Puncture - repairable? Opinions ...

[Fifer]

Not my weekend. First my keyfob remote fails (see other thread), then I spot a screw embedded in an otherwise perfectly serviceable rear tyre with a good 6mm tread left (after 15k!). First tyre place I took it to said the screw was too near the edge of the tread to be repaired and wanted £133 to replace (original Dunlop 225/45ZR17 SP Sport 01A) but they didn't have any in stock. mytyre.com are doing them for £91 delivered and fitted and Kwik Fit (spits) for £111. Thinking of getting a second opinion of the repair as don't want to change two tyres and would prefer similar tread depth on both sides. Opinions?

[Cuprabob]

Looks too close to the sidewall to me.

Make sure you check Camskill for tyres. £86.80 for the one you mention.You just need to factor in delivery and fitting.

http://www.camskill.co.uk/m54b0s16p1060 ... se%3A_70dB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would change both tyres.

[Fifer]

Got the puncture repaired with an (overnight) hot vulcanised repair.

[Cuprabob]

That's a good result.

[Fifer]

Yup - good as new. The tread measured closer to 7mm than 6mmm (not bad after 15k+) so a shame to ditch it, plus it keep both back tyres with exactly the same wear. Cost £28 - dear for a puncture repair but cheaper than a new tyre (and much cheaper than two) for a repair to BS standard, assured to original tyre spec and speed rating.

[mikealpha60]

I had one just like this on my P7 tyre. I fixed it myself with a tar strip as no tyre workshop was willing to repair it; that was November last year. 10,000 miles later its still going strong - not bad for a kit that says its only temporary e.g. no more that 50miles till you get to a repairer.
Furthermore I got a second puncture in the same tyre recently albeit a different location and fixed it with an alternative kit (tyre plugger which inserts a mushroom into the tyre from outside) and that works great too. I've done it more of an experiment to see how reliable they are as I've heard reports that they are as good as permanent repairs but you'll never get any organisation say that since you can't guarantee an end user would repair them to the right standards. I check the repairs weekly and to date they are solid and appear fine. I work on the basis I've got the tyre pressure sensors to alarm me if i start loosing pressure. There's always a chance of a blowout but i believe they're mostly attributed to people who bash kerbs a lot and weakens the sidewall which i don't do.

Now I know some on here will read this and say "personally what price do you put on your life" and i totally agree with so its a risk you take.

[Fifer]

Now I know some on here will read this and say "personally what price do you put on your life" and i totally agree with so its a risk you take.

We take a risk every time we get in our car. I wonder how many people check their tyres regularly and even if they do, would miss damage where the tyre surface was hidden by the road surface or was close to the inner wall? I check my tyres fairly regularly, but I've no idea how long that screw was there. After I spotted it, I kept an eye on the tyre pressure and did around 100 miles before switching to the space-saver and the tyre lost no pressure. It might have been there for weeks.

That you check the repairs regularly places you (I suspect) above average in terms of checking wheels and tyres!

[salsajoe]

Pirelli P7 fitted to the Scirocco are self seal so you have the addition of the internal sealing compound which generally goes part up the sidewall so helps with the repairs mentioned unlike the Dunlop. You asked for opinions and mine is that I agree it is a personal choice but would not keep a tyre with the screw so close to the wall particularly with occasional use in Germany at 100mph. There are also other people on the road to consider.

[Fifer]

You asked for opinions and mine is that I agree it is a personal choice but would not keep a tyre with the screw so close to the wall particularly with occasional use in Germany at 100mph. There are also other people on the road to consider.

You appear to imply that despite having my tyre repaired to the original specification and rating using a method fully compliant with British Standards, that I am somehow recklessly endangering the lives of others. Is there any evidence (other than gut feel or urban myth) that a hot vulcanised repair in any way harms the integrity of the tyre or that any accident has ever been caused by such a repair failing?

[salsajoe]

You asked for my opinion and that's what you got. The first repairer said the same. Sorry if that now bothers you.

[Fifer]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest, other than that others might be taken in by unsupported urban myth. My bad - I'll remember to ask for informed opinion next time.

(The first 'repairer' wasn't a repairer - they were fitters and they lied).

[d4nn3h]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest, other than that others might be taken in by unsupported urban myth. My bad - I'll remember to ask for informed opinion next time.

(The first 'repairer' wasn't a repairer - they were fitters and they lied).

Most tyre fitters do lie and say that repairing a tyre that has a puncture in/near the sidewall is illegal. After a tip off from a friendly tyre fitter and a little research, it clearly isn't illegal to repair tyres with minor sidewall damage.

Last weekend I found a screw in my tyre in a very similar place. The tyre was a Pirelli P Zero that had done about 500 mines, at £200 a corner (I have the 19" wheels) I was gutted to say the least. I took it to my local tyre place and the first tyre fitter I spoke to said the tyre was a write off. Whilst I was having a new one fitted, another one of of the tyre fitters came and spoke to me about my car as he was a 'big VW fan'. He said, we don't often tell customers, but you can have tyres with minor sidewall damaged repaired. A few days later, I had my tyre back following a major tyre repair for £29. Thus, I now have a next to new spare tyre in my garage.

In my view, there has been a lot of scaremongering done by the tyre companies over the years to simply rake in more £££ from replacing tyres with minor damage that can be legally and safely repaired.