How many flat tires do you get a year?

[zoobyshoe]

I had a flat last week. Today I just went and got the spare fixed, so I'll be ready for the next flat. I get about two flats a year. That seems high compared to most people I know. The reason I have so many is that most of then come from driving my pickup to the landfill where there are always plenty of sharp things burried in the gravel to puncture a tire. It has never been a sudden blow out; always a slow leak. The day after I go to the landfill, I find a tire has deflated.

How many flats do you get a year?

 

[Danger]

How many flats do you get a year?

Normally, none. My back left tire has a very slow leak (rim defect). Unfortunately, since I haven't driven in over a year, it's now flat. When I want to put it back on the road, I'll have to get my friend to bring his compressor over. I don't carry a spare, and probably couldn't change it if I did. My car has 33" Trailblazer tires that weigh about 85 lbs and cost over $400 each. I don't even know if my bottle jack would lift the thing high enough to change one, but I for sure don't have the space to carry as spare or the money to buy one.

Have you considered the puncture-resistant type?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Have you considered the puncture-resistant type?

No. I content myself by vowing each and every time I'll never go to the landfill again.

 

[Danger]

No. I content myself by vowing each and every time I'll never go to the landfill again.

And we know how good you are at keeping your vows.

Your wife doesn't read this, does she?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Your wife doesn't read this, does she?

I have a wife?? Why didn't someone e-mail me??[/size]

 

[hypatia]

Ive only had one blow out{scary} and one slow leak. I buy new tires every fall, then have them take the best of the old tires and mount it for the spare. The one time I had the blow out the spare was flat!

 

[brewnog]

My family (5 cars covering a total of about 65,000 miles a year) have on average one puncture a year.

 

[Danger]

Ive only had one blow out{scary}

Was this at legal speed, or at Hypatia speed?

and one slow leak.

Incontinence can be such a nuisance at our age...

 

[Huckleberry]

I don't get many flat tires now, but I had them all the time while living in Arizona. Driving on the washboard dirt roads (rocky roads is more like it) and across washes took a heavy toll on my little escort hatchback. I'd grind up my tires on those steep rocky slopes all the time. And the mesquite thorns and random junk that, for some reason, people seem intent on throwing out in the most pristine of places blew my tires out all the time. I would say about one or two a month. I just got them patched up for 5$, or I could get a new used tire for about 5$ from some junkyard near the Mexican border.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I buy new tires every fall...

Very sensible and cautious. I'm so remarkably unconcerned about anything to do with my truck unless it threatens to prevent it from operating at all.

 

[hypatia]

I went back to steel rims and the "Incontinence" went away.
and Hypatias speed always!

 

[zoobyshoe]

My family (5 cars covering a total of about 65,000 miles a year) have on average one puncture a year.

That is excellent, (compared to me). The Mexican guys at the shop where I get my flats fixed have taken to saying, "See you next time!"

 

[Danger]

And the mesquite thorns and random junk that, for some reason, people seem intent on throwing out in the most pristine of places blew my tires out all the time.

Not to mention all of those rattlesnake bites...

I went back to steel rims and the "Incontinence" went away.

Must make it hard to sit down.

and Hypatias speed always!

Good girl! I knew you wouldn't let me down.

 

[brewnog]

That is excellent, (compared to me). The Mexican guys at the shop where I get my flats fixed have taken to saying, "See you next time!"

Yeah, I guess all our roads are tarmac, and we have diddy cars. The longest single journeys we do are almost always under 400 miles too, which has to be peanuts compared to you Americans right?

 

[Danger]

we have diddy cars.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I would say about one or two a month.

OK, folks, I think we have found the flat tire king.

 

[brewnog]

Small cars. We may have 5 (family of 4) but the biggest is still small.

 

[brewnog]

I would say about one or two a month.

Holy crap!

I wouldn't be happy with one a month, at £60 a pop...

 

[zoobyshoe]

The longest single journeys we do are almost always under 400 miles too, which has to be peanuts compared to you Americans right?

