Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

laurasdada

GG, drunk drivers kill people (seemingly rarely themselves). If this was a one-off, hopefully it will be a hard lesson learned. But, if this is a repeat offender, you've likely saved lives. And, let's hope he's never behind the wheel again.

graphicguy

kyfdx said:

Passed out in the middle of the road? Not his first time. That’s top-level drinking/driving. I’d be surprised if he even had a valid license.

stickguy said:

And you would have felt worse if you didn’t call, and he woke up and drove off, running over a kid.

Both true! Thanks for bringing me back to reality!

28firefighter

A drunk driver literally drove into my house when I was 16 - drove right into it at 45 mph. No sympathy here.

graphicguy

laurasdada said:

GG, drunk drivers kill people (seemingly rarely themselves). If this was a one-off, hopefully it will be a hard lesson learned. But, if this is a repeat offender, you've likely saved lives. And, let's hope he's never behind the wheel again.

Interesting point. Thinking back, it's never the drunk driver who dies. It always seems it's whomever is their victim.

andres3

Left lane campers are funny. On FB there was a 100K comment post debate war on the left lane camper turning into a reckless brake checker and causing the tailgater behind them to crash (single vehicle crash in this one instance; but it often isn't).

Left lane campers will make excuses for the guy in the passing lane, even saying things like "they were passing cars on the on-ramp not yet merged" and other illogical oddball statements. The video showed zero passes during about a 24 second duration. Pretty soon campers will say they were passing oncoming traffic on the other side or some car you couldn't see in China on the other side of the World.

driver100

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

oldfarmer50

kyfdx said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

qbrozen said:

graphicguy said:

I thought the Hybrid JEEPS would be a big seller, but apparently not?

As far as I know, they are. Well, the wranglers were. Almost all pre-orders for the first 2 years. I'm not sure about the JGCs since I didn't pay attention.

OK....that makes sense. Was looking at the local Jeep store and they showed 106 GC in stock. I had misread and thought it was Wranglers.

Again, not paying all the close attention and just going from YT vids about rising stocks of Ram/Jeep models, I THOUGHT it was mentioned that Stelantis is offering huge rebates on those brands. Yes? No?

Ram trucks have had decent lease incentives on them for a while for the lower trim levels.

The only Jeeps with incentives are the 4xe models - generally $7500 pass through and an incentive on top of that.

Hmmmmm…interesting. What’s the incentives on top of the $7,500? I must be way out of touch these days. What do you mean by “pass through”?

The tax credit goes to the leasing bank. They pass through the tax credit in the form of a taxable rebate.

Additional incentives vary by trim and location.

So they convert a tax credit into a taxable rebate? That pass-through sounds like a screw-over.

Michaell

oldfarmer50 said:

kyfdx said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

qbrozen said:

graphicguy said:

I thought the Hybrid JEEPS would be a big seller, but apparently not?

As far as I know, they are. Well, the wranglers were. Almost all pre-orders for the first 2 years. I'm not sure about the JGCs since I didn't pay attention.

OK....that makes sense. Was looking at the local Jeep store and they showed 106 GC in stock. I had misread and thought it was Wranglers.

Again, not paying all the close attention and just going from YT vids about rising stocks of Ram/Jeep models, I THOUGHT it was mentioned that Stelantis is offering huge rebates on those brands. Yes? No?

Ram trucks have had decent lease incentives on them for a while for the lower trim levels.

The only Jeeps with incentives are the 4xe models - generally $7500 pass through and an incentive on top of that.

Hmmmmm…interesting. What’s the incentives on top of the $7,500? I must be way out of touch these days. What do you mean by “pass through”?

The tax credit goes to the leasing bank. They pass through the tax credit in the form of a taxable rebate.

Additional incentives vary by trim and location.

So they convert a tax credit into a taxable rebate? That pass-through sounds like a screw-over.

How so? Anybody who leases the car will qualify for the incentive, whereas not everyone will qualify for the full $7500 tax credit, as it depends on income and tax obligations.

Yes, it's taxable, so in a state like Washington that has a 10% sales tax, you lose $750 off the top, but still...

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

kyfdx said:

No way I would want to put that guy in my car.. I would have probably called the police immediately.

