So, I've been driving my 96 98 Regency Elite to work regularly. This morning I made it about 12 miles on the highway and I heard the tire start to go flat. I wasn't sure if it was a tire or rear bearing but I pulled off the highway. I went 35mph for about a mile toward a travel stop. The tire blew completely and I had to drive the last 1/2 mile on the rim.

I tried to call momma but it was 0530 so she was still asleep. The OE jack in the car was damaged and all I had was a donut. I had intended to go back to the salvage yard and find a good OE jack and tire iron, but fate acted first.

I called USAA for Roadside Assistance but they're a joke! They're sub-contracting to Agero the same way Hagerty does. I couldn't follow the link the automated system sent me because my phone sucks and it's darn near impossible to get ahold of a real person. If you do there will probably be a kid wailing or dog barking in the background (like when I called Hagerty for a tow for my 71). Plus they would undoubtedly send a jabroni for roadside assistance like the one that damaged the tail pipes of my 71 that Agero sent.

So, I tried momma again and she answered. She brought me my full-sized spare and a floor jack. Here are the required pics.

 

Check the date codes on the tires. I bet they are more than 5 years old and the others may come apart like that at any minute.

 

5 years is not old, 9 or ten is old.

 

I will double check them. I just bought them at Sam's Club in Houston, TX though.

When I bought the car a month ago one of the 15" rims had a blown tire on it. The car lot owner had a 16" rim and taller tire from a Buick Park Avenue on the front passenger's side. I wonder if the rim with the blown tire was damaged?

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-elite-138362/

The tire that blew was manufactured the week of April, 16th 2018. The oldest tire I bought from Sam's Club was made the week of March 12th, 2018. The other two were made in 2019.

FWIW, the full-sized spare I got from the junkyard (which I installed this morning) was made the week of April 30th, 2005.

 

You need to ask Santa for a mini floor jack to carry around in the trunk. I wouldn't tool around on that spare for very long.

 

Wise after the event I fear.
This should be a wake up call to everyone to check they have a functional spare and the means to change a wheel.
Previous threads have argued the merits of donut spares, I prefer a full size spare that I can swap over and carry on as before, however I'm not blind to trunk space and extra weight involved.
Lots of cars sold new in the UK, and I dare say elsewhere, don't have a spare at all, instead they have a can of goo to pump through the valve and get you to a tire dealer. Other might have run flat tires. I think, but don't know, that cars sold in Australia have to carry a proper spare. Having traveled in the Outback (and had a flat tire ) I see the sense in that.

But we should all have adequate provisions to at least get to a tire shop in the event of a flat tire.

Roger.

 

Definitely true Roger. I had a donut spare in the trunk but it didn't do me any good since the OE jack was damaged. Oh well...

I spoke with a tire tech at the local Sam's Club and they are going to order me new tires this afternoon. I think I will move the 03/2018 tire to the spare, get warranty on the tire that blew and buy a new tire for the last wheel. Apparently they can't get the Goodyear Assurance All Seasons anymore.

I guess I'll have to drive my truck or momma's Kia for a week or so.

 

Thanks for the experience. I have no reason now to not appreciate why I carry a full size spare, a sicsor jack, wood block and a 1/2 inch drive socket set in mi 66 Cutlass.

Thanks
Wayne

 

I would like to add that you need to check all spare tires for proper inflation. I like to do this once a year, but some times it's gets closer to 2 years before I recall not doing it.

Pat

 

Good advice Pat. Luckily, the full-sized spare was properly inflated and was able to get me to work and then back home yesterday. I did drive momma's Kia this morning...

I stopped by the local Sam's Club on the way home yesterday and they ordered me 2 new Goodyear Assurance All Seasons in 205/70R15. The person I talked to one the phone yesterday must not have known how to order them.

 

Send thanks to mamma...now go out and get AAA.

 

If there were justice in the world, tire manufacturers that deliberately sabotage the rubber formulations so that the tires become dangerous after five years would be sued into bankruptcy.

Five years is nuts. I'm driving on tires that are three times that old.

 

15 years is really pushing your luck.

 

Yesterday I was going to drive momma's Kia to work but the tire pressure light came on as I left the house. So, I turned around and left the Kia and drove the Regency to work instead (on the 14 year old spare). I took it easy and drove through town and the spare did fine. Luckily, I got a call from Sam's Club that morning and I was able to pick up my 2 new tires that afternoon.

It turns out the Kia just had low tire pressure because it's been colder since the weather changed. I aired up the tires and it test drove fine. I did drive the Kia today but only because I want to check the struts and brakes on the Regency before I drive it regularly. I know it needs struts and I wouldn't be surprised if the brake pads/shoes are due for a change. I also read about the subframe bushings on H bodies going bad so I need to check that too.

 

You are not kidding Eric. There was a guy on his way to the Tri5 Chevy convention in Bowling Green this year that had 15 year old tires on a 55 Chevy. He blew a tire and rolled the car. He had no seat belts and was thrown out of the car and killed. Friends had told him to replace his tires but he refused. Most of our tires will have plenty of tread on them at 10 years since we don't drive out cars a lot of miles every year. I understand it is hard to look at a tire with lots of tread on it and throw it away but it is the thing to do.