Is it OK to replace 1 tyre

[notechmike]

I have had my Boxster only 4 weeks (fitted with std 18" Boxster S wheels) and already have a puncture in near side front caused by a nail. Local Porsche Centre has been able to source 1 Mitchelin and proposed fitting that to replace damaged tyre whilst leaving all other tyres OK. The fronts have about 6-7mm tread having done 10,000 miles whereas the rears are down to 3-4mm. I dont want to waste money buying tyres I dont need but will I get handling problems mixing new with part warn on the front.

I realise that these tyres are very difficult to get and Porsche may be trying to avoid having to pay towards replacing all 4 tyres if I need to go over to a complete set Bridgestones (assuming they cannot source another new Mitchelin for the front off side).

Should I insist on both tyres being replaced or just go for the one??

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: notechmike

Should I insist on both tyres being replaced or just go for the one??

1) How about having the puncture repaired?
2) How about going for I new tyre from a tyre company and not an OPC
3) Fronts have 6-7mm so fitting one new tyre is all that should be required if push comes to shove and my first suggestion bombs out []

 

[pboldmonts]

When same thing happened to me I was advised by OPC that I should not have one worn and one new tyre on same axle - but they would say that wouldn't they. That said took their advice and felt happy with the rationale.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: pboldmonts

When same thing happened to me I was advised by OPC that I should not have one worn and one new tyre on same axle - but they would say that wouldn't they. That said took their advice and felt happy with the rationale.

Why do people go to OPC's for tyres!

I have always used a couple of first class local tyre companies who can repair tyres an OPC would junk. Can supply fit & balance at half the price of an OPC and in half the time taken by an OPC to source ...

My local OPC uses a chipsaway man for there curbed alloy wheel repairs and whilst sitting in the same dealership drinking there expensive coffee I have heard the used car buyer explaining to some fresh victim why they will have to be replacing a couple of alloys at mega buck$ hence the bid just made on there PX

Replace alloys [] my ar$e they will just call there chipsaway alloy man who is charging them £35 per wheel [&o]

When it comes to wheels, tyres, or any form of smart repair the last place to go is an OPC unless you want to be financially screwed

 

[JCB..]

ORIGINAL: notechmike

I have had my Boxster only 4 weeks (fitted with std 18" Boxster S wheels) and already have a puncture in near side front caused by a nail. Local Porsche Centre has been able to source 1 Mitchelin and proposed fitting that to replace damaged tyre whilst leaving all other tyres OK. The fronts have about 6-7mm tread having done 10,000 miles whereas the rears are down to 3-4mm. I dont want to waste money buying tyres I dont need but will I get handling problems mixing new with part warn on the front.

I realise that these tyres are very difficult to get and Porsche may be trying to avoid having to pay towards replacing all 4 tyres if I need to go over to a complete set Bridgestones (assuming they cannot source another new Mitchelin for the front off side).

Should I insist on both tyres being replaced or just go for the one??

The OPC doesn't have to pay a penny as tyres aren't a warranty item - unless they punctured your tyre.

Change the pair - never one.

You can live with two different matching pairs just go steady until you get used to them if you drive anywhere near your limit.

As Robert advises:

Why use an OPC for tyres?
Get it repaired if you can - they're perfectly safe.

 

[garyw]

I've just had a pair of rears fitted at the OPC, Yes I was royally screwed over, but I had no choice..
There are currently shortages of the Bridgestone tyres, I shopped around online and by phone, yet no -one could supply.
After a few emails with Bridgestone it became apparent that they had no idea when they were expecting them either..

One OPC offered to change my car to a new brand with me paying for the 2 rears, Michelin were offered ,but I was aware that there was already a shortage of those!

In the end an OPC had a pair of rears in stock and I had little choice.. I did get a trim repair done [] and enjoyed the coffee...
In a recent quote an member found the OPC were only £15 more per tyre.. so not that far out.

