Cedar

The weather was rather nice here today so I decided to get a slow leak fixed on my GS that's been in hibernation. I took the tire off and found a small screw in the middle of the tread. I took my tire to NTB to have them fix it, one guy was writing it up and another guy walked to the service counter and said it was there policy not to fix a run flat tire because they had no way of knowing how far I drove the car with no air in the tire. I explained to them I haven't driven the car for 7 weeks and I guess I picked up the screw the last time I drove it. The guy repeated their policy again, so I said I'd go to Walmart and buy a plug kit which is exactly what I did. I drove home, plugged the tire, and put it back on the car spending a grand total of 6.42.

Not only did NTB lose the revenue for the tire repair but I am going to get new tires at the beginning of next year's season, and they lost that revenue too. Their loss is someone else's gain.

449er

That policy is probably caused by their insurance people, ...fix a run flat tire, the tire fails afterwards & the owner is involved in a accident...law suit

Cedar

Yea, you're probably right. They probably been sued before, who knows.

ls1121

I had a nail in one of my Michelin run flats (came on the car) and went to Firestone, they would not fix the tire. I went down the road about a mile and had a privet tire shop fix the tire. Simple, I pay you do what I ask you to do, put it in writing and I will sign it. I allow Firestone to do my alignment and nothing else. People do not tell me what I can do with my money, it's Green everywhere.

Dcasole

My Discount Tire has never given me one ounce of trouble fixing my run flats ...that just weird.....

Dave

ByRiver

The dealer charged me $77 to pull a screw out of my non-runflats and patch it from inside. No other tire store in the city has a machine capable of unmounting a rear GS tire, so no choice but to go to the dealer.

I tried to originally buy new tires from NTB, and they said they couldn't mount them. Strange.

Bob Paris

I had the tires on my '13 GS vert replaced at Costco - I assume there is one near you. And they took care not to scratch my chrome rims.

Cedar

I thought so too. I understand the liability concerns but one can see the tire was not driven on. On 2 other corvettes I previously owned, I had a run flat tire on each one fixed at the same store. I guess they were looking to sell me a new tire or a set of tires, good luck with that one after this experience.

I wish we had a discount tire here. It would be easier next year when I replace the run craps.

Cedar

Last spring, I had this same NTB take the run craps off my OEM GS wheels and re-mount them on another set of wheels that I bought since they had better than 1/2 of the tread left. They did that without blinking an eye.

69 L46 4 Speed

I buy all of my tires from a locally owned shop (4 Wheels Parts Plus), not a chain store. They had no problem removing a screw from my original GY's on my 13 GS and patching the tire from inside. Nine months later when the GY's were worn out I purchased my Bridgestone's from them for a great price. They have the equipment to mount GS and Z06 rear tires and they do not scratch your wheels. Even though these are performance truck oriented guys they treat you right because they want repeat business whether you have a car or a truck. I know that I have purchased at least 10 sets of tires from them and they always beat everybody's price (Tire Rack included). Sometime this summer I will have them order a set of tires for the wife's 15 Camaro SS convertible. You just have to find and independent shop that you can trust. There are plenty of them out there.

Dano523

Kind of lost on this one, since if you have a road hazards warranty on the tires, then its the shops choice to either patch it, or replace the tire for free under the road hazard warranty.

If you don't have a road hazard warranty on the tires, then most larger shops play this game to sell you another tire as full price instead.

So here, you go find a mom and pop tire shop that is not playing any games, and they will patch a RF tire, so long as the tire is punctured in a place and fashion on the tire that will allows patching instead.

Cedar

Thanks for the advice, I'll probably do just that.

Landru

Couple years ago picked up a screw in a Bridgestone PP. Chevy store I'd bought the Z06 from sold me the tires.
They flat-out refused to repair it, claimed a repair compromises tire's Z rating & they would not accept liability.
Wouldn't listen to any counter argument the had me by the short hairs, knew I was set-up to buy a new tire.
Pissed, felt like I was mugged.

Replaced BPPs w/ Michelins couple years, later.
Picked up a damned sheet metal screw last Fall, knew dealer was out.

Desperate I called our only local Goodyear shop.
Lo' and behold they'd repair it, for $50. Yes.
Turns out they've a new Hunter machine which easily handles ultra-wide skins w/o damaging wheels.

While waiting told SR I don't care for GY tires, prefer Michelin.
He says they sell all brands & would be happy to 'compete for my business' this Spring when tires are scheduled to be replaced.

Try GY, store near me earned my business.
I'll have 'em replace a bad ballast while they have the car, too.

Cedar

Maybe I wasn't clear. When I replaced the wheels on my GS a year ago, My run craps had a lot of tread left, so I had my run craps transferred to my new wheels so I could wear them out before replacing them. The small screw that I found in my tire was right in the middle of the tread so I knew there wouldn't be a problem with patching which was the preferred method of repair I wanted.

I figured they were trying to sell me a tire so that's why I bought a plug kit at Walmart and fixed it myself saving about 70.00 that a stealership charged another forum member. For future tire problems or repairs, there are other tire shops in the bi-state area to choose from.

Cedar

We have a GY chain of stores around here that I probably could have went to for my repair but they're as high as the stealership in their pricing.

When I do my tire shopping next spring, I plan on going with Michelins and I'll ask about tire repair at that time, that's something to keep in mind, thank you.

LowRyter

My local Firestone shop wouldn't fix a leaky tire on my Trooper. They said the tires were too old. Luckily, it was on the front and the Trooper has high ground clearance. So I used my Stop and Go flat repair kit and fixed it in about 20 minutes. I've used the kit twice, once on the Trooper and another on a motorcycle, and neither ever leaked.

The only issue with the 'vette is the likelihood of removing the wheel with a car that has no jack with it.

Landru

Really?
Bet it's due to being in a large metro area such as St.L.
Out here in the sticks closest city is 25K, tire shops have to be more competitive re pricing.

Had a great experience w/ NTB doing the labor replacing front discs/pads/pins on my '08 Z06. Supplying parts came to $550 vs. $850 dealer quoted. Very happy, so gave them my business on Michelins. Best price I found (w/o checking GY), locally.
Tires arrived, I showed-up to appointment eager for new skins.
Waited a few minutes & SM tells me their machine can't do my size tire. Sorry. huh.

GY was quite honest stating up-front there're RFs they cannot fix, like all of us driving RFs know side-wall damage trashes a RF tire.
But screw I picked-up was dead center, same location as Bridgestone I'd taken to a greedy dealer, almost felt coerced into buying a new tire.
NOT good for dealer service departments, wherever they are.

I've a new sense of security owning my Z06 knowing there's a place I can go for brakes/tires/chassis/electrical who won't jerk me around.
And, I've a GMEPP.

Give GY a shot, do ask about their repair policy too.
GY stores, IIRC, are all franchises so stores policies may vary.
Can't hurt...might even save time, $ & potential grief. G/L

Cedar

True, I agree with you. I was just lucky I was at home when I found the screw where I have a jack, stands and air tools to make tire removal easier on me.

Cedar

The screw location on mine was dead center also. My tire leaked about 5 lbs. a week so I thought I'd address it since the weather was nice here. I just might do that the next time I have a situation like this, it can't hurt.

Thanks again!

jrose7004

That policy is them hoping that you'll buy a new tire from them.