped off.

 

Only includes an alignment, tires, mounting and balancing. No additional work. Still sounds way off to me.

 

>>That sounds like Princeton MINI prices!
>>
>>Even with an alignment on your car I'm thinking you were ripped off.

That's why I'm not having it done there... I'll go to Willie's Lube and Screw before I get taken by these clowns.

I'm starting to hate this car...

 

Why do you hate the car?

Because you hit a pothole, hard, and destroyed two tires? Are you sure the rims aren't bent as well? That would be more in line with the price you were quoted. If the rims are okay, then just realize that the dealership is ripping you off, and do a little research to find out where a less expensive alternative is.

Doesn't sound like it is the car's fault at all.

 

For starters, your screen name is "YellowMiniS" and you drive a BRG...

And no, the rim is not bent. I would've stated that.

Now, why I'm starting to hate this car...I've had to bring my MINI to the dealer (as have many other MINI owners), for a laundry list of problems, and they just keep rearing their ugly head. Now, when something happens that is NOT covered by warrenty, the owner can potentially be screwed by outrageous BMW pricing.

Now, of course I'm going to try to shop around for a better deal (shouldn't be hard to find, in comparison).

When I paid what I did fir a "new" car, I didn't expect that it would've been in the shop a dozen times in the first 16 months... if you disagree... well, I'll be nice...

 

Sorry, but they are the performance tires and I am holding them to sell as a complete set of tires and rims.

Call Tirerack, that is where I buy my tires, the Goodyear F1 GS D3 is a great tire for the money.

 

>>Sorry, but they are the performance tires and I am holding them to sell as a complete set of tires and rims.
>>
>>Call Tirerack, that is where I buy my tires, the Goodyear F1 GS D3 is a great tire for the money.

Thanks anyways.

 

I found this site trying to find information on the run flat tires I have on my MCS and if they can be repaired instead of replaced. My fear is I may have to go to the Mini dealership for repair/replacement. So, I have to agree with you on starrting to hate the car but it is because of the dealerships. I had a problem with a cracked windshield that the dealership said it cracked because of the angle the rock hit the windshield. I called Mini North America and they let me know when the regional manager would be in town. When the regional manager looked at it he said the same thing but out of 'goodwill' they would replace it at no cost. When the service department removed the cracked windshield the was a high weld right where the crack was. Hum, can you say stress crack. All the little thing are adding up and I am starting to think I should have stuck with Land Rovers.

 

RG, the little things do add up. Especially when you think, "Finally, everything is just right" and yet something else happens.

I went to Alex at Tire Rack for advice. Put me in touch with several installers in the area that would do alignments at half the cost that the dealer charges... I'm thinking about just ordering a whole new wheel and tire package for the price that the screwballs at the dealer want to charge to have the alignment "looked at" and the cost of 2 tires.

Good luck

_________________
03 IB/W MCS
Alta pulley and intake, Whalen "Wu-Tang" Shift Machine, B&M SS, stubby antenna, 35% tint yadda yadda yadda

 

Oh yea, welcome to the artist formerly known as MCO... you'll find many people to share your love and grief for this little beast here.

 

Rovergirl,

The runflats can be repaired (holes plugged) as with any other tire. The claim is, though, that if they completely lose air that the sidewalls suffer damage. (I.e. they're a single use solution.)

Obviously in this case there's sidewall damage, which is fatal to any tire.

I've had a plugged runflat for the last 20k miles. Time to replace them now.

Jeff