[West9]

Hi guys, I thought id share this ammusing tale with you all..

Well I was on my way home from my dealer yesterday, my freindly dealer type man gave me all my service history docs, and off I go...

On the way home, hmmm tyre pressure light comes on so I shove the hazards on and pull over to the side of th road.. ah, nail in tyre, lovley..

So I head home with nail in holds fine, then I go to work... and being on a night shift, about 4am I walked outside and thought, hm, Car looks lopsided - Flat!

So I call MES, and out a guy comes from the local recovery agents and he does the liquid gunky stuff and pumps it up.. tyres now solid so I run it round the block to get the rubber to settle, so I thought well that should do it, ill get the nail out tomorrow and get em to plug it...


All so I thought..

Checked the tyre every couple of miles home (I travel about 20 Miles a day to and from work) and just after half way... I check and drive off again.. 30 seconds later.. pop! I hear a hissing outside... blowout - less than 3 miles from home.. so I get left sat there for 40 mins while they send a flatbed out to recover me, and take my car back to Radford knights in Stafford - and a nice bill of £74 for a new tyre..



Thank god its payday...

[KillerByte]

Sorry to hear about that.

At least your breakdown company came out to you. When I was lumbered with a flat tyre between home and work last November, my breakdown company wouldn't come out to me without charge because the MINI doesn't have a spare tyre. I explained it has the 'puncture repair kit' but they weren't having any of it. They wanted to charge me £130 to recover me to either home or work (I was halfway so only 1½ miles). Obviously I declined and arranged for a guy from work to purchase a new tyre for me and come out so we could fit it.

I've changed breakdown company very recently because of this.

[spf]

KillerByte - what breakdown company were you with?

[KillerByte]

CallAssist who provide the breakdown assistance for Bell Direct customers.

Not afraid to name and shame after the experience I had with them.

[spf]

Quote: Originally Posted by KillerByte (original)

CallAssist who provide the breakdown assistance for Bell Direct customers.

Not afraid to name and shame after the experience I had with them.

thanks - thought I'd check so i don't go with them in error.

[South Shore Lad]

I thought the 'industry standard' amongst the reputable car recovery companies was something along the lines of -

"if a car was not designed to have a spare wheel fitted from new...then we will recover/repair..."

The other side to the above principle being that if your car IS designed to have a spare from day one and it's not legal/damaged/punctured, or even missing, then under those circumstances they'll definitely not sort you out for free!

Seems logical and fair to me.

And, did I read that right, will MINI assist come out to you in the first place to do the gunk/inflate thing, or do you have to at least attempt it yourself? A guy at work had a MINI back in '02 and he got a puncture. The gunk didn't work, so MINI Assist turned out and loaned him a proper spare.

I've got MINI Assist with my new R56 and also Britannia Rescue cover with my other car that will also include the MINI. I know that Brit Rescue will do the "we'll turn out if there's no factory fitted spare" thing!

And Mr forum moderator sir - any chance of this thread title being enhanced so that others know it's about punctures, giving them an opportunity to comment?

SSL

[Gristy]

Sounds like you had a bad day

Is an advert for getting runflats, as i see posts from lots of people not liking them - they have their advantages...

[Rosamalosa]

Ahh same here, I had a new run flat fitted on tuesday, on my way to work I hear the dreaded "Bing" lol and so drove straight to my MINI dealer (luckily close to work) and had to fork out £150 for a new tyre due to a nail, having the other front tyre replaced tomorrow too, I suppose it was a blessing, both would have to be replaced soon anyway, 2ml tread left!!..

[South Shore Lad]

What happens if, say, you've a damaged tyre on run flats, it's ten o'clock at night and you're four hundred miles from home? (I've done such a journey - eg Cornwall to Lancashire)

There's no way can you limp home that distance is there? (and Kwik Fit won't be open!) So how will an 'assist' team respond to that?

SSL

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by South Shore Lad (original)

What happens if, say, you've a damaged tyre on run flats, it's ten o'clock at night and you're four hundred miles from home? (I've done such a journey - eg Cornwall to Lancashire)

There's no way can you limp home that distance is there? (and Kwik Fit won't be open!) So how will an 'assist' team respond to that?

SSL

You could probably make it to a service station or relatively populated place though, rather than be stuck completely in the middle of nowhere.

[bubblegoose]

Quote: Originally Posted by South Shore Lad (original)

What happens if, say, you've a damaged tyre on run flats, it's ten o'clock at night and you're four hundred miles from home? (I've done such a journey - eg Cornwall to Lancashire)

There's no way can you limp home that distance is there? (and Kwik Fit won't be open!) So how will an 'assist' team respond to that?

SSL

MINI Assist will re-cover the vehicle to your chosen destination if that is the case

[Gristy]

Quote: Originally Posted by South Shore Lad (original)

What happens if, say, you've a damaged tyre on run flats, it's ten o'clock at night and you're four hundred miles from home? (I've done such a journey - eg Cornwall to Lancashire)

There's no way can you limp home that distance is there? (and Kwik Fit won't be open!) So how will an 'assist' team respond to that?

SSL

Drive at a sensible speed and find a cheap hotel. Its either that or be stranded possibly in an unsafe location

I am just confused why so many people don't like run flats - they have their obvious advantage

[South Shore Lad]

Thanks Gristie

but, as I was hinting at earlier, won't a decent breakdown company trailer you home?

I've also heard tales of recovery agents at least giving you free assistance as far as dropping you and car off at a repair place if one's open. Tricky in the middle of the night though!

(haven't got a 'problem' with run flats at all -just querying, like!)

SSL

Edit: PS - whoops - missed your replies bubblegoose and Fin - sorry. Many thanks!

[Gristy]

I have RAC (as well as MINI service as i had half a year left and had a year no call out discount)and i think the one i have with RAC will take you to your destination if they can't repair at the roadside or to garage if you want to

Was the recovery agent for the original post from MINI Emergency service? do they take you to your destination or dealer?

[South Shore Lad]

I want the one like the urban myth about Rolls Royce's

(an unmarked large van mysteriously turns up at a moments notice virtually anywhere in the world, day or night, and carries away the car for secret repairs - hence the reason why you NEVER see a broken down Rolls Royce!!)

SSL

[AppleBarrel]

£74 not bad - don't think you've been stiffed there.

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by South Shore Lad (original)

I want the one like the urban myth about Rolls Royce's

(an unmarked large van mysteriously turns up at a moments notice virtually anywhere in the world, day or night, and carries away the car for secret repairs - hence the reason why you NEVER see a broken down Rolls Royce!!)

SSL

I had never heard of that myth, however after reading it I cannot think of a single time where I have seen a broken down Rolls Royce

[Gristy]

I know of someone who crashed a newish Bentley through a hedge into a field.

He then heard a phone ring, it was the one that came with the car in the arm rest.

It was a lady from Bentley asking him if he was ok and needed help as they had detected his airbags go off.

Came round, picked him up and was driving a replacement Bentley in a couple of hours

[Robboc]

Quote: Originally Posted by South Shore Lad (original)

What happens if, say, you've a damaged tyre on run flats, it's ten o'clock at night and you're four hundred miles from home? (I've done such a journey - eg Cornwall to Lancashire)

There's no way can you limp home that distance is there? (and Kwik Fit won't be open!) So how will an 'assist' team respond to that?

SSL

They will take you home or to the nearest dealership. your choice i believe. BMW helped me. see my nasty thread.
http://www.mini2.com/forum/wheels-ty...-runflats.html