I thought about that afterwards. There’s all sorts of things that could have gone wrong. What if he would have started “stuff” in my car while I was taking him home? As they say, the path that leads to hell is paved with good intentions.
I even sort of felt guilty for calling the cops on him. All I’ve ever heard is that DUI/OVI cost bunches of money to defend, insurance rates go through the roof, and while I”m not certain of the punishments, I’ll assume he will have to do some sort of incarceration.

On the other hand, he was in no way capable of driving based on what I saw.

You might have saved his life or the life of somebody else. Defending DUI ain’t fun but neither is defending negligent homicide.

jmonroe1

@graphicguy said:
I thought about that afterwards. There’s all sorts of things that could have gone wrong. What if he would have started “stuff” in my car while I was taking him home? As they say, the path that leads to hell is paved with good intentions.
I even sort of felt guilty for calling the cops on him. All I’ve ever heard is that DUI/OVI cost bunches of money to defend, insurance rates go through the roof, and while I”m not certain of the punishments, I’ll assume he will have to do some sort of incarceration.

On the other hand, he was in no way capable of driving based on what I saw.

————————————————
You did the right thing. Getting drunks like him off the road is what has to be done if you have the opportunity.

jmonroe

roadburner

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Michaell

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

graphicguy

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

kyfdx said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

qbrozen said:

graphicguy said:

I thought the Hybrid JEEPS would be a big seller, but apparently not?

As far as I know, they are. Well, the wranglers were. Almost all pre-orders for the first 2 years. I'm not sure about the JGCs since I didn't pay attention.

OK....that makes sense. Was looking at the local Jeep store and they showed 106 GC in stock. I had misread and thought it was Wranglers.

Again, not paying all the close attention and just going from YT vids about rising stocks of Ram/Jeep models, I THOUGHT it was mentioned that Stelantis is offering huge rebates on those brands. Yes? No?

Ram trucks have had decent lease incentives on them for a while for the lower trim levels.

The only Jeeps with incentives are the 4xe models - generally $7500 pass through and an incentive on top of that.

Hmmmmm…interesting. What’s the incentives on top of the $7,500? I must be way out of touch these days. What do you mean by “pass through”?

The tax credit goes to the leasing bank. They pass through the tax credit in the form of a taxable rebate.

Additional incentives vary by trim and location.

So they convert a tax credit into a taxable rebate? That pass-through sounds like a screw-over.

How so? Anybody who leases the car will qualify for the incentive, whereas not everyone will qualify for the full $7500 tax credit, as it depends on income and tax obligations.

Yes, it's taxable, so in a state like Washington that has a 10% sales tax, you lose $750 off the top, but still...

It's enough to make me look at leasing a Jeep 4Xe. Looking around at inventories around here, there does seem to be a glut of inventory of both Ram and Jeep vehicles.

Not sure what I'd do with a Jeep. Then again, this is an Edmunds poster we're talking about here.

I am shocked at how much prices have risen over the last 12 mos on Jeeps, however. I used to think their appeal was their 4X4 capabilities in a rugged and value filled platform. Seems like that last attribute has gone away.....in a big way.

So, given the incentive, what does a 4Xe lease for? Say it has an MSRP of $50K?

Wait...I just noticed you can't even find a Jeep 4Xe for anything less than $55K. No wonder they can't sell them.

kyfdx

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

kyfdx said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

qbrozen said:

graphicguy said:

I thought the Hybrid JEEPS would be a big seller, but apparently not?

As far as I know, they are. Well, the wranglers were. Almost all pre-orders for the first 2 years. I'm not sure about the JGCs since I didn't pay attention.

OK....that makes sense. Was looking at the local Jeep store and they showed 106 GC in stock. I had misread and thought it was Wranglers.

Again, not paying all the close attention and just going from YT vids about rising stocks of Ram/Jeep models, I THOUGHT it was mentioned that Stelantis is offering huge rebates on those brands. Yes? No?

Ram trucks have had decent lease incentives on them for a while for the lower trim levels.

The only Jeeps with incentives are the 4xe models - generally $7500 pass through and an incentive on top of that.

Hmmmmm…interesting. What’s the incentives on top of the $7,500? I must be way out of touch these days. What do you mean by “pass through”?

The tax credit goes to the leasing bank. They pass through the tax credit in the form of a taxable rebate.

Additional incentives vary by trim and location.

So they convert a tax credit into a taxable rebate? That pass-through sounds like a screw-over.

