Once again in the City That Forgot to Pick Up After Itself, I've picked up what the Brits call a puncture. My evening commute home was fine, but suddenly the TPMS flashed at me that my LR tire was down to 22 (and I'd checked the air, 36 lbs., just last week). I pumped it up to 34, but it took so long I knew I had to get it repaired and now. It was reading 25 when I got to Firestone about a mile away.
Diagnosis: Something had punctured the tire, all right, but then had worked itself out, so there was nothing to hold the air in for long. They patched it without issue. But . . . There is also a nail in the RR tire, in the tread proper, but pushed in at an angle. They warned me that they wouldn't know if the tire was damaged internally until they extracted it. (The tire is not leaking.)
The clerk, an old-time guy, urged me to look into new tires anyway. These Goodyears, he said (though I have not checked the date code), are 5 years old -- which makes sense, as the car is 5 and has 45K miles on it. He quoted Bridgestone Turanzas at something like $225/ea. Before I spend close to $1000 on anything, I want a second opinion, and will check with my regular mechanic.
Is it time for me to tire shop? If so, I may go with General Altimax RT43s again. They were comfortable and smooth on the '11 Regal, and cost 1/2 what the OEM Michelins would have. Any ideas?
Diagnosis: Something had punctured the tire, all right, but then had worked itself out, so there was nothing to hold the air in for long. They patched it without issue. But . . . There is also a nail in the RR tire, in the tread proper, but pushed in at an angle. They warned me that they wouldn't know if the tire was damaged internally until they extracted it. (The tire is not leaking.)
The clerk, an old-time guy, urged me to look into new tires anyway. These Goodyears, he said (though I have not checked the date code), are 5 years old -- which makes sense, as the car is 5 and has 45K miles on it. He quoted Bridgestone Turanzas at something like $225/ea. Before I spend close to $1000 on anything, I want a second opinion, and will check with my regular mechanic.
Is it time for me to tire shop? If so, I may go with General Altimax RT43s again. They were comfortable and smooth on the '11 Regal, and cost 1/2 what the OEM Michelins would have. Any ideas?
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