We can drive for two weeks straight in the same direction without stopping if we want to, I suppose, but there's a point where people say, "Screw that," and take a plane. In general, the quality of the local roads makes more difference than the mileage to how many flats you get. Huckleberry's story underscores that.

 

[brewnog]

We can drive for two weeks straight in the same direction without stopping if we want to, I suppose, but there's a point where people say, "Screw that," and take a plane. In general, the quality of the local roads makes more difference than the mileage to how many flats you get. Huckleberry's story underscores that.

Yeah, I was just going on the idea that if you were driving really long distances, you'd be doing them on big fast roads where you're more likely to run over some truck debris, or a hedgehog or something. But I guess if you're in the sticks with no paved roads for miles then it's understandable.


Here's a question. It's a bit of a dream of mine. Bear in mind I haven't researched this yet, and know little of US car laws or owt.

If I flew to the east coast somewhere, and bought/rented/stole a car, how long would it take me to drive to the west coast? I really want to do a trans-America road trip, on my own. I'd just take a tent, a camera, some gaffer tape and zip ties. I probably wouldn't go as the crow flies, and I'd want to stop and have a look around, but how long would I want to allow myself?

 

[Adrian Baker]

I had a flat tyre today! Came out from work and there it was - flat as a pancake. A 3-4mm diameter piece of iron was sticking out of the sidewall. It rarely happens though.

However, I used to be a motorcycle courier in London and as we spent all day riding up the sides of traffic queues and in the gutter, you could pick up a flat tyre every 2 weeks or so. My worst case was 3 flats in 4 days, but that was exceptional!

 

[Danger]

We can drive for two weeks straight in the same direction without stopping if we want to

That was something that the ex-from-hell had to explain to me about your conditions over there. She was telling me about going to visit someone and it was a 7-hour drive. I looked at the map, and asked her what the hell she was talking about because I could make it in an hour. (It was about 130 miles. My Roadrunner topped out at 160mph, but cruised quite comfortably at 140.) Once she pointed out what English roads are like, I backed off real quick.

 

[zoobyshoe]

If I flew to the east coast somewhere, and bought/rented/stole a car, how long would it take me to drive to the west coast? I really want to do a trans-America road trip, on my own. I'd just take a tent, a camera, some gaffer tape and zip ties. I probably wouldn't go as the crow flies, and I'd want to stop and have a look around, but how long would I want to allow myself?

Two weeks absolute minimum.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I had a flat tyre today! Came out from work and there it was - flat as a pancake. A 3-4mm diameter piece of iron was sticking out of the sidewall. It rarely happens though.

It's so much better when you come out and find them deflated, than when they go quickly while driving. I can live with a slow deflation.

However, I used to be a motorcycle courier in London and as we spent all day riding up the sides of traffic queues and in the gutter, you could pick up a flat tyre every 2 weeks or so. My worst case was 3 flats in 4 days, but that was exceptional!

The king is dead (Huck). Long live the king (Adrian)!

 

[zoobyshoe]

That was something that the ex-from-hell had to explain to me about your conditions over there.

Our conditions over where? I thought you and I were on the same continent.

 

[brewnog]

Our conditions over where? I thought you and I were on the same continent.

He means over here, not over there.

Though the ex-from-hell probably meant Wales. You can't travel at more than 60mph in Wales without hitting a sheep, and at those speeds you have to stop to make sure they're dead, and you usually have to finish them off...

 

[Danger]

He means over here, not over there.

Correct. Sorry, Zoob; I was addressing that to Nogger.

Though the ex-from-hell probably meant Wales. You can't travel at more than 60mph in Wales without hitting a sheep, and at those speeds you have to stop to make sure they're dead, and you usually have to finish them off...

Actually, she was talking about England. It wasn't the sheep aspect, so much as twisty, narrow little roads with towns every 5 km and heavy traffic. Although she considers herself Welsh, she was relocated to England when she was 10 or so. All of her family lives there.

