[mclarenracer]

well my worst was about 2 years ago, morning after a snowstorm here in Philadelphia, also first day of my new semester in a new collage i went over few rocks and both of my right side tires were down this happened early in the morning after snow storm so no help as AAA was busy with other call. this happen around 8 am and help came around 2pm. got my tires fixed, went to collage the next day and to my surprise found out that all classes were canceled yesterday. also my first class was about public speaking, the topic i got was tires.

[greatDrive]

Till Date, Never had any puncture in my Maruti 800 ( Done 35K) Driven mostly between Delhi - Agra.
No Puncture in my Petra( Done 10K in Banglalore) till date (touchwood).

Cheers.

[LandCruiser]

I have had almost 10 punctures in 4 years when i had a santro. With the fiesta tubeless tires I have not had 1 puncture in the last 10 months (touchwood).

I suspect that in city outskirts and some state highways where there are too many roadside puncture fix shops those shop keepers put stuff on the road to get tires, of the vehicles passing by, punctured and get business (especially of two wheelers).

[Mendi]

I agree with Turbo freak...
I believe these car manufacturers supply ghatiya quality of tyres with small cars like M800, Alto and my Indica also came with very poor quality of tyres from Goodyear. I had to change two out of four tyres after completing 45000 kms and that too I have had a punture every 4 weeks in one or the other tyre. In total I have had around 18 punctures in last two years in Indica with 5 tube replacements. Maybe there is another reason for so frequent punctures is that the weight of the car is more to be carried by the Goodyear tyres. I need to add that I am very particular about the right tyre pressures and am a frequent visitor to the Petrol Pumps for getting the pressure checked even in the spare wheel. On the other side I have an Esteem Lxi which doesnot even know the spellings of PUNCTURE in the last two years. Excellent tyres from Apollo. Hats off !!!

[kph]

Originally Posted by Mendi

my Indica also came with very poor quality of tyres from Goodyear. I had to change two out of four tyres after completing 45000 kms and that too I have had a punture every 4 weeks in one or the other tyre. In total I have had around 18 punctures in last two years in Indica with 5 tube replacements. Maybe there is another reason for so frequent punctures is that the weight of the car is more to be carried by the Goodyear tyres.

You said it. By the way which tyre you replaced the Goodyear with?

[sandeep108]

Radial tyres generally have life based on time also, rather than only km driven. After about 3.5-4 years it is generally better to replace radials. In our conditions (high temperature, bad pressures, overloading, etc.) after that time period, they become 'stiff' and prone to punctures since the steel belting warps/shifts. Running on such bad tyres also has an adverse effect on the suspension/axle components.

[Mendi]

Kph: I replaced the Goodyear with Bridgestone Radials. Its been 4 months and I did not have any puncture in those replaced new tyres. I had two punctures in the rear Goodyear tyres though.
This might be off the track but I thought I would get some help from other BHPians and seniors. When I was about to replace my tyres, I had an option of getting the chinese tyres also in the market but I was confused. On half the cost of Bridgestone, I was getting the chinese make tyres. Most call centre Sumos and qualises are getting and using these tyres which dont even have any warranty. Are these OK to be used?

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by Mendi

This might be off the track but I thought I would get some help from other BHPians and seniors. When I was about to replace my tyres, I had an option of getting the chinese tyres also in the market but I was confused. On half the cost of Bridgestone, I was getting the chinese make tyres. Most call centre Sumos and qualises are getting and using these tyres which dont even have any warranty. Are these OK to be used?

No please do not fall for these tyres. There is a reason why they are so cheap & that is inferior quality. Secondly most of these companies have no R&D facilities of their own & just copy the designs of established brands. Why do you think they don't offer warranty? Primarily because one they are imported via the grey market & two because in all probability they will not be able to meet the norms in the country. AFAIK there has been some talk by SIAM & they tyre manufacturers to ban the import of such tyres.

I've had a close friend's Pajero suffer a blow out of 2 tyres simultaneously and they were fitted with chinese tyres. They are cheap & dangerous alternatives to pursue for your car. The reason the cabbies use them is cost since they are very cheap compared to the established brands and are atleast safer than retreading (but that might be disputable). Also I think they have a very hard compound which translates to longer wear rates.

Please always remember that tyres are one of the MOST IMPORTANT parts of your car. They are your only contact with the road and imagine what a tyre failure at high-speed can result in. Remember even the finest drivers cannot control the car in such instances so you should be very careful while choosing these tyres.

And have you read the brand names of these tyres? I'm not kidding but here are a few - Wanli, Nankang & best of them Linglong!!! (If you know what Ling means in Hindi you would be laughing your guts out)

[kph]

@iraghava
Something i wanted to hear from someone...
I always had the doubt.. about the quality difference..

@mendi
What was the price of Bridgestone you purchased and what was the price quoted for the chinese tyres?

[Rodeo]

My experience once was the worst. I had 4 punctures in 2 days... I was so frustrated that i wanted to sell my car. In that one was tyre tear because of stones and had to get a new tyre... This all with in city limits.

[Mendi]

@ROdeo
I got the Bridgestone radial for 2300 per piece without the tube and the chinese was avaliable for exactly Rs 1100 per piece.
But I believe I am to the extent satisfied with the Bridgestones I bought with the same old tubes for now. Getting an average of 22 on the highway and around 20 in city... So I am a pretty satisfied customer with Indica V2 when it comes to speak about Tatas...

[ravibhat]

In 4 years from 4 cars I owned (Omni, Santro, Swift, Innova) and travelling around 44,000KM (includes lot of bad roads as well) I had one and only one pucture experience thats in my Innova last week. Even after I noticed tyre puctured traveled around 40 km in 4 days.

It was very very small pucture in tubeless tyre. Pressure used to go down to 19psi from 33psi in 3 days,

Visited showroom when noticed and they fixed it, bill is RS.123/-

Ravi.

[ramie2400]

a few days back i was on my way to work to worli and my pulsar 150 back tyre got puntured near phoenix mills,i some how controlled the bike as i was above 60,felt my bike draging towards right-site.
when i got up saw the tyre had come out,just opposite found a punturewala,when he opened the tyre there was a 3"inch long wooden screw which was bend and had cut my tyre a bit and tube completely gone.
He changed the tube saying original,and after 2days again i saw no air in rear tyre,i got it opened the tube was some company called "Chandu Tubes" again i went for punture and finally after 2times more i got fedup i changed the rear tyre to the CBZ style but in 17"inch.now i am satisfied.
Conclusion: New tyre-Tube cost 1000/-
Chandu tube - 180/-
Packing to the cut in tyre 40/-
Labour 30/-
Next punture 50/-
Again punture 40/-

This says we dont have time and have to compromise for foolish things.

[deepakhon]

Just a week back, my Palio had a puncture right in front of a puncture shop (at least that is where I noticed it, that too when someone signaled it to me). I had the guy put in the spare and the next day, on my way to the office, I stopped by at Madhu's. I got a new tube for my tire and had it fitted with the spare put back into the boot.

[aZa]

My left front tyre is punctured but since its tubeless i've been running it for a while now by filling in air every other day.