Maiden Voyage I'll Never Forget

[JTugwell]

I took delivery of my CT4V BW this past weekend, and during the long journey home I managed to hit a large pothole on I-20 just west of Vicksburg MS. After the hit, the passenger front tire immediately started losing air, so I scrambled to get to the next exit. I found a well-lit parking lot, inspected the tire and noticed about a 1/ 4" puncture in the sidewall. This was around 10pm on Saturday evening, and as my luck would have it, it was 40 degrees outside and raining. Oh, and I was very low on fuel. The only thing I could manage to do was pump the tire up and get to the next exit. Found a gas station, but the only pump available was out of order. I waited for a pump to open, and the car wouldn't start. Out of fuel! I was able to stretch the hose over from the pump next to me, fill up with gas, fill the tire and get to the next exit. Filled the tire up again at the next exit and proceeded to an Advanced Auto parts. As I'm pulling into the auto store, I notice the entrance is blocked off with road construction equipment. You gotta be kidding me! Finally made it in, bought a tire plug kit and proceeded to plug the hole in the tire. I know this probably wasn't the safest thing to do, but being Saturday night and in a foreign city I felt I was out of options. The plug managed to seal the hole, and I was able to make it the rest of the way home.

Now I'm hunting for a new tire and will probably have the wheel inspected for damage. It looks fine, but it was a pretty violent hit. Any other suggestions?

 

[ArgentWing]

I took delivery of my CT4V BW this past weekend, and during the long journey home I managed to hit a large pothole on I-20 just west of Vicksburg MS. After the hit, the passenger front tire immediately started losing air, so I scrambled to get to the next exit. I found a well-lit parking lot, inspected the tire and noticed about a 1/ 4" puncture in the sidewall. This was around 10pm on Saturday evening, and as my luck would have it, it was 40 degrees outside and raining. Oh, and I was very low on fuel. The only thing I could manage to do was pump the tire up and get to the next exit. Found a gas station, but the only pump available was out of order. I waited for a pump to open, and the car wouldn't start. Out of fuel! I was able to stretch the hose over from the pump next to me, fill up with gas, fill the tire and get to the next exit. Filled the tire up again at the next exit and proceeded to an Advanced Auto parts. As I'm pulling into the auto store, I notice the entrance is blocked off with road construction equipment. You gotta be kidding me! Finally made it in, bought a tire plug kit and proceeded to plug the hole in the tire. I know this probably wasn't the safest thing to do, but being Saturday night and in a foreign city I felt I was out of options. The plug managed to seal the hole, and I was able to make it the rest of the way home.

Now I'm hunting for a new tire and will probably have the wheel inspected for damage. It looks fine, but it was a pretty violent hit. Any other suggestions?

Damn! Not a great way to start things off but on the bright side you've got a great story to tell!

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Wow! Super lucky you found an Advanced Auto Parts open at 10 PM on a Saturday. I think your luck can only improve from here...

 

[RDATLTE]

I took delivery of my CT4V BW this past weekend, and during the long journey home I managed to hit a large pothole on I-20 just west of Vicksburg MS. After the hit, the passenger front tire immediately started losing air, so I scrambled to get to the next exit. I found a well-lit parking lot, inspected the tire and noticed about a 1/ 4" puncture in the sidewall. This was around 10pm on Saturday evening, and as my luck would have it, it was 40 degrees outside and raining. Oh, and I was very low on fuel. The only thing I could manage to do was pump the tire up and get to the next exit. Found a gas station, but the only pump available was out of order. I waited for a pump to open, and the car wouldn't start. Out of fuel! I was able to stretch the hose over from the pump next to me, fill up with gas, fill the tire and get to the next exit. Filled the tire up again at the next exit and proceeded to an Advanced Auto parts. As I'm pulling into the auto store, I notice the entrance is blocked off with road construction equipment. You gotta be kidding me! Finally made it in, bought a tire plug kit and proceeded to plug the hole in the tire. I know this probably wasn't the safest thing to do, but being Saturday night and in a foreign city I felt I was out of options. The plug managed to seal the hole, and I was able to make it the rest of the way home.

