Estes Dodge didnt warn me about patch in rear tire

[Hisser]

Did another post about Bill Estes Dodge now I just got an e-mail from a very good source about my rear tire being patched or plugged and the dealership did not even tell me. I was at Texas World Speedway and one of the guys told me my tire was low so I checked it and they were right. It had 10 pounds in it and I just figured the previous owner never checked his tires. I just got an e-mail from a reliable source that said I better check my right rear tire it probably has about 10 pounds in it. I sent him an email back telling him they were exactly right and how did they know? Without going into details, this person told me that when the car was test driven at the dealership he warned them about the car and told them to check the tires and sure enough it was low. This someone very close to the dealership found out they either plugged, or patched the tire but should have ordered a new one. The dealership knew about it and NEVER told me they repaired it this way. I sent the dealership a memo asking them why they didnt warn me about it and let me drive 1200 miles back to San Antonio, Tx at night and I went to TWS all on a right rear tire with a patch or plug. I told the dealer if something would have happen to me it would have cost them dearly. Cant believe they let me drive the car knowing this but again I have prove, emails, home phone numbers, and they are well known in the Viper community. Beware of Bill Estes Dodge.

 

[FRANK]

You guys crack me up...I've friggin plugged near sidewalls and driven thousands of miles...with no problem. So what you are saying is god forbid you get a nail, the tire should be thrown away? Patching is the best that can be done. Plugging is acceptable...and I just plugged a hole in my truck tire last week. I just don't understand you Wayne. I've patched street slicks (McCrearies) and done hellacious burnouts at the track with no problems either.

If I worked at that dealership...I would have laughed at you. I guess you expect dealers to remove the tires from the rims and inspect for patches? Sure....hey, by the way...anytime you get a nail in your Viper tires, I'll pay shipping and you can send them to me for free...

 

[Gerald]

Wayne,

Don't you think your overreacting a bit on the plug in the tire?
So what.. Get it replugged, Cost should be about 15 bucks. I've driven entire life of a tire with plugs in it...

relaxxxxxxx.....


Gerald

 

[SRT#655]

Hey, I hate to throw gas on a blazing fire.........But excuse me, YOU didn't check the tire pressure before you left on your trip home? Did YOU even check the oil in the engine YOURSELF? Think about it before you reply.

 

[GTS Dean]

Good thing you weren't driving a Ford Explorer, Wayne. Tires don't hold air forever you know. It's a Viper, not a Prowler with run-flats.

I drove to College Station and back in the GTS today. I tanked up last night and checked the air pressure in all the tires with one of those $50 Intercomp gauges with the 3" diameter glow-in-the-dark faces before I left. (and I wasn't even going to the track....)

Plugs are fine. Plugs AND Patches are better. You won't lose the speed rating unless there are a number of cords damaged. It also pays to check the valve cores for tighness YOURSELF before hitting the track after mounting new rubber. Sometimes the tire-busters have a bad moment. Trust me - I know from experience.

 

[Hisser]

First, I guess after what they did with removing parts and all I should have checked the car out at a dealership other than them before heading out. You guys are right. I guess I just trust too much. Dont these dealers when they take a trade in go over the car before they buy it? Second, I have talked to several people that say not to keep a tire that has been punchured and be on the safe side but you guys say its O.K.? I really dont know and if it is O.K. then why is it still leaking air? I guess like dean says to go and check the valve and maybe redo the patch but at speeds of 160 I cant imagine blowing one out over a dern nail. Third, maybe I do need to chill out on the nail deal. O.K. I have welps on my legs and back now. he he he
Well thanks for the good and not so good comments. I can take it as well as I can dish it out. I just wish they would have told me to watch the pressure in the rear tire for a few days and made me aware of it. Is that asking tooooo much?

 

[GTS Dean]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wayne Byrom:
...but at speeds of 160 I cant imagine blowing one out over a dern nail.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I drive pretty fast, but in 8 years of Viper ownership I've had mine over 160 exactly 1 time (for about 5 miles). How often do you drive 160? Or 140? Or 120? When I hit the track, I see speeds up to about 145 with regularity (like once a lap). I don't do this on street tires that have endured countless ***-hole bruises to the belts and sidewalls.

 

[Mike Adams]

Here is Michelin, Uniroyal goodriches position on tire repairs

TIRE REPAIRS
Punctures in BFGoodrich Passenger tires with a diameter not exceeding 6mm in the tread or 2mm in the sidewall can be repaired, provided that not more than one radial cable per casing ply is damaged. Sidewall damage on H, V, Z and W speed rated tires is not repairable. Do not use plug repairs. They are not always airtight and the plug may fail.

Tires in such condition must be inspected internally for possible damages that may have occurred after the puncture.

My position being a tire dealer Race tires never repair, for street use a tire can be repaired safely 3 times when done properly. Side wall repairs NEVER

 

[pauls]

Speed Rated tires with any repair are NO LONGER speed rated. Source RMA, Rubber Manufacturers Assoc. No Repairs are permitted in the sidewall of a speed rated tire. Yes you can drive them around after such a repair, but don't take a chance in any competition!!

 

[SapphireGTS]

Yeah. My friend ran 150 MPH in his camaro on 107 MPH rated tires, 1 with a plug. I wouldnt be too bent out of shape. Plugs and patches are 95 % like new

 

[pauls]

Sure the RMA is covering it's butt with the policy, but you can bet it has merit from a law suit in the past. If I was your friend, I wouldn't brag about knowingly running that fast with a plug. That's in the shallow end of the IQ pool.