 

[Huckleberry]

Yeah, I was just going on the idea that if you were driving really long distances, you'd be doing them on big fast roads where you're more likely to run over some truck debris, or a hedgehog or something. But I guess if you're in the sticks with no paved roads for miles then it's understandable.


Here's a question. It's a bit of a dream of mine. Bear in mind I haven't researched this yet, and know little of US car laws or owt.

If I flew to the east coast somewhere, and bought/rented/stole a car, how long would it take me to drive to the west coast? I really want to do a trans-America road trip, on my own. I'd just take a tent, a camera, some gaffer tape and zip ties. I probably wouldn't go as the crow flies, and I'd want to stop and have a look around, but how long would I want to allow myself?

Oh I love these questions! I've driven across the U.S. several times. The best time you can make without speeding is about 48 hours. No sleep, no stopping for anything but gas and the restroom. I don't recommend it though. I almost went right under a truck when I fell asleep at the wheel on some boring road in Arkansas. Take your time and enjoy. Bring some friends. Take two weeks just stopping at places and enjoying yourself. Then when you reach San Diego, sit on the beach and drink your drink. Smoke your smoke and toast one to Huckleberry, because I'll be jealous if I don't get that much.

Good luck!

 

[Huckleberry]

Holy crap!

I wouldn't be happy with one a month, at £60 a pop...

I just got my leaks fixed for 5$. When the tires started getting shredded I would get second rate used tires for about the same price. No way I was paying top dollar for a tire that I would chew up in a month or two. Those roads really require a four wheel, off-road vehicle. My little 2 seater hatchback manual wasn't up for the job. I tore the whole thing to pieces on the road, not just the tires. I actually broke the lock to the hatchback. I bottomed out and put a leak in my power steering. After I ran over a truck tire on the highway I had terrible oil leaks. The car never was the same after that.

 

[Danger]

My little 2 seater hatchback... The car never was the same after that.

But really, could you call that a car in the first place?

 

[brewnog]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet? Can I drive on a UK license in the US? Can I afford the insurance? Would I be better renting something? Would I have to take it back again afterwards? Are there laws about where I camp? What happens if I get done speeding?

I just want to drive for days in a country where I can actually afford petrol. It's really pissing me off here now.

 

[Moonbear]

I managed to drive for a good number of years without only one prior flat (a set of tires that should have been replaced a tad sooner than I got around to doing it), then last year, my car seemed to turn into a nail magnet! I had about 4 flats (slow leaks because the nail was still in the hole keeping it reasonably well plugged...I fortunately have a portable air compressor so could just reinflate to get around the corner to the tire shop) in about a month's time. It seemed I was picking up a new nail every week. Best I can figure, it was from the neighbor who was having a new roof installed and probably lots of nails from the old roof landed in the street. I got 3 in one tire and 1 in another tire. I wasn't fond of those tires to begin with (they were the factory-installed tires, and I didn't like their lack of traction on wet roads, so was considering changing them anyway), so when I got the 3rd puncture in the same tire, I just had them replace the whole set with ones that came with a road-hazard guarantee (they replace them no matter what I do to them under a certain number of miles of wear). I was just getting nervous about having too many patches in a tire, especially since a few times a year I drive pretty long distances alone and didn't want a blow-out. Haven't had any flats since then (of course ).

 

[zoobyshoe]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet?

This is completely a matter of luck. I've known people who've made it cross country in a $400.00 clunker with no major problems. I suppose it boils down to how good you are at assessing used cars.

Can I drive on a UK license in the US?

Dunno

Can I afford the insurance?

Probably not a problem.

Would I be better renting something?

I think in general, the longer you rent a car for, the cheaper it is. It's something to look into, for sure.

Would I have to take it back again afterwards?

No, you drop it off where you end up.

Are there laws about where I camp?

Yes. The country is peppered with legal campgrounds, though. The location of these is marked on every US map I've ever seen. It costs a little bit, but you get access to showers and proper bathrooms.