Now I'm hunting for a new tire and will probably have the wheel inspected for damage. It looks fine, but it was a pretty violent hit. Any other suggestions?

1) I'd probably have the alignment checked as well. 2) Ensure that you get the correct replacement tire that has the TPC Spec.

 

[Speed Racer 007]

Damn Brother, what a night! I'm impressed that you managed to get a sidewall repair done with a tire repair kit!

I've blown 3 tires on my AMG with our great NY roads and always the sidewall was ripped.

 

[JTugwell]

1) I'd probably have the alignment checked as well. 2) Ensure that you get the correct replacement tire that has the TPC Spec.

That's a good idea. I was able to order a TPC spec tire from tire rack. They are supposed to be in stock today

 

[JTugwell]

Update: Tire has been replaced (Tire rack did send the correct TPC spec). Rim was inspected (no damage), and an alignment performed. The passenger rear was slightly out of alignment, but fine otherwise.

I am also in process of filing a damage claim with Louisiana DOT. I spoke to them this morning and they will be sending me a claims form to fill out. Will advise on how this goes but was very surprised at how helpful the gentlemen I spoke to was. Hopefully it works out!

 

[ArgentWing]

Update: Tire has been replaced (Tire rack did send the correct TPC spec). Rim was inspected (no damage), and an alignment performed. The passenger rear was slightly out of alignment, but fine otherwise.

I am also in process of filing a damage claim with Louisiana DOT. I spoke to them this morning and they will be sending me a claims form to fill out. Will advise on how this goes but was very surprised at how helpful the gentlemen I spoke to was. Hopefully it works out!

Glad you're back on track and good luck with the claim!

 

[FLYARMY]

Louisiana DOT will send you some Mardi Gras beads and a recipe for Jambalaya. Good luck ! They will come up with some legalese that the pot hole had to be pre-reported to the date of your incident, otherwise they didn't know about it. Every state is different.

 

[Speed Racer 007]

^^^^ I love how NY State has an exclusion from Nov 15th- to like April 15th, NOT responsible for damage created by potholes!

 

[ArgentWing]

^^^^ I love how NY State has an exclusion from Nov 15th- to like April 15th, NOT responsible for damage created by potholes!

Gotta love NYS!

 

[JTugwell]

Thought I'd follow up and let you all know that my claim for my blown-out tire was officially DENIED today. Six months of back and forth with LDOT and a third-party claims company only to be shut down is obviously frustrating, but at least I tried. Apparently, there is a Louisiana state statute stating that the LDOT must have a prior complaint of the pothole for a reimbursement to be warranted.

 

[ArgentWing]

Apparently, there is a Louisiana state statue stating that the LDOT must have a prior complaint of the pothole for a reimbursement to be warranted.

We have that same deal here in NYS

 

[JTugwell]

We have that same deal here in NYS

Seems like a really easy way for them to get out of payment.

 

[Ivy1Le]

We have that same deal here in NYS

Same here in Texas. Blew out two tires/bent two wheels on a new to me Audi S3 approximately 1 week after delivery. A concrete post was not fully removed and was barely sticking up out of the ground. Denied due to no prior complaints

 

[GR630]

Damn, and I thought I had bad luck when I found a screw in my front tire the day after I got it home. Glad you got it sorted!

 

[DCV]

I’m thinking of getting the modern spare tire kit for my BW. I had a cut front tire in my 350 once on RT50 between DC and Annapolis and the goo and pump were useless. Had to get the car flatbed to Koons in Falls Church…this was a summer day when the heat index was 104. No more goo for me.

 

[rdollie]

Been like that everywhere in the states that I know of. I had a blow out on the Cross- Bronx expressway at 11PM coming from a client dinner back in 1998! It destroyed an alloy wheel resulting in loss of containment. Barely made it to the parking lot of a very dark gas station in a very bad area. Won't forget that one! Quickly slapped on the donut spare and a dealership replaced the wheel the next day. Then learned NYC wasn't paying since there was no report on file - they claim (I doubt a frame bashing crater wasn't previously reported.) Was living in Boston at the time and had the same experience with a blow out there during a rough winter. Moved West 22 years ago and never looked back - no cratered roads here! (and no state income taxes with moderate property taxes to boot!)