How so? Anybody who leases the car will qualify for the incentive, whereas not everyone will qualify for the full $7500 tax credit, as it depends on income and tax obligations.

Yes, it's taxable, so in a state like Washington that has a 10% sales tax, you lose $750 off the top, but still...

It's enough to make me look at leasing a Jeep 4Xe. Looking around at inventories around here, there does seem to be a glut of inventory of both Ram and Jeep vehicles.

Not sure what I'd do with a Jeep. Then again, this is an Edmunds poster we're talking about here.

I am shocked at how much prices have risen over the last 12 mos on Jeeps, however. I used to think their appeal was their 4X4 capabilities in a rugged and value filled platform. Seems like that last attribute has gone away.....in a big way.

So, given the incentive, what does a 4Xe lease for? Say it has an MSRP of $50K?

Wait...I just noticed you can't even find a Jeep 4Xe for anything less than $55K. No wonder they can't sell them.

Most of them are $60K+. Even a decent deal is going to be $700/mo

Michaell

@graphicguy - are you talking about the Wrangler or Grand Cherokee? Either way, you need to take one or more test drives to make sure you can live with the poor build quality and thrashy (to some) engine. I know someone who leased a Grand Cherokee 4xe and discovered that not all the suspension bolts were tightened correctly, leading to some poor ride quality and significant noise.

driver100

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

RFT's can be patched, if the hole is on the bottom of the tread...it can't be on the sidewall.
I called about 6 places, all were too busy. It's a Friday morning (before a weekend) and Monday is a Civic Holiday. The other problem is the tire dealers aren't morons....they'd rather sell $1500 worth of tires than put on a $50 patch.
That is the problem with cheap repairs.....there is no money in it. I am sure my MB dealer would love me to get it fixed somewhere else, it probably costs them more to fix the patch than what they make on it....especially compared to what they can charge for other things. So they do it....between other jobs.

stickguy

A reason to get a DIY kit and DIY. Cut “the guy” out of the equation.

Michaell

oldfarmer50 said:

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

We've had the run flats on our daughter's MINI repaired once or twice. But, because of the suspension settings, they tend to wear out pretty quickly - the OEMs lasted 26,000 miles, and the first set of replacements lasted only 22,000 miles. Current tires have 12,000 miles on them, so maybe we'll get another year or two out of them.

driver100

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

We've had the run flats on our daughter's MINI repaired once or twice. But, because of the suspension settings, they tend to wear out pretty quickly - the OEMs lasted 26,000 miles, and the first set of replacements lasted only 22,000 miles. Current tires have 12,000 miles on them, so maybe we'll get another year or two out of them.

RFTs don't last as long as regular tires. My first Goodyears went at about 22000 miles....these are Michelins replacements that cost a bit less than Goodyears would have cost....and I'd say the tread looks OK and I have added 22000 more miles onto them, and I should get another 6000 to 8000 miles on them possibly. I couldn't ask because it was just a young kid who tried to fill them with air.......oh yeh, the air and diagnosis were free!

ab348

stickguy said:

A reason to get a DIY kit and DIY. Cut “the guy” out of the equation.

You talking about patching the tire puncture? Not exactly a DIY job.

stickguy

Not expecting him to dismount the tire. The dealer most likely didn’t.

https://www.amazon.com/BETOOLL-Repair-Motorcycle-Tractor-Puncture/dp/B07MR5FX8M/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=tire+plug+kit&qid=1691183858&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

kyfdx

ab348 said:

stickguy said:

A reason to get a DIY kit and DIY. Cut “the guy” out of the equation.

You talking about patching the tire puncture? Not exactly a DIY job.

You'd be surprised how easy it is, with a kit. My friend did it for me.... lol

stickguy

I have seen it done. 5 minute job with the gizmo.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

RFT's can be patched, if the hole is on the bottom of the tread...it can't be on the sidewall.
I called about 6 places, all were too busy. It's a Friday morning (before a weekend) and Monday is a Civic Holiday. The other problem is the tire dealers aren't morons....they'd rather sell $1500 worth of tires than put on a $50 patch.
That is the problem with cheap repairs.....there is no money in it. I am sure my MB dealer would love me to get it fixed somewhere else, it probably costs them more to fix the patch than what they make on it....especially compared to what they can charge for other things. So they do it....between other jobs.