What happens if I get done speeding?

You'll be pulled over and given a ticket. The fine depends on the laws of the particular state in which you're caught, and how much in excess of the limit you were going.

I just want to drive for days in a country where I can actually afford petrol. It's really pissing me off here now.

You had better do this soon, then. The price per gallon is accelerating upward here.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Best I can figure, it was from the neighbor who was having a new roof installed and probably lots of nails from the old roof landed in the street.

Roofing work, and construction in general, are flat tire generating systems, yes.

 

[Huckleberry]

Help getting your license
http://www.firstgov.gov/Topics/Foreign_Visitors_Driving.shtml
renting a car. prepare for at least $1000
http://www.orbitz.com/App/ViewAdvCarOrbot?z=hhae&r=x

 

[Huckleberry]

But really, could you call that a car in the first place?

Are you kidding! I loved that car. I drove it through over 40 states. I put about 80k miles on it. When I was finished with it it had just over 200k miles on it. I can still feel myself driving it. I don't know what to do with my other hand now that I'm driving an automatic.

 

[Moonbear]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet? Can I drive on a UK license in the US? Can I afford the insurance? Would I be better renting something? Would I have to take it back again afterwards? Are there laws about where I camp? What happens if I get done speeding?

I just want to drive for days in a country where I can actually afford petrol. It's really pissing me off here now.

Car rental rates can vary, but you can rent something by the week (no poking around under bonnets required, though you'll lose time if you have to stop to wait for them to exchange your car if you break down in the middle of nowhere). It's a bit more expensive to rent one-way, but there's no problem doing so. There's a daily fee for insurance through the rental companies. It's a bit of a rip-off, but if you don't have any other insurance, it's better to have it.

You won't be able to just buy something for a short trip because you'd need to establish residency to get it registered and legal to drive, so a rental is your only option.

I don't think your UK license will work, you'll need to get an international driver's license (and drive carefully through little two-bit towns in the middle of nowhere, because those cops are likely to think you got it out of a cereal box even if it is a legit license to drive on). Just remember, we drive in the RIGHT side of the road here! If you get caught speeding, you'll get a ticket. If you don't pay it, the next time you try to visit the US, they'll collect at the border or ship you back home as a deportee (no kidding, I have a friend it happened to over a $5 parking ticket for a university parking lot he got on the day he was moving out and had already turned in his parking pass; he had to pay the ticket plus extra fines before they would let him in again).

Though, if you want to be able to afford the gas, you better do it soon!

Camping isn't something I'm too knowledgeable about when traveling. I usually sleep in the car at rest areas if I can't find a motel of some sort when on long road trips. You can't just pitch a tent anywhere though, so you may have to plot your trip to include parks and campgrounds if you want to camp along the way. Someone else will have to answer that one.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't know what to do with my other hand now that I'm driving an automatic.

I'm sure you'll think of something.

 

[Evo]

Hypatia, how many miles a year do you drive? I get the tires replaced as soon as I see the inside wall showing through. About once every 5 years.

I just had the brakes done and three new tires and it cost me $1,182.00. (I actually got a flat a few months ago and had to buy a single tire. They're $150 each, plus allignment, etc... it adds up.

 

[Danger]

So how much would it cost me to buy something which would get me from east to west, perhaps needing the occasional poke under the bonnet? Can I drive on a UK license in the US? Can I afford the insurance?

Here, you can get a pretty decent beater for $300. To maximize economy, get one with a 4 cylinder engine (I can't believe that I said that, because I don't consider that to be a real car). Be prepared to take the mountains in lower gears, though. If you have something akin to the Canadian Motor Association, get your insurance through that. They cover not only car-related stuff, but also passports, maps, and any appropriate health insurance (and you don't want to be in the States without that).

Also, if you really do this, PM me ahead of time. I'll send you my address. You can't be over here and not spend some time in Canada.

 

[Huckleberry]

I'm sure you'll think of something.