 

[Hisser]

Thanks for making me not feel so anal now. When it comes to a life no tire, or nail is worth a compromised fix. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Hisser]

Baltimore, I refuse to lower myself to your standards. I see you are new to the board and probably not even a Viper owner or you would know that we try to help each other out on the board and not throw punches. You must be a teen. I am looking for advise not digs. I have no problem with what everyone is saying but I dont give any validity to remarks like yours. Try getting a rise from someone else on the board. Good day. P.S. to the guys here that have given me good information, good advise, and some not so good " thank you for taking the time to post and not dogging me for be safety conscience". Any help is appreciated.

 

[King RT10]

Wayne you are castigating an entire dealership because they gave you exactly what you bought. They did not owe you the bra or anything else. If anything you should be applauding them for throwing the Bra in after you bought the car. A tire plug is to be expected in a used car. By your posts you should always buy new.Whats next "the lighter has been used" or "they didnt tell me it gets 12 miles to the gallon" **** that dealer!

 

[GTS Dean]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wayne Byrom:
...now I just got an e-mail from a very good source about my rear tire being patched or plugged and the dealership did not even tell me.

I was at Texas World Speedway and one of the guys told me my tire was low so I checked it and they were right. It had 10 pounds in it and I just figured the previous owner never checked his tires.

I just got an e-mail from a reliable source that said I better check my right rear tire it probably has about 10 pounds in it. I sent him an email back telling him they were exactly right and how did they know?

I sent the dealership a memo asking them why they didnt warn me about it and let me drive 1200 miles back to San Antonio, Tx at night and I went to TWS all on a right rear tire with a patch or plug. I told the dealer if something would have happen to me it would have cost them dearly. Cant believe they let me drive the car knowing this

Beware of Bill Estes Dodge.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The more I read this, the more I think you have a problem with personal responsibility and accountability. How many different people told you you had a low tire? 1 at the track, 2 by e-mail? Did you only check the ones someone else told you to? Why didn't you check them <u>yourself</u> before you began this 1200 mile trek?

Quit whining Wayne.

 

[Hisser]

Baltimore, no problem. I don't like to be in major disputes with people so no hard feelings. I been told thought e-mail I should ask them for a new tire because they actually ordered one for the car and didn't tell me they had ordered it. I never called them to ask them for THAT tire.

Dean,
I didn't think to check the tire pressure thinking it only had 6k miles on it, and I didn't check the trans fluid, water level, rear end fluid, or trans fluid in case it wouldn't shift gears either. My fault there. And as far as how many people, 1 person that was at the track, the e-mails came after the posts on this board about the car. And as far as if I had anything to do with knowing the tire was loosing air and had a nail in it, there is no way my conscience would let NOT tell the new owner about it and to have it checked out. It is called CONSCIENCE. But some people have none (not meaning you or anyone on the board). Guess I could never sell anything if there was something wrong with it. I would feel it necessary to let them know everything I know about it (good or bad). Like someone says a lot on the board, Buyer be ware...

As far as hearsay, who else would tell the truth and have no reason to lie? That's like saying someone saw a ****** but it was only one person so it must be hearsay because it wasn't caught on tape. Hearsay is repeating something from a third party not first party.

 

[Dave Golder]

Gary,

Your friend is a *****! If he is out running a none speed rated tire that much over the limit he is nuts. I have a dear friend of mine who is in the hospital with a broken neck, 6 broken ribs, both arms, 1 elbow , wrist...shoulder etc... from my last open road race Sept. 23rd who lost a tire on his Porsche at about 190. These tires were brand new... rated by the manufacturer to 207 mph in writing. Pirelli P-Zero "n" tire and shaved to 5/32 ths. One other P zero failed that same race about 150 and 1 Michelin Pilot failed about 185. Luckily those guys are okay but have torn up cars. My buddy in the Porsche is fighting for his life lost a $200,000 car and the only reason he is alive is becasue of good safety equipment in the car and when he was done flipping he ended up 25 feet from the life flight helicopter.

I am not saying that the dealer was right or wrong.... but anyone is stupid to go faster than the tire is rated for period.... and not to smart to run a tire anywhere near it's limit that has been patched or plugged.

My .02 worth.

Dave

 

[King RT10]

The patch the bra. Please. Its so stupid. Who would ever complain about these things after they admit they did not check the car out. Then bad mouth the dealer after the dealer gave you a free bra that was not included in the deal in the first place.
Grandpa is that you? Don't play with the computer.

 

[Kevin ACR]

Wayne , if you haven't already You need to check all fluids, crack the wheel lugs loose and retorque with a torque wrench in 2 steps, look under the vehicle and on the engine, trans, rear axle, etc for indications of oil leakage, physical damage.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
I didn't think to check the tire pressure thinking it only had 6k miles on it, and I didn't check the trans fluid, water level, rear end fluid, or trans fluid in case it wouldn't shift gears either
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

At 6000 miles my tires would have been checked ~15 times. These are low profile , low volume tires in case you didn't know!

And...if you don't know how to check the fluids then you better get some decent support to help you right away. Don't take anything for granted.

Your comment about "water level" , If YOU run the Viper without coolant you will trash the engine and the warranty might be at issue, I would expect that DCX or any OE would consider that to be your fault. Serious cost! careful.