You should have a go to guy for stuff like that. My guy will patch tires while I wait. I return the favor by giving him much of my other business.

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

————————————————
Being the largest doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best/fastest for customer satisfaction, as you found out. The last place I want to go for service is a place that’s busier than a one armed paper hanger.

jmonroe

ab348

How do you install a patch on the inside of a tire without dismounting it?

I used to see plugs installed from the outside in the tread but my understanding is that tire shops don’t or won’t do that now.

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

RFT's can be patched, if the hole is on the bottom of the tread...it can't be on the sidewall.
I called about 6 places, all were too busy. It's a Friday morning (before a weekend) and Monday is a Civic Holiday. The other problem is the tire dealers aren't morons....they'd rather sell $1500 worth of tires than put on a $50 patch.
That is the problem with cheap repairs.....there is no money in it. I am sure my MB dealer would love me to get it fixed somewhere else, it probably costs them more to fix the patch than what they make on it....especially compared to what they can charge for other things. So they do it....between other jobs.

You should have a go to guy for stuff like that. My guy will patch tires while I wait. I return the favor by giving him much of my other business.

when my daughter still lived in Wilmington, she informed me one day that the light had been on (low tire). She just kept forgetting to mention it. Since we were going to see her the next morning I brought some tools (well, my portable tire pump). Took a look, and found a screw in the tread. definitely in fixable territory. So, I started calling chain places (this was maybe 10:00 Saturday AM). Got a couple "Wednesday maybe" offers. One "well, drop it off, maybe we get to it". Neither of which would work since we were not staying.

found one listing for a place that seemed to be in a slightly sketchy neighborhood, but I called, and best as I could tell (not speaking spanish) he said to come by. Only about 5-10 minutes so I pumped it up, and princess drives us over. Found it fine, but I had to make her stop. Was a storefront shop with a single garage door, and a pile of tires in the side lot. They did have a used tire sign! A few cars at the curb or up on the sidewalk. She refused to get out so I did. Explained the situation (some hand gestures), eventually the boss comes over and I show him the nail. 2 minutes later he motions for her to pull up on the sidewalk with the nose in the doorway, next thing we know, a jack is under the car and we are going up in the air.

pulls the tire off, takes it inside to repair, puts it in soapy water tub to verify, back on the car, $10 cash and out of there in 15 minutes, tops. It was a wonderful experience.

roadburner

stickguy said:

I have seen it done. 5 minute job with the gizmo.

I did that with a tire on my M6 at Memphis Motorsport Park. I let me continue with my track day.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

Did you say these were run flat tires? I didn’t think you could repair punctures in those or am I wrong?

If they are as repairable as other types of tires why not just take them to any corner gas station.

RFT's can be patched, if the hole is on the bottom of the tread...it can't be on the sidewall.
I called about 6 places, all were too busy. It's a Friday morning (before a weekend) and Monday is a Civic Holiday. The other problem is the tire dealers aren't morons....they'd rather sell $1500 worth of tires than put on a $50 patch.
That is the problem with cheap repairs.....there is no money in it. I am sure my MB dealer would love me to get it fixed somewhere else, it probably costs them more to fix the patch than what they make on it....especially compared to what they can charge for other things. So they do it....between other jobs.

You should have a go to guy for stuff like that. My guy will patch tires while I wait. I return the favor by giving him much of my other business.

when my daughter still lived in Wilmington, she informed me one day that the light had been on (low tire). She just kept forgetting to mention it. Since we were going to see her the next morning I brought some tools (well, my portable tire pump). Took a look, and found a screw in the tread. definitely in fixable territory. So, I started calling chain places (this was maybe 10:00 Saturday AM). Got a couple "Wednesday maybe" offers. One "well, drop it off, maybe we get to it". Neither of which would work since we were not staying.

found one listing for a place that seemed to be in a slightly sketchy neighborhood, but I called, and best as I could tell (not speaking spanish) he said to come by. Only about 5-10 minutes so I pumped it up, and princess drives us over. Found it fine, but I had to make her stop. Was a storefront shop with a single garage door, and a pile of tires in the side lot. They did have a used tire sign! A few cars at the curb or up on the sidewalk. She refused to get out so I did. Explained the situation (some hand gestures), eventually the boss comes over and I show him the nail. 2 minutes later he motions for her to pull up on the sidewalk with the nose in the doorway, next thing we know, a jack is under the car and we are going up in the air.

pulls the tire off, takes it inside to repair, puts it in soapy water tub to verify, back on the car, $10 cash and out of there in 15 minutes, tops. It was a wonderful experience.

