Flat tyre - how often?

[MikeP]

Following on from the space saver thread, I'm wondering how often people get punctures - either in the car or caravan/trailer. They don't seem to happen so often nowadays.

My last one on a towed item was on a trailer tent in 1994. The last one on a car was in 2000. We do about 20,000 miles a year between two cars, so we have had 2 punctures in 240,000 miles.

So to start the ball rolling, I am averaging 1 puncture every 6 years, or 1 every 120,000 miles. How about the rest of you? Keep it short and snappy! (unlike me)

Must go, I'm due to have another puncture soon and I need to check the spare.

 

[Lutz]

My average between punctures is about one every 9 or 10 years. In 40 years of driving, I've had a total of about 4 on cars and one on the caravan since 1990 (although I suspect that one was malicious damage by knifing while filling up at a petrol station in France).

 

[mcghee]

BMW say the average motorist suffers a puncture once every 93k mls, that's why they don't supply a spare wheel. I've had 8 or 9 in about 700k mls.

 

[LMH]

Three in one and a half years. (Tyre pressures regulary checked etc, etc). At one point I did wonder if they were caused by discared nails left by the blacksmith on our yard, but it appears not.

Lisa

 

[LMH]

Forgot to say, that's on two vehicles.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

About the same as LMH - must be unlucky.

I don't think modern low profile tyres help that much.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

LMH

"discarded nails left by the blacksmith on our yard"

Common problem that?

I should contact the local blacksmiths association and get him blackballed.

Our local thatcher keeps leaving bales of hay - but they don't give you punctures.

I did once trip on a pelt left outside our front door by the trapper but we did not sue at the time - its probably too late now - b*gg*r!

 

[BrianStAlbans]

I've had 3 in 31 years,by coincidence saw a car this morning with 2 flat tyres. The owner looked "slightly" P'ed off

 

[Steve L]

Spare wheels are always a pain to lug around but when you need one boy don't they soon become your best friend.

I've had two blow outs on my twin axle van in a 12 month period and had a puncture in the car while parked at the local waste recycling site on their main vehicle access ramp.

I don't think the 30 or so punters behind would of been too pleased if I'd had to wait for the RAC to change the wheel if I had no spare.

It made me laugh at work when the company decided to start paying for puncture repairs for employee's as they thought aluminium pressings were being dropped in the yard and going through tyres. How nieve can you get? The little scammers were taking a pressing out of the scrap bin, poking it through a rubber mat to get residue on it, then going to our HR manager and presenting a bill from their mate at the local tyre shop.

One chap had two new tyres as his punctures were in the side wall!!

Sure you can get a puncture at work, but the most popular one is the rusty screw that has been lying on the road for years that has bounced off the builders trailer, and your the ten thousenth motorist to go by.

Of coarse try telling that to the poor sods a few years ago when a lorry shed it's pallet of nails on the M6 at Brum.

Steve L.

 

[Ogre]

Two on the car (one a virtually brand new tyre which picked up half a spoon through the tread) on the M5, but never had one on the caravan in 20 years.

We scrap our caravan tyres after every third season, regardless of condition. New ones are a good safeguard for the small cost.

 

[LMH]

Hi Garry

I wouldn't want to report him as if I did, he'd probably never come back to shoe the horses!!

Lisa

 

[Lol1]

We seem to get a lot more chipped/broken windscreens, than we do punctures. I blame the road repair industry, in fact I think they are in business with the windscreen repair mob! Perhaps it's time to get the manufacturers to fit a space saving spare windscreen in the boot instead. Better still, build our roads better so that they need less maintenance.

 

[JTQ]

Two blow outs on one trip. Both caravan road wheels one at 9,000 the other at 10,000 miles. New tyrers with van 2.5 years old.

Tyre manufacture refunded all three as "substandard"

Up till then one van in 39000 miles and 25 years.

 

[MAM]

Sorry I'm too superstitious to post a reply to this thread. As soon as I mention that I've not had a puncture for 18 years - you know what will happen

Doh!

I had a spate of 5 or 6 when I was in my late teens but that's probably more to do with buying cheap remoulds. One puncture was caused by a pair of discarded nail clippers (I assume they were discarded as I didn't find any toes under the wheel arch).

 

[john_5040735]

I think my last puncture was about 6 years ago, and have not had many in my lifetime! Never had a caravan puncture - thats done it now!!

John

 

[Steve L]

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

Alright who mentioned punctures.

I had to buy two new tyres yesterday. Luckily ATS are offering BOGOF on certain tyres.

You don't think they've got the apprentice scattering nails around on the way home do you?

Steve.

 

[Angus1]

I had a Passat that copped for ELEVEN punctures in two-and-a half years and 78000 miles. All on quality tyres.

Next car, also a Passat one puncture after 127000 miles and five years, doing the same job! The puncture occurred in a five day old `Toyo` (great tyres, sports ones a bit noisy but dont half stick) which damaged the shoulder and so was unrepairable. This was replaced `under warranty` which covers their tyres! Never heard of this before, but it would have been rude to question them...

 

[MONKEY1]

Monkey (Wife) gets new car three weeks ago, two weeks in a nail in a very new Michelin, Luckily it could be repaired but I could have easily had to say good to

 

[Tina3]

I've had 3 in 31 years,by coincidence saw a car this morning with 2 flat tyres. The owner looked "slightly" P'ed off

he he he ,that could of been my friends husband on the way to london !!

 

[Tina3]

I've had 3 in 31 years,by coincidence saw a car this morning with 2 flat tyres. The owner looked "slightly" P'ed off

it was his excuse for missing parents evening !!

 

[Arrow1]

22 years and somehow never had a puncture.. well, discounting works supplied vehicle where I have had two in 20years. Now I will guarantee to have one on the car ond one on the caravan during the next trip.

 

[STEVE_5041381]

On the subject of puncures (maybe teaching you to such eggs) but I carry one of those plug in pumps you see for about a tenner. Usually the punctures are small nails etc I just plug into the cigarette lighter socket pump up drive away to somewhere safe or to the tyre fitters to get it fixed - the last one took 3 days to go down again. Just a though but I guess you guys have throught of this already. This tip is handy for women drivers who can get stuck and want a quick fix (if its a small puncture) to get them out of trouble.

 

[Su_374234140]

Had 2 punctures when I bought an old caravan once. The rubber had perished I am told.

 

[GRAHAM_374234069]

Please do not mention punctures again.

On Boxing Day, on the way to Woolacombe Bay, I had two punctures on the same side of the caravan ( twin axle), at the same time.

Not amused.