Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Ok, so I was driving home from work today work today when I found out Slippery road + over enthusiasm + 200 bhp front wheel drive = traction control of joy I regularly get traction control cut in when I pull away, but this was the first time that brakes had kicked in to keep me on a straight line and thank god or else I would have been in a hedge filling out insurance forms. So I drove on wondering exactly what I had done to get the car so badly out of shape and after a couple of miles started to notice that it didn’t feel quite right. So I pulled over into a garage to see in any damage had been caused. What did I find? Well it seems the traction control moment hadn’t been my mistake at all, but had been caused by a blow out. And what a hole it had left !! So I proceeded to change the tyre, something I have never done in my 12 years of motoring and seemed to have ruined my suit in the process. Now this leads me on to the point of my post, I have some questions. 1) I now need a new tyre, where is the best place? 2) When I get the new tyre do I make it my spare, or put it on the opposite side to where I had the puncture? The car has done 7500 miles? 3) I need a torch in the car, any suggestions for ones that can charge themselves from the 12V plug in the boot 4) How do you get oil out of clothes? 5) How do I get the audi wheel centre into the new wheel now it is on the car. See pic below And finally why is traction control not a legal requirement on all cars? I could have been driving my old 1.2l clio today and would have been in the hospital or worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigR Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Thats a huge blowout Have you hit anything recently that could have damaged the tyre?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Thought that was oil to start with, but a zoom shows the webbing and a hole as you mention! Do you remember hitting anything, or parking up hanging off a kerb? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 I don't park on kerbs and haven't noticed hitting anything, I wonder if it was a slight defect in the tyre wall. I did drive on it for a while after it happened which I guess opened it up. Just makes you think really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Glad you and your TFSI lived to fight another day. The rim seems to have escaped undamaged? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 cheers Ian, you showed more concern than my wife. The rim seems ok, although the smell of burning is not very nice. Any idea where I would put the replacement tyre, does it become my new spare, or do I put it on the opposite side to the punctured tyre? I know normally I would replace them in pairs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Depends how far 'through' the front tyres you have got I guess. Have to say your 200 bhp TFSI Cab without quattro would not be my cup of tea. If the fronts were only going to last until 12k, perhaps it might be best to go for a new set. This is especially true at this time of year. Tell the tyre fitter you are deliberating - you might be able to haggle some extra discount on the second new tyre! Personally, I'd put the original 'spare' alloy back in the boot as the spare. Don't forget to give it a good clean, otherwise the muck will bake to the surface. This solves the centre cap issue too. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve2 Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 how have you managed to get oil on yourself, there should be no oil around?? glad your ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 It is the rear tyres and they have only done 7.5K and have loads of tread left, so I am a not sure that I want to throw out a tyre that looks like it has over 15K left in it. That centre cap was a fecking pain in the back side. I thought I had finished and just had to throw the punctured wheel in the boot. But no I had to feck about for 10 minutes getting the cap off in the dark so the wheel would fit in the boot. Hence the torch questions. Also regards the 200bhp front wheel drive. I would have loved the quattro, but we all have budgets to live with and mine wouldn't stretch to the 3.2 and it running costs. I have been surprised how little wheel spin I get and it looks like the front tyres will be good for at least 20K miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 steve2 The oil, may not be oil, but it is a mixture of dirt from the wheels and from the tarmac at the petrol station. I knew I should have washed the car at the weekend. The wife has just attacked the shirt in question with some shout and I guess the dry cleaners can give the suit a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Surely the oil is the brake dust and general crap that builds up on wheels, inside tends to be filthy on most cars. Take the suit to the dry cleaners and tell them its wheel dust and grime. If the spare is a virgin / new one, get the new Tyre put on the other side and the spare become the current 'good' 7500 mile used tyre. Get 2 x new tyre on the road that way Not sure where you live, but check out net prices and phone local dealers knowing what the price SHOULD be. Accept a £10-£20 premium for them being local and fitting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidicks Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 [ QUOTE ] It is the rear tyres and they have only done 7.5K and have loads of tread left, so I am a not sure that I want to throw out a tyre that looks like it has over 15K left in it. That centre cap was a fecking pain in the back side. I thought I had finished and just had to throw the punctured wheel in the boot. But no I had to feck about for 10 minutes getting the cap off in the dark so the wheel would fit in the boot. Hence the torch questions. Also regards the 200bhp front wheel drive. I would have loved the quattro, but we all have budgets to live with and mine wouldn't stretch to the 3.2 and it running costs. I have been surprised how little wheel spin I get and it looks like the front tyres will be good for at least 20K miles. [/ QUOTE ] Personally, I'd have 2 new tyres on the rear - buy one plus the current spare and then use the current used rear as your spare. That way you have equal grip on the rear, particularly important at this time of year. Sidickd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Two good suggestions above re positioning the new tyres. Porsche sell a torch that charges from the cigarette lighter Probably quite pricey, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 VW themselves do a nicer one. Toerag Torch About £20 I think when I bought mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 cheers for the advice on the new wheel. Ari, how long does that torch last on a charge? I am tempted with the one Ari suggested, but the Porsche one would mean that I could go to the Porsche dealer and have a play with their cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 No idea to be honest, never run it out. (By that I mean that I've nevr used it for very long, not that it lasts so long you'll never wear it out). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hmmm... looks like a new tyre is about £180... bargin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisg Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 £180 seems like a lot , I got toyos 235/40x18 for about £120 each + vat = about £140. I was buying four , the whole bill was £550ish incl -- Montys in Iver. That's a big hole ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Needs to be a michelin pilot sport as the other 3 wheels will be. That is from Etyres, who I have used before and have been good So the only outstanding question is how do you get the centre cap back on without removing the wheels. Oh and how the feck do you get the jack back in the storage holder, just been trying for 10 mins and have given up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Also regards the 200bhp front wheel drive. I would have loved the quattro, but we all have budgets to live with and mine wouldn't stretch to the 3.2. I have been surprised how little wheel spin I get and it looks like the front tyres will be good for at least 20K miles. [/ QUOTE ] Ari, are you reading this - 20k from a set of fronts man! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblanc Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 wife got 36K from her front tyres on her 1.6 A3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 My grandpa got over 55k from the original fronts on his 1.8 Mondeo! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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