My upholstery guy is like that, speaks broken English and his shop is located between the train tracks and an abandoned steel mill. Does good work at a reasonable price.

For all I know he thinks I look sketchy.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

Not expecting him to dismount the tire. The dealer most likely didn’t.

https://www.amazon.com/BETOOLL-Repair-Motorcycle-Tractor-Puncture/dp/B07MR5FX8M/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=tire+plug+kit&qid=1691183858&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

————————————————
Tire stores frown on those tire repair plugs and recommend, of course, the much more expensive “tire patch” that requires removing the tire from the rim to install the patch which used to require a gizmo that heated the patch to get it to properly stick to the inside of the tire. I don’t know if that is still done today. FWIW, I like the good old tire plug like you provided a link to. I’ve never had a problem with those. But like I said they’re considered tab-boo by those in the tire industry.

jmonroe

driver100

My understanding is the hole has to be on the tread area to be patched. Apparently RFTs can be patched, but not plugged I believe.
I think that means it has to be removed. If it does, you need special equipment to get a RFT off and on the rim.
Not recommended by DIYers. A DIYer can plug it, but a responsible garage won't plug it.
I researched quickly and that seems to be the situation.
As to taking it to your friendly indie garage guy. My car usually goes to be serviced once a year for an oil change....and tire problems and I just had to replace the secondary battery.....I only go to my dealer for repairs. besides, they have good free coffee.
I tried indie garages, tire chain stores, etc., and they were all busy because people are getting their cars repaired. Weekends are particularly busy and this is a holiday weekend. Garages make a lot more profit on selling tires or doing alignments and other repairs........the only reason my dealer is doing it is to try and keep a good customer happy.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

————————————————
Being the largest doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best/fastest for customer satisfaction, as you found out. The last place I want to go for service is a place that’s busier than a one armed paper hanger.

jmonroe

But my dealer is 15 minutes away, the next closest dealer is about 40 minutes away, and the next one about an hour away. It isn't like there is one on each corner. The population of greater Toronto is over 6 million people.......there aren't very many friendly little country Mercedes dealers around here........like none!

stickguy

plugs are generally fine and have been used for ages. And if you are on the road, it can be the difference between continuing and being stranded. I do know people that carry these and have done a roadside repair. Really pretty simple.

and if the other choice is a can of fix a flat, a vastly better idea!

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

————————————————
Being the largest doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best/fastest for customer satisfaction, as you found out. The last place I want to go for service is a place that’s busier than a one armed paper hanger.

jmonroe

But my dealer is 15 minutes away, the next closest dealer is about 40 minutes away, and the next one about an hour away. It isn't like there is one on each corner. The population of greater Toronto is over 6 million people.......there aren't very many friendly little country Mercedes dealers around here........like none!

Well, if you’re happy with dealer prices I guess there’s no alternative for you. My coworker who also drives for the Mercedes dealers often tells us of the multi thousand dollar repair bills he submits to the owners of cars for routine repairs like brake jobs. That’s a high premium for a bowl of soup.

I almost never use the dealer except when the repair is something that only they can do. Instead, I have gathered a cadre of indie shops for minor and major repairs as well as places who specialize in transmissions, body work and upholstery.

tjc78

I’ve had plugs in at least 10 tires with zero issues. The patch was an answer to a question nobody asked.

kyfdx

Shortly after I acquired @pensfan83 's car in 2010, I had a nail, with a small leak. Each rear tire was $305/ea, new. A friend had a kit, plugged the tire from the outside, and I never had an issue, afterwards.

In consideration of the plug, I refrained from ever exceeding 130 mph.

ab348

You guys ought to go into the tire business specializing in plugging punctures. Since no tire dealer will do it any more, you'd make a killing.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

So this morning a light came on "Check Tire Pressure".
I thought it meant the air pressure was getting low, but it said check and then reset your RFT warning light.
I was close to my MB dealer so I took it in.
They took a nail out of the right front tire, and said it could be patched since it is on the bottom.
I could make an appointment for 5 days to 3 weeks. What, rent a car for 3 weeks to fix a flat!
I talked them into doing it tomorrow, I might have to leave it there all day since they have to do it before jobs.
It is busy since it is Friday and Monday is a holiday.
No one wants to spend time fixing a flat when they can be putting on a new set of tires and make more $$$s
I hate RFTs. I would be much better off if I had a spare.
And, what if I was on a trip and this happened in some small town somewhere......stay in the Roach motel for 3 or 4 nights!