Yeah, I usually end up smoking, or eating, or combing my luxurious hair.

brewnog, getting an international license isn't hard. The international license only means that you have a valid driver's license in your home country and are allowed to drive in the U.S. as long as the international license is valid.

http://info.insure.com/auto/foreignlicense.html
Might not need this link at all. The place that rents the car will probably offer you insurance. This might help you compare prices.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I just had the brakes done and three new tires and it cost me $1,182.00.

Boy, this doesn't sound right. What did they do to your brakes, exactly?

(I actually got a flat a few months ago and had to buy a single tire. They're $150 each, plus allignment, etc... it adds up.

This also sounds like an awful lot to me. Every car is different, though.

 

[Huckleberry]

That might be right if they had to replace the pads and the surface. What are those things called, rotors? Good SUV tires might cost $150 a piece. I'm sure the inspection and labor and parts and that sum sounds about right. Still a rip off, but a pretty average rip off.

 

[Danger]

I don't know what to do with my other hand now that I'm driving an automatic.

I'm sure you'll think of something. If worst comes to worst, take a laptop with you and pull up Evo's pictures.
In Canada, you can drive with any nation's driver's license. An international one is better, though, because it implies extended experience.

 

[Evo]

Boy, this doesn't sound right. What did they do to your brakes, exactly?

Apparently replaced them with gold bars.

Like the first time I took my new BMW in for a minor tune up - $500, of course they explained to me that the spark plugs were platinum tipped.

This also sounds like an awful lot to me. Every car is different, though.

I shopped around, they're special tires. Only one place in town keeps them in stock. Both places I went to to get tires had to go to this place to get them.

 

[Huckleberry]

I'm sure you'll think of something. If worst comes to worst, take a laptop with you and pull up Evo's pictures.

I've got the whole family as screensavers.

 

[Evo]

That might be right if they had to replace the pads and the surface.

Yeah, they had to replace everything, around 77,000 miles on them.

I'm sure the inspection and labor and parts and that sum sounds about right. Still a rip off, but a pretty average rip off.

I could have had the work done cheaper at a small mechanic's shop, but I don't know any that I can trust, so I took it to the car dealer with the service manager that seems to be on a heavy dose of some sort of drug that makes him the happiest, friendliest guy on earth.

 

[zoobyshoe]

That might be right if they had to replace the pads and the surface. What are those things called, rotors? Good SUV tires might cost $150 a piece. I'm sure the inspection and labor and parts and that sum sounds about right. Still a rip off, but a pretty average rip off.

On my truck you could completely replace everything replacable about the brakes with brand new parts for quite a bit less than that. Last time I got new tires was about 8 years ago for a Honda sedan. I got the best ones they had in a deal that included future tire rotations for something like $350.00. No spare, though, just the four on the wheels.
I don't know what Evo drives, but 150.00 for one tire...?

 

[zoobyshoe]

I could have had the work done cheaper at a small mechanic's shop, but I don't know any that I can trust, so I took it to the car dealer with the service manager that seems to be on a heavy dose of some sort of drug that makes him the happiest, friendliest guy on earth.

Dealerships charge the most, yep. Those happy drugs are expensive.

 

[BobG]

Normally, the only time I've had trouble with flats is when the tire is about ready to be replaced anyway.

I did have my right front tire blowout on I-80 south of Chicago at over 80 mph (I normally don't drive that fast - in the city it's safer to get into the left lane and go with the flow of traffic). The shreds from the blown tire also blew out the inside of my fender well. The steel belted radials have an inner tire, so you can still control the car if you don't panic.

The most frustrating thing is being stuck in the left lane wanting to get over to the right shoulder, but the yokel in the lane next to you has slown down to match your speed and is trying to point out to you that you have a flat tire. You get an exasperated look on your face and try to wave him out of your way and he just gets more insistent, as if saying, "No, no, you don't understand - yyyooooooouuuuurrrr ttttiiiiiiiiiirrrrrre iiiiiiiiiiiissss fffffllllllllaaaattttttt."