Okay, is this just me worrying too much? Last Thursday I went to Discount Tire and bought two new rear tires, Michelin Pilot Sport AS/3's. Two days later I went out and drove the car a bit hard for about 150 miles. I noticed from the start that the back end was a little soft and figured it's the new tires. Later that evening I was looking a bit closer and noticed driver rear tire was flat, little or no pressure. I could see the top sidewall where it meets the top treads was a bit worn or at least a little scuffed. I went back to Discount Tire on Monday evening and they said the valve stem was cracked and they were apologetic and fixed it. I told them I was concerned about any damage that might of been done internally to the tire, presuming it was flat from day one and I was riding hard for 150 miles or so on a flat. Since they are low profile tires, when it is flat, there is not much difference in looks, very subtle. I asked them if there was any internal damage because of driving 150 miles on a flat. He said the tire was fine, no damage was done, therefore he would not replace this tire with a new one. That was Monday evening....so yesterday, Christmas day, I was out riding a bit hard for another 140-150 miles. This morning, the same tire is flat, little or no pressure. I went back to Discount Tire a few hours ago and left them the car for the day. I informed them that I was very concerned about any possible damage to that same tire and that this time, I would like it replaced. Even if no damage is done, cosmetically, it is scuffed, warn, the little rubber pieces of knobbies, or wiskers are even gone on that tire. I do believe that the life of the tire has to be diminished to some degree, 300 miles of riding hard, fast turns, etc. Am I asking too much for them to fix it right for a third time and replace the tire? He is looking at me as if I no nothing or that I’m a difficult customer…..I’m honestly trying to keep my cool, I just want it fixed and the tire replaced. I’m glad that tire didn’t come off this week while riding on it. It is a 2002 Porsche 996, C-4, Cab. Any thoughts?

 

If you can drive "hard" on a flat tire for 150 miles, then you need to leard to drive harder. Always give new tires a couple hundred miles to scrub off the mold release before going nutty.

I think your concerns are valid. What are they saying is the cause for the tire to go down a second time? This is why I don't purchase tires from places like Discount Tire, and most certainly why I don't go to places like this to have tires mounted & balanced for the Porsches.

 

You really cant tell when a tire is low? You just keep driving even after you feel the problem? I used to work for Goodyear in the 80's and learned that the #1 cause of tire failure is heat from under inflation or sudden pressure loss. When the tire is being used with a collapsed side wall do to under inflation (regardless of cause), the side wall is forced to flex more than its made to causing great heat and sidewall damage.

I would ask to see the inside wall of this tire. I bet theres internal sidewall destruction. Another problem with "discount" tire stores is under inflating the new tires. Did you look at the tires and confirm the pressure before you drove off? Im sure you ruined the tire but it will be up to a company rep to decide if you will get an adjustment.

 

Definitely push back on them...there is NO valid reason for you to have to accept that tire...if they completely refuse contact Michelin directly as I'm sure that they would cover it since it was one of their authorized resellers and especially since they advertise this:

30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee

Available on all Michelin passenger and light truck replacement tires. If you're not 100% satisfied, bring the tires and original sales receipt back to the place of purchase within 30 days for a new set of tires

 

Krazyk - Old tires were Nitto 555's and warn. Read alot about the AS/3's and decided to purchase them. It did feel a bit soft, however, I guess the last thing on my mind the day's following the purchase, was a flat tire. I guess I just assumed perhaps this is the feel with the new AS/3's...bad assuming on my part. I read many post's here on Rennslist and came to the conclusion that running 44lbs in the rear is good. I did have them from day one (last week), fill them to 44LBS. The first was a leaking valve stem, today i don't know, the car is still there, I'm at work. Thanks!

 

I think you should demand a new tire and they should replace it.

 

You may have to do what nymart said and complain to Michelin. At Goodyear we could get special adjustments authorized just so the customer would STFU. We would have to say what a great faithful Goodyear customer the person was, blah, blah, and they would usually do it.

 

I have had good luck with Discount on my Porsches. But I think any Porsche owner must know how to check their own tire pressures and I always double check after new tires are installed. The Discount Guarantee is simple - "if you are not satisfied for any reason bring it back"! If this were me I would simply say ... to the Store Manager... "Replace it Now!" First time you were being nice, second time it should just be replaced... no questions. And LexVan is right - you need to let new tires "break in" with a few hundred mile of easy driving - for you own safety.

 

You left them the car? So one of the monkeys could go and "test your car".

Good Luck.

 

UPDATE: Just received a phone call from Discount Tire. They informed me that my rim has a tiny "pinhole" near the valve stem and that is why the tire is leaking. I'm on the way to look at it and to be honest, I have never heard of a "pinhole" in a rim.......stay tuned, on my way to look at it.

 

Not had good service from discount tires. They didn't last long in my town. First time I went there was in my 928. They tried to rotate wheels from front to rear .

 

Last Update::::
They did give me a new tire, they had it mounted and pressurized and submerged it in front of me in the tire water tub. There is a hairline crack within a centimeter or two from the valve stem towards the inside. You can see the bubbles coming from an extremely small pinhole along the hairline crack. When out of the water, and wiped dry, the hairline crack is completely invisible to the human eye, or at least mine! It clearly looks like a manufacture defect. No signs of any wear at all. What is the warranty for the structure of the rim? The part # is 996 362 140 03.

 

I would like to see that pin hole also. If it wasn't there when the wheel was originally cast, I can't imagine how it would be there now. KrazyK however is exactly correct on this. The main cause of tire failure is from heat caused by under inflation, and I would be very reluctant to trust that tire after reading your post.

The other lesson here is to never, ever trust the tire pressures set by a tire shop. Many of them don't pay any attention to the actual vehicle recommended tire pressures, and most of them use cheap inaccurate pencil gauges or worse yet, the built-in gauges on the tire machine. Another problem this time of year, particularly in the colder climates, is the tire shops install the tires and set the pressures in a nicely heated 72 degree garage, and then people take the car outside where it is sometimes 30-40 degrees cooler, and the tire is immediately under inflated.

 

on a 10yr old wheel? I don't know, Porsche might ask you if some guy drove your car for 150 miles on a flat tire.

Joke aside, this is how rims fail. you might have hit a pothole a little bit harder (when you tire was flat or before) and the wheel got damaged.

Get a new wheel and move on.

 

^ My thoughts. You can find a used in good condition rim. If it didn't leak before??? Now I suppose there would be an argument for the rim failing due to an under inflated tire mounted by the tire company and the 150 mile spirited drive. Guess that's why i always check tire pressure after any work or before a spirited drive. Good luck.