James Shunt

Apologies if you've seen me post this elsewhere but...

I've had the misfortune of getting a slow puncture in one of my rear Pirelli P-Zero Rossos - they were only a few months old and had covered less than 2500 miles. Curses. The previous owner had bought those for the rears and committed the heinous crime of mixing tyres - there are Bridgestone S-02s on the fronts - but I presume that's because he couldn't find S-02s anywhere. The S-02s have about 6mm of tread left so could be used for a while (I have no track days planned and money is tight at the moment).

I got these prices for 2 P-Zero Rosso 265/35 18 N4s.
wraysbury 346
black circles 366
micheldever 319
mytyres.co.uk 331 (supply only)
elite 357
AA 552

Only 3 of the suppliers had S-02s and they were £350-£600 for two. They are getting rarer. I hope that helps someone with sources/prices.

Looking into it some more, I think I can get my puctured P-Zero safely repaired with a patch. Searching here shows others have done this on 993s without incident, though they say it reduces your tyre sidewall strength by one rating - so I'll have no problems if I don't exceed 149mph. The nail is more of a tack so the hole isn't that big. The tyre only lost 12psi in two weeks. Repair also solves the mixing problem because I can change all four tyres next time. I don't want to buy just one tyre so the tread wear is uneven or throw away two tyres with only 2500 miles on them.

Has anyone heard about any repairs, successful or otherwise? I'll use a specialist and get it patched from the inside rather than the outside - ie a patch rather than a plug. Is this sensible or suicide, and who should I trust to do it in the London area?

James

Bins

Ive not needed to buy any tyres yet so I havent got any best prices.
You obviously know about not mixing, for safety.

I had one of my tires patched from the inside for some beer money a couple of years ago and it still seems okay. Mine was not done by a specialist but a local.

So repair should be fine. If you are likely to do track events than there maybe a concern.

The worry I suppose in who does it is damaging the wheel. I think you will have that worry regardless of who does it.

maurice97C2S

Just don't book a place on VMAX !!

And bear in mind, a high speed deflation could lose you the car - and if the insurers found there had been a tyre repair ......

Cheers, Maurice

James Shunt

Fair point Maurice, and thanks Bins.

I had a very frank discussion with Brian at Micheldever, who was very honest and friendly on the phone. As they are recommended for sports car tyres and have plenty of experience, I told him the situation. The gist of his reply was that they would do it and could do a good job of it, over and above the minimum standards required, but only refit it if they felt it was safe. He said my situation (damage where the sidewall meets the tread) probably could be repaired but he personally wouldn't recommend it. As the undamaged tyre is only 2500 miles old, he agreed when I suggested the best option was to replace that one alone (with a matching P-Zero, of course). After a few miles of wear, there should be very little difference between the new tyre and the 2500-mile one.

Interestingly, although I've no track days planned and I can't make the VMAX day so speed ratings are not really critical, he consulted someone else there and they said the speed rating wouldn't be affected by that repair - "anything that compromised that would lead us to refuse to refit the repaired tyre", he said.

So unless anyone has some compelling evidence, I'm going to replace the single tyre and get back to wearing out all the tyres some more!

James

Tito

Hi James,

Try Wembley Hill Tyres.
You may be able to get a better price and replace 2 or all four of your tyres.

I recently raplaced all four of my S02a tyres for £600 all in.
I know that retail Porsche staples corner get 'their' tyres from him and mark them up approx 100%.
0208 459 6191

Tell Marcus that Tito (the guy with the squeaky bonnet) recommeded you if you do go along.

Cheers and I hope this helps.
Tito.

PS unless you are a boulevard cruiser I would replace the tyre - your life is just not worth risking, especially as these cars need their grip.

Caveman

Hi James,

From a safety point I would argue that a few hundred for a tyre versus tens of thousands for the car seems like a good investment...

Maurice has a good point about the insurers.

Cheers,

David

James Shunt

Tito - thanks and I'll give Wembley Hill a try.

David - you're right, clearly, and I knew 993s ate tyres, but it's such a downer to splash so much cash on tyre replacement when they are so new. Such are the pains of owning an iconic car, I suppose!

Cheers

James

James Shunt

All

I've got it sorted now - so here's a quick update and hopefully it will help anyone else with a similar problem in future.

I didn't have the number for Wembley Hill at home so I went to Micheldever in the end and they looked at that rear tyre, agreeing that it needed replacement as the nail was too close to the sidewall. To my utter amazement, while the car was on the jack, I noticed the offside FRONT tyre had something in it - on the tread but towards the inside of the tyre, so not easy to see unless the wheel is at the bottom of its suspension travel. There was ANOTHER nail (a screw this time to be accurate)!!!

However, the guys there had a long look and said it was no problem to patch this for a tenner. Great, I said, as I'd prefer not to spend shed-loads at this visit and in about 3,000 miles I'll replace the fronts as well, and I have no track days planned until after they'd need replacing anyway. They were very confident the repair patch would be fine, even on the 993 with low-profile tyres.

So there we have it. I've been unlucky but feel relieved to have spent under £200 (for now) on the work. I'll keep an eye on the pressures just in case but the repair looked very strong.

Perhaps the punctures are just part of life on London roads. Either that or I must learn to drive more carefully through builders' yards...

James

Jim 944S

James... it seems that the consenses is that there are "Tires" and there are "Tyres" and that the mixing of the two could, at the least, leave one with "irritable vowel" syndrome!!!

OK!! I'll go back to my side of the Atlantic now....

Jim 1987 944S (how's about a get-to-gether at the Orange Tree up in Totteridge? Anyone ever been there?)

Tito

Hi JIm,

Yes I've been there.
I live not too far from there.

That's a nice place for a meet up.

Tito.

Jim 944S

Hi Tito...

I've never been to England, but a Lady Friend (who now lives in California) grew up on Horseshoe Lane just a bit down the road from the Orange Tree. After meeting her, I put a lot of research into finding out via the Internet (Ordinance Survey maps, historical maps, and Satellite imagery, etc.,) all I could about the area so I could properly amaze her at what a chaming fellow I am... But alas... she wanted a "filthy rich, drop dead gorgous, Jewish cowboy". Well, we're still "travelling companions" and friends, anyway!

Jim 1987 944S (Pity when all is considered... I would have married into a good family... her brother had a 951 and her father had owned a 928)

Tito

Well Jim,

What hoops we jump through !!

Tito.