If you don't know a good tyre fitting centre then perhaps people would prefer their P&J went to an OPC..

garyw

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: garyw

In a recent quote an member found the OPC were only £15 more per tyre.. so not that far out.

garyw

Recently needed 2 new front tyre for a MCS my two local top quality independants quoted me £126 incl and £129 both had tyres on the deck. BMW dealer supplied & fitted a friend with one new tyre when his car was in for service for the bargain basement price £199.99 incl which is some 58% more than I paid for identical tyres!!

Dealers are so greedy its unreal .... []

 

[channella]

I had a puncture in one of a new pair of rear tyres after just one month. I replaced only one until the marginally older tyre reach 3mm of tread then replaced both. Never noticed a thing.

If your fronts really are at 6-7mm then I'd replace only the damaged one.

 

[Dapster]

I was advised by the OPC to replace the pair if there is less than about 5 mm left in the other tyre, otherwise you are safe to replace them as singles.

I always search www.blackcircles.com and have found them very competitive. My experience with OPC East London was that they were about 80% more expensive.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Dapster

I always search www.blackcircles.com and have found them very competitive. My experience with OPC East London was that they were about 80% more expensive.

Dappula when did OPC East London reduce there prices to under 100%

 

[911sse]

Just ordered two new Pirelli P-Zero Rosso N4's for the fronts today.

£129 fitted each - didnt seem that bad.

On my third set of Pirelli's on this car (front & back) after being a devout Bridgestone S-02 user on the 911.

Cracking tyres

 

[GOOFY]

FYI : according to mechanic at reputable OPC, tyres should be replaces in pairs on rear axle especially on 4 wheel drive Porsches with Tiptronic.

"The "new" cars electronics are very sensitive to slight differences in the rotation of the wheels with tyres with depths difference >3-5mm and so the transmission/PASM tries compensating for what it percieves as varying levels of grip leading to damage" !!.

A friend once damaged the transmission of his very expensive Mercedes by driving a long distance on a space saver on the rear - something to do with limited slip diff or something.

I don't think the above apply to Boxsters but it is worth bearing in mind.

 

[channella]

ORIGINAL: GOOFY

FYI : according to mechanic at reputable OPC, tyres should be replaces in pairs on rear axle especially on 4 wheel drive Porsches with Tiptronic.

"The "new" cars electronics are very sensitive to slight differences in the rotation of the wheels with tyres with depths difference >3-5mm and so the transmission/PASM tries compensating for what it percieves as varying levels of grip leading to damage" !!.

I believe this does apply and it mentions in the handbook the tolerable difference. The person starting this thread stated his front tyres had 6-7mm of tread (which is almost the new depth) so replacing one would lead to a small difference.

As I recall, and I think this is right, the one thing to be aware of is that the difference is expressed in % terms. So the % difference will increase as the tyres wear (I wonder if this may not actually be at the same rate because of the removal of the intial layer of tread rubber on the remaining tyre of the original pair?). The difference between new and old tyre tread depth increases with time, and when the % difference reaches the tolerance then they will need replacing.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

The stability management (PSM - if fitted) thinks it's in a constant skid, so that's not going to help...

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Mark Bennett

The stability management (PSM - if fitted) thinks it's in a constant skid, so that's not going to help...

If Porsche was still run by engineers and not suits they wouldn't have this problem because Mercedes - BMW - MINI to name three I have personal experience of, with this scenario, have stability management systems that can cope and compensate for different tyre wear patterns on same axle [&o]

 

[GOOFY]

Yes... but are they as much fun to drive ? Also note this is also the case on VW Synchro 4 wheel drive cars - you need to replace all 4 tyres if the front pair are noticeably more/less than the rear in tread. Because and pretty obviously, the synchro / differential has to now cope with matching front & rear, let alone just one pair on the same axle. Now days I believe it is done by electronics which uses the ABS/ Braking unit system to restrict the rotation of the tyre with the min tread to match the other wheels. This in turn then puts stress on the differential unit which is trying to power the wheels. If you then couple this to the other 3 wheels with a 4 wheel drive unit you can see how it can really stress a transmission - especially tiptronic as no direct clutch.