Had a minor incident tonight - just clipped a kerb whilst going round a corner - took a very small chunk out the rear offside alloy and a tear in the sidewall - it appears it's just the rim protector strip on the tyre that's come away but will probably replace anyway (better safe than sorry!). I'll take it to a tyre fitter at the first opportunity (which will be Christmas Eve now) but expect the advice to be to replace the tyre.

Is it worth getting both tyres replaced or will the car adjust for the tread difference? There's currently 6mm on both rears.

Putting it down to experience. Upside is I've never felt confident in wet / greasy conditions with the Dunlop Sport Maxx (might just blame the tyres - roads were very greasy tonight - may have slipped going round the corner ) - time to get the Rainsports on.

Edited 20 December, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

If it’s just the rim protector that is damaged then it’s done its job.

By all means get it checked out to be sure but I wouldn't be replacing a tyre with 6mm of tread on it, let alone a pair!

Ok - thanks - will get it checked out and take it from there .

If your damaged tyre was presented at the time of a MOT the car would fail the MOT.

All the time the tear is there their is a greater chance of the tyre failing in a big way all of sudden.

If your damaged tyre was presented at the time of a MOT the car would fail the MOT.

All the time the tear is there their is a greater chance of the tyre failing in a big way all of sudden.

+1

If its damaged replace it. If it blows things could be nasty.

There's a Uniroyal stockist a couple of miles up the road from me - got a couple of nights out between now and Saturday :beer: , so the car won't be going anywhere until then. Just hope they're open on Saturday afternoon, if not it'll be into next week.

Merry Christmas :'( !

The effing irony is I took the long way home to avoid a pothole on the route I usually take .

Edited 20 December, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

If your damaged tyre was presented at the time of a MOT the car would fail the MOT.

All the time the tear is there their is a greater chance of the tyre failing in a big way all of sudden.

not strictly true:

a.  A tyre has a cut the length of which is in excess of 25 mm or 10% of section width, whichever is greater, deep enough to reach the ply or cords

b.  a tyre has

·   a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber

·   any of its ply or cord exposed

not strictly true:

a.  A tyre has a cut the length of which is in excess of 25 mm or 10% of section width, whichever is greater, deep enough to reach the ply or cords

b.  a tyre has

·   a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber

·   any of its ply or cord exposed

Fortunately neither a. or b. apply. I'll still get a new tyre(s) - probably go for two Rainsports on the rear axle and then replace the fronts (which are on 4mm) in a couple of months. I was planning on changing all the Dunlops (ran a Lupo GTi on Dunplops for four years - same story, diabolical on wet / greasy surfaces) anyway, just sooner than I would've liked - not the best of timing at Christmas!

Performance Tyres in Carmunnock are 80 quid for Rainsports - goodbye Dunplops! That's the same price as Camskill (and would still have to get them fitted) and marginally cheaper than what I paid for Rainsports on my MKI vRS (probably because 205/40/17 is a more common size than 205/45/16).

Edited 21 December, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

If your damaged tyre was presented at the time of a MOT the car would fail the MOT.

All the time the tear is there their is a greater chance of the tyre failing in a big way all of sudden.

+1

If its damaged replace it. If it blows things could be nasty.

But the tyre isn't damaged so there is no way it will fail an MOT.

The rim protector is damaged. That's the whole point, this part of the tyre is designed to be dragged along kerbs.

It doesn't form part of the structure of the tyre so if bits of it are torn or worn it'll have no effect on the performance of the tyre.

The two important differences here are 'rim protector' and 'sidewall'.

It sounds to me as though the OP has his heart set on a new pair of tyres anyway, but to bin two perfectly good tyres for a damaged rim protector seems a little extreme to me.

Edited 21 December, 201114 yr by silver1011

Thanks for your post silver1011 - appreciated and food for thought. The 'damage' such as it is, is specifically at the rim protector. For peace of mind I'll take the car to a couple of tyre fitters and get their opinion (I will not take these opinions as 'gospel' or give them the go-ahead to fit new tyres). I do want to replace the Dunlops but given that it's Christmas would happily eek a few more miles out of them.

The most important thing is that the tyre is safe.

If you have any doubt in any of your tyres then you should replace them, if for nothing else then peace of mind.

Hopefully you know a local (preferably independent) tyre fitter that will be able to offer you an honest and unbiased opinion. Be careful of some of the larger (often more unscrupulous) chains as they may try to convince you that it needs replacing even though it doesn't.

If you get a chance to take a picture share it with us if you can.

Good luck, let us know how you get on

I took my old Octavia to a tyre specialist with damage to the rim protector, they took one look at it and said it will be fine as thats what the protector is designed to do. Mine had a really deep nick in it, went on to do more than 18K miles on it with no problems after.

I've just visited two tyre fitters - the first one was mobbed and the fitters were on their lunch at the second one - will need to wait till Tuesday now.

Today's the first time I've been able to look at the damage in daylight - looks like a definite new tyre job -

Edited 24 December, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

There is damage to the sidewall as well as the rim protector.

A dink out of the alloy too :'(

To be honest though I'd still be happy to drive on that tyre, it looks to me as though you have scrubbed off a chunk of the outer layer, it's hard to tell but it looks to me as though you've only taken it back to the point at which the writing is cut back to?

But opinions vary and I'd also understand someone wanting to air on the side of caution and have it replaced.

Thanks Silver1011. I agree it'll probably be ok but I'm going to bite the bullet - new tyres on Tuesday it is.

I'll sort the alloy later - I know it's there bit no-one else would notice.

Edited 24 December, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

I did a very similar thing doing a fast brake and turn up a dropped-kerb into a petrol station when I only had 800 miles on the clock back in September 2010.

I had just moved over from the dark (diesel) side at the time and hadnt got used to the extra fuel stops required!

The Kwik boys condemned the tyre, tried not to laugh when I told them the mileage, and threw a new one on for about £130.

Others may differ but I need total confidence in my contact patches with the road.

Having said that I now have a set of 16" alloys with winter tyres on and I aint going back to 17s now unless its a trackday, now that I have sampled the extra refinement and silence offered by the extra rubber, which IMHO offsets the slightly woolier feel.

Feel free to differ Briskies.

Personally, I'd replace that.

Took it to Performance Tyres this morning - guy was wondering why I wanted to change the tyre - he said the damage was purely superficial (the photo is so close up it does make it look worse than it actually is) and that he wouldn't let me drive out the place if it represented any sort of danger - very honest as he's just turned away a sale for two tyres (unless he just took an instant dislike to me, which to be honest, wouldn't be that unusual ).

Anyway, will wait two / three months and get all four replaced in a one-and-done job - the fronts will be just about needing replaced by then. Hopefully due a bonus in work about that time, which should make it less painful on the wallet.

Edited 27 December, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

i'm know tyre fitter, nor one of these people that have more money than sense!! to me that tyre is fine and i would drive on it all day long.

and if a MOT tester tried to fail it they would have another thing coming