timshuwy

hayde_bre

$15? My guy charges me $20 for a patch. Unless it was a $3 plug and they charged you $15 for it because it's audi.
It's funny how the plugs went from $3 on my old Jeep to $7 on my BMW, but never had to pay $15.

I had a big bolt, yet a lag bolt, stuck on my Q7's tire recently, the guy said it can't be plugged, and he had to remove the tire and patch it for $20. I hate getting tires patched, the way they remove the tire from rim, the whole process, it's like getting a tooth pulled.

superswiss

A proper tire repair involves taking the tire off the wheel to inspect the damage on the inside of the tire. The inside damage could be much bigger than the outside damage and the tire could be unsafe to drive. Never just get a tire plug. Proper repair includes inspection of the inside damage, plug and patch to properly seal everything and prevent moisture from entering and corroding the belts. It's like a bullet wound. The exit wound is often much more drastic than the entrance wound.

hayde_bre

I agree, that's why when the guy realized it was a bolt and not a nail, he had to remove the tire from the rim and do a patch from inside, which took him a long time to complete. It wasn't an easy & quick job.
What I'm saying is tire shops tend to charge based on what kind of car you are driving for the same job.
Plus, technically run flats are not supposed to be "patchable" or fixable. I don't know why they suggest replacing the tire instead of plugging it.

BigKutta

The integrity of the tire is compromised and could impact the ability to run-flat, the next time around. However, if the sidewall is not damaged, then I say go for the repair, and you'll be fine even the next time

TheAudiConnect

run flats should not be repaired.

BigKutta

Yes, so say all the tire manufacturers. And I understand why as there are several factors at play. 1) Where was the puncture (middle of tire or side wall)? How long did the driver drive on the deflated tire (compromising the side wall)? However, if you get a nail in the center of the tire and quickly drive a mile or two to the gas station (or better yet, have someone come to you) and patch the tire, why not fix it? Perhaps the tire wont be able to run flat next time, maybe it will.
The tire manufacturers cant deal with the various scenarios so just say cant repair to rid themselves of liability

gsobol

* hey that last sentence wasn't there when I wrote this :-)
Actually the reason why most tire places shy away from repairing run-flats, is ... wait for it ... liability. Where you can't expect mobility from a regular tire when fully deflated, and frankly you won't get any, repair is less of a liability. On run-flats, customers have expectation that mobility has not been compromised by repair, however if the tire gets shredded when fully deflated, was it a tire fault or repairs fault. You could argue that the repair has weakened the tire and caused it to prematurely fail, not allowing the vehicle to travel to safety as per design. I know, claims like that assume too many variables, but that doesn't stop people from making them. Hence, most reputable tire shops will simply tell you: "your run-flat has been compromised, we won't be able to repair it, you need a new tire". I would have nothing against a repair, as long as it's not on or near the sidewall, I think it would be fine, but I don't have to worry about legal issues.

JT4

There are tire shops that are certified to repair runflats..

I had a 2011 Vette GS years back with the Goodyear EMT tires and the rear, very sticky "steam roller" tires would pickup everything.. Picked up a nail right in the middle of the right rear tire and went to a local Goodyear tire shop who Goodyear recommended that was a certified EMT repair center.

I was told by the owner that runflats, as with any tire can be repaired depending on the damage and as long the puncture is not too close to the sidewall..

He also said that while they can be plugged the correct way to repair a runflat is with a patch. But if I was planning to "track" the vehicle the tire should be replaced. I told him that if I planned to track it, I wouldn't running it with runflats..