As noted earlier, my MB dealer replaced a tire, straightened a wheel, performed a Service A, and replaced the rear pads in under 4 hours- and it was not a scheduled appointment.
I'd demand your dealer provide free soup at a minimum.

Could it be that because there are fewer MB dealers in Canada, each one services a larger area and therefore has more customers?

Not sure that dealers are created equal...

Exactly. The last I heard it is the largest MB dealer in North America and they are busy to the max, even on Friday morning they had at least 6 salesmen on patrol. The costs to operate must be enormous.....no free service...but I did get a free coffee.
In case anyone forgot:

While I was there I checked around the showroom which must have about 15 to 20 cars on display, including at least 6 Q EV models that are in the $150000 to $200000+ range.

————————————————
Being the largest doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best/fastest for customer satisfaction, as you found out. The last place I want to go for service is a place that’s busier than a one armed paper hanger.

jmonroe

But my dealer is 15 minutes away, the next closest dealer is about 40 minutes away, and the next one about an hour away. It isn't like there is one on each corner. The population of greater Toronto is over 6 million people.......there aren't very many friendly little country Mercedes dealers around here........like none!

Well, if you’re happy with dealer prices I guess there’s no alternative for you. My coworker who also drives for the Mercedes dealers often tells us of the multi thousand dollar repair bills he submits to the owners of cars for routine repairs like brake jobs. That’s a high premium for a bowl of soup.

I almost never use the dealer except when the repair is something that only they can do. Instead, I have gathered a cadre of indie shops for minor and major repairs as well as places who specialize in transmissions, body work and upholstery.

If I had to do that many repairs I'd use indies too. Usually I use get an oil change once a year. Whatever I would save using an indie I would probably lose if I trade in, they like to be able to say the car was serviced at the dealers, it makes the car more valuable.

driver100

tjc78 said:

I’ve had plugs in at least 10 tires with zero issues. The patch was an answer to a question nobody asked.

Tire stores don't like plugs,, not enough money in it and big liability issue.

graphicguy

kyfdx said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

kyfdx said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

qbrozen said:

graphicguy said:

I thought the Hybrid JEEPS would be a big seller, but apparently not?

As far as I know, they are. Well, the wranglers were. Almost all pre-orders for the first 2 years. I'm not sure about the JGCs since I didn't pay attention.

OK....that makes sense. Was looking at the local Jeep store and they showed 106 GC in stock. I had misread and thought it was Wranglers.

Again, not paying all the close attention and just going from YT vids about rising stocks of Ram/Jeep models, I THOUGHT it was mentioned that Stelantis is offering huge rebates on those brands. Yes? No?

Ram trucks have had decent lease incentives on them for a while for the lower trim levels.

The only Jeeps with incentives are the 4xe models - generally $7500 pass through and an incentive on top of that.

Hmmmmm…interesting. What’s the incentives on top of the $7,500? I must be way out of touch these days. What do you mean by “pass through”?

The tax credit goes to the leasing bank. They pass through the tax credit in the form of a taxable rebate.

Additional incentives vary by trim and location.

So they convert a tax credit into a taxable rebate? That pass-through sounds like a screw-over.

How so? Anybody who leases the car will qualify for the incentive, whereas not everyone will qualify for the full $7500 tax credit, as it depends on income and tax obligations.

Yes, it's taxable, so in a state like Washington that has a 10% sales tax, you lose $750 off the top, but still...

It's enough to make me look at leasing a Jeep 4Xe. Looking around at inventories around here, there does seem to be a glut of inventory of both Ram and Jeep vehicles.

Not sure what I'd do with a Jeep. Then again, this is an Edmunds poster we're talking about here.

I am shocked at how much prices have risen over the last 12 mos on Jeeps, however. I used to think their appeal was their 4X4 capabilities in a rugged and value filled platform. Seems like that last attribute has gone away.....in a big way.

