Puncture in tire on way home

TheGodfather · #1 04-03-2010, 01:48 AM

I was nearing the end of my 250km journey from Lethbridge to Calgary, when my TPMS light flicked on.

To my surprise, when the TPMS warning came on I was less than 3km from my BMW dealership. I thought what a lucky break...until I tried opening the front door of the dealer, only to realize it would be closed for good Friday.

Thank goodness for the TPMS, and thank goodness this didn't happen in the middle of no where (where the majority of the drive took place)

Anyhow, the rear drivers tire has been punctured with what looks to be a nail with no head. It was leaking so fast you could hear the air escaping. With the dealer closed and the time approaching closing for most auto garages I was SOL.

My X is parked in the parking lot of the BMW dealership. I drove back 3hrs later to jack up the car so that all that weight wasn't bearing down on the single flat tire. After doing some googling (as usual when trouble strikes) I figured this would be a good idea to avoid damage to the tire or rim.

For anyone wondering, the 17" spare would be no good as it is slightly smaller than the rest of the wheels, and I still had 50km or so to get home, also I didnt have the F@#*ing wheel lock key

MY question: Do the dealerships repair tires? If yes, are they going to charge me an hour of labor to do it? I would rather not pay $140 for something that costs 20.

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X5 Meister · #2 04-03-2010, 02:30 AM

Why are you carrying a spare in your car that doesn't fit? For looks? Get rid of it and get a spare that fits. If you're not running run flats and don't have a proper size spare then you should at least have something like the BMW mobility kit for emergencies.

dragoncoach · #3 04-03-2010, 02:32 AM

Tire dealers will fix it for $15-20 if the hole isn't close to, or in the sidewall. If you have a spare, why not just use it and drive home? Don't have a key? Any tire dealer can get it off. I'm wondering why the spare won't work? Just how much difference in tire hight is there? Spares are usually very close to the diameter of +1 or +2 factory fitments. Small variations should be a problem with the X Drive.

TheGodfather · #4 04-03-2010, 03:26 AM

I guess the spare I have would fit, however over long distances it may not be very good for the X5 (drive train AWD xdrive issues.) I am pretty sure the spare is slightly smaller than my staggered 22's. So if it were an emergency situation it would still be safe and the spare would be able to get me to a safe place. I honestly just don not want to spend $700 for a spare. Isn't this a known issue with over sized staggered wheels?

Basically I could have had the tire fixed and I could have been on my way BUT it was Good Friday and 5pm when this happened, so all places that could help me were either closing or closed.

As for the key, I had thought it was where it was usually, must have not been replaced by the guy who replaced my CV 2 weeks ago. My fault for not checking, though even if I had before I went on my journey, I would not have been able to replace it anyways.

The BMW Mobility Kit would not have been any good to me today. Also I thought that on the go tire sealants were no good for tires?

I also have BMW roadside and an AMA plus membership, so if shit really hit the fan I would be fine.

Other than the wheel lock key that was missing, I would have been equipped to handle an emergency.
I don't think it was a big deal, other than a big inconvenience of having to wait till today.

Though I agree that this event was a friendly wakeup call for events in the future that may be more serious.

BTW does anyone have an answer regarding dealerships and tire repair?

motordavid · #5 04-03-2010, 07:06 AM

Spare works well for any size BMW oe wheels, including 20s...your 22s may be larger in rolling circumference,
but it would have got you "home" or, to a real tire joint, where they might be open Saturday...

Yes, the dlr will sell you a new/very pricey tire, assuming he can get his hands on a 22" tire. Have not read of
a dlr in the US that will do a plug/interior patch fix, as they will pitch liability, lack of patched tire integrity, etc.

From your description, tire "slime" would probably not get you down the road; a "plug" kit might have, though they
are not cake to use effectively, especially if you haven't "practiced" with one. Good luck with the dlr and that new tire.
GL, mD

TheGodfather · #6 04-03-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motordavid

Spare works well for any size BMW oe wheels, including 20s...your 22s may be larger in rolling circumference,
but it would have got you "home" or, to a real tire joint, where they might be open Saturday...

Yes, the dlr will sell you a new/very pricey tire, assuming he can get his hands on a 22" tire. Have not read of
a dlr in the US that will do a plug/interior patch fix, as they will pitch liability, lack of patched tire integrity, etc.

From your description, tire "slime" would probably not get you down the road; a "plug" kit might have, though they
are not cake to use effectively, especially if you haven't "practiced" with one. Good luck with the dlr and that new tire.
GL, mD

Thanks for the info!

The dealer called this morning and said they do tire repairs for 60. Man it would be horrible if I needed a new tire. The hole is right in the middle of the tread though, so I think it will be fixable.

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