So weather was great yesterday here in north Minnesota. Went to the garage to take out my car. Fire it up and the computer is buzzing at me. 6 psi in right rear tire. I got out to check it and there's this screw lodged in the groove. Ah Whattya gotta do! Stuff happens. I left it in the garage and took the other car.

Today I'm off. Got up and straight drove (in the honda) to the local dealership. I had checked in the past and they do sell and service corvettes. Went to service dept. no customers there. Couple of people on the phone. I waited till this lady looked up and saw me.

Chevy lady: Can I help you?
Me: yes. I have a flat right rear tire on my 14 stingray z51. I'm hoping you can help me.
Chevy lady: do you think you need a new tire or just a patch job?
Me: those are performance run flats. I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to patch them.
Chevy lady: no. Depending on the location you can patch them.
Me: ok. If you say so. It's in the second most external groove.
Chevy lady: well I won't be able to sit here and guess for you. I need to see. Why don't you drive it in.
Me: actually I left it at home. I can go bring it over.
Chevy lady: actually sir, we're too busy. Why don't you take it to tires plus or discount tire. They'll be able to help you.
Me: tires plus?? For real?
Chevy lady: ya. They'll help you better. If the need to order you a new tire tell them to call us and well order one and send it to them. Might take a few days!!

Right there all I can think of is wow! It is coz I didn't buy from them? Is it because it's a chevy?

I had purchased tire insurance from criswell with the car. I called them and filed the claim. Called criswell and Mike couldn't believe the treatment I got. Confirmed the tire shouldn't be repaired. Called onstar and they said I can drive it on a flat for 50 miles.

I'm new in town. Googled it and found a small dealership across the lake in Wisconsin. Called and confirmed they service chevy. Drove the vette there. Small dealership with a 3 car showroom. The main service guy was very courteous. Checked me in. Called the Michelin supplier in minneapolis and they're out of stock. The service manager ended up calling my tire insurance and they said they can get one shipped over. I was happy with the way they were trying to help me. The service manager said he'd keep my car indoors and the keys locked in his desk. I ended up ordering the carbon dash since my car is gonna sit there for a few days. One of the techs dropped me off home. I said thanks. He said it's my job!

Hope it all works out well. Two dealerships within 30 minutes of each other. Two different experiences.

Lesson of the day: get the flippin tire insurance. $500 paid for itself within 4 wks. Oh and if you have a crappy experience go to the next dealer and see.

 

 

Not a big surprise. For any of my cars from Audi on up to Porsche I have my tire problems handled by people who service and sell tires.

 

I neglected to mention. I stopped by tires plus. They said they can't work on my car. The tire is too wide and big for their equipment.

 

Most Discount Tire stores do a pretty good job!

 

Discount Tire is great to deal with. They can patch a run flat once. They Use an internal patch/plug. Have had a few runflat flats serviced by them and have bought new runflats from them. But sounds like you have the problem well in hand with your small dealer. Fellow at the NCRS national had said that he bought a new tire for his 14 just before leaving Boston area. Was $600. Said Michelin only makes tires for the plant and have to pull a tire from line to send to you.

 

FYI: Discount Tire/American Tire and others will sell you certificates for your OEM tires.
I get them every time I buy a new car. If I'm keeping the tires, that is.

 

Mike Furman, a good choice. He doesn't forget you after you buy a car. Good advice from you on tire Insurance...

 

I bought the tire/wheel insurance myself for this exact reason.

Mike Furman

 

I replaced my RFs with Michelin Ultra proformance All Season. Got them at Discount tire,they were great and very careful not to scratch my rims. It is really tuff working with Runflats. Hard to get off/on the rims. I watched one being dismounted and had to go to the waiting room for the rest.

 

I go nowhere other than Discount tire and even then just to one of the two near me. I will NEVER let a Chevy dealer attempt to change the tires on my Z51' it's not their specialty and unless they are the exception, they don't have nearly as good equipment as Discount.

Not sure what tire insurance cost from a dealer but I paid about $200 for the 4 certs from Discount. And you don't needed to get the TPC spec tires from the dealer, any tire store can get them from Michelin.

 

I just checked and you guys are right. Discount tire seems to be a good place. Like I said I went to tires plus and they said they can't work on my car. I paid $500 at the dealership for tire+wheel coverage for 5 years.

 

$500 is a fair price for wheels and tires and it's just paid for itself

 

Long story short I received phenomenal service from my local discount tire guy here. I tipped him like $25 and while I price shop and ask him to match, I always end up going to this guy for service.

 

Don't let them tell you a run flat cannot be fixed. It depends on where the puncture is and whether and how many miles you drove on it when punctured.
I know Firestone has a lousy reputation, but the Firestone dealer near me fixed it for $20.00 (a patch-plug from inside) and that included rebalancing it. Carried it in when I found the tire hissing in the driveway after backing it out of the garage at home.
And yes, Discount Tire offers a great replacement certificate program for 4 tires as mentioned above for around $200. Unfortunately there isn't a Discount Tire store near me otherwise I would have brought the flat there.

 

American/Discount has always been great to work with. It'd just be nice if my local store offered wheel alignment too.

 

I had to use my insurance too, 3" decking screw went into the last tread and tried to come out where the tire seals against the wheel, gouged wheel and broke off the 1/2 of the screw. inside the tire/wheel cavity. I could hear it jingle around. (Z51 sizes - right rear got it)
Wheel survived but tire did not. Cost me $100 total and Hendrick here in Hoover AL took good care of me. I feel the warranty was well worth it for the cost, two tires or one wheel and its paid for - halfway there now

 

Don't know if he's got Discount Tire in Fargo, ND?

Discount Tire has made it to my hometown - Omaha, Nebraska.

I only do business with Discount Tire for my truck and car here in Texas. Yes, I buy the 'certificates-of-replacement' for every new tire too.

 

Boys I plugged a run flat near the edge two years ago and it's still fine.

 

Patching from the inside properly done is usually very reliable. Besides, it's still a run flat. Unless you do a lot of really fast driving it would not concern me.

As to the dealer, I would never even think about using a dealer for a tire. Tire stores do tires all day long. Dealers don't.