So, given the incentive, what does a 4Xe lease for? Say it has an MSRP of $50K?

Wait...I just noticed you can't even find a Jeep 4Xe for anything less than $55K. No wonder they can't sell them.

Most of them are $60K+. Even a decent deal is going to be $700/mo

Michaell said:

@graphicguy - are you talking about the Wrangler or Grand Cherokee? Either way, you need to take one or more test drives to make sure you can live with the poor build quality and thrashy (to some) engine. I know someone who leased a Grand Cherokee 4xe and discovered that not all the suspension bolts were tightened correctly, leading to some poor ride quality and significant noise.

Well…..looks like that was a short lived idea. It’s been a while since I’ve driven a Wrangler. I knew what it was, though….a rough riding, utilitarian, go anywhere vehicle. But, that one was a manual trans and was fun.

Trying to recall the last time I drove a JGC. I know it was a rental and I was still working. I only had it a day. Thought it was nice. I’m sure non-rental spec is nicer still. But, those have climbed the price ladder by quite a bit. So, thanks for chipping in. Won’t waste my time.

Sounds like Chrysler/Jeep/Ram/Dodge, whose reputation for build quality wasn’t all that great to begin with, have now inerited Fiat’s even worse build quality.

Now that the Challenger and Charger are going away, what’s left of Dodge? Same for Chrysler with the 300, which is unbelievable to me that it’s still being sold.

capriracer

tjc78 said:

I’ve had plugs in at least 10 tires with zero issues. The patch was an answer to a question nobody asked.

I'm the guy who breaks the statistics on plugs. I've had 2 out of 4 fail.

imidazol97

IIRC from long ago, the plugs were a concern because moisture could make its way to the steel belts, which then corrode and might fail within the life of the tread. So putting the plug in from the inside was a tighter way of sealing off the possibility of air and moisture getting into the belt area.

I had to have a tire puncture repaired at my Chev store and I understood they can only pop one side of the bead loose and place the internal patch and the plug from there. Then reseat that bead and voila', off the customer goes.

The plugged tire has gone 15K or so including a trip through KY, TN, NC, SC, and back home. Then a trip to KY and TN again at barely legal interstate speeds.

This was a Goodyear Eagle LS. I'm not sure it has a steel belt. I'll have to read the sidewall info again.

FWIW, the Chevy store did NOT have bagels, chicken soup, or coffee. They may give you a K-cup to brew a cup of that awful stuff the couple of times I've tried K-cups. They did, as in used to, have high quality folks in the service department.

sda

kyfdx said:

Shortly after I acquired @pensfan83 's car in 2010, I had a nail, with a small leak. Each rear tire was $305/ea, new. A friend had a kit, plugged the tire from the outside, and I never had an issue, afterwards.

In consideration of the plug, I refrained from ever exceeding 130 mph.

Remind us, what car was that?

kyfdx

sda said:

kyfdx said:

Shortly after I acquired @pensfan83 's car in 2010, I had a nail, with a small leak. Each rear tire was $305/ea, new. A friend had a kit, plugged the tire from the outside, and I never had an issue, afterwards.

In consideration of the plug, I refrained from ever exceeding 130 mph.

Remind us, what car was that?

'06 BMW 330i Performance Package Coupe (ZHP)

kyfdx

Here is @pensfan83 driving away in my baby, in 2020.

stickguy

Has your new baby helped you get over it?

kyfdx

stickguy said:

Has your new baby helped you get over it?

It's not the same, 13 years later. I'm an old man, and it doesn't have the same excitement for me, as getting that one did.

Plus, that was my daily driver, as well as my toy car. Different times. I love the GTI, and the Cayman is a cool toy. But, garaging it 1.5 miles away makes a difference. I'll go get it, for a week at a time. But, 90 degree days take some of the appeal away for cruising.

Don't get me wrong... I was done with the BMW. 10 years and 85K miles was long enough. It was time for someone else to enjoy it.

jmonroe1

@ab348 said:
You guys ought to go into the tire business specializing in plugging punctures. Since no tire dealer will do it any more, you'd make a killing.

————————————————
And if you listened to the shops that promote the tire patch, aside from us making a killing we’d be killing our customers. I guess I’d say that too if I wanted to sell tires and charge 50 bucks or more to “patch” a tire,

jmonroe