First BIG Expense....
I noticed what looked like fluff on the edge of my front tyre a couple of weeks ago after a trip to Cornwall and thought nothing more of it. Today at lunchtime it was there again so I investigated, turned out a huge thorn had gone right through the tyre, right on the edge as it curves over from the sidewall.
I took out the thorn and it started hissing at me, so I put it back but typically it broke and I couldn't seal the hole. The local KwickFit said that it couldn't be repaired as it was too close to the edge and gave me a price of £213 for the same Continental tyre as it has on at the moment...
A bit of haggling later and this dropped to £175 fitted, checked with ATS and they said that on 'normal' 4x4 cars they can send the tyre away for a major repair for £20 but the tyres that we have on the Kuga are classed as car tyres.
Checked with a local company and got a price of £152 fitted which Kwickfit have matched, they managed to find a tyre in Germany and it is on its way as I type. I dropped the wheel with them tonight so they can fit the tyre on Wednesday and place it on the car Thursday morning - nightmare!!!
The spacesaver is a nightmare as I am keeping it at 45Mph and will now not drive the car until Thursday morning back to Kwickfit (11 miles).
If I had driven straight over the thorn it wouldn't have stuck in, it must have been as the sides of the tyre squashed...
Two morals - first is even a rugged 4x4 is only as strong as the tyres, second is shop around for tyres as £213 down to £152 is quite a drop...
I got the guy to check the alloy to confirm that there are no marks, scrapes or damage and that's how I want it back - a local outlet warned me that they would scratch the rim as they placed the tyre on as it is so big..
Edited by: cornish
I noticed what looked like fluff on the edge of my front tyre a couple of weeks ago after a trip to Cornwall and thought nothing more of it. Today at lunchtime it was there again so I investigated, turned out a huge thorn had gone right through the tyre, right on the edge as it curves over from the sidewall.
I took out the thorn and it started hissing at me, so I put it back but typically it broke and I couldn't seal the hole. The local KwickFit said that it couldn't be repaired as it was too close to the edge and gave me a price of £213 for the same Continental tyre as it has on at the moment...
A bit of haggling later and this dropped to £175 fitted, checked with ATS and they said that on 'normal' 4x4 cars they can send the tyre away for a major repair for £20 but the tyres that we have on the Kuga are classed as car tyres.

Checked with a local company and got a price of £152 fitted which Kwickfit have matched, they managed to find a tyre in Germany and it is on its way as I type. I dropped the wheel with them tonight so they can fit the tyre on Wednesday and place it on the car Thursday morning - nightmare!!!
The spacesaver is a nightmare as I am keeping it at 45Mph and will now not drive the car until Thursday morning back to Kwickfit (11 miles).
If I had driven straight over the thorn it wouldn't have stuck in, it must have been as the sides of the tyre squashed...
Two morals - first is even a rugged 4x4 is only as strong as the tyres, second is shop around for tyres as £213 down to £152 is quite a drop...
I got the guy to check the alloy to confirm that there are no marks, scrapes or damage and that's how I want it back - a local outlet warned me that they would scratch the rim as they placed the tyre on as it is so big..
Edited by: cornish